ts. Individually, the Russians have much sympathy
with English ways and habits, and the political antagonism between
the two nations does not appear to affect their social intercourse.
They are exceedingly courteous, hospitable, and friendly, throwing
themselves with much zest into the occupation or amusement of the
moment. In these days of rapid communication social life is much
the same in every great capital. St. Petersburg is a very gay society,
and the great troubles underlying the fabric do not come to the
surface in the daily life. There are of course representatives
of all the different lines of thought and policy, and because they
cannot govern themselves, it must not be supposed that they have
not predilections in favour of this or that line of action.

The season in St. Petersburg begins on the Russian New Year's Day,
which is thirteen days late, for they adhere to what the Western
nations now call the Old Style. It lasts till Lent, which the Eastern
Church fixes also by a different calculation from the Western, and
during that time there are Court balls twice a week and dancing at
private houses nearly every other night, Sundays included. Private
balls begin, as in London, very late and end very late. The dancing
is most vigorous and animated. The specially Russian dance is the
Mazurka, of Polish origin, and very pretty and graceful. Like the
Scotch reel, it is a series of different figures with numerous
and varied steps. The music, too, is special and spirited. The
supper, which is always eaten sitting down, is a great feature
of the evening, and there is invariably a cotillon afterwards.
The pleasantest and most sociable entertainments are the little
suppers every evening, where there is no dancing, and where the
menu is most _recherche_ and the conversation brilliant. The houses
are well adapted for entertainments, and those we saw comfortable
and luxurious as far as the owners are concerned. The bedrooms
were prettily furnished, and the dressing-rooms attached fitted
up with a tiled bath, hot and cold water, and numberless mirrors.
The wives of the great Court and State officials, as well as many
other ladies, have one afternoon in the week on which they sit at
home and receive visitors. There is always tea and Russian bonbons,
which are most excellent. What strikes an English-woman is the
number of men, officers of the army, and others, who attend these
"jours," as they are called in French. Many of no