Among these are the ^^ preesen'' of the women. They were originally only breast-pins to confine the shift, but by the addition of various ornaments, they have reached such a size, as to cover the breasts of the women like shields. In every district, ih^sepreesen are made diiferently ; they are also different for married and unmarried women. All the trinkets, rings, crucifixes, shells, coins, bits of coral and amber, &c., which the Esthonian women possess, they invariably suspend to this piece of armour : so that when they are dressed in full holiday costimie, they clink and tinkle at every motion.
They also ornament their black dresses with red borders and embroidery. They cut various fantastic figures of flowers, birds, &c., out of red cloth, and sew them to their clothes. Their shoes are the same as those worn by the Lettes.
The Lettes always shave the beard off quite close ; the Russians let their hair grow just as nature pleases, on chin, cheeks, and hps. The Esthonians adopt both plans ; the former for unmarried, the latter for married men. Whilst the Russians cut the hair close round the head, the Esthonians, male and female, young and old, allow their golden locks to wave freely in long unrestrained ringlets ; except in a few districts, where the unmarried women plait their hair, and the married raise it in a high tower on the top of the head. The mimarried women wear as head-dress a high piece of pasteboard cut into points and curves, bent round the head like a coronet, which is covered with red woollen or silk. In front this diadem rises to a considerable height, but behind it is low, and set with brooches, fluttering ribbons, and other ornaments. The matrons wear either caps or hoods, or at least a red band round the hair, set with glass beads.
The Esthonians have no looking-glasses among them, but necessity is the mother of invention, and the Esthonian women have a resource of their own. When about to make their toilets, they pour water uito a wooden vessel, and contemplate their charms in this primitive and Arcadian kind of mirror.
Their ignorance of the commonest mechanical inventions, is inconceivably great. The following anecdote illustrates this : A young Esthonian girl was taken into the service of a nobleman's family, to whose estate she belonged. In one of the rooms a clock hung against the wall, and a glass door in the case, admitted a view of the restless and busy pendulum. For some time, the young girl contemplated in silent astonishment the wonderful and mysterious being. At length she exclaimed, " I have been here five days, and nobody has given the creature any thing to eat ! It will starve if it isn't soon fed !"
The Esthonians, unlike the Lettes, are very fond of vegetables ; ^^ Appo CapscH'' (sour cabbage) is one of their favourite national dishes. Barleyporridge is not so staple an article of food with them as with the Lettes. The poorer among the Esthonians live almost entirely on " A'6r/," a kind of thick soup, or barley broth. The KOrtkettle hangs over the fire in the middle of the house, and above it is suspended a large piece of rock-salt, which is put, for a short time, into the soup, when it begins to boil.
The dish most prized by the Lettes, is pork in various slmpes ; tlieir idea of supreme happiness consists in eating plenty of pork. They tell one another that the czar of all the Russlas is so great a man,, that he has every day on his table the most delicious pork, and bacon " as sweet as almonds." They themselves never taste it but on great festival-days.
" Katya^ is tlie common drink of the Esthonians, and much resembles German small-beer. Brandy, however, they much prefer ; their passion for this fiery poison is inconceivable. Unfortunately it is the temporary interest of those above them, to encourage this pernicious propensity ; for the chief revenue of many Esthonian noblemen is derived from the distilleries, where the peasants buy their brandy. It is a positive fact that a Temperance Society, which it was proposed to establish here, was publicly forbidden. There have, however, been among the nobles a few honourable exceptions, who have done all in their power to open the eyes of the people. A Count Manteuffel, and a physician of the name of Kreuzwaldt have written many little works on the injurious effects ot' brandy. A Ilerr von Lippart has set the admirable example of having an additional discourse on the bad consequences of intemperance, preached to his peasants every Sunday, when divine service is over.