Eugene Onegin. A Romance of Russian Life in Verse

respect and admiration. He was an officer in the Hussars of the Guard, and a noted 'dandy' and man about town. The poet on one occasion addressed the following impromptu to his friend's portrait:

   'Within him daily see the the fires of punch and war,

   Upon the fields of Mars a gallant warrior,

   A faithful friend to friends, of ladies torturer,

                       But ever the Hussar.']

XIV

Still thirst fresh draughts of wine compels

To cool the cutlets' seething grease,

When the sonorous Breguet tells

Of the commencement of the piece.

A critic of the stage malicious,

A slave of actresses capricious,

Oneguine was a citizen

Of the domains of the side-scene.

To the theatre he repairs

Where each young critic ready stands,

Capers applauds with clap of hands,

With hisses Cleopatra scares,

Moina recalls for this alone

That all may hear his voice's tone.

XV

Thou fairy-land! Where formerly

Shone pungent Satire's dauntless king,

Von Wisine, friend of liberty,

And Kniajnine, apt at copying.

The young Simeonova too there

With Ozeroff was wont to share

Applause, the people's donative.

There our Katenine did revive

Corneille's majestic genius,

Sarcastic Shakhovskoi brought out

His comedies, a noisy rout,

There Didelot became glorious,

There, there, beneath the side-scene's shade

The drama of my youth was played.(10)

[Note 10: Denis Von Wisine (1741-92), a favourite Russian dramatist. His first comedy 'The Brigadier,' procured him the favour of the second Catherine. His best, however, is the 'Minor' (Niedorosl). Prince Potemkin, after witnessing it, summoned the author, and greeted him with the exclamation, 'Die now, Denis!' In fact, his subsequent performances were not of equal merit.

Jacob Borissovitch Kniajnine (1742-91), a clever adapter of French tragedy.

Simeonova, a celebrated tragic actress, who retired from the stage in early life and married a Prince Gagarine.

Ozeroff, one of the best-known Russian dramatists of the period; he possessed more originality than Kniajnine. 'Oedipus in Athens,' 'Fingal,' 'Demetrius Donskoi,' and 'Polyxena,' are the best known of his tragedies.

Katenine translated Corneille's tragedies into Russian.

Didelot, sometime Director of the ballet at the Opera at St. Petersburg.]

XVI

My goddesses, where are your shades?

Do ye not hear my mournful sighs?

Are ye replaced by other maids

Who cannot conjure former joys?

Shall I your chorus hear anew,

Russia's Terpsichore review

Again in her ethereal dance?

Or will my melancholy glance