A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs and Amusements of the Russians Book Reviews

A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs and Amusements of the Russians by John Augustus Atkinson & James Walker Book Summary

The Russians, always a great and powerful nation, but little known to the rest of Europe, till drawn into notice by the creative mind and genius of their great law-giver, Peter the First, have at the present day assumed a weight and importance in its scale, that must necessarily give an interest to any thing that may tend to elucidate or make us better acquainted with their customs and manners. That a field so ample, should hitherto have been so little trodden, is certainly surprising, while, for many years back, we have been inundated with tours through Greece, picturesque journeys through Italy and Switzerland, and most other known countries, while Russia, whether viewed in point of scenery, character, costume, nay even antiquities, at least as interesting as any of them, remains, excepting a few desultory unimportant attempts, untouched. To remedy, in some sort, this deficiency, is the particular object of the present work. In submitting it to the public, the authors are aware that the want of finish and detail, generally found in works of this nature, may be objected to by those, who, if we may be allowed the phrase, have been accustomed to see costumes treated in a geographic, rather than a picturesque manner, and from that circumstance appears to them inadequate to the task of giving that faithful representation so absolutely required. 
To this objection we beg leave to observe, that as character, action, and expression, and not the minute particulars of dress, have always appeared to us to form the distinguished features of nations, it is to that great object we have devoted our principal attention and effort; we do not, however, mean by this to infer, that any part however slightly treated, has been neglected, or left through ignorance to the imagination of the beholders, or that we crave indulgence for defects, which ought not to exist. Our intention is, to prepare the public for finding that secondary, which is in general made principal, and which we consider as the great defect of costumes in general, arising from a very obvious cause, — the impossibility of seizing the character of the people, without an intimate acquaintance with, or a long residence among them; and to its being so much easier to give a figure its appropriate dress, than its true character and expression. As what is here advanced seems in some degree to argue a superiority as existing in the present work; in this respect we hope it will not be deemed arrogant in us, when the peculiar advantages under which it was executed, a residence of eighteen years in the country, at that time of life when impressions are strongest, a knowledge of the language, added to the personal protection of the Sovereign, have given us advantages which few have ever possessed. This, with the general approbation our friends have bestowed on our Drawings, has emboldened us to say thus much, and to present with some sort of confidence, this Work to the Public, which must finally decide on its merit.

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