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　they　are；　however；　by　no　means　unskilled；　as　　many　a　follower　of　Jesus　from　his　own　individual　experience　can　　testify＇。

After　the　termination　of　my　editorial　task；　having　little　to　employ　　myself　upon　whilst　the　two　last　volumes　were　undergoing　the　process　　of　binding；　I　determined　upon　a　journey　to　Moscow；　the　ancient　　capital　of　the　Russian　Empire；　which　differs　widely　from　St。　　Petersburg　in　appearance；　structure；　and　in　the　manners；　habits；　　and　opinions　of　its　inhabitants。　　I　arrived　there　after　a　journey　　of　four　days。　　Moscow　is　by　far　the　most　remarkable　city　it　has　　ever　been　my　fortune　to　see；　but　as　it　has　been　frequently　　described；　and　with　tolerable　correctness；　there　is　no　necessity　　for　me　to　enter　into　a　particular　account　of　all　that　presented　　itself　to　my　observation。　　I　ascended　the　celebrated　tower　of　Ivan　　Velike；　situated　within　the　walls　of　the　Kremlin；　from　the　top　of　　which　there　is　a　glorious　view　of　Moscow　and　of　the　surrounding　　country；　and　at　the　foot　of　which；　in　a　deep　hole　in　the　earth；　is　　the　gigantic　bell　which　weighs　27；000　POODS；　or　eight　hundred　and　　seventy　thousand　pounds。　　I　likewise　visited　the　splendid　church　of　　the　Kremlin；　and　had　much　conversation　with　the　priest　who　is　in　　the　habit　of　showing　its　curiosities　to　strangers。　　He　is　a　most　　intelligent　and　seemingly　truly　pious　person；　and　well　acquainted　　with　English　spiritual　literature；　especially　with　the　writings　of　　Bishops　Taylor　and　Tillotson；　whom　he　professed　to　hold　in　great　　admiration；　though　he　asserted　that　both　these　divines；　great　men　　as　they　undoubtedly　were；　were　far　inferior　writers　to　his　own　　celebrated　countryman　Archbishop　Teekon；　and　their　productions　less　　replete　with　spiritual　manna　…　against　which　assertion　I　felt　　little　inclined　to　urge　any　objection；　having　myself　perused　the　　works　of　the　great　Russian　divine　with　much　comfort　and　　satisfaction；　and　with　which　I　can　only　regret　＇that＇　the　devout　　part　of　the　British　public　are　up　to　the　present　moment　utterly　　unacquainted。

