hundred feet in width, and
extends for a distance of three miles in a nearly straight line to the
Alexander Nevsky Monastery, forming a most magnificent avenue. On this
street may be seen the churches of several sects of different faiths,
such as Roman Catholics, Protestants, Armenians, and a Mahometan mosque.
Here also are the Imperial Library, the Alexander Theatre, and the
Foreign Office. The cosmopolitan character of the population of St.
Petersburg is indicated by the fact that preaching occurs weekly in
twelve different languages. The Nevsky Prospect is a street of
alternating shops, palaces, and churches. Four canals cross but do not
intercept this boulevard. These water-ways are lined their whole lengths
by substantial granite quays, and are gay with the life imparted to them
by pleasure and small freighting boats constantly furrowing their
surface. Large barges are seen containing cut wood, piled fifteen feet
high above their decks, delivering the winter's important supply of fuel
all along the banks of the canals. Others, with their hulls quite hidden
from sight, appear like great floating haystacks moving mysteriously to
their destination with horse-fodder for the city stables. From one
o'clock to five in the afternoon the Nevsky Prospect, with the tide of
humanity pouring in either direction through its broad road-way, is like
the Rue Rivoli, Paris, on a holiday.

The Imperial Library of St. Petersburg is justly entitled to more than a
mere mention; for it is one of the richest collections of books in all
Europe, both in quality and quantity. The bound volumes number a little
over one million, while it is especially rich in most interesting and
important manuscripts. In a room devoted to the purpose there is a
collection of books printed previous to the year 1500, which is
considered unique. The Alexander Theatre and the library both look down
upon a broad square which contains a fine statue of Catharine II. in
bronze. This composition seems to breathe the very spirit of the
profligate and cruel original, whose ambitious plans were ever in
conflict with her enslaving passions. History is compelled to admit her
great ability, while it causes us to blush for her infamy.

St. Petersburg is the fifth city in point of population in Europe, but
its very existence seems to be constantly threatened on account of its
low situation between two vast bodies of water. A westerly gale and high
tide in the Gulf of Finlan