#diary1839unannotated

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Tuesday 10 December 1839

[up at] 9

[to bed at] 12 1/2

Fine morning breakfast at 10 1/2 – Count Panin came at 10 40/” and sat with me (Ann was gone away) till I had finished breakfast at 11 – took Gross Leopold not here today – off at 11 20/” and followed Count Panin’s traineau and in 1/4 hour at 11 25/” alighted at the Ecole de Dessin, the large useful private institution (gratis) of Count Stroganoff aetatis 45-48 fils ainé du Count Stroganoff – aetatis 75 who was in London at the coronation of our queen –  when the present director (Belge – was in the service of Austria in Rosenberg’s brigade of 36,000 men at Wagram) – when the present director came 60 élèves – now 246 – has been established about 15 years – but placed in its present handsome local about 5 years ago? or not so much? has more especially flourished the last 3 years – the course is 4 years – and 1 year allowed for the 1st class – but some go thro’ it in 6 weeks or 2 months the young men fitted for drawing for different fabriques – for architectural drawing etc. 1 5/” hour there – the pupils draw without rule, or compasses, or Indian rubber; and the exactness of outline from 1 or 2 who had only been pupils 4 or 5 weeks was astonishing – begin by copying drawings of geometrical figures, and then draw from the figures themselves –  several little models of wheels – this led to Count Panin’s mentioning a newly invented water wheel on which the water falls horizontally or rather the wheel is placed horizontally – very little water required – vide an echantillon at the institution de Technologie à St. Petersburg the invention of a  Frenchman – Inquire into this – Gurtner the famous landscape painter of Berlin came over here some time ago to do 3 views of Moscow for the king of Prussia near then to the Imprimerie de l’université – in 1/4 hour at 12 3/4 for about 1/2 hour –  printing the Moscow Gazette – 1300 thrown off in an hour from 20 presses –  12,000 exemplaires printed twice a week – the university clears by this 100,000/. per annum – saw in progress a quarto dictionary Persian Arabic and Turkish –  then to the Editor’s (Redacteur) de la gazette, a little man about 1/2  the height of Count Panin not near so tall as . .  .  .  . about as tall as Ann = 5 feet English – but a clever little man – has invented a method of pencil-drawing on zinc and copper plates so that 1000 copies engravings might be taken from each plate – curious and interesting – Count Panin to come for us on Friday morning, all to be chez Mr. le Redacteur at 11 a.m. to see his whole process – shewed us also a little 5/. microscope that magnifies many times – would be useful for botany – said I would mention his invention (of drawing on zinc and copper plates) in London and Paris – Count Panin inquired what we were going to do this evening – I said going to princess Radzivill – Countess Panin to go with us tomorrow to see the Cholera Institution! I knew nothing of this – supposed an end of it – however begged to hear from Countess Panin if we were really to go – speaking of our journey this morning Count Panin wanted us to change the sledge kibitka – no snow – we must go on wheels –  I merely observed there would surely be snow by and by – I would wait for it – It seems nothing is à l’ordinaire this year – un eté brulante – un hiver sans neige! home at 1 50/” – at the boulevard at 2 5/” and walked 1 1/4 hour and came in at 3 25/” “ – on  arriving at the end of the promenade struck off into the street (the 1st beyond lower than the promenade) and in 1/4 hour got to an outer sort of boulevard, and in 20 minutes came to the great street leading to the petrofsky gate – and 10 minutes walk along this street brought to our carriage and our promenade boulevard – one more turn and then home – very fine day –  Reaumur -7 1/2º when we came in at 3 25/” – walked about the rooms to warm our feet 3/4 hour – then read no. 19 and dressed and read no. 18 Demidoff’s work on travels in the Crimea etc. – dinner at 6 in 40 minutes – then till now 7 1/2 wrote all the above of today – took Gross and off to the Ourousoffs, and there at 8 – tea brought in – came away at 8 55/” – Miss Delamine not there – nobody but our princess Radzivill and her father and mother and ourselves –  difference between our establishments and theirs – the Radzivill’s have about 20 or 1 menservants in all, and 4 women – of whom 2 ladysmaids 1 to mend the linen and 1 to cook for the servants – of the men 1 frotteur and the footmen help him to clean and keep clean the rooms –  1 cook – 1 confiseur – Buffetier and under ditto (i.e. butler and under ditto) and maitre d’hotel – one or 2 men for the petches – she has a valet, and valet d’annonce – and prince Radzivill has 2 men (valets – en militaire) and they seem to have each 2 men apiece for the stables – I have made out about 16 men – I gave her our English establishment of about 8 men and as many women averaging about £4,000 a year as very fair – her Italian Dominic speaks 6 languages and has 80/. rubels a month at home when she feeds him, but en voyage when she does not feed him he has 120/. per month – asked what I gave Gross, and said it was too much – I must give a man from here if I do not pay for his keep 120/. per month – she does not find bed-linen for her servants – nobody does in Russia – she finds the bedstocks, mattresses, and pillows – and I am not certain whether couvertures and laine or not – she recommended Dr. Liannon or some such name for Ann’s face – for an ordinary visit one gives 10/. for a consultation (and if one sends for a man for one visit – to ask his advice) 25/. to be put into his hat when he takes it up to go away! she told me before she paid for her servants in travelling             she was rather nervous tonight            I see now it will be better to go less often    she asked when I should go again      to promise       as if a make up   I think there is some humbug  I said I should not go to the ball            she said I would be a great embarrass for dress        I saw tonight all sides were getting tired     one should not stay too long or see too much of them  I think of going again about Saturday!          I should be sorry to be shut up with her for life – had just written the last 25 1/2 line now at 10 1/4 p.m. – very fine day – sunny while we out till 3 p.m. and after – then lay down till about near 11 –  then wrote out my letter to Mr. Parker on one page smallish and close till 12 having been a little while with Ann who was in bed at 11 – low perhaps in consequence of the dullness chez princess R- [Radzivill[            poor A- [Ann] how terrible it is          my only plan is to take the least notice possible – Reaumur -9º at 11 p.m. –  

