ess Catherine, and in it was a
kitchen-range, where she used to amuse herself by cooking dinners for
herself and any of her more honoured guests. In the dining-room was a
table, the centre of which could be lowered and raised, so as to remove
and replace the dishes without the presence of waiters. In the gardens
is also a large bathing-house, of truly imperial dimensions. These
cottages are interesting for their historical recollections; but by far
the most beautiful object in the gardens is a fountain, which throws up
water exactly in the shape of a Gothic cathedral. As the sun shone on
the sparkling jets, the effect was excellent.

"We spent a most pleasant evening at our friend's house, and returned
the next day to Saint Petersburg. We saw many other things in Saint
Petersburg which I will tell you about when we meet. We went down to
Cronstadt, to get on board the steamer which was to take us to
Copenhagen. The town consists of several very broad streets and places,
but not many houses within the fortifications, and quays, and a harbour
full of shipping.

"We were not sorry to get out of Russia. Cousin Giles says that he felt
as if there was something in the air which prevented him breathing
freely. We liked the Russians very well. They do not live exclusively
on train-oil, ill-smelling fish, and black bread, as we fancied before
we went there; but their greatest admirers cannot call them a thoroughly
civilised people.

"I wish that I could tell you something about their language. It sounds
very soft and musical, but is very difficult to speak, and the
characters make all one's previous knowledge of an alphabet utterly
useless. We left Cronstadt on the afternoon of Wednesday, where neither
was our baggage nor were we examined; indeed, half-a-dozen people might
have smuggled themselves on board, and got away without difficulty. We
had fine weather all the way down the Baltic, and came off a neat little
village five miles from Copenhagen, on the afternoon of Sunday. Here we
landed in a pilot-boat, with some Danish gentlemen, who were very civil
to us, and by their aid we engaged a char-a-banc, and drove to
Copenhagen the same evening. We spent five very pleasant days there,
seeing numerous objects of interest. I will not attempt to describe
them now. Cousin Giles says I must write a book about Denmark another
year. It is a very interesting country, to Englishmen especially. We
left Copenhagen in t