Tuesday 5 November 1839

Fine morning - a little more snow in the night?

Mr. de Richter from 9 3/4 to 10 50/60 - to begin with him in botany on Saturday - breakfast at 11 5/60

Professor Fischer called at 11 20/60 and staid near an hour 55 minutes very agreeable - told us he had read in the Moscow paper that Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg is in London - to marry our queen and that parliament is about to be applied to - gave an interesting account of the campaign of 1812 - a balloon sent up as said to reconnoitre the scenery - but in reality to fire the city with congreve rockets &c. - it would seem that the Russians set fire to the town? - an interesting account too, at his (Fischer's) reception as Deputy for Mayarba? by Napoleon when 1st. consul - unfitness of Chaptal for his place as minister, for foreign affairs?

After Fischer went finished breakfast in 20 minutes and Ann read her 10 pages of Karamsin - then wrote all but the 1st. line and 1/2 of today till now 12 50/60 then had Mr. Thal - then Mr. Camidge till 3 - then sent Compliments to Princess Radziville and if she was well enough would pay a tea visit - not bien portante - would be glad to see us to tea - sent word, going to tea chez countess Panin but would spend a few minutes with the princess for a few minutes before going to Countess Panin

Out at 3 20/60 - to our boulevard - took 3 turns in 3/4 hour and drove along the boulevards to the Kremlin, and so home at 4 55/60 - dressed - dinner at 6

At 7 1/4 went to Princess Radzivill for near 3/4 an hour - her other and younger sister with her - 3 of them, Princess Radzivill the middle one - very civil - the princess begged me to make her excuses for not being able to go to her tonight, and to say how good it was of Countess Panin to make her a visit the other night - asked Princess Radzivill if she would like to see our last English peerage - yes! very much - came upstairs for our cloaks, and sent the peerage by Gross

At Countess Panin's about 8 5?/60 to about 9 25/60 and home at 9 1/2 - found them at tea - they had expected us said the English lady an hour or more - I talked much to Count Panin who speaks French very well but no English - Besides Petersburg, and Moscow, and Odessa, Wilna, Dorpat, Riza, Mittau Kazam, Karkof, are each a sort of centre of society - Count Panin a tall, sensible agreeable man

Had Grotza - sat reading preface to Reiff's Russian and French dictionary that Mr. de Richter brought me this morning to look at - belonging to the university - a little while talking to Ann till 11 40/60 at which hour Reaumur -1 1/2 (Note from Baron Bode vide page 263) = about Fahrenheit 29 and Fahrenheit, on my table, now 61 - fine day.

WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/23/0120

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