Anne’s marginal notes:

Ecole du dessin

horizontal wheel

Gurtner.

WYAS pages: SH:7/ML/E/23/0148     SH:7/ML/E/23/0149

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[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Monday 16 December 1839

[up at] 9 20/”

[to bed at] 1 1/4

Leopold sent his wife for what was due to him – still very ill and not able to stir out –  sent her the 150/. = 30 days at 5/. from 11 November to 10th instant inclusive – breakfast at 10 3/4  out and took 3 turns on our boulevard in an hour and home at 1 20/” – talking to Ann and looking into her new French German and Russian vocabulary till 2 1/4 – then dressed and just as I was finished came Madame Fischer about 2 35/” and staid till 3 1/2 – very civil – then dawdling over 1 thing or other till now 3 55/” – then too dark to do anything till candles (came in 5 or 10 minutes) and walked about with Ann and talking to her and doing a little Russian vocabulary with her till now 5 35/” low about writing the letter I have copied for her to Mr. Adam            afraid of our going wrong spending too much etc. undecided she ought to have nothing to do with affairs and decicions /sic/       I must try to manage this decide all      order all as much as I can without consulting her            more than can possibly be avoided – dinner at 6 to 6 3/4 – and tea over at 8 3/4 – walked about a little after dinner and did a little Russian vocabulary with Ann all the rest of the time reading volume 1 Caucasus till now 12 3/4 – having read to page 334 – I have now only to read from page 335 to 361 having previously read from page 361 to 335 end of the volume very interesting – finish day – Reaumur -10º when we came in from our walk this morning at 1 20/” p.m. –  

WYAS page:  SH:7/ML/E/23/0153

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[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Sunday 15 December 1839

[up at] 8 55/”

[to bed at] 1 55/”

fine morning Fahrenheit 63 1/4º on my bedroom table at 9 3/4 at which hour sat down to read and wait for Grotza – breakfast at 10 10/” in about 40 minutes – at church in 5 or 6 minutes at 11 5/” a few minutes before service began and before the congregation had arrived – ours the 1st carriage – Mr. Camidge preached 1/2 hour from St. John v.24. on our return from church found on my table very civil pretty note from Madame Ocouloff inviting this sic for 7 this evening to a little soirée – wrote in answer that we would go Count Panin having arrived before I had finished my note to ‘Madame Madame Ocouloff’ – sent by her servant who waited an answer – then off with Count Panin to the Redacteur de la gazette to see his new invention drawing on zinc plates, ill today - therefore our going now this 2nd time again in vain – In returning drove to our boulevard – Ann took 2 turns in 40 minutes, and I 3 in 57 minutes – then returned about 2 1/2  ordered dinner at 5 – were sitting talking when Count Panin came before 3 and sat till about 3 55/”  will get us a Caucasian letter from general Stal – very agreeable –  mentioned several little anecdotes of the emperor highly illustrative of his straightforward dignity and firmness of character – his memory in presenting a whole host of officers to the empress without muster-roll reminded me of Mithridates – we must not leave Russia without seeing Nicholas the great Baron Rosen now in Moscow – his gendre was aide de camp of the emperor and commanded a regiment in the Caucasus –  treated it as if it had been his ferme – made the men work for him etc. etc. (peculation in fact of their time etc. etc.) for which the emperor dismissed him his service and took young de Rosen in his stead nobly telling to make up for the misconduct of his brother in law and to consoler son père du chagrin that his brother in law had occasioned him – He dismissed General ______ for misconduct – selling furlows etc. etc. to his men etc. etc. told the general to be frank and tell how many he had thus sold furlows to – the general prevaricated – the emperor nobly said as he dared not trust clemency, he must try his justice – the emperor had even asked general Orloff who was in the conspiracy of 1814 to avow the thing fairly – the general was silent – would say nothing – the emperor was as merciful as justice could permit – I note these anecdotes ill – but I remember the substance – It is impossible to come to Russia without learning admiration of her emperor – he was not known as grand duke – the grand duke and the Emperor 2 different men –  his extraordinary talents were not elicited before his coming to the throne  - if he had enemies said Count Panin il ne les mérite pas – c’est vrai, said I, mais je m’impatiente quand je pense à la lettre de Pozzo di Borgo – quelle injure! si l’empereur si le prince heriditaire va encore en Angleterre, toute la nation sera sa garde (Pozzo de Borgo wrote to Count Orloff he would not ensure the prince’s safety in England so many Poles and ill-disposed people there – vide journal of some time back) I never can bear to think of this gross injustice to us all –  had just written so far when dinner announced now at 4 3/4 in 3/4 hour – I had Larne pour coiffer – Ann had Grotza – I wore the second bought cap –  

