Wednesday, January 15, 1840

1840

January

Wednesday 15

9 25/..

12 25/..

Fine morning.  5 minutes with Ann.  Réaumur 9 3/4° at my bedhead and 9 1/2° on the console – Réaumur -3° at 8 a.m.  Breakfast at 10 55/..

Had Mr. Alexandre Richter and before he went away le Comte Panin till 2 20/.., both of them all the while in the salle à manger at the breakfast table – I had rather more than 1/2 done when Mr. Richter arrived and finished in 2 or 3 minutes after Count Panin went –

Out at 3 20/.. To the boulevard – Walked about 1 20/.. hour (4 turns) and home at 4 50/.. – So fine and mild out of doors even with wind (Réaumur 3 3/4 or near 4° in the snow and Réaumur -1° out of doors here, said Mrs. Howard) that we fixed to go to Troitza tomorrow – Horses ordered at 10 – To go in our covered kibitka –

Partly dressed – Then wrote the last 4 lines – Dinner now at 6 5/.. Finished dressing after having looked, skimmed over, one of the 4 papers sent us today by Mr. Camidge –

Off to the Panins at 7 40/.. – La jeune countess – La vielle malade – Tea – Talked of our journey – Going to Troitza tomorrow – To send for the archimandrite on our arrival – Said I had a headache from sitting so long at the breakfast table this morning near the stove, and there this afternoon, had determined to go tomorrow – For the benediction of the waters of the Moskwa (on Saturday morning).  Countess Panin will come en traineau for me, and Ann to go in the carriage – Mentioned the Russian girl from the Enfans Trouvés – Should have a man of business to draw up a contract – But General Strik, the Chef, and the German lady, Inpérieure, are not, it seems, on good terms ! In fact, I inferred some difficulties might arise ? And on my mentioning the girl’s going to the our protestant church and probably becoming eventually an English subject, the surprised manner of the countess struck me

At 1st on our talking of their journey to England, I had advised their not travelling per diligence, but hiring a carriage – and had observed upon their making 2 journies, one to see the country and one for Society – Difficult to take a great toilette about  – I had learnt how one ought  to come here for Society – Not tomber des nues, but send heavy baggage beforehand – A jolie toilette de Paris just made in the very last fashion, and bring a bale of letters and give nice little soirées chez soi – Yes! it seemed that was what one should do preparatory to spending a winter in society in Russia –

A gentleman then a lady came just before we came away at 9 20/.. – Home at 9 1/2 –

The old lady is well enough to receive every night.  The Russian dinner is still talked of.  I have no wish for an opportunity to eat it somehow.  Spite of all their civility, there is an indignity about it.  I like it not.  If we had been bedecked with titles, it would have been different –

Had Grotza and sat reading till 11 1/2 Kupffer’s Voyage dans l’Oural –

Réaumur 11 1/4 ° on my table and Réaumur 10 1/4° on the console now at 11 35/.. p.m.  Fine, mild day – A cold of Réaumur 4° seems like nothing – I was quite hot (in a perspiration) in walking this afternoon.


WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/23/0179 and SH:7/ML/E/23/0180


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