the latter, dressed in the fashion of the country, their heads profusely
ornamented with gold and embroidered veils; and others, according to the
more attractive garb of the French, presented a striking contrast to
many of the assembled men, whom I understood to belong to the class of
Russian merchants, but who wore neither the kaftan nor the beard. Their
smooth and shaven faces, with the general style of dress common to most
of the European nations, scarcely permitted their being distinguished
from several English merchants present, who had been invited on the
occasion. The officiating priest, decked in his rich church vestments,
accompanied by the deacon advanced from the sanctuary towards the door
of entrance into the church, and there received the pair about to be
made happy, to whom he delivered a lighted taper, making, at the same
time, the sign of the cross thrice on their foreheads, and conducted
them to the upper part of the nave. Incense was scattered before them,
while maids, splendidly attired, walked between the paranymphy, or
bridegroom and bride. The Greek church requires not the presence of
either of the parents of the bride on such an occasion. Is it to spare
them the pain of voluntarily surrendering every authority over their
child to one who is a stranger to her blood? I stood by the side of the
table on which were deposited the rings, and before which the priest
halted at the conclusion of a litany, wherein the choristers assisted,
and from which he pronounced, in a loud and impressive voice, the
following prayer, his face being turned towards the sanctuary, and the
bride and bridegroom placed immediately behind him, holding their
lighted tapers:--

"O Eternal God! thou who didst collect together the scattered atoms by
wonderous union, and didst join them by an indissoluble tie, who didst
bless Isaac and Rebecca, and made them heirs of thy promise; give thy
blessing unto these thy servants, and guide them in every good work: for