TRAVELS ON THE SHORES OF THE BALTIC. EXTENDED TO MOSCOW. BY S. S. HILL. "Call it a trayel that thou tak'st for pleasure."-RICHARD II. LONDON: ARTHUR HALL, VIRTUE, & CO., 25, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1854. 203. b. 161. PREFACE. IN offering this volume for the perusal of the general reader, it may be proper to say a few words concerning the circumstances under which it appears, and, at the same time to offer something in the nature of an apology for its publication after the appearance of so many books of much greater importance upon the several countries in which these travels were made. The whole of this matter, originally formed the earlier portion of a narrative, of which many subsequent chapters have been already published. This somewhat novel arrangement, has proceeded from the circumstances of the time. When those chapters were preparing for publication, little interest would have attached to a mere tour in the countries of the Baltic, and a short visit to the Russian capital cities; but it was believed, that it would be otherwise with the narrative of a journey through the more distant and less known countries of b |