As　one　of　the　principal　motives　of　my　visit　to　Moscow　was　to　hold　　communication　with　a　particular　part　of　its　population；　which　from　　the　accounts　I　had　received　of　it　had　inspired　me　with　the　most　　vivid　interest；　I　did　not　fail　shortly　after　my　arrival　to　seek　an　　opportunity　of　accomplishing　my　work；　and　believe　that　what　I　have　　now　to　communicate　will　be　of　some　interest　to　the　Christian　and　　the　philosopher。　　I　allude　to　the　people　called　Zigani　or　Gypsies；　　or；　as　they　style　themselves；　Rommany；　of　which　there　are　several　　thousands　in　and　about　Moscow；　and　who　obtain　a　livelihood　by　　various　means。　　Those　who　have　been　accustomed　to　consider　these　　people　as　wandering　barbarians；　incapable　of　civilisation　and　　unable　to　appreciate　the　blessings　of　a　quiet　and　settled　life；　　will　be　surprised　at　learning　that　many　of　those　in　Moscow　inhabit　　large　and　handsome　houses；　appear　abroad　in　elegant　equipages；　and　　if　distinguishable　from　the　genteel　class　of　the　Russians　＇are＇　　only　so　by　superior　personal　advantages　and　mental　accomplishments。　　　Of　this　singular　phenomenon　at　Moscow　the　female　Gypsies　are　the　　principal　cause；　having　from　time　immemorial　cultivated　their　vocal　　powers　to　such　an　extent　that；　although　in　the　heart　of　a　country　　in　which　the　vocal　art　has　arrived　at　greater　perfection　than　in　　any　other　part　of　the　world；　the　principal　Gypsy　choirs　in　Moscow　　are　allowed　by　the　general　voice　of　the　public　to　be　unrivalled　and　　to　bear　away　the　palm　from　all　competitors。　　It　is　a　fact　notorious　　in　Russia　that　the　celebrated　Catalani　was　so　filled　with　　admiration　for　the　powers　of　voice　displayed　by　one　of　the　Gypsy　　songsters；　who；　after　the　former　had　sung　before　a　splendid　　audience　at　Moscow；　stepped　forward　and　with　an　astonishing　burst　　of　melody　ravished　every　ear；　that　she　tore　from　her　own　shoulders　　a　shawl　of　immense　value　which　had　been　presented　to　her　by　the　　Pope；　and　embracing　the　Gypsy　compelled　her　to　accept　it；　saying　　that　it　had　been　originally　intended　for　the　matchless　singer　which　　she　now　discovered　was　not　herself。　　The　sums　obtained　by　these　　performers　are　very　large；　enabling　them　to　live　in　luxury　of　every　　description　and　to　maintain　their　husbands　in　a　princely　way。　　Many　　of　them　are　married　to　Russian　gentlemen；　and　every　one　who　has　　resided　for　any　length　of　time　in　Russia　cannot　but　be　aware　that　　the　lovely；　talented；　and　domesticated　wife　of　Count　Alexander　　Tolstoi　is　by　birth　a　Gypsy；　and　was　formerly　one　of　the　ornaments　　of　a　Rommany　choir　at　Moscow　as　she　is　now　one　of　the　principal　　ornaments　of　the　marriage　state　and　of　illustrious　life。　　It　is　　not；　however；　to　be　supposed　that　all　the　female　Gypsies　in　Moscow　　are　of　this　high；　talented；　and　respectable　order；　amongst　them　　there　are　a　great　number　of　low；　vulgar；　and　profligate　females　who　　sing　in　taverns；　or　at　the　various　gardens　in　the　neighbourhood；　　and　whose　husbands　and　male　connections　subsist　by　horse…jobbing　　and　such　kinds　of　low　traffic。　　The　principal　place　of　resort　of　　this　class　is　Marina　Rotche；　lying　about　two　VERSES　from　Moscow；　　and　thither　I　drove；　attended　by　a　VALET…DE…PLACE。　　Upon　my　　arriving　there　the　Gypsies　swarmed　out　from　their　tents　and　from　　the　little　TRACTEER　or　tavern；　and　surrounded　me。　　Standing　on　the　　seat　of　the　CALECHE；　I　addressed　them　in　a　loud　voice　in　the　　dialect　of　the　English　Gypsies；　with　which　I　have　some　slight　　acquaintance。　　A　scream　of　wonder　instantly　arose；　and　welcomes　and　　greetings　were　poured　forth　in　torrents　of　musical　Rommany；　amongst　　which；　however；　the　most　pronounced　cry　was：　　AH　KAK　MI　TOUTE　　KARMUMA　…　'Oh；　how　we　love　you；'　for　at　first　they　supposed　me　to　　be　one　of　their　brothers；　who；　they　said；　were　wandering　about　in　　Turkey；　China；　and　other　parts；　and　that　I　had　come　over　the　great　　PAWNEE；　or　water；　to　visit　them。　　Their　countenances　exactly　　resembled　those　of　their　race　in　England　and　Spain；　brown；　and　for　　the　most　part　beautiful；　their　eyes　fiery　and　wildly　intelligent；　　their　hair　coal…black　and　somewhat　coarse。　　I　asked　them　numerous　　questions；　especially　as　to　their　religion　and　original　country。　　　They　said　that　they　believed　in　'Devil；'　which；　singularly　enough；　　in　their　language　signifies　God；　and　that　they　were　afraid　of　the　　evil　spirit；　or　'Bengel'；　that　their　fathers　came　from　Rommany　　land；　but　where　that　land　lay　they　knew　not。　　They　sang　many　songs　　both　in　the　Russian　and　Rommany　languages；　the　former　were　modern　　popular　pieces　which　are　in　vogue　on　the　stage；　but　the　latter　were　　evidently　very　ancient；　being　composed　in　a　metre　or　cadence　to　　which　there　is　nothing　analogous　in　Russian　prosody；　and　exhibiting　　an　internal　character　which　was　anything　but　European　or　modern。　　I　　visited　this　place　several　times　during　my　sojourn　at　Moscow；　and　　spoke　to　them　upon　their　sinful　manner　of　living；　upon　the　advent　　and　suffering　of　Christ　Jesus；　and　expressed；　upon　my　taking　a　　final　leave　of　them；　a　hope　that　they　would　be　in　a　short　period　　furnished　with　the　word　of　eternal　life　in　their　own　language；　　which　they　seemed　to　value　and　esteem　much　higher　than　the　Russian。　　　They　invariably　listened　with　much　attention；　and　during　the　whole　　time　I　was　amongst　them　exhibited　little　in　speech　or　conduct　which　　was　objectionable。