everything cheaper at Odessa than here – many French things cheaper there than in France because must be sold – Jewelry (pierres precieuses) much cheaper there than here – but cheaper here than in Paris – the setting of diamonds here very good – Ready at 6 35/” – waited 10 minutes off at 6 50/” and chez Madame Ocouloff at 7 5/” – several people arrived. gentlemen and ladies and several children – to une comédie joué by the children – before this several more ladies and gents. gentlemen arrived among the rest Count and Countess Panin at 8 the play began – 2 Russian pieces –  the 1st by grown up young people the governess one of them – the 2nd the 2 principal parts by son and daughter aetatis 8 and 6 of the Ocouloffs – pretty little girl – charmante little coquette, and sang her songs à merveille – the boy too played his part very well –  Poor children! – How young, how clever – How sad to play so well! how melancholy the applause one gave! the 1st piece about 3/4 hour – the 2nd 50 minutes –  the little theatre nicely managed – but we were terribly hot – decoltée and en nage –  lemonade and orgeat between the pieces and afterwards – tea on our arrival – and fruit apples and grapes – the children 1st then the young people danced – I talking of coming away, Countess Panin jumped up and got off before us – then came the pressing us to stay supper – I excused myself on account of Ann’s having suffered from headache all the day –  they offered to bring her home and begged me to stay – I would not leave her – persevered to rudeness in coming away, and home at 10 1/2 – I did not much like the company when countess Panin was gone        it is said she   do you know   a gymnase and he is the director and I suppose the scholars act      somehow I did not much like the style – old Countess Panin sent to beg we would go to her church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday! Countess Alexandra Panin to go with us – we to be there at her house at 11 and she will accompany us! I of course much obliged and accepted – on coming home had tea, and wrote the whole of this page till now 11 55/” – a little small snow flying about the greater part of the day – Reaumur -9º at 10 3/4 p.m. – sat reading till 1 20/” – volume 1 Caucasus –  

Anne’s marginal note:

turquoises at Nijeney fair

WYAS pages: SH:7/ML/E/23/0152     SH:7/ML/E/23/0153

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Saturday 14 December 1839

[up at] 9 10/”

[to bed at] 12 20/”

fine morning – Ann not up till 9 10/” therefore before dressing I had time to write to ‘La princesse Olga Dolgorouky’ asking to see her (vide the index end of this volume) – breakfast about 10 1/4 to 11 –  very civil note back – would be at home till 3 today, and glad to see me – read a little – then talking to Ann – low – wishing to be better – she wants stimulus – has been too long stationary – we must be en route again somewhere – where? entreated her to choose or toss up for it – something must be decided upon – off at 1 1/4 – arrived in 2 or 3 minutes – nobody could be more civil, and kind, and aimable and encouraging – sure that her father would do anything to oblige her and to oblige us also as strangers – the journey a great undertaking but we had resolved upon it, they should be glad for us to make it as comfortably and enjoy it as much as we could – was going to dine with her father today, and would name the thing from here to Astrakhan, thence to Tiflis (and Baku) and by the Crimée to Odessa –  to be off as soon as the roads should be good enough – they probably would be in a fortnight but post twice a week – she herself would call and tell me all particulars – then some talk about princess Radzivill – she wants amusement – I mentioned my anxiety about her, and the offer I had made of writing to consult my physician in England no mention of name etc. but merely to know if he thought he could be of service in such a case – I felt assured that at present there was serious loss of time – yes! but difficult to advise –  How true! on before mentioning Troitsa, better to go with private horses (volny?) than post –  the Dolgoroukys have property there as also at Astrakhan but she has never been to see the latter and he himself only once – staid 25 minutes – then in 10 minutes to the old princess  Ourusoff 25 minutes with her – she was coming to see what has become of us –  very kind and good – gave me back with me some starch for Ann promised we would go in the evening at 7 – home about 2 1/2 – to the boulevard Ann took 2 turns and I 3 in about an hour (in 55 minutes) – then chez Semen (did not alight) for volume 3 Caucasus, and home at 4 sat reading volume 1. Caucasus – dressed – dinner at 5 50/” in 3/4 hour – then wrote the above of today till now 6 55/” and then off to the Ourousoffs – tea in the salon and sat perhaps 1/2 hour before going in to princess Radzivill (Radzivill said princess Ourousoff is altesse) –  the Gortchakoffs going to St. Petersburg tomorrow – all glad to see us – Miss Delamine there, but did not come in to us with princess Radzivill staid amusing the youngest Gortchacoff boy – took wine (white – vin de table) with my 2nd cup of tea instead of cream – good – promised to go again on Tuesday next – home at 9 3/4 at which hour Reaumur -10º = about Fahrenheit 10º or about 22º, between the freezing point of Fahrenheit – very fine day – there was a little snow during last night, and the barometer seems rather lowering and perhaps we shall soon have more snow –  at the fair at Nijeney to get turquoises – said to be cheap there – to get them for an enfermoires meaning a brooch – to be set with pearls – reading to page 221 volume 1 till 12.

