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

UTILITY OF EASY MANNERS.223

request him, with a solemn air, to introduce him to the fair and amiable foreigner. All these requisite ceremonies being duly accomplished, the awkward neighbour at length opened Ins mouth, and, drawing his breath from the lowest depths of his breast, while at the same time he bowed respectfully, said, " I have been particularly anxious, madame, to make your acquaintance."

The mention of this great anxiety produced in the lady an inclination to smile, which, however, her familiarity with the world enabled her to overcome; and she at length found in this ceremonious person a well-informed and even interesting man —of so little signification are forms in a country where pride renders the greater number of the men timid and reserved.

This proves that easy manners, light, agreeable conversation, in short, true elegance, which consists in putting every body we meet as much at his ease as we are ourselves, far from being an unimportant, frivolous thing, as certain people who only judge the world by hearsay call-it, is useful and even necessary in the higher ranks of society, where either business or pleasure is constantly bringing together people who have never seen each other before. If it was always necessary, in order to make acquaintance with new faces, to proceed with the slowness and patience required in the cases of the Polish lady and myself before Ave could have the right of exchanging a word with an Englishman, we should renounce the object, and lose many valuable opportunities of instructing and amusing ourselves.

This morning early, the governor, whose obliging L 4