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Petersbourg May 17th O.S. 1780.
The Dutchess of Kingston is about buying an estate in Livonia
of the Prince Potemskin, for which She is to give
upwards of 100,000 pounds sterling. There are about 7,000
slaves to this estate. She is so full of the thought of
having so many subjects to lord it over that the poor
woman is almost out of her senses. [Sambourski by the Prince's
desire goes with her in about a week a to take a
view of the premises.] Before she can purchase an estate
she must have a rank in the country that is a Military
rank. This the prince can [give her or rather] get for her as
high an one as she pleases. She will then be wanting
orders. She spends 5 or 6 hours at her toilette now:
when she has a ribband and Star to adjust. She
will have no time left for eating & sleeping. As to
the latter indeed she spends very little time in that
way, a nap or two while she is in company seems
to serve her.
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<p. I believe I did not tell you that when
I took gave my letter to her Grace She either did
not or pretended at least not to remember any
thing of Lind. However she invited me to dinner it
on a fixed day some days after she then present.
In the meantime I heard from Mr Foster that
She told him that as an Architect she could
not introduce me into company, partly from
that reason and partly but more from Sir
James's advice ( to whom I told the story)
when the day came I which happened to
be the day I was introduced at Court, I sent
her an excuse not forgetting to tell her
of the engagement which prevented my
waiting on her. Notwithstanding I did not
make another visit to her, the invitation
to her great Bal marque, and I went there
but have not been since, nor do I intend
it.
<p.
Per Monday morning The flat being all
out in the road at Cronstadt about 7
o clock in the evening a was seen
to issue from the Ship. The
Admiral Greig who saw it from his window
ran instantly to the waterside and went off
outward. With some difficulty they he made
their his way through the smoak
towards the magazine
or powderman, in the passage of which
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Identifier: | JB/539/052/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539. |
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1780-05-17 |
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539 |
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052 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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