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[462]

December 28.—This evening I passed at Count Stroganoff's. He is here this winter from reasons connected with his health, and receives company every evening that he does not go abroad, and receives it in a very agreeable way. He is the same person who has figured so much for nearly thirty years in Russian diplomacy, his career in which he closed at Constantinople, where he much impaired his health, and resigned to live quietly. He is a man of fine manners and rich conversation. I met him at Court when I was presented, and talked with him a good deal, but find him still more agreeable in his own house. The Countess has winning manners, and the house seems to be more on the footing of a Parisian salon than any I have been in at Dresden. There were about twenty people there to-night.

December 29.—I have been two or three times at Tieck's lately; one evening there was a large party at which some Russian nobles of large fortunes, and some of the more distinguished of the Saxon nobility, were present. Among the rest was Baron Billow, a young man of a little over thirty, who belongs to the old Prussian family, but who is settled and married in Dresden. He has published some translations of old English plays, and is now occupied with Spanish literature, though not very deeply. We had, therefore, a good deal to say to each other, and this evening he came and made me a visit of four hours, which I cannot say seemed too long, so pleasant and various was his conversation. He is a great admirer and follower of Tieck, so that I did not quite agree to all his theories and opinions; but he is a very interesting person, and full of elegant knowledge.

January 1, 1836.—This evening there was the first regular reception at Court. Like everything else here, it began early, and Mrs. T. having put on her train, and I having my sword by my side, at half past 5 we were at the grand entrance to the palace. Our first visit was to the personage called the Grande-Maitresse, that is, the chief


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