nobility and a few of the officers in the army; but neither are so
generally understood as in England - German far less so; and as for
the Russians being the best general linguists in Europe, I am
totally unable to guess how the idea could have originated, but am
certain from personal experience that they are quite the contrary.

Petersburg is the finest city in the world; neither London nor
Paris nor any other European capital which I have visited has
sufficient pretensions to enter into comparison with it in respect
to beauty and grandeur. Many of the streets are miles in length,
as straight as an arrow and adorned with the most superb edifices.
The so-called Nevsky Prospect, a street which runs from the
Admiralty to the Monastery of St. Alexander Nevsky, is nearly three
miles in length and for the greatest part of the way floored with
small blocks of wood shaped octagonally. The broad and rapid Neva
runs through the centre of this Queen of cities, and on either side
is a noble quay, from which you have a full view of the river and
of what is passing on its bosom. But I will not be diffuse in the
description of objects which have been so often described, but
devote the following lines which my paper will contain to more
important matters.

The lower orders of the Russians are very willing to receive
Scriptural information, and very willing to purchase it if offered
to them at a price which comes within their means. I will give an
interesting example of this. A young man of the name of Nobbs, in
the employ of Mr. Leake, an English farmer residing a few VERSTS
from Petersburg, is in the habit on his return from the latter
place, whither he is frequently sent by his master, to carry with
him a satchel filled with Russian New Testaments and religious