WYAS page: SH:7/ML/E/23/0152

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Friday 13 December 1839

[up at] 8 1/2

[to bed at] 1 20/”

fine morning Fahrenheit 62 1/2º on my bedroom table at 8 1/2 a.m. breakfast at 10 in about 3/4 hour –  expected Count Panin in time to be chez le Redacteur de la gazette at 11 – sat down to read voyage dans la Caucase – near 12 before Count Panin came I had just had the man who made the mattress for the carriage for which charged 50/. – and came about leather pockets for the carriage – declined paying for the mattress – and countermanded the pockets till I had seen Count Panin – went down again with him on his arrival – he said 40/. enough for the mattress – ended in ordering a ticking pocket for the front and nothing else –  price not named – some time all this took some time – then talked a little upstairs – then all went to see the engraving en zinc – nobody there – it was near one – at the last came the little man who had an engagement at one – would we go to see the process at one on Sunday – yes! – came away – we home for 1/4 hour till Count Panin returned from the Pont des Maréchaux with news of the casserole – will not be done till the end of next week – stood till 2 3/4 – talked of our journey –  and of the Caucase – thinks we cannot go direct along the Caspian to Baku, but will have to go to Tiflis and thence to Baku and back – the roads will probably be good in a fortnight – nothing to be feared but bad accommodations, and a few upsets – prince the governor general gone to Moscow – Count Panin as observed before has the same M.D. as Monsieur Boulkakoff and will speak to the M.D. to speak to Mr. Boulkakoff about a postillion de poste! I said I would what I could I knew a little of the princess Dolgorouky and would write and ask for the favour – Count Panin brought word that Mr.  . . . . . .   . to whom our new laquis de place referred, gives him a very good character –  I merely observed that he understood French not very well, which was rather disagreeable – In speaking of the fort of Ghélindjik, not far from Anapa, I mentioned the mistake I thought we lay under in England as to all this – the affair of the Vixen, etc. It struck me, that Count Panin gave no answer to this, but turned the subject, or rather the subject was turned – we summed up 41 belles villes de la Russie (of the Empire)    

St. Petersburg      Helsingfors             Perme                          Kostromo                        Nikolajew

Moscow              Tobolsk                   Arkhangel                    Toutchkof

Kazan                  Irkutsk                    Astrakhan                    Sevastopol

Kief                      Omsk                     Smolensko                  Tver

Odessa                Taganrog                Dorpat                        Serpouhof

Wilna                   Tiflis                        Orenburg                    Kalisch

Nijenie                 Rezan                     Cr .  . .                        Revel

Jaroslaf                Kursk                      Saratof                       Kaluga

10 Riga           20 Belgorod              30 Tula                     40 Kerch

Count Panin had brought with him a number of a work by Edward Turner views of Kazan 5 or 6 engravings beautiful in each number at 15/. per number 15 numbers I think he said – but the number he brought was, I understood, his own – he also brought 3 bronze meadals /sic/ for us  to look at from chez Bekker? rue du pont des maréchaux – asked me to guess the price – Said I knew the price in Paris 5 francs each, but could not guess what might be the price here – 10 Roubles – I said it was not dear and took the  Emperor (reverse the new observatory near St. Petersburg) said to be very like – very well executed – Ann and I sat talking – then till five wrote all but the 1st line of today – then reading volume 1 Caucasus till after 5 –  dressed – dinner at 6 10/” in 3/4 hour – read again – talked to Ann at 8 went down to the carriage – got in to go to princess Ourousoff – the off side window glass quite out – therefore declined going – returned to Ann talked walked about the rooms – tea about 8 1/2 – from about 9 to 12 10/” reading forwards to page 163 volume 1 Caucasus – then stood talking to Ann till now 12 3/4 – very fine day – Reaumur -7 1/2º at 12 1/4 tonight – Had our new laquais place 1st day today –  

Anne’s marginal note:

new laquais de place

WYAS page: SH:7/ML/E/23/0151

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Thursday 12 December 1839

[up at] 8 40/”

