Red-Letter Days Abroad. By John L. Stoddard. (Osgood and Co.,
Boston, U.S.; Triibner, London.)—Reminiscences of travel in Spain and Russia, and a description of the Passion Play at Ober-Ammergan in 1880, make up this volume. This last is as good an account of the great function as we have seen: Mr. Stoddard approached it in a truly appreciative spirit, and repels, we are glad to see, with vigour some stupid gossip which seems to have become current in some quarters in the States about it. We have heard less of late about Russia than about Spain, and so find Mr. Stoddard's recollections of St. Petersburg and Moscow somewhat fresher than what he has to say about Seville, Granada, &c. Among his Spanish experiences we notice with regret one that dissipates an old illusion. We have always been told that the Spanish beggar is best got rid of by a courteous salutation, in the words, "For God's sake, my brother, let your excellency excuse me this time !" This, it seems, in Mr. Stoddard's bands failed of effect. "I fell back," he says, "on the shorter and much more pointed remark, Al Demonio !' " The description of St. Petersburg is very graphic, and makes one realise the singular position of the city. Russian manners, too, are vividly pictured,—too vividly, we might be inclined to say, when we read Mr. Stoddard's recipe for making a Russian peasant's dress. Here is a nice little story of Russian ways. When the ice breaks up on the Neva, the first boat that is launched carries the Governor of the fortress to the Winter Palace. The Governor presents a goblet of Neva water to the Czar; the Czar drinks, and gives back the goblet full of gold pieces. The Emperor noticed that every year the goblet increased in size, and had to fix the number of coins that were to re- place the water. There is a curious account too, of the clearing out of the Winter Palace after the death of Alexander IL It was found to contain Multitudes of people of whom the very police knew nothing. Generally, Mr. Stoddard has not the usual sympathy of his country- men for things Russian. On the contrary, he speaks his mind pretty plainly about them. Some of his countrymen seem to love the most despotic country in the world as much as they dislike the freest. The illustrations throughout the volume are good ; those of the Ober- Ammergan Passion Play—both the portraits and the scenes of the drama—especially so.
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