Saturday 9 November 1839
Very fine sunny morning Fahrenheit 61 1/4 now at 12 10/60
Just after breakfast having had Drawing master with Mr. de Richter about 9 1/2 - the former brought 4 pieces the Emperor and a female figure 1/2 lengths large miniatures in frames, and a fruit piece and flower ditto same size - 10/- a lesson - the style not at all what we want - civilly explained this - took leave of our artist and gave up the thought of looking for another drawing master here
Mr. de Richter was to have prepared a botanical lesson for us on the Cryptogamia, but had been prevented and begged to pass the hour in conversation - talked over the voyage de Siberia - mademoiselle could not supporter la froid - we ought to partir in March with the dernier trainage pour se rendre à Barnaoule for botany - no difference between European and Asiatic botany till Bernaoule and here begins the flora of the Altai mountains and Asia - at Irkoutsk, of course, still greater difference here the flora is quite different from that of Europe - 'here we see the Robinia or caragana spinosa - the curious camel-hair like robinia monsieur de Fischer shewed us at St. Petersburg not yet described by botanists except by Linnaeus - then talked of Tiflis and Georgia - and de Richter mentioned a friend of his aux eaux in Georgia, a German botanist + Moravian pasteur who would be the very person to accompany us thereabouts - talked of expense - what we pay here &c. and asked de Richter to make enquiries and think what be the expense of the journey to and in Georgia and to Irkoutsk - the Russian mission sent every ten years to the Greek convent at Pekin is to go next year - asked if it would be possible to arrange going with this mission - no! because the Chinese government offended that an astronomer and a botanist were sent the last time and made excursions into the country
Mr. de Richter staid till 11 (eleven) then breakfast - before finished had the young man from Mr. Marc with the packet of money at 21/- per £1 in 2 parcels as discussed one parcel = £170 = 3570 - expense common &c. 43/- the other parcel = £30 = 630/- - 9/- - then finished breakfast - then had Gross and his wife - paid him the 630/- 9/- = 621 Roubles for the last 1/2 years wages from 10 May to 10 November - he observed that it should have been guineas - turned to my Journal vide 13 April last page 35 - therefore called them both in a second time and gave him 30/- + 40 silver kopecs = 31/50 which with the former payment = 652/50 I said the loss on the money was so great Gross would decide whether the 2 francs a week allowed for Grotza's washing should be paid now or afterwards - answer, as I understood it, afterwards; for tho' it was only Grotza who answered, I suppose, he being present, and not contradicting, that the washing account is to stand over - there is also a little account for things she paid for in London and not settled with her (her own fault) in England = one pound and six pence
Had just written so far now at 1 50/60 dressed - out at 2? - left our cards chez le gouverneur - then chez Madame Apraxine then chez la Comtesse Goudovich - and then went to Comtesse Panin - she was en voiture sortant de la cour, but very good humouredly returned and received us - très amiable, and very good, and kind, and civil - assiste aux leçon de sa fille (Lessons in Russian) and only libre on Fridays avant deux heures - will go with us next Friday to the university cabinet de l'histoire naturelle and on Tuesday from (between) 12 and 2 will bring Madame _ _ _ _ _ _ to make our acquaintance - not Russian etiquette for us to have left cards chez le gouverneur la princesse not being at home - but right to leave them chez sa nièce Madame Apraxine and the Comtesse
Left Comtesse Panin at 3 25/60 and in 2 minutes at our boulevard opposite end to that where we usually alight - walked Ann and I from 3 27/60 to 4 46/60 four turns - sunshine the 1st. turn or 2 - afterwards beautiful clear rose-coloured sunset and golden rougeâtre smoke as yesterday - home in 8 minutes at 4 54/60 at which hour Fahrenheit 62 1/2 on my table and Reaumur -9 1/2 = Fahrenheit 10 or very nearly
Wrote the last 12 lines till now 5 1/4 - found on my table 4 little brochures par Mr. Fischer de Waldheim, and a small packet containing 7 little turquoises - Mr. Fischer had called himself - and found also note from Mr. de Richter to ask whether we go to the university tomorrow or not wrote note in answer yes! that is compliments and beg him to come at 1 tomorrow as he proposed to go with us
2 gentries in the room next to Ann's, dining and talking loud almost as if in our very room - dressed - dinner at 6 20/60
About 8 when we arrived chez Comtesse Koutaisoff - tea, and staid talking chiefly to him till 9 40/60
Then chez our Princess Radzivill at 9 50/60 to 11 - supper at 10 - and sat talking - her spots seemed to rise a little tho' she said she was plus souffrante que hier aux yeux - praised princess - les enfans, les yeux, de la Comtesse and du Conte, et le tapis, carpet work of the countess very beautiful,
And when there (chez les Koutaisoff) spoke of the beauty and fine person of la Princesse Radzivill yes! said the Conte - it is true, tho she is much changed during the last 4 years - she was the finest woman in Russia - always about court - the Conte and I talked of Russia - the commanding beauty of the Emperor and of the imperial family - the standing army 2,280,000 men under arms including about 500,000 cavalry, but exclusive of the irregular troops - the count himself has lately retired from the army - - the giant strides in civilisation, - everything, in the last 60 years - what a pity the hereditary Prince Alexander cannot marry our queen, and the 2 rule the world? - he must travel - must see England a couple of years hence - shall ruin himself in horses - has a harras, the second in Russia - 1000 horses - they yield him a revenue of - did he say 500,000 Rubles per annum? he mentioned having an income amounting to that - and that his harras occupied 24,000 square arpents of land - his estate to go thro' it all would take 3 days - 400 or 500 versts - ten times the extent of Moscow - oh! more than that - he has 2 towns - the countess Orloff (dame d'honneur) has the 1st. harras in Russia - 2000 horses - which she inherited from her father - she is sister to count Panin's mother - bigotte à present - her archbishop? died 2 or 3 years ago? - spoke of the magnificence of the house of Prince Serge Galitzin in picture bronzes &c. - of merchants qui ont des millions
Chez la Princesse Radzivill found her father and mother and the old English lady
More at home then wrote before - very fine day - Count Koutaisoff said we had had -15 Reaumur today - now at 12 1/4 tonight it seems to me as if Reaumur stood at -12 1/2 = Fahrenheit 2 - Fahrenheit 61 1/4 sur ma table.
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