[to bed at] 1 10/”

fine morning breakfast at 10 to 11 – then the sledge kibitka from Mr. Jackson’s and Mr. Jackson himself come – some time with him sitting in the kibitka – he has done the commode very nicely = 25/. not too much – said if I did not get all arranged to my mind, I would send him the carriage to get lined and made ready – two leather pillows to 12/. each – advised me to order 40 or 50 French rolls and get them frozen beforehand and put them in a net or canvass at the     top of the carriage – and have 2 staples put on one on each door to lock up the kibitka on our alighting – would advise our having a government courier, and taking a brace or two of pistols – but we should travel very comfortably and he believed without any molestation – the great thing would be to keep our feet warm – he himself going to Kazan on government business about the middle of January – sorry this would be too late for us – good intelligent, Englishman much obliged to him – Mr. Camidge had come to me for a moment – then went to Mr. Howard, and I found him (about 12) frightening Ann – If we had been 2 gentlemen (at last it came out) he should think nothing of it – or if one gentleman – wished he could spare the clerk to go with us –  this was too much – why said I we very much obliged but the clerk to judge from his age and dimensions would be worse to get about than either of ourselves and would besides be a large better mark to hit – Mr. Camidge knew an Englishman who had lived at Astrakhan – should he bring him – did we not want information etc. etc. etc. at last I said civilly no! we should manage, I durst wager, very well – we would at any rate be contented with the means of information we had, and rough it – Mr. Camidge said if I would let him know when I had made up my mind etc. etc. he would give us a letter to some Person at Kazan etc. etc. and if we would let him know etc. etc. I said I had already made up my mind – if Mr. Camidge gave us any letter that was of use, we should be much obliged but insinuated that if it depended upon my saying any more on the subject that . . . . . . Poor man! I said English people did not like to be frightened out a thing without they saw that the danger was real – and that if 2 – if even one gentleman would be enough I thought  2 or 3 men servants would suffice – well! but could we depend upon them? yes! I thought we could – poor Mr. Camidge! he owned travelling was much better in winter than summer – he owned he should be very glad to go too, if he could – I said I had not hitherto found myself wanting in presence of mind, but I would make no promise for the future – I merely said nous verrons –  he wonders why he has no newspapers – Lord Clanrickard at Berlin – gone to meet Lady Clanrickard and all their family – going to settle at St. Petersburg – It was after 1 before Mr. C- Camidge went away – the Russian had been aux Enfans Trouvés this morning (vide page 188) brought back note as follows ‘Madame – J’ai parlé hier avec une couturière qui pourrait se charger de la jeune fille pour huit mois pour lui apprendre a tailler moyenant 200 roubles. La jeune personne se trouve très heureuse chez vous et dit qu’elle ne souhaite jamais vous quitter et au contraire qu’elle est prête de vous suivre au bout du monde; ainsi vous voyez, Madame, que c’est plutôt la malviellance de votre femme de chambre qui a inventé ces histoires. Agreez, Madame, l’assurance de l’estime le plus profonde. E de Metz’ – out at 2 Ann and I took 3 turns on our boulevard in an hour then returned for a minute or 2, then to chez Auguste Semen librairie for the work on the Caucase per Dubois Montpereux Paris 1839 Librairie de Gide, Editeur des annales des voyages, Rue de Seine Saint Germain, no. 6 bis 3 volumes octavo – only 1 copy left in Moscow – 26/. I merely said 25/. seraient plus commodes and paid this sum – then bought the dictionnaire géographique-historique de l’Empire de Russie. 2 volumes octavo 2nd edition Moscow 1824 = 15/. – Mr. Semen very civil – therefore asked if he knew of any one likely to suit us en route – no! but he had thought of it for Mr. Fischer (our professor whom we had met this morning during our 1st turn on the boulevard – very civil) had spoken to him on this subject – very anxious for us to get us comfortably – and to apply to him (Fischer) said Semen for what we wanted letters etc. for he (Fischer) could help us, and would – but Semen advised us to apply for a postoffice courier, and then to take our own servants, and not trouble our heads about any more servants – these 2 men would be enough – and the governor general (we ought to have letters to all the governors general in our route) wherever we went would provide us with couriers, and people enough – home at 3 3/4 – sat reading the dictionnaire géographique till dressed for dinner – dinner at 6 10/” in 35 minutes – then walked about the rooms a little – read a little – tea over and had written all but the 1st line of today now at 9 20/” – then except having Grotza at 11 1/2 reading dictionnaire geographique de la Russie different articles Cossacks, Crimée, Casan, Moscou etc. till now 12 40/”  very fine day – Reaumur -6 1/2º at 11 1/2 p.m. –  

Anne’s marginal notes:

sledge kibitka

bread etc.

page 188

chez Semen.

