RUSSIA IN EUROPE.

THE three northern powers of Europe, as they have been usually termed, are Denmark, Sweden, and Russia. A kind of equality formerly prevailed between them; but the latter has within a century past been so much augmented in power and consequence, that all balance in the north is destroyed, and the utmost that the two smaller can do, is to maintain their independence against the greater.

In point of extent, indeed, no empire, ancient or modern, probably could vie with that of Russia. Situated in two quarters of the world, it possesses a surface of country in each greater than that under the dominion of any single power of either. It has likewise the advantage of unbroken continuity between all the parts of its vast territories; so that expeditions may be sent from one end to the other, in a progress of months, and even years, without requiring the co-operation of any other go

vernment.

But the greatest part of this tract is a region of cold and sterility, in which the utmost exertions of man can scarcely afford him a tolerable existence. It seems, indeed, intended by nature rather for the unmolested abode of the furry and featheredtribes to which it gives birth, than for the habitation of beings, whose nobler faculties can have no scope for exertion amid lonely deserts, where the whole attention must be occupied in resisting the evils of cold and hunger. It is, however, the Asiatic portion to which this description particularly applies. The European part, properly the seat of the nation, is sufficiently favoured by nature to maintain, in the necessaries and essential comforts of life, a population, thin indeed in proportion to the space over which it is spread, but numerous enough to constitute one of the most powerful communities in Europe.

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The boundaries of Russia in Europe, as now extended by conquest and annexations, are, on the north, the Arctic or Frozen ocean; on the west, Swedish Lapland and Finland, the gulf of Finland and Baltic sea, the Prussian and Austrian parts of the late Poland, and Turkish Moldavia; on the south, the Black sea and sea of Azof, with the country of the Nogay Tatars. Its eastern limits are its own Asiatic territories, of which the boundary line is not exactly defined; but the small river Cara in Samoiedia, with the great chain of the Uralian mountains, make a tolerably distinct natural division between the two quarters of the globe as far down as the 56th degree of N. latitude: thence it is artificially made to the junction of the Kama with the Volga: that great river next forms the boundary as far as its nearest point of approach to the Don; the line then passes to the latter river, which carries it to its termination in the sea of Azof. Between the southern point of Krim Tatary, and the northern extremity of Russian Lapland, Russia extends from about the 45th to 68th degree of N. latitude, or nearly 1600 statute miles: its middle breadth may be reckoned about 1000 miles.

The face of the country in this wide tract is more uniform than in any other of equal extent in Europe. It is in general a vast plain, rising to elevated ground towards the centre, but affording few appearances of abrupt hills or lofty mountains. To the south are extensive steppes, or sandy deserts, continuous with those of Tatary: the borders of the Frozen ocean in the north are chiefly flat dreary marshes: near the great rivers Don and Volga are extensive meads, of a rich black soil, impregnated with nitre: the more internal parts have the ordinary varieties of soil, and surface in arable countries.

Of the mountainous chains, two only, and those on the borders, are remarkable. These are the mountains of Olonetz, running several hundred miles in a northerly direction, between Swedish and Russian Finland and Lapland; and the great Uralian chain, forming a natural barrier between Europe and Asia for many degrees of the northern limits. Neither of these in height approaches the Alps or Pyrenees. What are called the mountains of Valdai, which are crossed between Petersburg and

Moscow, seem to be only a line of heights or uplands, no where rising to conspicuous summits. Krim Tatary has a chain of hills on its southern part, overlooking the shores of the Black

sea.

The middle elevation of the country gives rise to numerous rivers, some of great magnitude and length of course. Of these the principal is the Volga, which has its source in some lakes of the Valdai mountains in the government of Tver, between Petersburg and Moscow. It flows in a winding course, bending to the south-east, quite across Russia, and-after receiving the Kama, becomes the boundary between Europe and Asia: at length, below Tzaritzin, it makes another sharp turn to the south-east, and, entering Asia, passes Astrachan, and discharges itself into the Caspian sea. The whole course of this noble river is computed at about 1700 miles, and it is navigable nearly to its source. Of its numerous tributary streams, the largest are the Oka from the west, which unites the waters of the most central parts of Russia, and the Kama from the north-east, descending from the Uralian mountains.

