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COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 614
The learned editor has prefixed a critical difquifition, in which he afferts that the
hymn is undoubtedly of great antiquity, and written, if not by Homer himfelf, yet cer-
tainly by a very diligent imitator of his ftyle and phrafeology. Though the ftyle and
plan of this hymn appears to me (as well as to the celebrated editor) inferior to Homer,
and in fome places unworthy of him; yet this argument, depending on the talte and
feelings of the reader, will not operate on all with equal force ; nor will even they who
allow its inferiority to the other productions of the divine poet, be inclined to grant the
conclufion, that it is not his work ; becaufe Homer might in one particular compofition
fall below his ufual ftandard of excellence. A {tronger proof againft its originality may
be drawn from the words, phrafes, and inflexions occurring in this poem, which are
either of a later date than the age of Homer, or not found in his unfufpected works.
Some of thefe are enumerated by the editor *.
Cuap. VI.—Retail Trade in the Khitaigorod.—Market for the Sale of Houfes.—Excel-
lence of the Police in Cafes of Riot or Fire—Chefs common in Ruffia— Account of the
Foundling Hofpital.—Excurfion to the Monaftery of the Holy Trinity.—Delays of the
Poft.—Defeription of the Monajftery.—Tomb and Hiftory of Maria Titular Queen of
Livonia.—Tomb and Character of Boris Godunof.
MOSCOW is the centre of the inland commerce of Ruffia, and conneéts the trade
between Europe and Siberia. -
The navigation to this city is formed folely by the Mofkva, which falling into the
Occa near Colomna, communicates by means of that river with the Volgat. But as
the Mofkva is only navigable in the fpring, on the melting of the fnow, the principal
merchandize is conveyed on fledges in winter.
Almoft the whole retail commerce of the city is carried on in the Khitaigorod, where,
according to a cuftom common in Ruiflia, as well as in moft kingdoms of the Eaft, the
fhops and warehoufes are colle€ted in one fpot. The place is like a kind of fair, con-
fifting of many rows of low brick buildings; the interval between them refembling
alleys. Thefe fhops or booths occupy a confiderable {pace, and do not, as with us,
make part of the houfes inhabited by the tradefmen, but are ufually detached from their
dwellings, which are moftly at fome diftance in another quarter of the town. The
tradefman comes to his fhop in the morning, and returns to his family in the afternoon.
Every trade has its feparate department ; and they who fell the fame goods have booths
adjoining to each other. Furs and fkins form the moft confiderable article of com-
merce in Mofcow, and the fhops vending thofe commodities occupy feveral ftreets {.
Among the curiofities of Mofcow, I muft not omit the market for the fale of houfes.
It is held in a large open fpace, in one of the fuburbs, and exhibits ready-made houjfes,
ftrewed on the ground. The purchafer who wants a dwelling, repairs to this fpot, men-
tions the number of rooms he requires, examines the different timbers, which are regu~
larly numbered, and bargains for that which fuits his purpofe.. The houfeis fometimes paid
* The claffical reader, who is defirous of further‘ information relative to the genuinenefs of this antitht
poem, is referred to the laft edition of the hymn by Runkenius, and to the preface of Mr. Hole’s Tranf-
lation.
+ For the communication of the Volga with the Baltic, fee the chapter on the Inland Navigation of
Ruffia.
According to Storfch, the number of {hops and warehoufes in Mofcow amount to dix thoufand, of
which the Khitaigorod contains four thoufand and feventy five.
VoL. Vi. Pilg for
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