WYAS pages:  SH:7/ML/E/23/0150      SH:7/ML/E/23/0151

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Wednesday 11 December 1839

[up at] 8 3/4

[to bed at] 1 5/”

Note from Countess P- Panin to be there about 11 – to go to the Cholera Institution – answer yes! – very fine morn – breakfast at 10 20/”  to near 11 – at the Panins’ at 11 10/” – alighted for 1/4 hour till all were ready –  Countess Alexandra Panin her daughter Sophie and the adopted and the governess and the count – off at 11 25/”  and there in 2 minutes – large handsome local – ci-devant the house of an Apraxine – the Madame Apraxine said count Panin chez qui vous allez – this the 3rd place the institution has been in –  the Directeur, and the directeur des études accompanied us – 1st the garçons – then the filles – 150 of each = 300, quite separate never see each other – the 2 divisions parted by the handsome chapel – all orphans and noble, or instead of 300 would have as many thousands – but the fond of the establishment was the enfans of the victims of the cholera – the boys finish their studies at the university and choose their career, civil or military – the girls complete their education here for institutrices – wonderful what the emperor Nicholas has done in the last 13 years –  wishes to have people of his own to fill up all places in society – not to be obliged e.g. to have foreign governesses at 2000/. and 3,000/. a year – when more concurrence (20 years hence said I – answer no! much less than that) good governesses will be had for 500/. a year – what Nicholas has done in all departments, is certainly wonderful – La Posterité l’appellera Nicolas le grand – the two bedrooms (boys and girls) each a large handsome (Ionic?) colonnaded salle –  I merely observed that we had not such palaces for our institutions in England –  Did the governess seem jalouse of my allowing this? our Institutions are excellent and numerous but they are lodged in good substantial commodious buildings, not in palaces – but whether you see them at a moments notice or at 3 or 4 days’ notice, they are always the same – the kitchen that we saw seemed rather the boulangerie – or at least we only saw fresh baked bread and ovens apparently not hot at the moment but all bright picture of neatness – the girls in green stuff? gowns and white line pelerines – very neat and untumbled – hair dressed and brushed neat as at the Enfans Trouvés – boys in plain green? coats and light blue cuffs and collars, - their singing the grace before dinner and God save the Emperor, very good – the girls’ good, but not so good and besides they had an instrument (a bass) to help them out – the boys had nothing? Count Panin said the singing is better in the south (Charcoff) - the Director spoke of difficulties with children noble-parvenu, nor one thing nor other – but said it was a pleasure to teach at the grand Institution des nobles – this the model of excellence as an Institution – However Count Panin seemed to think our cholera Institution the thing at present – the other a little gatée – that may be, in comparison with this last, and yet no fault maybe to be found with the less perfect of 2 such – Countess Panin asked us to return with her to take broth – but much obliged –   took our leave (had been 1 5/” hour there till 12 35/”) and home before 1 – out again and at our Tverskoi Boulevard at 1 7/” to walk – Gross and the carriage followed and we setting off on the opposite side to our ordinary walk, walked along up hill and down along the interrupted boulevard till in an hour we came down to the river (the Moskwa) at the farther extremity of the Enfans Trouvés, at 2 10/” – several washing places cut in the ice on the river and the men (there seemed to be few women) busy washing trailing sheets? about (with sticks) in the water – little sledges and traineaux driving about on the river – sauntered along the quai (which begins at the end of the Enfans Trouvés) much admiring the Kitai gorod old wall and 2 large round towers (one at the angle and the other a little higher up), and the Kremlin and its fish-tail battlemented wall, and all its proud array of domes – along the river the Kitai gorod wall masked with margins of bled etc. – walked to the new bridge and stood some time – a horse had fallen down – they whipped him for some time – then loosed him from the little sledge of wet washed linen – dragged the thing up the little steep, and then reyoked – we had sauntered 1/2 hour and got into the carriage at the bridge at 2 40/” and home at 2 55/” – no Leopold today –  he has fallen and hurt his leg! – Had Mrs. Howard – mentioned the want of fresh air –  to open the little rent in one of the dining room windows – feel as if I had a stone weight over my temples the moment I come into the house – to inquire after Leopold – but it strikes me it is to be an-over-with-him to us – Mrs. Howard as well as I had thought of our taking the man who came the other day – I would not pledge myself to take him afterwards – mentioned 4/. a day – he would be very well – perhaps from the police – I have no objection – it had occurred to me – then would give him 3/. a day – yes! he would be very well satisfied – sat musing –  no roads Mrs. Howard said as yet – there was new moon last Friday – we had best wait for the next new moon – nobody travelling who could help it – the Deaf and Dumb gentleman arrived yesterday evening per diligence – upset – roads terrible – would not stir but had promised to spend Christmas at Saint Petersburg and therefore must return – Mrs. Howard knew not how long he would stay –  perhaps 3 weeks – no roads even for provisions – but must be roads in 3 weeks – sat musing till near 5 – dressed – wrote all but the 1st line of today till now 6 p.m. –  Mr. Fisher called and left his cards while we were out – He has been uniformly civil and attentive – dinner at 6 in about 3/4 hour – Ann and I walked about – then had Mrs. Howard to say Leopold’s leg was very bad – Erysipelas – Mrs. Howard cures it (cured the Earl of Wiltshire etc.) with chalk finely powdered and camphor (about a teaspoonfull of powdered camphor to a cupful of chalk) laid on to woollen cloth and applied to the part – for scurvy birch buds stewed in the oven, very good – the buds to be put into a pot, and luted over, so as to be air tight – Dr. Lan attends Mr. Howard for his leg – recommends as a laxative (Mr. H- Howard suffering from piles) magnesia, Glauber’s   salts and sulphur – probably my recipe except that it is not made up with honey – mine is equal parts of carbonate of magnesia – carbonate of soda, and sulphur, and as much honey as required to make it into a paste which will froth up and run over the jar it is put into –  Jackson who is doing our carriage commode tells Mr. Howard the Rail Road from St. Petersburg here is determined upon – Mr. Cockerell of Liège is to have millions to do it with –  six millions roubles will not do much = about £300,000 ÷ 500 miles = £600per mile – the Leeds and Selby rail road was estimated by Stevenson? at £15,000 per mile – 500 at £15000 - £7,500,000 and I should think the road from St. Petersburg here could not cost less than 1/3 of that or at any rate could not cost less than £2,000000 or at least 40 millios of roubles – had just written the last 17 lines now at 8 1/2 p.m. tea at 8 3/4 to 9 20/” – then wrote copy and of ditto of letter for A- [Ann] to Mr. Adam and had Grotza at 11 1/4 – then a little while at Russian grammar – very fine day Reaumur -9º= Fahrenheit 12º at 11 1/4 p.m.

