RUSSIAN POLITENESS.311
There are few cafes in Petersburg, and no authorised public balls in the interior of the city. The promenades are little frequented, and those who are met there exhibit a gravity that conveys but little idea of enjoyment.
But if fear renders the men serious, it also renders them extremely polite. I have never elsewhere seen so many men of all classes treating each other with respect. The driver of the drowska formally salutes his comrade, who never passes him without rendering reverence for reverence; the porters salute the plasterers, and so with all the others. This urbanity is3 perhaps, affected; at least, I believe it overstrained : nevertheless, the mere appearance of amenity contributes to the pleasure of life. If a pretended politeness has so much about it that is valuable, what a charm must real politeness possess, the politeness, that is to say, of the heart!
A stay in Petersburg would be agreeable to any traveller who possessed character, and who could believe all that he heard. The greatest difficulty would be the escaping of dinners and soirees, those real plagues of 1tussia, and it may be added of all societies where strangers are admitted, and consequently where intimacy is excluded.
I have accepted here but few private invitations. I was chiefly curious to view the solemnities of the court, but I have seen enough; one soon wearies of wonders in the contemplation of which the heart has no share.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
CONTENTS
THE SECOND VOLUME.
Fete of Peterhoff. —The People in the Palace of their Master.
—Immense Power of the Emperor. — The Empress Cathe
rine's Motives for instituting Schools.—Views of the present
Emperor.—Russian Hospitality. — Foreigners' Descriptions
of Russia. — The Author's Motives in writing his Travels.—
No Middle Class in Russia. — The Children of the Priests.—
Capital Punishments. — Abject Misery of the People.—Rules
for Foreigners who would seek Popularity in Russia. — Pro
bity of the Peasants. — Pickpockets in the Palace. — The
Journal des Débats.—The Site of Peterhoff.—The Park
Illuminations.—A Citizen Bivouac. — The English Palace.—
Silence of the Crowd. —The Ball. —Good Order of the Pea
sants.—Accident in theGulf.—Evil Omens. — The Empress's
Mode of Life.—Description of the Illuminations. — Review
of the Corps of Cadets. — A Cadet in favour. — The Circas
sian Guard.Page 1
Cottage of Peterhoff.— A Surprise. — The Empress.— Her Dress, Manners, and Conversation. — The Hereditary Grand Duke.—An embarrassing Question. — Interior of the Cottage.— The Grand Duke acts as Cicerone. — Timidity in Society.—The Prince and the young Lady.—Cabinet of the Emperor. — Castle of Oranienbauni.—Fortress of Peter HI. — Account of his Assassination. — The Summer Houses of the Empress Catherine. — The Camp of Krasnacselo. - 39 A 2
IV
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
Responsibility of the Emperor.—Effects of the Storm atPeter-hoff.—Death of Two Englishmen.—The Mystery in which all Occurrences are enveloped.—A Steam-Boat saved by an Englishman. — The Russian Police. — Disappearance of a Feimne de Chambre. — Politeness and Brutality united.— Cruelty of a Feldjäger.— Quarrel among Work-people, and the revolting Cruelty of the Police. — The Emperor a Reformer.— The Column of Alexander. — Reform in the Language of the Court. — The Church of Saint Isaac. — Its Immensity. — Spirit of the Greek Religion. — Its Degradation. — Conversation with a Frenchman. — A travelling Prison. — Insurrection caused by a Speech of the Emperor's
—Bloody Scenes on the Volga. — History of the Poet
Fouskine.— His Duel and Death. — Fate of his ambitious
Successor. — The Poetry of Pouskine. — Effects of the Adop
tion of Foreign Languages in Russia. — Consequences of the
Rage for English Nurses and Governesses in France. — Su
periority of the Chinese. — The Confusion of Tongues. —
Rousseau.—Decline of French Literature.- Page 5G
Disturbances in Russia. —Parallel between French and Russian Crimes and Cruelties. — Characteristics of Revolt in Russia.
—Order in Disorder. — Danger of inculcating liberal Ideas
among ignorant Populations. — Reasons for Russian Supe
riority in Diplomacy. — History of Thelencf, a Tale of Modern
Russia. - - - - - - - - -91
Petersburg in the Absence of the Emperor. — Character of the Courtiers. — The Tchinn. — Its Nature and Origin.—Destruction of the Aristocracy. — Character of Teter the Great.
—The Tchinn divided into fourteen Classes. — An immense
Power in the Hands of the Emperor. — Opposite Opinions on
the future Influence of Russia. — Russian Hospitality.— Po
lite Formalities. — Resemblance to the Chinese. — Difference
CONTENTS.
V
between the Russians and the French. — Russian Honesty.—
Opinion of Napoleon. — The only sincere Man in the Empire.
—Spoiled Savages. — Errors of Peter the Great. — Absurd
Architecture. — Beauty of the Quays.—The Great Scµiare.
The Churches.— Palace of the Taurida.—Antique Venus.—
The Hermitage. — Picture Gallery. — Private Social Code
of the Empress Catherine..... Page 137
The Minister of War. — An Evasion.—The Fortress of Sehlus-selburg. — Formalities. — Troublesome Politeness. — Hallucinations. — Kotzebue in Siberia. — The Feldjäger. — Manufactories of Petersburg. — Houses of Russian Peasants. — A Russian Inn. — Dirtiness of the People. — The Country Women. — Bad Roads. — The Engineer and his Wife. — The Sluices of Sc·hlusselburg. — Union of the Caspian and Baltic. — The Source of the Neva. — Inundations of Petersburg. — The Interior of the Fortress of Schlusselburg. — The Tomb of Ivan. — Anger of the Commandant. — State Prisoners. — A Dinner with the Middle Classes in Russia.— Natural Causticity of the People. — Polite Conversation. — Madame de Genlis. — French Modern Literature prohibited.— A National Dish. —Difference in the Manners of the Higher and Middle Classes. — Return to Petersburg. - -169
Philosophy of Adieus. — Imagination.—A Twilight Scene in Petersburg. — Northern Mythology. — God in Nature. — The Spirit of the World. — Literary Candour. — The Bridge of Neva at Night. — Petersburg compared to Venice. — The Gospel dangerous. — Religion in Russia. — Janus. — New Poland. — The Future. — A Delay. — History of the Prince and Princess Troubetzko'¿. — Devotion of the Princess. — Fourteen Years in the Uralian Mines. — Mercy of the Emperor. — The Children of a Convict. —Colonisation in Siberia. — A Mother's Anguish. — Second Petition to the Emperor, and his Answer. — A final Opinion on the Character of tire Emperor. — The Family of the Exiles. — Change in the Author's Plans. — Means taken for deceiving the Police. 201