r six months of the year; a territory meant for a
wilderness, and incapable of becoming anything better, in which the
Russian sovereigns have condemned themselves to the life of one of their
own bears, cold, wild, and comfortless? All the stoves on earth cannot
make a St Petersburg winter endurable by any thing but a fish or a
marmozet; while Moscow offered a glorious climate, unlimited space for a
capital city, a fertile country, a fine landscape, a central position
for the head of an empire, with Europe in its front, and Asia at its
back.

The choice of St Petersburg has probably cramped the growth of Russian
power. Even Poland has only given her a desert, a kingdom scantily
cultivated, scantily peopled, discontented serfdom and a broken
frontier. Yet all may be for the best. Moscow, as the head of the
Empire, might have made her too powerful, and Europe might have seen a
Russian Gengis Khan.

The Town is ringing with an extraordinary feat of pedestrianism; the
first exploit of a young Scotchman, Barclay of Ury. He had betted L5000
that he would walk ninety miles in twenty-one and a half hours, and has
won, leaving an hour and seventeen minutes to spare.

Feats of this order have a value, as showing the powers of the human
frame. They would otherwise be merely vulgar gambling. But if it is of
importance to know the extent of the mental powers, those of the body
also have their uses; and an effeminate generation would only have to
prepare themselves by the exercises of this young gentleman, to be able
to dispense with post-chaises and the gout. The walker is but twenty-two
years old; and he has finished his exploit without any injury to his
frame, and, it may be presumed, with a considerable advantage to his
finances. All the "Sporting world," as they are named, were on the
ground, which was a measured mile, on the road between York and Hull;
lamps were erected to light the principal performer during the night. A
cottage at the road-side received him for refreshment, and change of
dress, at intervals. A militia regiment, which happened to be on its
march from Hull, halted and filed on either side of the road, with the
gallantry of sportsmen, to give him free way; and the general interest
taken in this singular performance was surprising. The only drawback was
the evident activity of his frame, and his power of endurance; for after
the first thirty miles the betting began to be wholly in his favour, and
the spirit