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tongue of the Ruffian, and therefore the ftyle of the facred writings, though fomewhatobfolete, is underftood without much difficulty, even by the common people.
The clergy, he informed me, are divided into fecular and regular priefts ; the latter,from whom are chofen the dignitaries of the church, are not permitted to marry ; thefeculars are the pariffi priefts, and from a literal obfervation of St. Paul’s precept, “ thehufband of one wife,” are required, as a qualification for orders, to marry ; and, in thefpirit of the fame tenet, are after the death of their wives deemed unfit for the facredfundion. The difqualification arifing from widowhood may, indeed, be healed by theBifhop’s difpenfation *, but a fecond marriage irrecoverably divorces from the altar.The Archbifhop was politely continuing to acquaint me with many other circumftancespeculiar to the ecclefiaftical eftablifhment, when the converfation was interrupted by afummons to dinner, A fmall table in the corner of the withdrawing-room, accordingto the cuftom in this country, was previoufly covered with plates of caviare, red herring,bread, butter, and cheefe, and different forts of liqueurs , to which the company helpedthemfelves before they adjourned to dinner.
About ninety perfons fat down to a fplendid entertainment. During the fecondcourfe, a large glafs with a cover being brought to Prince Volkonfki, he flood up, de-livered the cover to the Archbifhop, who fat next him, filled the glafs with champagne,and drank the Emprefs’s health, which was accompanied with a difcharge of cannon.The Archbifhop followed his example, and the glafs was in like manner circulated roundthe table. The healths of the Great Duke, of the Great Duchefs, and of their fonPrince Alexander, were then fucceffively toafted with the fame ceremonies; after whichCount Panin arofe, and drinking a return of thanks to the mafler of the feafl, was joinedby the whole company. When each toaft was named by the Prince, all the perfons attable rofe out of refped, and remained Handing while he drank.
During our flay at Mofcow we frequently experienced the hofpitality of CountAlexey Orlof, who, in the lafl war with the Porte, commanded the Ruffian fleet in theArchipelago , and burnt the Turkifh armament in the bay of Tchefme, for which adionhe was honoured with the title of Tchefininfki. The cuftom of conferring an additionalname for the performance of fignal fervices to the country, was in imitation of the Ro-mans, ufually pradil'ed by Conflantine and his fucceffors the Greek Emperors, whoreigned at Conllantinople. From that quarter it probably paffed to the Ruffians, whoin the earlier times of their hiftory gave fimilar appellations to fome of their illuftriousleaders. Thus the Great Duke Alexander was called Nevfki for his victory over theSwedes near the Neva, and Demetrius Ivanovitch was denominated Donfki, for hiscon-queft of the Tartars upon the banks of the Don. This cuftom, which was long difcon *tinued, was revived by the prefent Emprefs. Marffial Romanzof received the denomi-nation of Zadunaifki, for his vidories fouth of the Danube ; Prince Dolgorucki that ofCrimfki for his fucceffes in the Crimea ; and Count Orlof this of Tchefininfki, for thenaval victory in the bay of Tcheftne.
The houfe of Count Orlof is fituated at the extremity of one of the fuburbs, upon anelevated fpot, commanding a fine view of the vaft city of Mofcow and the neighbouringcountry ; many feparate buildings occupy a large trad of ground. The offices, ftables,manege, and other detached ftrudures, are of brick; the foundation and lowerftory of the dwelling-houfe are built with the fame material; but the upper part is
* In general the fecular prieft, when a widower, is received into a monaflery.
1 wood,