in-law, and after undergoing this severe discipline during several years, Madame Nizegorodtyow succeeded at last in gaining the old lady's favour; and, from her reasoning, I could perceive that she was firmly convinced that a patriarchal arbitrary power was the only effectual means for governing a family. family. Having been trained in that rigid way from her childhood, she had learnt not to abuse her power as her mother-in-law had done; but she knew how to impress all the members of her house with such a respect for her authority, that her daughters-in-law, though they belonged to wealthy families and were mothers of several children, used to show so much deference to her will, that on going out on their visits they would send messages to ask her what dress they should put on. But let it be understood that, in relating these particulars, I am far from wishing to represent them to the reader as facts of great weight, but merely as pictures of the degree of civilisation existing in this locality.

The whole toilette of my lady-visitors, considering this was such an out-of-the-world place, was uncommonly costly. Their dresses consisted of velvet and rich silk; and all the ornaments

worn were precious stones. Every one of the ladies, however, wore those peculiar to her respective class. The wives of the government employés, as belonging to the class of blahorodny, (nobles), wore caps on their heads; while those of merchants, though the richest, had only silk handkerchiefs for their head-dress. These were of various colours, and were tied in a peculiar fashion on the head.

The inhabitants of Berezov are great sticklers for the distinctive marks of the different classes; and what surprised me most was, that the inferior orders, as they are commonly termed, betrayed no desire, as in other parts, to infringe upon the privileged costumes belonging to the classes above them. On the contrary, they constituted themselves guardians of such distinctions, decrying any who attempted to transgress these arbitrary lines of demarkation.

Madame X set herself to oppose this feeling. The daughter of a merchant and a merchant's wife, she had, on the death of her husband, devoted all her energies to the accomplishment of female emancipation; and on coming from Tobolsk to her family at Berezov, in order to render her appearance as striking

as possible, she had brought with her all sorts of caps and bonnets. A rumour of the commodities thus imported having got abroad, the citizens were excited to such a degree at the idea of any attempt at innovation, that they let her know immediately that should she dare to appear in public, dressed in her new apparel, she would be hooted; and that even at church the sanctity of the place should not screen her from their indignation; nor would they scruple to tear the odious gear from her head and trample it under foot. Having received this timely warning, Madame X-deemed it more prudent to pack up her elegant caps and bonnets, and without giving them even one day's airing at Berezov, return them to her milliner at Tobolsk.

I highly approved of this strong attachment of the Berezovians to the station in which

Providence had placed them.

For my part, I

find such attachment more consistent with the dignity of man; for in striving to exalt ourselves higher and higher, we do but betray contempt for the rank we are actually occupying, and acknowledge the one above us to be more respectable. For, how can it be otherwise than that the classes which are thus deemed to

be superior to our own, should despise us, as their inferiors, if we ourselves hold our position in such low estimation, and daily attest, by seeking to rise out of our own sphere, how much we admire and envy them?

I entertained my guests as well as I could, and Madame X-- was very useful on the occasion. Knowing the tastes of the company, she arranged two tables for the boston, and distributed packs of cards; and our guests seemed perfectly gratified. Those who were too young, or not clever enough to play boston, amused themselves at the kurka (hen), another game of cards, more easy and simple.

The inhabitants of Berezov, both men and women, are passionately fond of cards, and the custom is often very convenient; more especially when the company have nothing to talk about; a game at cards then well supplies the place of

conversation.

CHAPTER XIII.

A Siberian merchant.

Failing health Attempts at agriculture Hostility to improvement - System of trade-Articles of barter-Character of the nativesThe culinary art-Young bride's first dinner-partyFemale education - Facility of marriage Landed property-Prospects of Berezov.

ONE fine morning in June, Madame Xwent out shooting, and brought home a snipe which she said she had herself killed. Her constant presence was by this time not so trying as at first, though still tiresome enough. Solitude might have proved a solace to me in the seclusion in which I was placed, yet I could not but reproach myself for grudging our visitor a corner of our chamber. My health began to fail; and as my feet swelled, I appre