Tuesday 12 November 1839
Mr. de Richter at 9 3/4 - to 11 1/2 - breakfast till 12 1/4 - our salon at 11 1/2 Fahrenheit 59 = about Reaumur 12 - now at 12 35/60 Fahrenheit 60 1/2 = Reaumur 12 1/2
1st lesson in botany this morning - the 2 families of Chara and Equisetum brought 1 (the 1st.) quarto note of a work by Reichenberger or some such name, only 2 numbers published, on the Cryptomeria - and his dried plants form part of a collection to which he subscribes - a society at Eschlingen? or some such name near Stutgard sends out a Botanist to collect plants which are furnished to the subscribers - the collector now in Abyssinia by subscribing now, one should get the Abyssinian collection
Mrs Fisher much better now but has been very much deranged I had he said of course observed that she was very singular yes said I but the fact is that being besides herself had not once occurred to me
Mr. Alexander Fischer very clever - but likely perhaps to meet with little désagrémens from the present chef de l'académie - from the academy 5,000/- and from the university 5000/- per annum with house chauffage et éclairage - vide Hooker's work on the Cryptogamiæ
Had just written so far when Countess Alexandra Panin called and brought with her Madame Nerfilieff a finish looking woman æt about 30? or not so much - the Countess evidently the more instruite et spirituelle of the 2 - mais nous verrons - spoke of Countess Orloff - her stud, and having swan spurs made for her, and having seen her portrait - she is aunt to Count Panin, and now æt about 52 Count Panin's mother sent word she would be glad to make our acquaintance - the parties do not begin till the end of the Russian November or beginning of December La belle of last night was Princess Sophie Galitzin née Balk
Had talked some while to Ann and just written so far now at 2 25/60 p.m. - out at 3 - to Mathias to get the cap of yesterday altered a little and Ann bought green velvet bonnet = 55/- and looked at different things - then to our boulevard - there at 4 5/60 and took 3 turns (Ann and I) in about an hour - therefore home about 5 10/60
As I came in sent to ask if Princess Radzivill was well enough to see me answer yes! tho' it seemed as if she was at dinner - she said however that she had just done - the table was cleared - and she received me in her bedroom - she was suffering from her eyes - cramps in the eyeballs - I took off hat and shawl and then the black silk handkerchief round my throat it was a gaucherie? very civil &c but somehow it annoyed me afterwards that I had done all this mentioned the Princess Sophie Galitzin of last night painted affected it seems Princess Radzivill has known her from her infancy they are not intimate but tres bien together she is good and surely not painted has always been very red one cheek red, the other painted a little to be like it mentioned the Countess being so good kissed me twice I said she Princess Radzivill had never done this I thought she ought and said this in a sort of manner she understood she smiled and said it was not the custom of her family except their father and mother - we talked over Lady Flora Hastings &c.
Came upstairs at 5 40/60 - dressed - dinner at 6 10/60 to 6 40/60 - walked about with Ann 25 minutes - then wrote the last 14 lines till now 7 1/2 when the Princess sent to say tea was ready
Prince and Princess Ourousoff (the father and mother) there - tea - and then came Count and Countess Koutaitsoff and the old English lady everybody dull - particularly the Koutaisoff - they went away just Princess Radzivill had her supper - Ann and I staid till she had, and immediately came away at 9 40/60 - she Kissed me on coming away slightly - but it was evident she remembered what I had said before dinner and it was at least poli de sa part - she was not sorry when we came away tonight - was she plus souffrante qu'à l'ordinaire? ou quel malaise nous afflignait tous?
Ann and I sat talking till 10 1/2 - Ann observed that even I seemed to partake the general dullness she sat knitting her slipper - excused ourselves from going to the marriage tomorrow because not being invited to go to the house and having nothing but black to wear I would not go to church to be a bad omen - none but married ladies invited to the house of the bride - this a little laid aside now among the nobles but not among the merchants - the marriage ceremony still a little à la tatare - vide Kupffer voyage dans L'oural page 38 et sequente - Countess Koutaisoff, speaking of our going to the Roman catholic church tomorrow and this led to the Greek Church, observed that they, not excluding herself prayed to saints as to God - on my saying I thought they had only prayed to them as intermédiaires, princess said this was the case; but the people prayed to them as God - this too seemed to be Count Koutaisoff's idea
Wrote the last 14 1/2 lines till now 10 3/4 - fine day - Fahrenheit 62 1/2 on my table now at 10 50/60 - afterwards at Russian grammar
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