The political pictures all take for their subjects the beloved persons of their emperors, and illustrate a number of anecdotes relative to them. The Emperor Peter, when, on the lake of Ladoga, he seized the helm of the little vessel and called to the affrighted boatmen, " Courage, my brethren ; did you ever hear of an emperor drowned in a puddle ?" The Emperor Peter putting on the imperial crown; Alexander trying to restore to life the peasant found frozen to death in Lithuania ; Nicholas wrapped in his simple mantle, in an ordinary Russian Troika (a carriage with three horses), in which he drives through his empire ; or with his son Constantiue on his lap, in a small boat with his consort ; the heir to the imperial crown as he attends his father at a review. There is a positive cyclus of such scenes, as current as the stamped coin of the realm, and continually reappearing in the same form and manner, and making part and parcel of the national life.
The JBSthetic pictures are mere imitations of foreign productions sent from Vienna, Paris, and Berhn, to Moscow, where they are immediately translated into Russian ; that is quickly imitated, furnished with Russian inscriptions, and sold at a low price to the Rasnoshtshiks, who disperse them throughout the world. The pretty face of the Queen of England, and the beard of Louis Philippe, are thus made known on the other side of the Caucasus. Napoleon's portrait is as common as among us, and all the remarkable events connected with that mighty apparition are variously presented in these pictures to the Russian people.
DRESS OF THE COURT LADIES.
Since the Emperor Nicholas has introduced the old Russian costume for ladies at his court (the gentlemen keep their uniforms), there is no other court in the world that presents so splendid an appeaiance on gala days. The chief garment is tlie Sarafan, a wide open robe without sleeves ; underneath is worn a full long-sleeved gown. The sarafan itself is generally made of velvet richly embroidered with gold, of different colours, and varying in the embroidery according to the rank of the lady. The under di-ess is lighter in colour, generally of silk, and the long sleeves clasped at the wrist with gold bands. The hair is braided smooth, and adorned with the Kokoshnik, a kind of diadem, crescent-shaped, with the points turned towards the back. This kokoshnik, richly set with pearls and precious stones, and from the back of wluch descends a long veil, gives every lady the air of a queen.
The directions with respect to form and colour of these robes are very exact, but enough is still left free to be varied by the taste of the wearer. The maids of honour are distinguished by their head-dress. The whole hcis at once the imposing effect of uniformity with the interest of variety.
The court of Vienna lays claim to a more solid magnificence in its courtiers and magnates. This may be true, but with respect to outward appearance, splendour of colour, and tasteful arrangement of forms, no court can be compared with that of St. Petersburg. And with respect to manners, if we are to suppose the well-known prescriptions of Catherine for the demeanour of her courtiers at the Hermitage to have been seriously meant, the court must have undergone an extraordinary change ; the Russian courtiers now find as much to ridicule in other courts, as others formerly fomid in theirs.
NUMBER OF HORSES IN AN EQUIPAGE.
The imperial state equipage has six horses, although the emperor, when alone, frequently drives only one. The nobles dowTi to a certain rank diive four ; but merchants, tradesmen, and all not noble are restricted to two horses. Twice only are they allowed the pleasure of driving in a fourhorsed carriage ; on their wedding-day, and at their funeral.
I was one day passing a window round which many persons were crowding, and found that the house, which belonged to at obacconist, was to be consecrated. As I knew something of the owner, I entered the doorway, and was immediately invited to enter and " assist" at the ceremony. He had had liis business in another street, and was now removing and extending it. All was as bright as new silver in his establishment ; the counters and sofas were of highly-polished mahogany ; the beds in the further chambers made up and decorated, but as yet unslept in ; in the front shop, parcels of tobacco, chests of cigars, and other wares, were arranged in the best order ; the weights and scales were all ready and as bright as gold ; but not an ounce of any thing had yet been sold.