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The unfortunate and beautiful girl is represented as being indeed taken up "tenderly" by two compassionate men, while a youth stands wondering by, and struck with emotion at the wreck of so much loveliness.

In the second medallion there is a terrible moral conveyed: the observer is made to feel, by the whole character and bearing of the principal figure, that "woe, woe, unutterable woe," is the sure fate of those who spill "life's sacred stream." The haggard countenance and the shuddering aspect of Eugene Aram powerfully portray the dread workings of a guilty

conscience:

"The crimson clouds before his eyes,
The flames about his brain;
For blood has left upon his soul
Its everlasting stain."

In striking contrast to the mental agony depicted in this figure, are the studious boy lying near, and the happy children,

released from school, playing in the distance.

"Like sportive deer they coursed about,
And shouted as they ran,

Turning to mirth all things of earth,
As only boyhood can;
But the usher sat remote from all,
A melancholy man!"

erection of monumental tributes to literary Objections are frequently urged to the men; it being asserted that an author's writings form his best monument. Miss Mitford's donation to the fund was accompanied by the following remark :-" It is not so much for Hood's sake, as for the honor of England, that such a testimony is needed;" and thousands of grateful admirers have confirmed that estimable lady's opinion. The subscription list is an interesting one, and proves how Thomas Hood's writings have endeared him to all classes of his readers.

The Duke of Devonshire placed his name at the head, with a liberal donation of

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A TRIP FROM ST. PETERSBURGH TO CONSTANTINOPLE.

JASSI-CHURCH OF THE THREE SAINTS-MOLDAVIAN | Country houses; the latter, it must be acSUPERSTITIONS-BEAUTY OF SCENERY-SEASONS- knowledged, are not of the most elegant

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RACES-WOMEN-HISTORICAL SKETCH-TRAJAN'S

BRIDGE-MANNERS.

SHALL not weary you with the details

davia, for I would fain forget the achings of my bones which will ever make the route a memorable one to me; the mere recital renews them, so sensibly were they impressed upon my memory. Very gratefully, however, would I recall my first view of Jassi, for it was to be a haven of rest from my wanderings for a brief season. Its elevated situation gives a pleasant impression to the traveler who approaches from the mountain which overlooks it, beneath which it sits in repose with its feet bathed in the waters of the Bacchlui. Before it rises Mount Bordelu, in the midst of most picturesque scenery; and on the other side of the city a lovely landscape stretches out, as much like an English park as it is possible to imagine. The roads are bordered with vineyards and VOL. V.-30

construction, and in this particular have little harmony with the beauty of nature

built to meet the sheer necessities of their occupants, without regard to gracefulness of outline. In the interior of the city, this want of taste and regularity is still more striking; the buildings are without order or arrangement either in their form or situation. Some of them have a side to the street, while others present their kitchens and stables for public inspection, and some conceal their deformities behind high board fences. The streets are as disagreeable as they can be made by the two scourges with which they are alternately visited: the black liquid pasty mud of winter, becomes in summer a dry stifling dust, which blinds and chokes at the same time. Broken windows and crumbling walls are seen in every direction, for nothing is ever repaired; while

the total disregard of cleanliness, revolting to more senses than one, marks its entire aspect with that oriental indolence from which no improvement can be hoped. The extremes of luxury and poverty unite here without any transition; indeed, it is quite impossible for persons of moderate fortunes to live respectably.

Jassi has been nearly consumed three times by fire; but when I said to some of its inhabitants, that these would have been good opportunities to have regulated and improved their city, they went into elaborate discussions to prove that there was as much beauty in their pell-mell confusion as in the most harmonious regularity. "Why should we straighten and pave our streets?" they asked me. "We should only have the more noise; they are sufficiently straight and clear for our carriages, which roll equally well through mud and dust, from one end of the city to the other." And yet a gradual change may be seen taking place in some parts of the city, not only among the residences of the nobility, but also among those of the merchants and bankers; the inhabitants are also beginning to appear in gloves, shoes, and hats, and other marks of civilization. In one of its better streets I found a library of French literature, quite surrounded by Jewish shops, with the usual variety of merchandise which characterizes them elsewhere; among them, as is usual, were many money-changers. There is also a theater, where comic operas and French vaudevilles are represented once or twice a week. With these slight pretensions to the character of a city, Jassi seems more like a large village, with its nameless streets, its large and numerous gardens, and its mysterious mahalas (faubourgs) six or seven miles in circuit.

Among the churches which escaped the great fire of 1827, the most remarkable is the Church of the Tresphetitili, or Three Saints; consecrated in 1622 to Saint Basil, Saint John Chrysostom, and Saint Gregory. It is constructed of large stones, its exterior is covered with beautifully executed arabesques in relief, and it is crowned with towers of light and graceful forms. The interior walls are ornamented with frescoes; its three naves are illuminated by magnificent silver lamps constantly burning day and night, for the high and narrow arched windows only admit a pale and mysterious light. It is

surrounded with a spacious monastery, which has always been well fortified. This church was originally gilded throughout its interior, and was celebrated for its vast treasures. It has been burned and pillaged three times during the invasions of the Tartars, and at the beginning of the present century was overthrown by an earthquake. About twenty-five years since it was robbed of one of the richly ornamented portraits of its founder. The avaricious thieves, who escaped detection, had no reverence for the holy Basil, but they coveted the numerous and valuable fine pearls with which his robe and headdress were covered. The church still preserves an incomplete collection of portraits of great beauty, embroidered with inimitable perfection by the Princess Theodocia, the wife of Basil. Among them is one of the princess herself, and her son, the eldest of her twenty-seven children. The only one which is still preserved of the founder is in fresco, representing him with his unfinished church upon his left hand, while his three patron saints are bestowing their benedictions upon him from the skies.

