b o o k in this place I ihall only obferve that, muihrooms are fo ex-
. ^ ‘ , Geedingly common in thefe regions, as to torm a very effen-
tial part of their provifion. I feldom entered a cottage without
feeing great abundance of them, and in palling through
the markets, 1 was often aftoniffied at the prodigious quantity
expofed for fale: their variety was no lefs remarkable
than their number; they were of many colours, amongft
-which I particularly noticed white, black, brown, yellow,
green, and pink. The common drink of the peafants is
quafsj’ a fermented liquor, fomewhat like fweet-wort, made
by pouring warm water on rye or barley-meal; and deemed
an excellent antifcorbutick. They are extremely fond of
whilky, a fpirituous liquor diftilled from malt, which the
p o o r e f t can occaiionally command, and which their inclination
often leads them to ufe to great excefs.
The backwardnefs of the Ruffian peafants in all the mechanical
arts, when compared with thofe of the other nations
of Europe, is vifible to the moft fuperficial obferver. As
we approached, indeed, towards Peteriburgh, and nearer the
civilized parts of Europe, we could not fail to remark, that
the villagers were fomewhat more furniffied with the conveniences
of life, and fomewhat further advanced in the
¡knowledge of the neceffary arts, than thofe who fell under
our notice between Tolitzin and Mofcow. The planks were
¡lefs frequently hewn with the axe, and faw-pits, which we
had long confidered as objefts of curiofity, oftener occurred;
the cottages were more fpacious and convenient, provided
with larger windows, and generally had chimnies : they
were alfo more amply ftored with houihold furniture, a n d
with wooden, and fometimes even earthen utenfils.
Still,
Still, however, their progrefs towards civilization is very c
inconiiderable ; and many inftances of the groffeft barbarifm >-
fell under our obfervation, during the daily intercourfe we-
neceffarily maintained with the peafants. One inftance I
ihall mention, becaufe it will ferve to ffiow into what a
wretched ftate of ignorance the common people are ftill
plunged, when even the fmalleft trace of fuch immoral
pra<5tifes ftill fubfifts amongft them. In many families the
father marries his fon, while a boy of feven, eight, or nine
years old, to a girl of a more advanced age, in order, as it is ■
faid, to procure an able-bodied woman for the dqmeftick
fervice: he cohabits with this perfon, now become his
daughter-in-law, and frequently has feveral children by her.
In my progrefs through Ruffia, I obferved in fome cottages,
as it were, two miftreffes of a family, one the peafant’s real
wife, who was old enough to be his mother, and the other,
who was nominally the fon’s wife, but, in reality, the father’s
concubine. Thefe inceftuous marriages, fandtified by inveterate
cuftom, and permitted by the pariih-priefts, were
formerly more common than they are at prefent; but as
the nation becomes more refined, and the priefts fomewhat
more enlightened, and as they have lately been difcounte-
nanced by government, they are daily falling into dilufe;
and it is to be hoped, will be no longer tolerated
Thofe:
* T h e truth o f this faft, which fell under
my own obfervation-, and which I authenticated
by repeated inquiries from all
ranks o f people, is ftill .further confirmed
by the following paflage in the Antidote to
the Journey into Siberia, although the author
gives another reafon for thele- early
marriages, “ The peafants and-common
1 people not only marry their fons at four- -
‘ teen and fifteen years o f age; but even a t '
1 eight or nine, and that for the lake o f
1 having a- work-woman the more in th e :
‘ perfon o f their ion’s wife : by the fame
* rule, .they try to keep their daughters
‘ fing-le as long as poffible,: becaufe they-'
‘ don?t obufe to io fea work-womnn. Thefe
•H premature