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Sunday Sr James took me to Court introduced me to
a dozen or two of the principal people there
and the Chancellor presented me to the Empress as
she returned from Chappel. The Foreign Ministers kiss
her hand every Sunday I believe. I was standing ready
with the Chancellor a little further on than they: so that
when she had left them a few steps, the Chancellor
stopt her I made my bow advanced and took her
Imperial hand to my lips. In her air she seems
to have perfect Majesty and at the same time a vast
deal of maidness. Hop her eyes the finest amaquiette
and her person altogether exceedingly comely.
I dined with Sr James at a Count Strogonoff's
He is very lately returned from Paris where
he had spent some years. He is very rich and
is a great lover of learning & learned men. He has
brought with him a french man a most excellent
natural Philosopher whom he furnishes with means
of making experiments. He has given him the
care of the education of his son a boy of about 8
years old. This man is very well acquainted with the
philosophy at present in vogue and is I believe making
himself some experiments on Airs. Domachineff
the President and a Mr Pallas a man of great
learning in Nat. Hist. Geography &c were also at
dinner. This is a house which I mean to frequent
a good deal.
In the afternoon Sir James
took me to Court again to the Grand Duke's
apartments and introdu presented me to him
and the Dutchess. I kissed the Dutchess's hand
but the Duke's Sr James told me I was not to
kiss. They talked to me about 3 or 4 minutes
about Moscow & Petersbourg.
We went afterwards to pay a visit to Prince Potemkin
at whose house we had before left cards. we staid about
3/4 of an hour with him. we made 2 or 3 more
visits and then went to the Field Marshall
Gallitain's. Sr James scarcely ever sups out so
he left me there I staid till
suppertime but as
I find once a day is quite enough to eat, as one
cant well help eating here, I set off as soon as
I saw signs of supper and came home to do a
little writing.
Monday I dined again at S r James's and
went in the evening to Mr Shairpe's where I
staid likewise no longer than till supper time.
Today Tuesday. Although Sr James told me he should
not wi give me any particular invitation but
expected me every day this week as there is no visiting
among the Russians either the first or last week
of the lareme, yet he has just sent his servant
to tell me I must dine come to dinner.
It is impossible for anybody to sue be more friendly,
not that it is by his invitations to dinner that
I measure his friendship. He gives me other
proofs of it. He will I believe be of the greatest
assistance to me in what I wish for most; not that
you know perhaps what that is, no matter.
Direct my letters or parcels to S r James for the future.
One time or other you may get some public news
from me but I dont know when, or perhaps I
may set Pleschijeff to writing to you, although
he poor devil has scarcely a moment to himself.
I wish you would give me the particulars of
Ld Howe's establishing appointing an Adjutant General
one of his Captains. Duncan I think it was
whose business was to go round to the several
ships and see the men suffer in the exercise.
1
Quere.
What exercise did he make them perform?
2
How was it received by the private Captains?
3
What good effects supposed to arise from it?
4
Any other means taken by his Lordship to
discipline the men.
April 19th O.S.
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Identifier: | JB/539/039/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-04-30 |
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539 |
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039 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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