him to his houfe, where we found a collation, confuting of an eelpye, a fterlet, red andpickled herrings, and various forts of liqueurs and wines. After enjoying for fome timethe intelligent and entertaining converfation of the Archbilhop, who fpoke fluently theFrench tongue, we made our acknowledgments, and retired. t
Before our departure from the metropolis, we had an opportunity of being prefentat another religious rite of a more public nature, the bleffing of the Waters ; whichwas performed on the 6th of January, O. S. January 17th, N. S. though not withits ancient pomp and magnificence. This ceremony ufed to be held upon the Neva; onwhich occafion the Sovereign attended in perfon upon the ice, and all the regiments ofguards were drawn out in great foiemnity. Its pomp, though (till fplendid, is now muchdiminifhed.
On the frozen furface of a fmall canal, between the admiralty and the palace, waseredted an octagon pavilion of wood, painted green, and ornamented with boughs of fir:it was open at the Tides , and crowned by a dome, fupported by eight pillars. On thetop was the figure of St. John with the crofs, and four paintings, representing fome mi-racles of our Saviour; in the infide a carved image of the Holy Spirit, under the em-blem of a dove, was fufpended, as is ufual in the fandtuaries of the Greek churches.The floor of this edifice was carpeted, excepting a fquare vacancy in the middle, in whichan opening was cut in the ice, and a ladder let down into the water. The pavilion wasenclofed by pallifadoes, adorned with boughs of fir, and the intermediate fpace alfo co-vered with carpets. From one of the windows of the palace a fcaffolding was eredt'ed,ornamented with red cloth, which reached to the extremity of the canal.
At the time appointed, the Emprefs appeared at the window of the palace, and theArchbifnop, who was to perform the benediction, paffed at the head of a numerous pro-ceflion along the fcaffolding into the octagon, round which were drawn up a few foldier?of each regiment quartered at Peterfburgh. After having pronounced a few prayers *,he defcended the ladder, plunged a crofs into the water, and then fprinkled the coloursof each regiment. At the conclufion of this ceremony the Archbilhop retired, and thepeople rufhed in crowds into the odtagon f, drank with eagernefs the water,lprinkled it upon their clothes, and carried fome of it away for the purpofe of purifyingtheir houfes.
On the 6th of December we were witnefs to a very Angular entertainment given tothe public by a Ruffian, who had acquired a large fortune by farming, during fouryears only, the right cf vending fpirituous liquors. On furrendering his contract, hegave, as a proof of his gratitude to the lower clafs of people, by whom he had enrichedhimfelf, a feafl: near the garden of the fummer-palace, which was announced by hand-bills distributed throughout the city. As ftrangers, defirous of obferving the nationalmanners, we did not fail to be prefent at this caroufal, which commenced at two o’clockin the afternoon. A large femi-circular table was covered with all kinds of provifion,piled in different fhapes, and in the greateft profufion. Large flices of bread and ca-viare, dried fturgeon, carp, and other filh, were ranged a great height, in the form ofpent-houfes and pyramids, and garnilhed with craw-fifli. onions, and pickles. In dif-ferent parts of the grounds were rows of cafks full of fpirituous liquors, and ftill largerveffels of wine, beer, and quafs. Among the decorations I obferved the reprefentation
* The reader will find the ceremonies and prayers uled on this occafion, in Dr. King’s Rites of the GreekChurch, p. 386.
j I was informed that fome of the populace plunged into the water, and that othersdipped their childreninto it ; but as I was not myfelf witnefs to thefe circumfiances, I cannot vouch for their truth.
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