I　returned　to　Petersburg；　and　shortly　afterwards；　the　business　　which　had　brought　me　to　Russia　being　successfully　terminated；　I　　quitted　that　country；　and　am　compelled　to　acknowledge；　with　regret。　　　I　went　thither　prejudiced　against　the　country；　the　government；　and　　the　people；　the　first　is　much　more　agreeable　than　is　generally　　supposed；　the　second　is　seemingly　the　best　adapted　for　so　vast　an　　empire；　and　the　third；　even　the　lowest　classes；　are　in　general　　kind；　hospitable；　and　benevolent。　　True　it　is　that　they　have　many　　vices；　and　their　minds　are　overshadowed　by　the　gloomy　clouds　of　　Grecian　superstition；　but　the　efforts　of　many　excellent　and　pious　　persons　amongst　the　English　at　St。　Petersburg　are　directed　to　　unveiling　to　them　the　cheering　splendour　of　the　lamp　of　the　Gospel；　　and　it　is　the　sincere　prayer　of　the　humble　individual　who　now　　addresses　you　that　the　difficulties　which　at　present　much　obstruct　　their　efforts　may　be　speedily　removed；　and　that　from　the　boundless　　champains　of　Russia　may　soon　resound　the　Jubilee　hymn　of　millions；　　who　having　long　groped　their　way　in　the　darkness　of　the　shadow　of　　death；　are　at　once　blessed　with　light；　and　with　joyful　hearts　　acknowledge　the　immensity　of　the　blessing。

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　26th　October；　1835



To　the　Rev。　J。　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Oct。　27；　1835）　OCT。　26　＇1835。＇　WILLOW　LANE；　ST。　GILES；　NORWICH。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Pray　excuse　the　liberty　I　take　in　troubling　　you　with　these　lines；　which　I　write　for　the　purpose　of　informing　　you　that　I　am　perfectly　ready　to　undertake　anything　which　yourself　　or　Mr。　Brandram　may　deem　expedient。　　I　should　be　most　happy　to　　explore　…Portugal　and　Spain；　and　to　report　upon　the　possibility　of　　introducing　the　Gospel　into　those　countries；　provided　that　plan　has　　not　been　given　up；　or　to　commence　the　Armenian　Testament　forthwith；　　if　the　types　are　ready。　　If　you　would　so　far　condescend　as　to　　return　an　answer　as　soon　as　it　suits　your　convenience；　you　would　　confer　no　slight　obligation　upon　me；　for　I　am　weary　of　doing　　nothing；　and　am　sighing　for　employment。

I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　Dear　Sir；　your　most　obliged　　and　most　obedient　servant；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　27th　October；　1835



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Oct。　28；1835）　WILLOW　LANE；　ST。　GILES；　NORWICH；　27　OCTR。；　1835。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　26th；　as　I　　suppose　Mr。　Jowett　has　received　mine　of　the　same　date　which　I　　needlessly　sent。　　As　you　ask　me　to　favour　you　with　my　thoughts；　I　　certainly　will；　for　I　have　thought　much　upon　the　matters　in　　question；　and　the　result　I　will　communicate　to　you　in　a　very　few　　words。　　I　decidedly　approve　（and　so　do　all　the　religious　friends　　whom　I　have　communicated　it　to）　of　the　plan　of　a　journey　to　　Portugal；　and　am　sorry　that　it　has　been　suspended；　though　I　am　　convinced　that　your　own　benevolent　and　excellent　heart　was　the　　cause；