Russia

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Russia, by Donald Mackenzie Wallace

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Title: Russia

Author: Donald Mackenzie Wallace

Release Date: May 3, 2006 [EBook #1349]

Last Updated: February 7, 2013

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RUSSIA ***

Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger

RUSSIA

by Donald Mackenzie Wallace

Copyright 1905

CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VII

CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER X

CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XIII

CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XV

CHAPTER XVI

CHAPTER XVII

CHAPTER XVIII

CHAPTER XIX

CHAPTER XX

CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXII

CHAPTER XXIII

CHAPTER XXIV

CHAPTER XXV

CHAPTER XXVI

CHAPTER XXVII

CHAPTER XXVIII

CHAPTER XXIX

CHAPTER XXX

CHAPTER XXXI

CHAPTER XXXII

CHAPTER XXXIII

CHAPTER XXXIV

CHAPTER XXXV

CHAPTER XXXVI

CHAPTER XXXVII

CHAPTER XXXVIII

CHAPTER XXXIX

Contents

Preface

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER I

TRAVELLING IN RUSSIA

Railways—State Interference—River Communications—Russian "Grand

Tour"—The Volga—Kazan—Zhigulinskiya Gori—Finns and Tartars—The

Don—Difficulties of Navigation—Discomforts—Rats—Hotels and

Their Peculiar Customs—Roads—Hibernian Phraseology

Explained—Bridges—Posting—A Tarantass—Requisites for

Travelling—Travelling in Winter—Frostbitten—Disagreeable

Episodes—Scene at a Post-Station.

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER II

IN THE NORTHERN FORESTS

Bird's-eye View of Russia—The Northern Forests—Purpose of

my Journey—Negotiations—The Road—A Village—A Peasant's

House—Vapour-Baths—Curious Custom—Arrival.

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III

VOLUNTARY EXILE

Ivanofka—History of the Place—The Steward of the Estate—Slav and

Teutonic Natures—A German's View of the Emancipation—Justices of the

Peace—New School of Morals—The Russian Language—Linguistic Talent of

the Russians—My Teacher—A Big Dose of Current History.

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER IV

THE VILLAGE PRIEST

Priests' Names—Clerical Marriages—The White and the Black Clergy—Why

the People do not Respect the Parish Priests—History of the White

Clergy—The Parish Priest and the Protestant Pastor—In What Sense

the Russian People are Religious—Icons—The Clergy and Popular

Education—Ecclesiastical Reform—Premonitory Symptoms of Change—Two

Typical Specimens of the Parochial Clergy of the Present Day.

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER V

A MEDICAL CONSULTATION

Unexpected Illness—A Village Doctor—Siberian Plague—My

Studies—Russian Historians—A Russian Imitator of Dickens—A ci-devant

Domestic Serf—Medicine and Witchcraft—A Remnant of Paganism—Credulity

of the Peasantry—Absurd Rumours—A Mysterious Visit from St.

Barbara—Cholera on Board a Steamer—Hospitals—Lunatic Asylums—Amongst

Maniacs.

CHAPTER VI