Monday, May 4, 1840 (Partial Entry)

1840

of Imérétie still living – at St. Petersburg – the Georgian blood pure – the Georgians had hardly intermarried even with the Armenians till of late and then only few instances of it – But the neighbouring countries much mixed with Georgian blood through the Georgian female slaves, – The Georgian an original language now spoken by about 350,000 persons –

Mr. Besoc going on Saturday to the copper mines about 80 versts from here wide of the Baku road – They pay government (net I suppose) 500 Silver Rubles per annum, which Besoc reckoned = £100 – Said the revenues of this country might be doubled in a better case with good management, though he has hardly a moment to spare and does all his society duties in a visit once a week (evening parties) chez Madame Golovin (une Ange said Madame Besoc – in speaking of her), yet he has pride and pleasure in doing his duty to his emperor and country, even to the loss of health and life, and will continue at his post to the last moment that he is able to be of use – Will give us a letter to Baku – To his people there, to shew us the naphtha springs from which government makes a considerable revenue –

Denied that governor had offered any price or wished to buy the sovereignty of Mingrelia of Prince Dadian – (Odd this?) – Government offered, as we know,  800 000/. Silver – Yes! Offered a million en argent, and the Dadiani had refused it – though our gay, graceful princess, wife of the prince héréditaire would be glad to take the price and live in princely dignity at St. Petersburg –

Nice little well cooked dinner – Coffee immediately afterwards in the salon – Walked there and ditto back and home at 3 40/.. –

Had our washerwoman – Changed our dress – out, Ann and I, at 5 10/.. – Shopping in the bazaar at our tea and Sugar shop, and afterwards bought raisins at our first shop, and came in at 7 1/4 – Ate raisins, then tea – Had Domna – Sat reading article, Persia, in Volume 2, Murray, which came back today from Mr. Schwostoff after his having had the 2 volumes since last Wednesday night – Then wrote all but the 2 first lines of today –

vide line 10 of today ‘Captain Tolstoy came soon after General Kotzebue and sat talking till and some time after Madame Latchinoff’ …… General Kotzebue must have come about 11 – brought me 6 letters and an open order tout ce qu’il faut for the comfort of our journey to Baku and across the country by Shusha to Nachitshevan to Erivan – Very gentlemanly sensible agreeable beautifully countenanced little man – Terribly overworked, but always grateful to the Emperor for all he has done for him – He was a young colonel – The Emperor made him general on his coming here, and never forgets to reward those who serve him well –Kotzebue has 2 children, though married little more than 2 years, and Madame Kotzebue enceinte again – she is a nice person – but he is particularly so – what is his age ?

Tolstoy is Ætatis 33 – Worn – Having the experience – having lived, as it were, more than 43 years – His journey from Siberia to Erzeroum 9000 versts in 30 days always occurs to me =    12 1/2 versts per hour during every hour of the 30 days ? (i.e. days and nights = 30 x 24 = 720 hours and 9000 versts ÷ 720 = 12 1/2)

Had just written so far now at 11 40/.. p.m.  My journal lying on the table this morning, explained to Madame Latchinoff the use of my crypt and the principle on which it is composed, and how easily she might have use of some invention of the same sort – Convinced her, too, that I was not an author by profession – that I had never published anything in my life, and had no thought at present of writing and publishing anything on Russia – She said she could understand the love of travelling, and the great interest of travelling here – where all is so new to a mere European traveller –

Very fine day – Fire this evening.  Today our clean linen – Have had no fire for several days – but high wind all day, and very high, whistling, rather boisterous wind tonight – Terrible clouds of dust now and then in the streets this afternoon – Réaumur 12 1/4° now at 11 50/.. p.m.

Found my cousin come this morning on getting up –

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/24/0096