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from French dramas delightful。 As to historical studies； the most
interesting man I found was Professor Demetrieff； who was brought
to my house by Pobedonostzeff。 I had been reading Billbassoff's
〃Life of the Empress Catherine〃； and； on my asking some questions
regarding it； the professor said that at the death of the
Empress； her son； the Emperor Paul； intrusted the examination of
her papers to Rostopchine； who； on going through them； found a
casket containing letters and the like； which she had evidently
considered especially precious； and among these a letter from
Orloff； giving the details of the murder of her husband； Peter
III； at Ropscha。 The letter； in substance； stated that Orloff and
his associates； having attempted to seize Peter； who was
evidently on his way to St。 Petersburg to imprison the Empress
Catherine；if not to put her to death；the Emperor had
resisted； and that finally； in the struggle； he had been killed。
Professor Demetrieff then said that the Emperor Paul showed these
papers to his sons Alexander and Nicholas； who afterward
succeeded him on the throne； and expressed his devout
thankfulness that the killing of Peter III was not intentional；
and therefore that their grandmother was not a murderess。
This reminds me that； at my first visit to St。 Petersburg； I
often passed； during my walks； the old palace of Paul； and that
there was one series of windows carefully barred： these belonging
to the rooms in which the Emperor Paul himself was assassinated
in order to protect the life of his son Alexander and of the
family generally。
Another Russian； Prince Serge Wolkonsky； was certainly the most
versatile man I have ever known： a playwright； an actor； an
essayist； an orator； a lecturer； and admirable in each of these
capacities。 At a dinner given me； just before my departure from
St。 Petersburg； by the Russians who had taken part in the Chicago
Exposition； I was somewhat troubled by the fact that the speeches
of the various officials were in Russian； and that； as I so
imperfectly understood them； I could not know what line to take
when my own speech came； but presently the chairman； Minister
Delyanoff； called upon young Prince Serge； who came forward very
modestly and； in admirable English； gave a summary of the whole
series of Russian speeches for my benefit； concluding with an
excellent speech of his own。 His speeches and addresses at
Chicago were really remarkable； and； when he revisited America；
his lectures on Russian literature at Cornell University； at
Washington； and elsewhere； were worthy of the College de France。
This young man could speak fluently and idiomatically； not only
his own language； but English； French； German； Italian； and I
know not how many other tongues。
To meet scientific men of note my wont was to visit the Latin
Quarter； and there； at the house of Professor Woeikoff of St。
Petersburg University； I met； at various times； a considerable
body of those best worth knowing。 One of those who made an
especially strong impression upon me was Admiral Makharoff。
Recently has come news of his death while commanding the Russian
fleet at Port Arthurhis flag…ship； with nearly all on board；
sunk by a torpedo。 At court； in the university quarter； and later
at Washington； I met him often； and rated him among the
half…dozen best Russians I ever knew。 Having won fame as a
vigorous and skilful commander in the Turkish war； he was
devoting himself to the scientific side of his profession。 He had
made a success of his colossal ice…breaker in various northern
waters； and was now giving his main thoughts to the mapping out；
on an immense scale； of all the oceans； as regards winds and
currents。 As explained by him； with quiet enthusiasm； it seemed
likely to be one of the greatest triumphs of the inductive method
since Lord Bacon。 With Senator Semenoff and Prince Gregory
Galitzin I had very interesting talks on their Asiatic travels；
and was greatly impressed by the simplicity and strength of
Mendeleieff； who is certainly to…day one of two or three foremost
living authorities in chemistry。 Although men of science； unless
they hold high official positions； are not to be seen at court； I
was glad to find that there were some Russian nobles who
appreciated them； and an admirable example of this was once shown
at my own house。 It was at a dinner； when there was present a
young Russian of very high lineage； and I was in great doubt as
to the question of precedence； this being a matter of grave
import under the circumstances。 At last my wife went to the
nobleman himself and asked him frankly regarding it。 His answer
did him credit： he said； 〃I should be ashamed to take precedence
here of a man like Mendeleieff； who is an honor to Russia in the
eyes of the whole world； and I earnestly hope that he may be
given the first place。〃
There were also various interesting women in St。 Petersburg
society； the reception afternoons of two of them being especially
attractive： they were； indeed； in the nature of the French salons
under the old regime。
One of these ladiesthe Princess Wolkonskyseemed to interest
all men not absorbed in futilities； and the result was that one
heard at her house the best men in St。 Petersburg discussing the
most interesting questions。
The other was the Austrian ambassadress； Countess Wolkenstein；
whom I had slightly known； years before； as Countess Schleinitz；
wife of the minister of the royal household at Berlin。 On her
afternoons one heard the best talk by the most interesting men；
and it was at the salons of these two ladies that there took
place the conversations which I have recorded in my 〃History of
the Warfare of Science；〃 showing the development of a legend
regarding the miraculous cure of the Archbishop of St。 Petersburg
by Father Ivan of Cronstadt。
Another place which especially attracted me was the house of
General Ignatieff； formerly ambassador at Constantinople； where；
on account of his alleged want of scruples in bringing on the war
with Russia； he received the nickname 〃Mentir Pasha。〃 His wife
was the daughter of Koutousoff； the main Russian opponent of
Napoleon in 1812； and her accounts of Russia in her earlier days
and of her life in Constantinople were at times fascinating。
I remember meeting at her house； on one occasion； the Princess
Ourousoff； who told me that the Emperor Alexander had said to
her； 〃I wish that every one could see Sardou's play 'Thermidor'
and discover what revolution really is〃； and that she had
answered； 〃Revolutions are prepared long before they break out。〃
That struck me as a very salutary bit of philosophy； which every
Russian monarch would do well to ponder。
The young Princess Radzivill was also especially attractive。 In
one of her rooms hung a portrait of Balzac； taken just after
death； and it was most striking。 This led her to give me very
interesting accounts of her aunt； Madame de Hanska； to whom
Balzac wrote his famous letters； and whom he finally married。 I
met at her house another lady of high degree； to whom my original
introduction had been somewhat curious。 Dropping in one afternoon
at the house of Henry Howard； the British first secretary； I met
in the crowd a large lady； simply dressed； whom I had never seen
before。 Being presented to her； and not happening to catch her
name； I still talked on； and found that she had traveled； first
in Australia； then in California； thence across our continent to
New York； and her accounts of what she had seen interested me
greatly。 But some little time afterward I met her again at the
house of Princess Radzivill； and then found that she was the
English Duchess of Buckingham。 One day I had been talking with
the Princess and her guest on the treasures of the Imperial
Library； and especially the wonderful collection of autographs；
among them the copy…book of Louis XIV when a child； which showed
the pains taken to make him understand； even in his boyhood； that
he was an irresponsible autocrat。 On one of its pages the line to
be copied ran as follows：
L'hommage est du aux Roys； ils font ce qu'il leur plaist。LOUIS。
Under this the budding monarch had written the same words six
times； with childish care to keep the strokes straight and the
spaces regular。 My account of this having led the princess to ask
m