as we ranged over Russian History from the 7th-century B.C. to Alexander Nevsky's reign in Novgorod. He concluded with a remark made by the English Ambassador to Moscow of Elizabeth I. "Lo thus I make an end; none other news to thee "But that the country is too cold, the people beastly be." and reports, as will be seen elsewhere in the magazine, that neither were seen to be true on his own visit there. For the second meeting, we were privileged to hear J. Y. Muckle, Esq., Head of the Russian Department at Leeds Grammar School, who gave an interesting talk, entitled "Authors in Disgrace." He deplored and abominated the Russian control of literature and invited any of his audience, which was quite encouraging considering the presence of Trial Exams and illness, to leave if they disagreed with him—nobody accepted the invitation. He talked about Pasternak, Valerei Tarsis, Arjak (Daniel) and Terse (Sinyaysky). For the last meeting, which Mr. Austin was unfortunately unable to attend, twelve members of the Society read three plays by Chekhov : The Proposal, On The Harmfulness of Tobacco, A Jubilee. This was poorly attended but it is encouraging that so many (over 90) were subscribing members, which is intended to promote knowledge of Russia amongst those who do not study its language. We should like to thank those who have helped in the making of a very successful year for the Society, those leaving and those who have left, and especially Mr. Austin, who has cast his watchful and most helpful eye over our proceedings. J..R.W.T.
RUSSIAN TRIP, 1966 SATURDAY, 2ND APRIL to MONDAY, 4TH APRIL. A variety of evening activities, ranging from overnight travelling to a Turkish bath, being completed, a party of 24 Peterites accompanied by Messrs. G. M. Austin and A. Craven assembled on Victoria Station. At 10-0 a.m. the party left and, travelling by way of Dover, Ostend and Cologne, reached Berlin at 7-40 a.m. on Sunday the 3rd. During a tour of the city, which included : "checkpoint Charlie", the 'Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Templehof Airport, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the Olympic Stadium, we also learnt that 85 % of West Berlin has been rebuilt since the war making it, perhaps, the most attractive modern city in Europe. After a free afternoon we crossed to East Berlin and at 11-30 p.m. departed for the Russian border. The next day was spent crossing the flat wastes of Poland reaching BrestiVorsid at 3-30 p.m., and in the company of our attractive Intourist guide, boarded a train for Kiev. TUESDAY, 5TH. Everyone was tiring somewhat from the long train journey and it was with relief that we reached Kiev at 6-0 a.m. and could rest at the almost luxurious Intourist Hotel. Kiev was not on the itinerary of last year's trip so Peterites were here breaking new ground. Its population of 1.4 millions is the third highest in Russia but in area it is the second Russian city, 63 % being parkland. In a tour of the city we saw the River Drieper and the statue of St. Vladim and St. Sophia's Cathedral, an 1 1 th-century 19
