giving pleasure to
others. To me she appeared to be amiable and truly feminine. Her manner
was timid yet dignified without the least particle of hauteur. The
impression left on my mind by both the emperor and empress is that they
are most truly amiable and kind.

"After speaking to each of us she gracefully bowed to us, we, of course,
returning the salutation, and she retired followed by her maids of honor,
her long train sweeping the floor for a distance of several yards behind
her. We were then accompanied by the master of ceremonies back to the
large reception-room, and soon after we left the palace, descending the
staircase through the same lines of liveried servants to the royal
carriages drawn up at the door, and returned to our rooms. On descending
to our parlor we found a beautiful collation with tropical fruits and
confectionery provided for us. Our polite attendant, who partook with us,
said that the carriages were at our service and waiting for us to take a
drive in the gardens previous to dinner, which was to be served at five
o'clock in the English Palace and to which we were invited.

"Two carriages called charabancs, somewhat like the Irish vehicle of the
same name, with four servants in the imperial livery to each, we found at
the door, and we drove for several miles through the splendid gardens and
grounds laid out with all the taste of the most beautiful English
grounds, with lakes, and islands, and villas, and statues, and fountains,
and the most perfect neatness marked every step of our way.

"The most attractive object in our ride was the Italian villa, a favorite
resort of the emperor, a perfect gem of its kind. We alighted here and
visited all the apartments and the grounds around it. No description
could do it justice; a series of pictures alone could give an idea of its
beauties. While here several other royal carriages with the various
deputations to the coronation ceremonies, soon to occur at Moscow,
arrived, and the cortege of carriages with the gorgeous costumes of the
visitors alone furnished an exciting scene, heightened by the proud
bearing of the richly caparisoned horses, chiefly black, and the showy
trappings of the liveried attendants.

"On our return to our rooms we dressed for dinner and proceeded in the
same manner to the palace in the gardens called the English Palace. Here
we found assembled in the great reception hall the distinguished company,
in number forty-seven, of many