Saturday, February 1, 1840

1840

February

Saturday 1

7 1/2

1 10/..

Breakfast over at 9 – George not come nor Larue either – Partially packed portmanteau, the courier here at (before) 9 – George at 9 3/4 and also Larue –

Had had Mrs. Howard to know what to do for someone to go out – Might have her German speaking servant – Then civil note from Madame Apraxin –

Had Larue till 11 25/..

In the meantime, had had very civil note from old Countess Panin with 2 letters for Nijeney and short note from Princess Tcherkaski, with her letters for her mother at Nijeney –

Had just locked all up at 11 40/.. Then had George –

From 1 to 2 with Princess Radzivill – Then had Princess Barbe Orousoff – Wrote notes till J? Apraxin came to apologize for his mother after 4 –

Note and packet of letters from Madame Ocouloff before Mr. Apraxin came – Had put word to her as to Countess Panin and Princess Tcherkaski that I would send an answer by and by – with letters from Madame Timiriazeff for Astrakhan – Letter from Madame Apraxin for the Prince of Georgia – and 2 for Nijeney from old Countess Panin, and one from Princess Tcherkaski

Wrote the notes of thanks till now 4 40/.. –

Had answered Madame Apraxin’s note by the servant that brought just before having Larue – Much obliged for her offer of letter to the Prince of Georgia now at Nijeney – Should be glad to see her “vers les trois heures’ –

Out about 12 40/.. – to Sichler’s, and took away 3 caps for Princess Radzivill to choose one of them – With her from 1 to 2 – Bought soap of a woman that happened to be there washing, with a particular soap of her own (of which bought 5 little balls = 5/.) and the secret of making, which she would sell to anyone for 50/., old ribands and bits of silk and blond etc. beautifully – they really looked like new again –I told her there was dre fiel (ox gall) in the soap – She said not – It smells of turpentine –

Princess Radzivill dictated notes to old Countess Panin for now and another to announce my return and one to Princess Tcherkasky very civil, Princess Radzivill not liking the abrupt shortness of her note to me, and then dictated note to send with the girl to the enfans trouves

Princess Radzivill very spirituelle and agreeable – Does not go till Tuesday night – Said not a word of the tournent (now gone by) about George, but that the passports would not be ready till Monday , and we should be off after 12 had struck that night – Promised to go to take leave tomorrow evening –

Mr. Boulkakoff came in while I was there – Very civil.  Said I should have the courier till my return – He evidently paid great court to Princess Radzivill, and it is to her that we owe the courier –

The little physician likewise came soon after Mr. Boulkakoff and waited – How distinguée Princess Radzivill is! Her manners are parfaitement tout ce qu’il faut –

Home about 2 1/4 – Waited at home for Madame Apraxin till after 4, when she sent up her son (she in her carriage at the door) with the letter to the Prince of Georgia at Nijeney, and her excuses for not being able to come at 3, and a written commission to inquire after a quack ointment for deafness? From an advertisement in the Times, Courier, etc. English newspapers, and if there is any such ointment (no doubt) to have some sent to her here ! – Asked her address here, and then, thinking it would not come safe here, asked her St. Petersburg address – Simply ‘Champ de mars, maison Apraxin, à St. Petersburg’ – I said it had best come by the 1st steamer – It did not at the moment occur to me to have it through the Russian embassy –

Out at 5 – Left the Sichler’s – The cross old woman that I saw the 1st time of going there – She said I had kept them joliement longtemps, and they were joliement chiffonnér – I simply said I was fachié – Would take the one at 50/. to be sent this evening – it has not arrived.

George during this took my note to Princess Tcherkasky – and ditto in passing to old Countess Panin, and then drove to the Ocouloffs’ – Out – Left my own card with written in pencil in the dark, nous parte vous à minuit Lundi –

Then en passant left my note to Madame Timiriazeff and then to Jackson’s – the kibitka ready, and very nicely done – Would charge, but if I gave 5/. to his men, it would be quite enough – Did so – and said much obliged –

Home and sat down to dinner immediately.  No! Had had Mrs. Howard a minute or 2 to say Priestley had really charged 17/. for engraving (sent the Stone) and cards, 100 –Strongitharm, the first engraver in London, would have done it – and on copper – for 1/2 a guinea – Yet he did Mrs. Howard’s little card of address (500) for 8/. –

Dinner at 7 – Then walked about till tea between 8 and 9 – Ann queer and low, but got her right by tea time –

Had Grotza at 11 – Till then looking over my things – Finished packing portmanteau – then till now wrote all but the first ten lines of today –

Fine day – Réaumur 13 1/3° on the console and 14 1/4° on my table close to my candles and to me writing now at 12 40/.. and Réaumur -3 1/4° dehors –

Princess Barbe Ouroussoff called about  2 1/2 or before and staid till 2 3/4 – Came to wish goodbye, but apparently to ask us to buy a warm satin cap for travelling price only 15/. – Asked about the lottery tickets but said I believed I had destroyed them –

Countess Alexandra Panin sent this evening to know when we should be off – Answer – would call after church tomorrow – Then wrote note to Mr. Alexander Richter, hoping to see and thank him before going away – Ask him to come at from 9 to 10 on Monday morning –

’Tis now 1 10/.. – High time to go to bed –

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/23/0193 and SH:7/ML/E/23/0194