Friday, May 8, 1840

1840

May

Friday 8

8 1/2

3

Rain in the night, and the Place dirty this morning.  Dampish, foggy morning even till now 11 1/4 (breakfast at 9 55/..) – The mountains quite covered –

Then copied into business letter book the character given on leaving Moscow to Grotza, and that given to Gross at Astracan, and my letter from here to Mr. Marc –

And then had Mademoiselle Kotzebue and then Madame Latchinoff till 2 5/..

She had translated into French above 1/2 hour account of her journey to Erivan and brought it and read it to me – Prettily written – Praised it very much – She will let me have the whole on Saturday night to take with me – and will leave for me (chez le General Braïko) her compilation of a sort or modern history or what of this country – She is writing a larger work, an historical work – but in the form of a Roman –

I questioned her as to why she did not take a higher line of authorship – She dreaded criticism – Nothing to fear for a Roman, if her style and manner easy and good, it was all that would be required – She writes, she says, with great facility, and always has done from her infancy – Besides, to write history would require grave studies and much time and her father quizzes and does not like the idea of a young woman of her age entering upon history writing – she ought to think of her husband – Elle appartiènt à la société, and, if her studies were too serious they might either withdraw her from society or she might enter it préoccupée, and not be able to play the agreeable (faire l'aimable) –

Bon! – But she travels up and down – Leaves her husband perpetually – Goes a month hence to Moscow – or 1st to Cachétie – Then aux eaux?  Then Moscow by Warsaw and Vienna to Florence, Rome, and Naples for the winter – Will keep a journal for herself and arrange her ideas afterwards –

But it seems she adopts the novel style not only in imitation of Sir Walter Scott, but of her great friend, killed in an Expedition 2 or 3 years ago against Tcherkess, Mr. Bestujeff  [Bestuzhev] one of the best modern writers of Russian historical romances – E.g. his Amahad Beg (translated into French) – under the nom supposé of Marlinski – He was exiled for the Moscow business of 1825 – He and Pouschkine killed 3 years ago, the 2 best modern Russian writers –

Madame Latchinoff has only published one thing, a little Roman  Story, of 100 pages, in the Bibliotheque de Lecture (a monthly periodical) du mois de Sèptembre 1838.  Inquire for it chez Semen Moscow – She writes under the nom supposé de Cléopatre Leonidoff –

Captain Tolstoy was in a category that had almost the worst punishment – It is only 2 years since he was made officer – now Lieutenant – Was 8 years here a private soldier – obliged to appear on parade in his soldier’s dress – But all received in society (especially those who have money) and then wear clothes of fine cloth – He has only to distinguish himself – and rank goes on quickly here – A man may rise from Ensign to General in 5 years here – Always the opportunity to distinguish himself –

Madame Latchinoff has much read Walter Scott’s works, and finds much resemblance between the Scots Highlander and Tcherkess –

Mademoiselle Kotzebue called, in fact, about the Armenian Obuvian and the ascension of Mount Ararat – Could say nothing certain at present.  All must depend upon time and weather – What to give him a day + his expenses – No satisfactory answer – but thought as he wished to go for his own pleasure, he would be contented with his expenses –but Madame Latchinoff said  gentlemen understood these things better than ladies – I thought but said nothing, would 1 ducat per day be enough to give?  Kours and interpreters ask 60 ducats per month = 2 ducats per day –

To call at the Kotzebue’s at 12 tomorrow –

Somehow I do not much like Madame Latchinoff.  No solid learning, as Mademoiselle Kotzebue seemed to insinuate, nor does she seem a general favorite here.  She is a silly little doll of a bas blue flirt –

Made as good a fetch as I could for the after address of Madame Latchinoff in vain – Her husband will be here 4 or 5 years – She is always en voyage – Her father and mother live in Moscow – Have not yet learnt name or station –

After 1812, the fashion to bring up young people à la Française – She one of them brought up – all her studies in French – hardly knew her own language – till 4 years ago – Her friend Bestuzhev said it was a shame for a Russian to write in French, and she began to study her own language – It occurs to me she talked (wrote, read) of Erivan being ‘prise chez les Perses’ instead of sur.  Her own French translation of her work from the Russian will be valuable – When she is older, she says, she may retire a little from the world, and engage in more serious studies and write history – the compilation the history a fragment of this country she will leave for me chez les Braïko.  Will be gleaned from the reports of various officers and from authentic archives; and she is sure this little work will be very interesting –

Tis now 3 p.m.  Damp rather rainy, dirty day – Dinner about 5 1/4 – Before and after, wrote to Countess Alexandra Panin – Had Mr. Stadler – to come again in the evening – Came at or after 9 – Tea – Translated Spaski’s book for me – Staid till 2 20/.. !  He wrote the names as under of the 2 gentlemen at the Gymnase –

{L. Inspecteur Roskovshenka, le Directeur Kopf.

{et le traduction de Shakespeare

Damp, rainy day –

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/24/0099 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0100