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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
me to take her and her friend to the library and to show them
some of these things； I gladly agreed； wrote the director；
secured an appointment for a certain afternoon； and when the time
came called for the ladies。 But a curious contretemps arose。 I
had met； the day before； two bright American ladies； and on their
asking me about the things best worth seeing； I had especially
recommended them to visit the Imperial Library。 On arriving at
the door with the princess and the duchess； I was surprised to
find that no preparations had been made to meet us；in fact；
that our coming seemed to be a matter of surprise； and a
considerable time elapsed before the director and other officials
came to us。 Then I learned what the difficulty was。 The two
American ladies； in perfectly good faith； had visited the library
a few hours before； and； on their saying that the American
minister had recommended them to come； it had been taken for
granted at once that THEY were the princess and the duchess； and
they had been shown everything with almost regal honors； the
officials never discovering the mistake until our arrival。
The American colony at St。 Petersburg was very small。 Interesting
compatriots came from time to time on various errands； and I was
glad to see them； but one whose visits were most heartily
welcomed was a former consul； Mr。 Prince； an original； shrewd
〃down…easter；〃 and his reminiscences of some of my predecessors
were full of interest to me。
One especially dwells in my mind。 It had reference to a former
senator of the United States who； about the year 1840； was sent
to Russia as minister。 There were various evidences in the
archives of the legation that sobriety was not this gentleman's
especial virtue； and among them very many copies of notes in
which the minister； through the secretary of legation； excused
himself from keeping engagements at the Foreign Office on the
ground of 〃sudden indisposition。〃
Mr。 Prince told me that one day this minister's valet； who was an
Irishman； came to the consulate and said： 〃Oi 'll not stay wid
his igsillincy anny longer； Oi 've done wid him。〃
〃What 's the trouble now？' said Mr。 Prince。
〃Well；〃 said the man； 〃this morning Oi thought it was toime to
get his igsillincy out of bed； for he had been dhrunk about a
week and in bed most of the toime； and so Oi went to him； and
says Oi； gentle…loike； 'Would your igsillincy have a cup of
coffee？' whin he rose up and shtruck me in the face。 On that Oi
took him by the collar； lifted him out of bed； took him acrass
the room； showed him his ugly face in the glass； and Oi said to
him； says Oi； 'Is thim the eyes of an invoy extraorr…rrdinarry
and ministher plinipotentiarry？' 〃
Among interesting reminders of my predecessors was a letter in
the archives； written about the year 1832 by Mr。 Buchanan；
afterward senator； minister in London； Secretary of State； and
President of the United States。 It was a friendly missive to an
official personage in our country； and went on somewhat as
follows： 〃I feel almost ashamed to tell you that your letters to
me； mine to you； and； indeed； everything that has come and gone
between us by mail； has been read by other eyes than ours。 This
was true of your last letter to me； and； without doubt； it will
be true of this letter。 Can you imagine it？ Think of the moral
turpitude of a creature employed to break open private letters
and to read them！ Can you imagine work more degrading？ What a
dirty dog he must be！ how despicable； indeed； he must seem to
himself！〃 And so Mr。 Buchanan went on until he wound up as
follows： 〃Not only does this person read private letters； but he
is a forger： he forges seals； and I regret to say that his
imitation of the eagle on our legation seal is a VERY SORRY
BIRD。〃 Whether this dose had any salutary effect on the official
concerned I never learned。
The troubles of an American representative at St。 Petersburg are
many； and they generally begin with the search for an apartment。
It is very difficult indeed in that capital to find a properly
furnished suite of rooms for a minister； and since the American
representative has been made an ambassador this difficulty is
greater than ever。 In my own case； by especial luck and large
outlay； I was able to surmount it； but many others had not been
so fortunate； and the result had generally been that； whereas
nearly every other power owned or held on long lease a house or
apartment for its representative；simple； decent； dignified； and
known to the entire city；the American representative