Anne’s marginal notes:

cholera Institution

Leopold not here today

new servant

new moon

page 188

Erysipelas Remedy for.

Scurvy

Haemorrhoids

Rail road from St. Petersburg to Moscow

 WYAS pages: SH:7/ML/E/23/0149    SH:7/ML/E/23/0150

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[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Monday 9 December 1839

[up to] 8 1/2

[to bed at] 1 1/4

fine morning Fahrenheit 61º on my bedroom table now at 10 10/” – breakfast at 10 1/4 to after 11 –  near one and a half hour writing copy of letter to Prince Galitzin         till 12 40/” writing –  think of writing to prince Galitzin the governor general respecting post office courier etc. etc. then till about 4 at business letters – wrote to Booth – then went to Ann and with her – and stood reading a little, and then dressed till now 5 3/4 – found her low and crying     obliged to rouse her up  what shall I do with her          do people begin to see that she has no spare energy? – dinner at 6 1/4 in about an hour then walked about a little with Ann tea at 8 1/2 in about 1/2 hour –  had Grotza at 11 for 1/2 hour – then in all intervals since dinner and till now 12 20/”  at my letters – writing rough draft to Mr. Parker – fine day – sunny – sorry not to have been able to go out – feel bilious and queer and headachy – Reaumur -10º = Fahrenheit about 10 1/4º or about 22º Fahrenheit below the freezing point, and Fahrenheit 61 1/2º on the table in the salon as I sit writing in my dressing gown now at 12 25/” tonight – 1/4 hour with Ann talking at her bedside –      

WYAS page: SH:7/ML/E/23/0147

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Sunday 8 December 1839

[up at] 9

[to bed at] 12 50/”

fine but dullish morning – breakfast at 10 1/4 at which hour Fahrenheit 60 1/2º on my bedroom table – at church at 11 20/” just at the close of the 1st lesson – Mr. Camidge preached 38 minutes from Matthew xxi.31 and following verses to the end of the parable of the vineyard – he took occasion at the end to state his anxiety as to the maintenance of the church – the low state of the funds – that many had not paid their subscriptions –  that he entreated them to pay up before the meeting of the congregation church wardens etc. given out this morning for the 20th December Old Style to settle the accounts – and that in future it would much help the interests of the church if subscriptions were paid in advance at the beginning, instead of at the end of the year – a good sermon enough – but somehow he is not eloquent, however good and worthy, and it would seem that he is not adore de sa congrégation – But it is a difficult situation – he preaches, as it were, to servants not masters? or his congregation is chiefly dependent; and such a congregation is necessarily subject to many difficulties – 1/2 expected Countess Panin – but not being come at 1 1/2 went out as agreed – ‘La princesse Olga Dolgorouky née de Boolgokoff’ left her card before we went out – walked from 1 3/4 to 3 6/” (4 turns) – home at 3 10/” – then making notes and extracts from Lord Royston till 5 3/4 – dressed – dinner till 7 – then notes and extracts as before till 7 40/” – A- [Ann] got ready to go then began to cry and I at last persuaded her to stay at home at 8 5/” off to the Orousoff’s and there in 10 minutes – princess  Radzivill had had a large blister on her back – taken off about 2 hours before – much pain from it – the maid had cut the skin too much – she nervous she said from pain – afraid I should think it very stupid – no if I did I I should not go  she said that consoled her      asked after A- [Ann]   how long she had been with me  five and a half years   had I known her long? all her life       hinted at her being so unlike me         I said the being like was not necessary being suitable was a different thing     R- [Radzivill] thought she was very mild               yes but she ordered the house   R- [Radzivill] should not have thought her capable of this            poor A- [Ann] I see they wonder at her and at me for having her – home at 8 25/” – wrote the last 10 lines and then tea at 9 3/4 to 10 10/” – then till 11 making notes from Lord Royston – then had Grotza 1/2 hour and sat reading Lord Royston to the end of his last letter page 175 till 12 20/” – fine day – cannot see Reaumur thro’ the frozen window but not cold today – perhaps Reaumur -2º or 3º not more –  

