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CoxXe’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA, 835
The boys are brought up in the hardieft manner; they are not, even in winter, clad
in furs, nor always indulged in the ufe of ftoves. They are habituated to all kinds of
exercife, and particularly to running and leaping. I faw fome of the largelt cadets en-
gaged in thefe manly diverfions. At the further end of a large hall ftood a leathern
horfe, the higheft part of which was at leaft fix feet. They leaped over it in every di-
rection, {fprung over the head, vaulted into the feat, turned themfelves round on it,
poifed themfelves on-their hands with their head on the faddle and their feet in the air,
and then threw themfelves from that pofture upon the floor on their legs: with other
feats, which they performed with as much eafe and agility as the moft expert tumblers.
Thefe exercifes are of great ufe in ftretching their limbs, opening their chelts, and ren-
dering them robuft and ative. In every department great attention is paid to cleanlinefs,
and the boys are remarkably healthy. Once or twice in winter, the cadets are permitted
to give a mafquerade and ball to the principal nobility, on which occafion, fome of the
young ladies from the female feminary are generally invited as partners for the upper
boys. One of thefe entertainments, at which we were prefent, was conducted with
great elegance and propriety. —
The feminary for the education of the female nobility, ufually called Le Cowvent des
Demoifelles Nobles, is fituated at the extremity of the fuburbs of Alexander Neviki.
The edifice, which is a large quadrangular building, was erected by Elizabeth for a nun-
nery ; but was converted by Catherine to its prefent ufe, and endowed witha falary of
16,000]. per annum. It was firft opened in 1764, for the reception of children: the
foundation is for two hundred nobles, and two hundred and forty bowrgeoifes, or chil-
dren of lower rank. To thefe the Emprefs has added fifty f{upernumerary nobles, called
penfionaires; and Mr. Betfkoi, the humane director of all thefe ufeful focieties for edu-
cation, fupports forty bourgeoifes at his own expence. The girls are admitted between
the age of five and fix, and quit the feminary about eighteen. ‘Formerly the young la-
dies and’the bourgeoi/es were brought up in the fame manner, without the leaft attention
to difference of rank and fortune; but this plan is wifely amended, and they now re«
ceive an education more adapted to their refpective fituations in life.
They are both divided into four clafles. The firlt clafs is habited in white, the
fecond in light brown, the third in green, and the loweft in chocolate. The drefs of
the bourgeoi/es is coarfer than,the young ladies: the firft clafs of whom wear alfo black
handkerchiefs and green aprons; while the bourgecifes are clothed entirely in white.
They all learn reading, writing, accounts, and needle-work. The young ladies are
feparately inftructed in hiftory and geography, and acquire, befide a grammatical
knowledge of their native tongue, the French, German, and Italian languages, and
receive leffons in dancing, mufic, and drawing, according to the bent of their genius.
Inftead of thefe accomplifhments, the deurgeoi/es are employed in the management of
houfehold affairs; they prepare and wath their own linen, are taught to make bread,
and trained to the art of cookery. One of the apartments was hung with the defigns,
paintings, charts, genealogical tables, and other trophies which difplayed the ingenuity
of the young ladies. Thofe who diftinguifh themfelves, receive annual prefents, con-
fifting chiefly of ribbands, which are worn in bows at their fides.
On the day in which we vifited this noble ‘foundation, a hundred poor women dined
in the hall, and were attended by the young ladies, who diftributed to each perfon a
{mall filver coin, and a few yards of linen. This ceremony was inftituted to inculcate
in their tender minds an attention to the poor, and a readinefs to relieve diftrefs,
The quadrangular building contains an elegant theatre, in which the young ladies
occafionally act plays. We were prefent at a reprefentation, and were greatly enter-
: 5,02 tained
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