Monday, February 3, 1840

1840

February

Monday 3

8 20/..

2 35/..

Fine morning; Réaumur 12 1/2° at my bedhead and the same on the Console now at 8 1/2 a.m.

Mr. Alexander Richter here before I was quite ready, and sat with us during breakfast till after 11 –

Then had Mrs. Howard and George and gave the Courier 400/. Roubles more in account to get small money – and wrote my note to the Superieure of the Enfans Trouvés for Matriona to take and had just done it now at 12 20/.. – Had Matriona Ivanovna to take her melancholy leave at one –and at 1 1/4 began my letter to Marian –  

Then 3 pages and ends to Marian and rough draft of letter to Messers Hammersley etc.

Princess Sherbatoff called to ask us to tea – Very civil – Sat, I should think, 1/2 hour or more – very civil and aimable –

Before she went away, Mr. Bachmetieff came  with compliments from his wife – Sorry she was not at home etc. etc.  All very civil – Hoped that on our return we should go and see them at their terra – theirs and Madame Apraxin’s jointly and Count Tolstoy’s also?  Very large fine serres there – Well worth seeing – à 12 versts from Moscow –

Explained about the onguent – He as much against quacking as I – He knew a little of medicine – Studied Medicine and anatomy (2 years or 2 courses of lectures in Paris – I said I too knew a little – Shewed him my 2 lancets – We talked very agreeably – He regretted not having seen more of us – he could bleed, and had done it – I said I thought I could  – had had a physician in Paris to teach me how – Mr. Bachmetieff a very gentlemanly, sensible man, but speaking French so rapidly that I had to give my utmost attention in order to catch what he said  – He advised me not send the letter for the onguent (Dr. Turnbull’s for deafness) but to wait will I got home – Very good – He will explain all this to Madame Apraxin –

He went away at 3 1/2 – then all the afternoon pothering over Princess Radzivill’s marche route – Had  George and the courier at it – but that, after all, did no good – The courier counts all by one of the little counting machines – However, it seems, that on the St. Petersburg road (because a Chaussée , one pays 8 kopeks each horse per verst, and as everywhere else 10 kopeks each horse per verst out of towns – When the station one starts from is in a town – therefore, my tables and calculations of last night of no use to Princess Radzivill and did all new au pied de 8 kopeks –

This and writing out fair copies and note (2 1/4 pages 1/2 sheet note paper) took me till tea (dinner at 7) at 8, when Count Panin came – Drank tea with us – Said our tea at 20/. with 1/3 green tea, was excellent – Not so Mrs. Howard’s, which he and we drank at first, not thinking of our own – Sat with us till 9 40/.. –

Then sent George home – Too late to send my note to princess tonight – Besides had it to copy – Count Panin earnestly asked us to visit them 1/2 way between here and Smolensko on our return – Ought to be there in June – No! That probably impossible – He said we ought to be in the Crimea in April – but I said I should be glad to give April and May to the Mountains of the Caucasus – Should be anxious to hear from us – Said I had promised to write from Nijeney – and promised to write from Tiflis – Count Tchernicheff’s appointment to the Embassy in London not certain –

Tis now 10 40/.. – Had Grotza – Then till 12 3/4, wrote 1 2/3 page small and close 1/2 sheet note paper to Lady Gordon –

Réaumur 13° on the console and 14 1/4° on my writing table close to me and my candles – fine day judging of it from looking towards the windows –

Not at all in a humour for writing; therefore it is now 2 1/4 (Ann too writing) and I have not quite filled my paper to Lady Gordon.

  

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/23/0195