Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

CHAP. XII.

NOTE. EXCITEMENT OF A PETERSBURG LIFE. THE EMPEROR

TRULY A RUSSIAN. AFFABILITY OF THE EMPRESS. COM

PARISON BETWEEN PARIS AND PETERSBURG. DEFINITION OF

POLITENESS. — FETE AT THE MICHAEL PALACE. CONVERSATION

WITH THE GRAND DUCHESS HELENA.BEAUTIFUL ILLUMINA

TION. — A GROVE IN A BALL-ROOM. — JET d'eAU. — FUTURE

prospects of democracy. — interesting conversation with

the emperor. — russia explained.improvements in the

kremlinan english nobleman and his family.english

politeness. —anecdote in note.the french ambassador.

— the grand chamberlain. — severe reprimand of the emperor's.

The following chapter was forwarded, in the shape of a letter, from Petersburg to Paris, by a person whom I could depend upon ; and the friend to whom it was addressed has preserved it for me, as some of the details appeared to him curious. If its tone seem more eulogistic than that of those I have kept myself, it is because too great a sincerity might, under certain circumstances, have compromised the obliging party who had offered to take charge of my despatch. In this chapter, therefore, and only in this, I felt obliged to magnify the good, and to extenuate the evil. This is a confession : but the least disguise would be a fault in a work, the value of which depends upon the scrupulous fidelity of the writer.

I wish therefore that this chapter be read with rather more caution than the others ; and especially that the notes which serve to correct it may not be passed over.

Oxe ought to be a Russian, or even the Emperor himself, to bear the fatigue of a life at Petersburg