The Don, anciently Tanais, rises south of the Oka, and, after a long winding southern course, forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, and finally discharges itself into the sea of Azof, the ancient Palus Mæotis. The Dnieper, or Borysthenes, the largest river of the western side of Russia, takes its rise in the government of Smolensko, about the 55th degree of latitude, and, being joined by several considerable streams on the east and west, proceeds to the Black sea, which it enters by the estuary called the Liman, below the new city of Cherson. Into the same estuary the Bog, formerly a Polish river, pours its waters. The Dniester, which enters the Black sea more westward, now forms the boundary between the Turkish and Russian dominions: its source is in the Austrian part of Poland.

Into the Baltic flow the Memel, which rises in the dutchy of Lithuania, and makes the separation between the Russian and Prussian part of the Polish spoils; the Duna, the sources of which lie to the north of those of the Dnieper, and which reaches the sea at the gulf of Riga; and the Neva, which brings the

waters of the Ladoga lake to Petersburg, and enters the gulf of Finland below that capital.

zen ocean.

From the northern part of Russia the rivers flow into the FroOf these the most important is the Dwina, which has a navigable course of 500 miles to Archangel, where it enters that gulf of the ocean which bears the name of the White sea. The Mezen, which discharges itself into the same gulf, and the Petzora, forming a large estuary further to the east, flow through the desolate regions of perpetual frost.

The largest lakes of European Russia are those of Onega and Ladoga, lying to the north and north-west of Petersburg. The discharge of the latter by the Neva has been already noticed: the Onega has a communication with it by means of a small river. Russian Lapland and Finland are sprinkled with numerous lakes, some of considerable magnitude. In Livonia is the lake Peypus, which gives rise to the Narva river. Several lakes lie to the east and south-east of the Onega. On the borders of the Ilmer lake is situated the ancient city of Novogorod

A country extending through 23 degrees of latitude cannot but possess great diversity of climate; but the name of Russia invariably conveys the idea of one of the cold regions of the globe. In fact, although its middle tracts lie parallel to Great Britain, and its southern run some degrees further to the south, yet its remoteness from any considerable expanse of sea, and its continental elevation, render even its finest provinces subject to extreme cold in the winter. It is only in the new province of Taurida, including the peninsula of Krim Tatary, that the vine, olive, mulberry, and other products of southern Europe can be cultivated with advantage. A large proportion of the Russian territory, however, is capable of producing the common grains, and the other articles of food for man and beast, which are the agricultural objects of the middle temperate zone. Even in the northern latitude of Livonia the harvests are sufficiently abun dant to yield a large surplus for exportation. The southern plains near the Volga and Don are almost inexhaustibly fertile ; and the meadows are so luxuriant in natural grasses that no aid is required from artificial crops. Hemp and flax are grown to a great extent in all the strong soils, and afford important arti

cles for commerce and manufacture. The common fruits and garden vegetables succeed extremely well to the south of Moscow. Forests, consisting of all the usual timber trees, overspread vast tracts in the central parts of Russia, and the pine genus grows abundantly, even in the high northern latitudes.

Of domestic animals the beeve kind is numerous and large almost through the whole country. The sheep of the south and south-eastern provinces are most valued for their wool. The flocks of the Krimea, indeed, are coarse-woolled, but the lambs afford a fine fur. The breeds of horses differ greatly, according to climate. Those of Lithuania are distinguished for strength; those of Livonia for speed; while the Tatarian steeds excel in beauty and spirit. Among its domestic servants Russia may reckon the two very different quadrupeds, the camel and the reindeer; the former being used in Taurida, and the latter on the shores of the Frozen ocean-a striking proof of its vast extent! Of wild animals, the forests and unfrequented parts are inhabited by the bear, the wolf, the lynx, the elk, and many of the smaller kinds; but the business of fur-hunting is chiefly pursued in the Asiatic part of the empire.

In mineral wealth European Russia does not abound. The mountains of Olonetz contain gold, but the produce has scarcely defrayed the expense of labour. Their iron mines are worked with advantage; and of this metal, and copper, there are valuable mines in the district of Perm, near the Uralian chain. A productive mineral tract also occurs at no great distance from Moscow. The district of Perecop, and the isle of Taman, in Taurida, contain copious springs of naphtha.

The people who inhabit these wide regions are, for the most part, of Sclavonic blood, and of Asiatic origin: their progenitors were known by the name of Sarmatians. Long disunited among themselves, and in a state of barbarism, they were reduced in the 13th century to vassalage under the Tatars. From this condition they were rescued in the 15th century by their ezar, Ivan Basilowitz, who, with his grandson, of the same name, men of vigour and talents, though rude and ferocious, extended the Russian dominion, and made the nation known