WYAS page: SH:7/ML/E/23/0147

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Saturday 7 December 1839

[up at] 8 40/”

[to bed at] 1 50/”

fine morning Fahrenheit 60 1/2º on my bedroom table now at 9 40/” and breakfast to 10 35/” – at Count Panin’s at 11 – Countess Panin came in great sorrow to say they had just had a message to say that we could not see the Cholera institution today! of course, I took it all right, tho’ silently wondering how it could be – sat talking a little while – Ann seeming to wish to accept, we promised to go on Tuesday (Count Panin) to take us, to see the University press – he wished to persuade us to change to reverse our order of route and go direct to Odessa 1st instead of to Astrachan 1st – I not seeing good reason for this, civilly adhered to my former plan, and he seemed to think it right enough – Countess Panin then offered to come and advise about our toilette to be taken with us – ordered her traineau. and I came with her, and left Ann our carrriage to herself – 1st time of my trying a traineau – enjoyed our drive from there here along the boulevard – Reaumur -10º but did not feel cold – the fine air was bracing and pleasant – came in at 12 and Countess Panin sat with us 1 1/4 hour –  somehow talking of the journey or something she observed no! of books she observed we were much less particular than they as to what young people read I looked surprised and incredulous –  and asked why she thought so – answer that did not we allow the whole bible to be read – yes! she said they only allowed an abridgement but even with this her own daughter Sophie when aetatis 11 had quite shocked them all – a sort of private tutor a dependent of the family had said at dinner (a party) that his birth was on the 24th and 25th of some month, or at least on 2 days – all laughed and said how could that be – the child said it could be very easily be – all were astonished, and asked her to explain – she immediately replied (had read Luke i.30) ���Il a commence à sortir du sein de sa mère le 24 et il est sorti le 25’ all were shocked! I expressed my admiration of the cleverness of the child, and my astonishment at grandmamma (old Countess Panin) and the rest being shocked –  what ‘impurity’ of mind in the child? what did she know than she ought to know –  nothing – absolutely nothing – the impurity was it not in the minds of those who thought of it – I said I felt sure Countess Panin would be agreeably surprised in England that the minds of our people shewed no symptom of having suffered in purity from the free reading of the bible one of the most curious and valuable historic records in existence salting all its other and higher claims – I myself should prefer this and old Herodotus were I a pagan, to all the other books I knew of – Perhaps she would have entered upon the subject farther had she not seen that my own mind was little aware of drinking impure waters in the bible –  Ann and I talked a little – I had Mrs. Howard – out about after 2 – to the Enfans Trouvés about 2 1/2 for 50 minutes – they do not believe that the poor girl would think of forgetting her god by learning English – au contraire – she spoke highly of us, and seemed delighted with her place – they had even asked if she would like to go to England – yes! why not – we were very good – ended in promising to send her on Thursday morning for them to speak to – to see how her sentiments lay – they to inquire, too, if Madame Sichler would take her for the 7 or 8 months we should probably be away – they to let me know the answer and how much it would cost, and we in the mean? to weigh the matter over –  then to Jackson’s about the sledge kibitka to measure for boxes – well we went –  the commode would not have been done right – box too large – ordered the thing to be as small as possible and put in the window – 6 foot long within – but the commode will take up 13 inches diameter – the box to be round to fit the basin – to send for the carriage early on Wednesday morning – not to have a box behind – it would certainly be stolen – if 2 were to sit in front driver and postillion could not have a box exceeding 1 foot wide, 2 feet long and 2 feet deep to go across the front part, and be as high as the bottom of the little window –  home at 4 1/2 – walked about Ann and I about 1/2 hour – dressed – read Lord Royston and made notes tonight till had Grotza after 12 just after Ann had done with her – tea after 8 in about 1/2 hour – very fine day – had just written all but the 1st line of today now at 12 3/4 p.m. – Reaumur -10º at 1/2 today said Mrs. Howard by the glass downstairs the one upstairs blocked up by frost on the glass –  

Anne’s marginal notes:

anecdote of a child aetatis 11

Enfans Trouvés page 195

WYAS pages:  SH:7/ML/E/23/0146    SH:7/ML/E/23/0147

NB: All unannotated (no links, explanations, illustrations etc.) entries will be annotated in the future and reposted.