The Russian songs, like the Russian language, have a peculiar tenderness, and are full of caressing epithets.  These are even frequently applied to inanimate objects.  A Russian postilion, in a simple and charming song, calls the tavern, which he never can make up his mind to pass without stopping, “his dear little mother.”  The words Matushka, Batushka, Starinka, which we may venture to give in English by motherling, fatherling, oldling, are in Russian favourite terms of endearment.  The post-boy’s song may stand here as eminently characteristic of the cheerful, childlike, caressing disposition of the nation.  It is translated in the measure of the original, as nearly as it could be imitated in English.

THE POSTILION.

  Tzarish Tavern, thou
  Our good motherling,
  So invitingly
  Standest by the way! 
  Broad highway, that leads
  Down to Petersburg;
  Fellows young as I,
  As they drive along,
  When they pass thee by,
  Always will turn in.

  Ah, thou bright sun-light,
  Red and bright sun-light,
  O’er the mountain high,
  O’er the forest oaks;
  Warm the youngster’s heart,
  Warm, O warm me, sun;
  And not me alone,
  But my maiden, too.

  Ah, thou maiden dear,
  Fairest, dearest maid,
  Thou my dearest child,
  Art so kind and good! 
  Black those brows of thine,
  Black thy little eyes,
  And thy lovely face
  All so round and white;
  Without painting, white,
  Without painting, red!

  To thy girdle rolls
  Fair and braided hair;
  And thy voice is soft,
  Full of gentle talk.

  P.

Russian lovers are quite inexhaustible in fondling and caressing expressions.  “My shining moon, my bright sun, my nourisher (Kormiletz), my light, my hope, my white swan,” together with all those epithets common to all languages, as, dove, soul, heart, etc. are current terms In Russia.  Especially favourable to this affectionate manner of address is the abundance of diminutives which the language possesses.  Not only “little soul,” “little heart,” Dushinka, Serdzinka, etc. are favourite expressions of Russian lovers; but we find even Yagodka, “little berry,” and Lapushka, “little paw,” etc.  Love is ingenious in inventing new diminutives for the beloved object.

This exquisite tenderness in the Russian love-songs is united with a deep, pensive feeling, which indeed pervades the whole Russian popular poetry.  Were we to describe the character of this in one expression, we should call it melancholy-musical.  Even the more frivolous and equivocal songs have a tincture of this pensiveness.  While the Servian songs of this description are the ebullitions of merry and petulant youth, the Russian are frequently not without a spice of sentimentality.  Girls are often represented painting the unhappy consequences of their weakness with a very suspicious mixture of penitence and pleasure; so that the hearer remains undecided, whether the former or the latter is predominant.