b o o k t r e e s j n ;f uj[ l e a f , and fruit hanging on the boughs, which
, was gathered by the company. We obferved alfo in the de-
ifert a curious fpecies o f apple, which is not uncommon in
¡the neighbourhood of Mofcow : it is fomewhat larger than
a golden-pippin, is of the colour and tranfparency of pale
-amber, and has an exquifite flavour ; the Ruflians call it
Navlnich. The tree thrives here in the open air without
any particular attention to its culture, but degenerates in
other countries; its flips and feed, when planted in a foreign
foil, have hitherto produced only a common fort o f apple,
but never the tranfparent fpecies.
In returning from Mikaulka we paffed clofe to the villa
o f count Rofomoulki Hetman of the Ukraine, and itrefem-
bled more a little town than a country houfe. It confifted of
forty or fifty buildings of different iizes; fome of brick;
others of wood; fome painted, and others plain. He maintains
his guard, a numerous train of retainers, and a large
hand of muficians. The Ruffian nobles difplay a great degree
of grandeur and magnificence in their houfes, domeftics,
and way of living, Their palaces at and near Mofcow are
ftupendous piles of buildings ; and I am informed that their
manfions, at a diftance from Mofcow and Peteriburgh, are
upon a ftill greater fcale, where they refide as independent
princes, like the feudal barons in early times ; have their
feparate courts of juftice, and govern their vaffals with an
almoft unlimited fway.
1 did not expe<ff to have found in this northern climate a
hind of Vauxhall, which our curiofity led us to vifit. It is
fituated at the furtheft extremity of the fuburbs in a fe-
•queftered fpot, which has more the appearance of the country
than of a-town. We entered by a covered way, fimilar to
that
that at our Vauxhall, into the gardens, which were fplen- chap.
didly illuminated. There was an elegant rotunda for the ■ . ■
company to walk in, either in cold or rainy weather, and fe-
veral apartments for tea or iupper. The entrance money was
four ihillings. The proprietor is an Engliihman, whofe
name is Mattocks. The encouragement he met with from
the natives on this occafion had enabled him to engage in
conftrudting, at a very confiderable expence, a fpacious theatre
of brick; and, as an indemnification, he had obtained
from the emprefs an exclufive patent for all plays, and public
mafquerades, during ten years from the time of its completion.
The fineft view of Mofcow is to be feen from an eminence
about four or five miles from the town, of which I have
forgotten the Ruffian name, but its fignification in Englifh
is Sparrow-hill: upon this eminence were the ruins of a
large palace built by Alexey Michaelevitch. Upon our
return we flopped at Vafiliofiki, the villa of prince Dol-
gorucki, which ftands upon the brow of the fame hill.
The Moikva, broader than ufual, runs at its foot in a femi-
circie; and the vaft city of Mofcow lays open before i t :
the houfe is a large wooden building, to which we afcended
by mounting three terrafles. The prefent poffeffor of this
villa is prince Dolgorucki Crimiki, who diflinguifhed him-
felf by his repeated victories over the Turks in the Crimea,
and by the conqueft df that peninfula. The models of fe-
veral fortreffes, which he befieged and took, are placed in
the gardens; I particularly remarked thole of Yenikale,
Kerfch, and Precop.
'In going over the houfe, the various reverfes of fortune
which have befallen the family of Dolgorucki, occurred
forcibly to my recolleition, efpecially when I furveyed the
Vol..'I. P p - portrait