Thursday, June 21, 2012

Finland has been an unquiet province ever since its cession to the Czar

There was little else in Abo to mark the change from one people to another. The transition was easy. There are no striking contrasts—but on the contrary a general resemblance in the dress, appearance, and manners, of the Finns and the Swedes. Two or three things only, besides the Russian soldiers, struck me, and these were the Russian colors, and the size of the public buildings. In these last, there were evidences of a great and opulent government, somewhat in contrast with the economical, not to say parsimonious government on the other side of the gulf. A great part of this town was burned not long ago; and the new town, which has risen upon the ruins of the old, bears evident marks of Russian origin or design—wide streets and large and commodious public buildings. The Russian colors, a treble band of different colors—white and black, edged with purple— are painted in a spiral form around the posts or bars, before the public buildings and offices.

SKETCHES OVER THE SEA. No. V. The United States Democratic review, Volume 7

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