Greenhill Vs Nijni Novgorod

In Chapter 50 of Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy qualifies Greenhill as Nishni Novgorod of Wessex. Nijni or Nishni means lower, and Novgorod means Newtown. There is Veliky Novgorod, meaning Upper Newtown in Russia. Nishni Novgorod Fair was very famous in Europe during the days of Thomas Hardy. The Fair was also called Makaryev Fair.  The fair is held annually every July on the banks of River Volga. Hardy compares 
Greenhill Fair humourously with Nishni Novgorod Fair.  Greenhill Fair is much smaller than the Nishni Novgorod Fair. During 18th and 19th century, the fair was one of the largest trading events in Europe and Russia, attracting merchants, goods, livestocks, and buyers from distant places. 

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