Russia and the Russians. LADY RANDOLPH CHURCHILL'S IMPRESSIONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 390, 3 August 1889, Page 4

Russia and the Russians. LADY RANDOLPH CHURCHILL'S IMPRESSIONS.

Lvdy "RaxNjjoli'ji Chukchi ll has written an article in the ' New Review ' containing her impressions of a month in Russia. She seems Co have been very pleased with what she saw. She found driving in St. Petersburg delightful. 'Comfortably seated in a sleigh, behind a good fat coachman to keep the wind off, one never wearies of driving about.' She was esoecially impressed with Russian horses, which ' are so beautifully broken that a word will stop them. The whole time that I was in Ru&sia I never saw a horse ill-used. No need ior a "Society for the Protection of Animals " there ! The " Ifrvoshnik," who owns his cab-horse, looks upon him as his friend, and very often shares the animal's stall at night ' The houses of the wealthy Russians she considers more comfortable than refinsd. 'Although, 3 she says, 'they are very smartly furnished with all that money can buy and modern art suggest, there is a lack of real refinement and true artistic taste, such as is seen in Paris ; but then the French are born connoisseurs, and think of little else than artistic comfort, and certainly the average Ru&sian drawing-room is superior to the ordinary English one. If there is a lack of imagination, there is an absence of tawdrine&s.'

Tire Home of the Czak. Here is Lady Randolph Churchill's description of Gatchina :—'lt: — 'It is a curious mixture of splendour and unpretentiousness. The approach from the station, through a series of small parks, must be lovely in summer. I was surprised to see so few sentries about, and indeed, to all appearances, the Emperor is not more guarded than the Queen of Windsor. The entrance to Gatchina, on the public road, had bub one sentry. Without architectural merits, itt> 700 rooms and corridors arc filled with priceless Oriental china (cleverly arranged on the walls), tapestries, and art treasures. Coureurs in black and orange liveries, their caps adorned with tossing black, white, and orange feathers, give a slierhtly barbaric appearance to the scene, which is added to by the mass of bowing; attendants, and by the two Nubians dressed in white, with turbans and scimitars, standing outside the Empress's audience-room. While waiting to bo received one is shown into an apartment fitted up in the style of forty years ago, with paintings of mediocre value. Further on there is a large hall worthy of an old English country house, full of comfortable armchaiis and writingtables, games and toys — I even spied a swing. In this hall their Majesties often dine, even when they have guests, and after dinner the table is removed and they pass the remainder of the evening there. This seems strange when one thinks of the 700 rooms in the enormous building. But the Emperor and Empress elect to live with the greatest simplicity in the tiniest of rooms, which are rather at variance with the Emperor's towering: frame and majestic bearing. His Majesty's manner is as simple as are his tastes, and, if rather shy, impresses one with a conviction of hia honesty and earnestness. There are some incurious customs at the Russian Court which do nob harmonise with the idea of a despotic and autocratic Sovereign. To see the Czar standing while supper is going on, talking, perhaps, to a young officer who remains seated all the time, is startling. The tradition is everything in this country ; and as it was a habit of Peter the Great, who disliked ceremony of any kind, it is religiously kept. The etiquette of the Russian Court i& much less rigid in some re*pecbs than it is in England or Germany. It is nob the custom there to treat the members of the Imperial family with so much deference as in other European Courts ; no lady would think of curtseying to a young Grand Duke, and would only rise when the Empress did, or when the Emperor fix-st entered a loom.'

The Ru.ssiax Ladies. Speaking of the women of Russia, Lady Randoloh observes that most Russiau ladies smoke cigarettes, in one of the drawing-rooms generally set apart for that purpose, causing; a continual movement, which takes off the stiffness of a formal dinner-party, and enables people to circulate more freely. . . . Speaking many languages, having read profusely, light in hand, Russian ladies iorm the moso charming society possible, and act as a tonic on a sluggish mind accustomed to the moral and physical fogs of London. They dress well, but affect the heavy richness of well-dressed Germans (if such can be found) rather than the graceful and airy nothings which make up a French woman's di ess. Black is held in abhorrence at the Court, being considered ugly and unlucky, and any one venturing to wear it in the loyal presence is not only looked upon with disfavour, but is likely to hear of it. ... How strange that Russian women, so eminently fitted by nature and education to influence and help thosestruggling in the higher vocations of life,, should have, seemingly, but one ambition — to efface themselves, to attract no attention, ito arouse no jealousies. Yet I doubt not I that their influence is felt ; but it is nob open and feailess as in America or England.'

Tub Russian Paori»E. Of the Russian people generally, Lady Randolph says :: — * Many people who have nob come into contact with Russians imagine that they arc rude and brusque. I may have been particularly fortunate in those whom I met, but 1 was struck with their polished and at the same time simple manner. The very moujick who replenishes your fire walks in on tiptoe, fearful of disturbing you, and shuts the door so gently that your heart is softened, and you forgive him his many shortcomings.'

The Cursed Gold. Among the many objects o£ interest we visited before leaving Chicago, at the Board 01 Trade or Stock Exchange the most extroordinary and almost painful sight fell to our lot. ' A break in the grain market,' so we were told ; but could not account for the seething mass of faces below us, the hoarse yells, the indescribable din, with excited countenances and demoniacal expressions, each man trying to outsell or outbuy the other — more like raving lunatics than sane people? It was a pifcable exhibition, and sad to know that these God's creatures, with immortal souls, were bartering all for the cursed gold that to the worldling makes or mars the man. Ono thought of that Last Day that will come as a thief in the night flashed across my mind one thought of the account we must" renderup to the" Great Judge. Who would not cry, ' Good Lord, have mercy on us '.' Rough on the AMbMCAir Newspaper. I think new-comers are all immensely amuted at the American newspapers, which are most sensationally got up ; huge headings about the merest trifles fill half the page ; and yesterday they actually occupied two columns with a most ridiculous and fictitious article about the Gaelic passengers in quarrantino. 1 suppose they are' terribly al a loss for sensible iufovmafciou.