Monday, January 13, 1840 (Partial Entry)

 1840

January

 ‘for reception is beautiful, – the same bright arabesque painting on white scagliola; the walls, columns, and fire-places of the finest jasper. The furniture ponceau velvet and gold, with malachite tables and candelabra, and lapis lazuli vases.

The chapel is like all the Greek churches, with a fine screen, and richly painted and gilt.

The gallery with Dawes paintings was under repair, and most of the pictures were taken down. These are portraits, en buste, of three hundred generals, and at the top of the room is a fine picture of the Emperor Alexander on horseback there are full lengths also of the Kings of Prussia, the Grand Duke Constantine; also the Duke of Wellington, Prince Schwartzenberg, Barclay de Tolly, and the heroes of 1813 and 1814 –

I was told that Dawe had made a million of roubles here. The Emperor paying him 1000/. for each bust portrait, and most of them were painted twice. He left nearly all his money to the Lancaster schools, and little to his relations.  In the Salle des Maréchaux are large pannelled compartments, with all the great Russian generals, painted as large as life, Potemkin, Suvarow, Kutusow, Diebitch, and others

We next inspected the crown jewels. They are kept in a small room, under the charge of an old valet de chambre of the late Empress mother.  The crown is of large diamonds and pearls and has an ‘immense ruby’ said to have ‘been stolen and carried away in butter. In the sceptre is a famous diamond, which really looks like glass. The Empress’s crown is very small; the remainder of the jewels are in glass cases round the room. A large diamond necklace with drops, some fine emeralds, a parure in pearls, and a quantity of jewelled fans struck me very much.

One great peculiarlity in the Russian palaces, is the large panes or sheets of glass, which give an unbroken view. They have also excellent contrivances for flowers during their long and dreary winter, large stands for filling up corridors and fire-place and recesses, and a very pretty method of portioning off corners, and parts of rooms by railings of treillages, on which creepers are trained, having their roots in boxes at the bottom, containing tins.

We quitted this wonderful palace amazed with its colossal size and magnificence, and with but one regret, that its exterior was not of stone, instead of crumbling white-washed brick, and a wish that some of the interior scagliola decorations had been solid marble.

Tzarskoelos (Tzarsko Selo) is about 2 hours’ drive from Petersburg . . . from the chapel ‘we proceeded through a magnificent enfilade of room in the Louis XIV style, richly gilt, and with beautiful parquets.

In one, the walls were of the finest amber, and pictures of pietra dura were set in the panels; in another, the floor was inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and I almost fancied myself in Aladdin’s palace …….

The palace where the Imperial family resides, is at a little distance from the great one where visitors are lodged, and carriages are sent to fetch them. It is small and was built by the empress Catherine for the Emperor Alexander’s marriage’ (the ‘present emperor and empress having lived here in early life, so not like to leave it) …’

The only ‘remarkable room is a large hall of 149 feet by 49, of which the bow-windowed centre is partitioned off on each side by open columns, orange trees, and plants; here I have seen great dinners of one hundred people, and the sides were used for reception or dancing. ‘I did not see the English daisy in the gardens and pleasure grounds attached to the palace.’

The arsenal built by Alexander ‘on the 1st floor, is a fine collection of armour, greatly added to by presents from the Sultan, after the treaty of Adrianople. The housings and complete furniture of a horse, embroidered with large billets, the sword and pistols, all likewise of enamel and diamonds; and the rich caparisons which were worn and belonged to Mahmond himself (should be Mahmoud, u instead of n?)

The palace of Pablowsky is between 3 or 4 wersts from Tzarskoeloe, and belongs to the Grand Duke Michel Pablowski, left to him by his mother; and unwilling to disturb the apartments she occupied’ they live in a corner of it’.

Palace of Peterhof curious old place, gilt and in the Louis XIV style – Rooms not large – Uninhabited – 1 July old style, great fête here for the Empress’s birthday – Waterworks said to surpass those at Versailles – Dinner and supper for 5,000 persons – Lady L- did not see this fête –

At the foot of the hill near this palace is the humble little cabin where Peter the great dwelt – from here by a beautiful road along ‘the Gulf of Finland to the cottage where the Emperor and empress pass great part of the summer.  Here they live with their children in retirement’

3 stories ‘the Emperor and the family occupy the 2nd, which is plainly fitted up in beautiful yellow wood. The Empress’s rooms are on the rez-de-chaussée, and are quite charming.  The taste and extreme elegance of all the decorations, the beauty of the sheets of glass in the bow-windowed salon, giving the lovely prospect unbroken, struck me very much.  

The views from this beautiful little retreat are delicious.  The Gulf of Finland lays before the windows, with the beautiful buildings of St. Petersburg on one side, and the magnificent granite fortifications of the Cronstadt on the other’

Vide page 243 et seq. ‘Account of a banquet given by Khosrew Pacha at the palace on the banks of the Bosphorus. By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley, “During a brief sojourn at Constantinople during the autumn of 1838…..Banquet on the 9th September –  their friend Namik Pacha sent his carriage for them Arabah, ‘gaily-ornamented arabah’ – (the famous old Seraskier Khosrew Pacha) – Well written – Read it again some time in England –

Went out at 1 12/ – We called at the Fischer’s – At home – Asked us to dinner – Sorry engaged – Asked us to a soirée next Saturday – sorry engaged, but would if possible go for a little while – Music – to begin at 7 – The custom is, that the gentlemen call and the ladies send cards on New Year’s Day –

Then to the Ocouloffs’ – Not at home – Left cards – Then to the boulevard at 2 10/..

Ann went home and I took 3 turns in 55 minutes –

Réaumur 7 1/2° on the snow – Small snow falling (flying about) all the time –

Then drove to the Panins (did not enter the court) and sent in cards –

Home at 3 20/..  On my return, found the cards of Count Panin, Mr. Fischer, and Mr. Alexandre de Richter.

Had just written so far now at 5 55/.. p.m. – Dressed – Had to wait for dinner till 6 35/..Then had to wait for the carriage (gone at 6 1/2 to the Enfans Trouvér for Matrona  i.e. Martha) till 7 50/.. –

Off at 7 55/.. to the Orousoffs’ – Some starred gentleman there that is often at Countess Panin’s – He sitting with the old people in the salon, and Princess Radzivill and Miss Delamine there – Just before coming away, gave Princess Radzivill the keepsake for this year.

Had before passed much of the time counting over the cards received today (Félicitations on the New Year) = 384!

The bal masqué last night given by the Germans at the nobility assembly room attended by 8,000 people – Ball tonight at the same rooms, also bal masqué, but by invitation – that is, each must have a ticket –

Home at 9 50/.. Tea – Had Grotza and stood (till 12) reading the 2 newspapers sent this morning by Mr. Camidge, St. James’s Chronicle of from 17 to 19 and from 15 to 17 October –

Finish day, though small snow flying about more or less during the day – Réaumur 10 1/2° on my table and Réaumur 10 ° on the console now at 12 20/.. tonight.

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/23/0177 and SH:7/ML/E/23/0178