Like most imperfectly civilized nations the Moldavians are thoroughly superstitious. It is an exceedingly bad omen for the eyebrows to meet; persons with this peculiarity are suspected of an "evil-eye." On certain days of the week malicious fairies possess a supernatural power, which increases in activity toward evening, when their short-lived spells are to perish. They also believe in sorcerers, who only live to injure those around them; but fortunately they are easily recognized by their tails, which they sometimes wear under their arms and sometimes where it is said the devil wears his. They suspect a person of causing drought, and another of producing rain. A physician was one day gathering herbs upon the mountain-side; some travelers upon the road were able to distinguish a form moving among the trees, and took it into their heads that they had discovered a wolf, of which vague reports had been circulating among the inhabitants. They started in pursuit, but what was their surprise upon near approach to find that the animal arose and looked at them with a human face. Nothing but a sorcerer could thus change its form, and the poor physician, as he descended from his

scientific elevation, found himself sustaining a new character in the eyes of his frightened pursuers. Fortunately a passing vehicle relieved him from his dilemma. I was told that some Wallachian peasants, believing that some sorcerers were among them, placed in the church one evening as many pots of milk as there were cows in the village. The milk, which turned during the night, was taken as a sure proof of the wicked influence of their owners. Frequently more cruel tests are tried for the discovery of the suspected, and often the most absurd practices are used the sorcerers of whom they are in so much dread, are interred like other mortals; but if there is the slightest suspicion of their reappearing in the form of an animal, for this is firmly believed in by these simple people, the grave is opened, and its occupant is securely fastened in his quarters.

Wallachia and Moldavia, which are designated under the general name of Danubian Principalities, are perilously situated between Turkey, Russia, and Austria; if they succeed in establishing peaceful relations with one of these neighbors, they are sure to be interrupted by one of the others. The land of Wallachia rises gradually from the plains of the Danube, where it is about forty-five feet above the level of the sea, to nearly eight thousand feet, which is the height of the most elevated peaks of the Carpathian Alps. This range crosses the country with four hundred and eighty-one separate peaks, each bearing its proper name. The soil is well-watered, and so fruitful that scarcely any cultivation is necessary. Flowers are everywhere in abundance: even the dusty roadsides are bordered with these fragrant ornaments: some of them have received most poetical names from the simple-hearted inhabitants. A modest little blossom which grows in shade and obscurity is called "little tears;" and a magnificent flower, resembling a candelabra, is known as "The Light of the Lord." Nothing can exceed the beauty of the "prairies" in the verdure of spring or the golden hues of autumn, diversified as they are with an infinite variety of flowers and flowering shrubs, nut and fruit trees, and orchards bending beneath their luxurious burdens of plums, apples, and apricots. The solitary valleys of the mountains are lovely beyond description,

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fully equaling Swiss scenery in variety and beauty. The olive and orange are the only European trees which do not thrive in Moldo-Wallachia. The vine is cultivated to some extent; grain is also very abundant.

The mountains are covered with magnificent forest trees, which are exported for ship-building. It is said likewise that they inclose vast mineral treasures of gold, silver, sulphur, and nitre, which might be important articles of commerce but for the indolence of the inhabitants. The Turks used to call these provinces the Peru of their empire; but scarcely any of the mines have been worked except the salt ones, which are a government monopoly.

An old Turkish proverb declared that a Persian boy and a Moldavian horse were the most perfect beings produced by nature; but my observations have by no means been confirmatory of the latter part of this statement. The horses are very degenerate; but the animal kingdom is as varied as the vegetable, and almost every species known in Europe is found in this province.

There are only two seasons in MoldoWallachia: winter commences with November and terminates with April; the ground is then covered with snow, and sleighs are the only vehicles in use; the remaining seven months belong to sumThe middle of the day is very warm at this season, but the mornings and evenings are so cool that a cloak is never unwelcome. This sudden change of temperature produces many fevers, which are almost unknown in the dry cold weather of winter.

mer.

In the population of Wallachia, where the fusion of races is almost complete, the Saxon can only be distinguished by his light hair from his Flemish neighbor; but in Moldavia, the aboriginal race is easily recognized by its language, manners, and frequently even by its costume. The Russian is short, stout, blond, and with little regularity of feature; those called Hungarians have round faces, black hair, and large noses. They profess Catholicism, and their language is a jargon of rough sounds. The Lippovan, (was it not formerly Philippovan?) whose name to me seems expressive of his disposition in this respect, preserves his ancient love of horses, and is always either a coachman or a jockey. He also

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