Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

238ENGLISH CARRIAGES ON

fellows a purer happiness. God has not endowed us with faculties intending them to remain unemployed; His decree has assigned to each his place from all eternity ; our part is, not to render ourselves unworthy of the glory he reserves for us. All that is best in us has its end in Him.

The reader will wonder what it can be that has condemned him to the perusal of these reflections. An accident has happened to my carriage, which gives me leisure to record my thoughts.

Some leagues from this place 1 met a Russian of my acquaintance, who had been to visit one of his estates, and was returning to Petersburg. ^We stopped to talk for a short time. The Russian, after casting his eye over my carriage, began to laugh, and, pointing to its various complicated parts, said, ¢c You see all these things, they will not keep together till you reach Moscow: foreigners who persist in using their own carriages when in our country, set out as you did, but return by the diligence."

" In going no farther than Moscow even ?"

¢¢ No farther even than Moscow."

" The Russians told me that it was the best road in all Europe; I took them at their word."

" There are bridges yet wanting: the road in many parts requires mending ; the highway has frequently to be left in order to cross temporary bridges of rude construction, and, owing to the carelessness of our drivers, the carriages of foreigners always break in these awkward places."

¢¢ My carriage is an English one, and its goodness has already been well tested by long journeys."

" They drive no where so fast as in Russia; the