[23] A Russo-French gentleman, who is the possessor of large property in these mines, assured us that the idea that the Emperor derives much from them is entirely false; that the expense of working them is enormous, and the time that they can be excavated in each year is very short; added to which is the charge of transport; and, above all, the necessity of their productions passing through the hands of the _employés_, who, according to Russian custom, rub off a great deal in the process. “It is true,” said he, “that sometimes large amounts are forwarded to the capital, which make a figure in print, but they omit to say what expenses were incurred in obtaining them. You may be sure that very little in the way of profit reaches the Imperial Treasury, but private speculators make them pay better because they themselves superintend them.” [24] In order to ensure the fidelity of the Finnish people, the Emperor took a journey to Finland, and, after having exerted all his talents _pour faire l’aimable_, he promised them fifty years of immunity from taxation, &c. [25] So little do the Russians know of the true state of affairs, that, since writing the above, I have received two letters from Russia, in the first of which my friend begs me to “excuse the faults, for she is so much interrupted by the cannonading in honour of their _great victories_ over the Turks.” In the second it is stated that “thirteen thousand English have been slain near Anapa!” which, according to the writer, took place about a month before the army left Varna; and I was further told that “the manner in which we treat the prisoners of war, in giving them neither food nor money, is disgraceful to a Christian country.” To one of these epistles is a postscript, giving me to understand that the British fleet were too frightened to remain before Cronstadt, &c. [26] Vladimir, Prince of Novogorod.—_Nestor._ [27] Peter the Great caused immense levies to be made throughout his dominions to furnish men sufficient to construct his capital; crowds of Cossacks were also brought from the Ukraine after Mazeppa’s defeat, who, together with the prisoners of war taken from Sweden, were all employed in the work of excavation; and in laying the foundations hundreds of thousands, it is said, perished from fatigue, pestilence, and ill-treatment. One hundred thousand died from famine alone. [28] A fool, an ass. [29] These lines may be thus translated:— “Who knows how many wither In a year sent to the tomb, Summon’d unwarned thither To meet their final doom, In spite of th’ warm breath of spring, Which often faded blossoms bring? Ah! which of us shall stay to mourn for those That lie wrapp’d in the silent grave’s repose?” [30] “Cheer up! and good be ever there, Shall be our wish at this new year.”