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Petersburg April 8th O.S. 1780
sunday being recovered sufficiently from my second illness
I set out to begin paying my visits. First of course to Sir
James Harris's. He was not at home, next to Mr Shairpes
the Consul. There I dined. In the afternoon I went with
his family to a Concert, and was prudent
enough to return
from thence home immediately instead of accepting any
invitation to supper.
Monday <del.to by 1/2 past 8 in the morning I was at Dr Guthrie's
as I knew that was the only time to find him.
I carried him some books which were new to him as well
as those he had lent me and brought back a few of his
which were new to me. His house is filled with objects of
Natural Philosophy. His rooms hung round with Tables
all sorts, Chemical in particular. He seems to have a
very complete apparatus for experiments on Airs.
I shall probably get some tables from him, as will he
perhaps one or two from me. I staid with him till
10 o'clock so that when I called a second time at Sr James's
he was just gone but again had left excuses for me and
that he should not dine at home but hoped to see me next day.
I went to Kruse's and saw all the family. On One of
his sisters who is very pretty is married to Kickelbecker who
is gone to his father's estate leaving his wife behind him. He
will be back again in 10 days.
Tuesday. I at last found Sr James. Although I had
expected from his character and by his letters which I
carried to him to be received with a great deal of politeness
yet the reception he gave me ever exceded my
expectations. He was engaged to dine at Count
Rasamowsky's one of the Marshal's of the Empire,
and therefore he sent to let them know he should
bring me t with him. This man has not above
seventy thousand pounds Sterling a year to have
the plague of spending. The table he keeps must
use him of a small part of it. There were
several of the foreign Ministers and a good large
company all together, but the dinners are
most intolerably long. Sr James introduced me
James to the about a dozen of the principal
people of the company, the rest were beneath my
notice. In the afternoon he took me to pay 2 or
3 visits to Count Panir, to the Vice Chancellor,
(Chancellor there is none) &c. The next day I was
to call on him at twelve to go and make
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Identifier: | JB/539/039/001"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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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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