Provincial Russia . omfortable, andrarely is the summer table set without the favouritedishes of pork and fruit. Very different are thesalt steppes of the Kalmucks, where, as the sayinggoes, even the bug is food. Little Russia lies on a gentle slope whichdescends towards the marshes of Poliesk in the westand the steppes in the south. Like the CentralBlack-earth districts, it comprises three divisions :the wooded uplands of Tchernigoff to the Diesna,thence forest-steppe to the Vorskla, and south ofthat river the steppes proper. In the third regionthe climate is continental, but in the northernd
Provincial Russia . omfortable, andrarely is the summer table set without the favouritedishes of pork and fruit. Very different are thesalt steppes of the Kalmucks, where, as the sayinggoes, even the bug is food. Little Russia lies on a gentle slope whichdescends towards the marshes of Poliesk in the westand the steppes in the south. Like the CentralBlack-earth districts, it comprises three divisions :the wooded uplands of Tchernigoff to the Diesna,thence forest-steppe to the Vorskla, and south ofthat river the steppes proper. In the third regionthe climate is continental, but in the northerndistricts the winter, though long, is not severe, andthere are frequent thaws, while the summer, for allits drought and heat, is yet neither leaden or burden-some. The charm of its lazy fragrant sleepiness isreflected with poetic sympathy, exquisite colour,and unexaggerated fidelity, in the opening passageof Gogols first story: How intoxicating, how luxurious is a summerday in Little Russia! How languishingly hot are. BLESSING THE GROUND BEFORE SOWING : LITTLE RUSSIA LITTLE RUSSIA 129 those hours when midday shimmers in quiet and sul-triness, and the blue immeasurable ocean of the sky,bent vault-like and voluptuously over the earth,seems to be asleep! All steeped in passion heclasps his beautiful one in close aery is no cloud on him, no murmur on theplain—everything is as it were dead. Only abovein the depths of heaven a lark trembles, and itssilvery song flies down aerial steps to the enchantedearth, and from time to time the cry of a gull, andthe clear note of a quail is echoed over the , with never a thought—like aimless revellers—stand the cloud-piercing oaks, and the blindingstrokes of the sunbeams illumine whole marvellousmasses of leaves, while on others they fling ashadow dark as night, so that only in strong gustsof wind will they shiver with gold. Like emeralds,topazes, and sapphires, ethereal insects float overthe many-coloured gardens s
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Keywords: ., bookauthorstewarth, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1913
