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

INTERIOR OF THE COTTAGE. 45

luxurious furniture in this house, and a greater number of objects of virtu. The ground-floor resembled that of all the houses of rich aud elegant English people, but not one picture of a high order, not one fragment of marble, or of terra cotta, announced that the owners of the place had a love for the arts. It is not to be able to draw more or less skilfully, but it is the taste for chefs-d'oeuvre that proves a love for and a judgment in the arts. I always regret to see the absence of this passion in those with whom it could be so easily gratified.

It may be said that statues and pictures of great value would be out of place in a cottage; but this house is the chosen and favourite resort of its possessors ; and when people form for themselves an abode according to their fancy, if they have much love for the arts, that love will betray itself, at the risk even of some incongruity of style, some fault of harmony : besides, a little anomaly is allowable in an imperial cottaa`e. Over the distribution of the ornaments of this cottao`e, and the general arrangements of its interior, it could be easily discovered that family affections and habits had chiefly presided ; and these are worth even yet more than an appreciation of the beautiful in the works of genius. Only one thing really displeased me in the furniture and the arrangements of this elegant retreat, and that was a too servile adherence to English fashions.

We looked over the ground-floor very hastily, for fear of wearying our guide. The presence of so august a cicerone embarrassed me. I know that nothing so annoys princes as our timidity; at least, unless it be affected in order to flatter them. They love to be