♦ The natives of Little Russia are called Malorossiani ; those of Great Russia call themselves Jiusfti, or Russian par excellence. These arc the two principal sections into wiiich the Kussian nation is usually divided; but when the emperor is called the day a mute embarrassed pair — a klopza (peasant lad) in a spick-and-span new sirak and torba, and a young tshornoi gus (a black goose, alias a stork) as the girls of Little Russia are frequently called, on account o.f the constant predominance of black and white in their costume — -were announced at the castle. According to the Malorossian custom, they fell on their knees, kissed the hands and feet of their lord and lady, requested leave to marry, and invited the whole household to the wedding. The permission was readily accorded, and a proposal was made to the bride and bridegroom, to celebrate their wedding at the castle, in which case they were promised a banquet sufficiently copious for the entertainment of the whole village.
On the following day, accordingly, one-half of the lawn was covered with tables and benches, while the other half was arranged for dancing on. Towai'ds noon the noise of an approaching multitude announced the bridal procession. All the inmates of the chateau mustered under the portico in front of the house to view the merry train. The musicians marched at the head of the party, followed by the maitre de plaisir^ decorated, according to the prescribed nde, with handkerchiefs tied crosswise over his shoulders. This is an official personage, whose presence is de rigueur at every Malorossian wedding, where he doubles the parts of merryandrew and cup-bearer. He was followed by the father and mother of emperor of all the Russias, the Russian includes likewise, White Russia, comprising a great part of Lithuania, on the Upper Dwina and the somrces of the Nienien ; lied Russia, of wliich a large portion at present does homage to the Austrian sceptre ; and Black Russia, the exact locality of which it is diflScult to define. TJie liusld , or Great Russians, inhabit tlie central provinces of the empire, the ancient Muscovy, whence they have extended themselves over the lands inhabited by the Finns, to the Baltic and the Arctic Ocean, and among the Tartars and Mongolians, over Siberia, as far as the Pacific. In numbers tliey are supposed to be about twenty-eight millions, and constitute, therefore, by far the most important portion of the sixty millions of human beings ruled by the Russian emperor. They are to all intents the ruling race in Russia, occupy the most important oflBces, and their language is the oflScial language of the state. The Mahrossiani inhabit the southern part of European Russia, particularly the provinces watered by the Dnieper and its tributaries. The Malorossiani are almost exclusively an agricultural people, and have spread themselves over the country reacliing from the Carpatliian mountains to the Lower Volga. The Cossacks on the Euxine and the Aral, the Caucasus and the Ural, the Don and the Volga, are all descended from military colonies originating among the IMalorossiani. The whole race comprises about twelve millions of souls. The natives of Great and those of Little Russia differ as much as it is possible for two parts of the same nation to do. They differ from each other morally and physically, and in many pomts there exists a remarkable contrast between their habits and characters.
The serfs in Little Russia are nmch more obsequious to their lords than are the serfs of Great Russia. Serfdom, in fact, is an institution of ranch more ancient date in Great Russia than in Little Russia, where it is said never to have existed till after the subjugation of the country by the Moscovites, The serf in Great Russia calls his lord "father," treats him with a respectful familiarity, and stands to him in something of a patriarchal relation. He is generally well informed of the family affairs of his lord, takes a lively interest in them, and will not hesitate to volunteer good advice where he thinks it called for. In Little Russia, on the contrary, the serf neither loves his lord nor troubles himself about his concerns. The most romantic attachment is often shown in Great Russia by the serfs to their lords ; in Little Russia, the murder of a lord by his serf is by no meims an unheard of occurrence. Nevertheless, the serf of Little Russia is much more hmnble and submissive in his outward deportment, endeavouring, apparently, by an obsequious deraeanoxu', to atone for the total absence of real affection. On these points there is much resemblance between the sens of little Russia and those of Poland.