nations, who were to sit down to the table
together. When dinner was announced we entered the grand dining-hall and
found a table most gorgeously prepared with gold and silver service and
flowers. At table I found myself opposite three princes, an Austrian, a
Hungarian, and one from some other German state, and near me on my left
Lord Ward, one of the most wealthy nobles of England, with whom I had a
good deal of conversation. Opposite and farther to my right was Prince
Esterhazy, seated between Lady Granville and the beautiful Lady Emily
Peel. On the other side of Lady Peel was Lord Granville and near him Sir
Robert Peel. Among the guests, a list of whom I regret I did not obtain,
was the young Earl of Lincoln and several other noblemen in the suite of
Lord Granville.... Some twenty servants in the imperial livery served the
table which was furnished with truly royal profusion and costliness. The
rarest dishes and the costliest wines in every variety were put before
us. I need not say that in such a party everything was conducted with the
highest decorum. No noise, no boisterous mirth, no loud talking, but a
quiet cheerfulness and perfect ease characterized the whole
entertainment.

"After dinner all arose, both ladies and gentlemen, and left the room
together, not after the English fashion of the gentlemen allowing the
ladies to retire and then seating themselves again by themselves to
drink, etc. We retired for a moment to the great reception-hall for
coffee, but, being fearful that we should be too late for the last
steamer from Peterhoff to St. Petersburg, we were hurrying to get through
and to leave, but the moment our fears had come to the knowledge of Lord
Granville, he most kindly came to us and told us to feel at ease as his
steam-yacht was lying off the quay to take them up to the city, and he
was but too proud to have the opportunity of offering us a place on
board; an offer which we, of course, accepted with thanks.

"Having thus been entertained with truly imperial hospitality for the
entire day, ending with this sumptuous entertainment, we descended once
more to the carriages and drove to the quay, where a large barge
belonging to the Jean d'Acre, English man-of-war (which is the ship put
in commission for the service of Lord Granville), manned by stalwart
man-of-war's-men, was waiting to take the English party of nobles, etc.,
on board the steam-yacht. When all were collected we left Peterhoff and
were