Climate—its influence.—Education of the Boyars.—Schools.—Wallachian tongue.—Modern Greek.—National dress, music, and dance.—Amusements.—Holidays.—Manners of society.—Marriages.—Divorces.—Religion and superstition.—Authority of the church—its independence of the patriarchal church of Constantinople. 126 CHAPTER VIII. Peasants.—their manners and mode of living.—Emigrations.—Agriculture.—General aspect of the country.—An account of the Gypsies Page 155 CHAPTER IX. Intercourse of foreigners.—Foreign consuls.—How far the natives are benefited by their intercourse with foreign residents. 177 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLITICAL POSITIONS OF THE PRINCIPALITIES 187 APPENDIX 199 AN ACCOUNT OF _THE PRINCIPALITIES_ OF WALLACHIA AND MOLDAVIA. CHAPTER I. GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND EXTENT OF WALLACHIA AND MOLDAVIA—HISTORICAL REMARKS FROM THE DECLINE OF THE DACIANS TO THE LAST CENTURY. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, situated between 43° 40′ and 48° 50′ north latitude, 23° and 29° 30′ east longitude, occupying a space of 350 miles in length, and 160 in breadth, are separated from the Austrian provinces of Temesvar, Transylvania, and Boukovina, by the Carpathian mountains; from Russia, by the river Pruth; and from Bulgaria (the ancient Mœsia), by the Danube. It is sufficiently ascertained that these two provinces, joined to those of Transylvania and Temesvar, composed the kingdom of Dacia, finally conquered by the Romans. The Dacians were originally a Scythian or Sarmatian tribe, resembling, in language and manners, the Thracians; the Greeks, indeed, considered them as a part of the Thracian nation. They were a sober and vigorous people, capable of enduring any hardships and privations in war: they did not fear exposing themselves to the greatest dangers, because they looked upon death as the beginning of a much happier life; and this doctrine, according to Strabo, they held from a philosopher named Zamolxis, who was held in high repute by them.