Tuesday, January 21, 1840

1840

January

Tuesday 21

8 35/..

12 55/..

Fine morning; Réaumur 11 1/2° at my bed head and ditto on the console at 8 50/.. a.m. and rather whistling wind as last night –

Incurred a cross last night thinking of π Mariana.

Breakfast over at 10 50/.. – Mr. Camidge from soon after 11 to 12 – He brought us more newspapers –

Wrote note to ‘Madame la princesse Dolgorouky’ I had unluckily forgotten the Olga and added it in pencil, to say we should ready by Tuesday next etc. etc. (vide other end of the book, page 22 bis) –

Had just written so far now at 1 50/.. Out at 2 – sent en passant, André to ask at Madame Apraxin’s the address of Madame Bachmétieff – Drove there –Not at home.  Ann having no cards, left her name (previously written in ink) on one of mine –

Then chez la princesse Olga Dolgorouky – After some waiting, admitted – The man at the door said something to me – turned to André– It seemed princess Olga Dolgorouky was out – It was the old princess that was at home – Not having made her acquaintance we went back immediately to the carriage and sent the note writing Olga in pencil (vide line 4 of today) and sent my card –

Then home – Changed shoes and stockings and drove to our boulevard – Walked 1 5/.. hour (3 turns) and came in at 4 1/2 – Wrote the last 8 lines – Sent off before breakfast by Gross, my letter to ‘Mrs. Lawton, Lawton Hall, Lawton, Cheshire, England’ –

Mr. Camidge could not explain the nature of the Greek rite blessing the waters, but said it had reference to the baptism of our Savior.  This fête is contemporaneous with our Epiphany – This led to conversation on the subject.  I observed that the circumcision on the 8th day was now replaced by baptism, to which Camidge assented (though seeming as if the observation was new to him), adding that he had often been pressed to baptize on the 8th day –

I had asked what rite anciently practiced on female children in lieu of circumcision or baptism – He did not know – Would inquire of Mr. Evans – but he had asked himself this question before – I observed there was still an Arabian tribe among whom female circumcision was practiced – He did not know this –

He said Townsend was of opinion that the passing of the children of Israel under the Cloud was equivalent to baptism – But only baptism by water was practised by the Jews as the initiatory rite of the proselytes of the gate i.e. the outer or gentile proselytes –Recommended King’s work on the Greek church s and Townsend’s work on the bible –

Dressed – Dinner over at 6 40/.. –

Off to the Orousoffs’ at 6 50/.. – Found the old people by themselves.  Princess Radzivill writing and did not come till about 7 1/2.  Tea – Sat talking agreeably – The beau fils of Mr. Boulchakoff and beau frère of princess Olga Dolgorouky came about after 8 and we left him there (met him there before) at 9 –

Home at 9 1/4, having promised to call for princess Radzivill on Thursday at one to go out with me to Sichler’s –

Tea on our return – the Dolgorouky son-in-law Salamirsky, vide page 266, having much advised our not going to Astrakhan till by the last Trainage in February old style, thought for a moment of Odessa –

While Ann had Grotza, I looking at the map – No! No! Keep to our plan – or they are all so in one story about the badness of the year for seeing Russia, give it up if we cannot get off – The Astrakhan post will come in on Friday – I begged to get off next week, beginning or end – Princess Radzivill talks of going next Sunday week – Dolgorouky son-in law recommended waiting here, and rather going to Siberia – to Irkutsk! Than our present plan – Nothing to see at Astrakhan – I mentioned the Indian pagod – He replied there was the same here ! and, on my observing there was no pagan temple here, he would have it there was none at Astrakhan till I said the governor’s wife had allowed there was one –

Fine day, but strongish wind in our faces as we walked down the boulevard.  Réaumur 12 2/3° on my table and 12 1/4° on the console now at 11 3/4 p.m.

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/23/0184