Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

which disgust me with human miracles, and which will serve, I hope, as a lesson to princes who may again take it into their heads to despise nature in their choice of sites on which to raise their capitals. Nations would scarcely commit such errors ; they are ordinarily the fruit of the pride of sovereigns, who interpret flattery to the letter, and view themselves as endowed with real creative power. What princes least fear, is becoming dupes of their own vanity. They distrust every body except themselves.

I have visited several churches: that of the Trinity is beautiful, but naked, as is the interior of nearly all the Greek churches that I have seen here. To make up for this, the exterior of the domes is clothed with azure and strewn with brilliant gold stars. The cathedral of Kasan, built by Alexander, is vast and beautiful; but its entrance is in a corner of the building. This is out of respect to the religious law which obliges the Greek altar to be inva-riably turned towards the east. The street not running in such direction as to allow of the rule being obeyed except by placing the church awry, this has been done ; the men of taste have had the worst of it; the faithful have carried the day, and one of the most beautiful buildings in Russia has been spoiled by superstition.

The church of Smolna is the largest and most magnificent in Petersburg. It belongs to a religious

164 TAURIDA PALACE.ANTIQUE STATUE.

community, a kind of chapter of women and girls founded by the Empress Anne. Enormous buildings form the residences of these ladies. The noble asylum, with its cloisters, is a eity of itself, but its architecture would be more appropriate for a military establishment than a religious congregation: it is

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neither like a convent nor a palace; it is a barrack for women.

In Russia every thing is under a military system ; the discipline of the army reigns even in the chapter of the ladies of Smolna.

Near to that building is seen the little palace of the Taurida, built in a few weeks by Potemkin for Catherine. The palace is elegant, but forsaken ; and in this country that which is forsaken is soon destroyed ; even the stones will not last, except on condition of their being eared for. A winter garden occupies one side of the building. It is a magnificent hot-house, empty at the present season, and I believe neglected at all seasons. Chandeliers, and other signs of elegance, old, but without the majesty which time imprints on the true antique, prove that dances and suppers have once been given there. The last ball I believe which the Taurida has seen, or ever will see, took plaee on the marriage of the Grand Duchess Helena, wife of the Grand Duke Michael.

In a corner is a Venus de Medicis, said to be a real antique. This model has, as is well known, been often reproduced by the Romans.

The statue is placed upon a pedestal, on which is this inscription in Russian :

' PRESENT FROM POPE CLEMENT XI. TO THE EMPEROR PETER I,

1717—1719.'

THE HERMITAGE.PICTURE GALLERY. 165

A naked Venus, sent by a pope to a schismatic prince, is certainly a singular present. The Czar, who had long meditated the project of eternizing schism, by usurping the last rights of the Russian Church, must have smiled at such a testimony of the good-will of the bishop of Rome.

I have seen also the paintings of the Hermitage, but I cannot now describe them, as I leave to-morrow for Moscow. The Hermitage! is not this a name strangely applied to the villa of a sovereign, placed in the midst of his capital, close to the palace where he resides ! A bridge, thrown across a street, leads from one residence to the other.

All the world knows that there are here some choice pieces, especially of the Dutch school; but I do not like paintings in Russia, any more than music in London, where the manner in which they listen to the most talented performers, and the most sublime compositions, would disgust me with the art.

So near the pole, the light is unfavourable for seeing pictures; no one can enjoy the admirable shading of the colours with eyes, either weakened by snow, or dazzled by an oblique and continuous light. The hall of the Rembrandts is doubtless admirable; nevertheless, I prefer the works of that master, which I have seen at Paris and elsewhere.

The Claude Lorrains, the Poussins, and some works of the Italian masters, especially of Mantegna, Giambellini, and Salvator Rosa, deserve to be mentioned.

The fault of the collection is, the great number of inferior pictures that must be forgotten in order to

166PRIVATE SOCIAL CODE

enjoy the master-pieces. In forming the gallery of the Hermitage, they have gathered together a profusion of names of the great masters ; but this does not prevent their genuine productions being rare. These ostentatious baptisms of very ordinary pictures weary the virtuoso, without cheating him. In a collection of objects of art, the contiguity of beauty sets off the beautiful, and that of inferiority detracts from it. A judge who is wearied, is incapable of judging : ennui renders him unjust and severe.

H the Rembrandts and the Claude Lorrains of the Hermitage produce some effect, it is because they are placed in halls where there are no other pictures near them.

This collection is fine ; but it appears lost in a city where there are so few that can enjoy it.

An inexpressible sadness reigns throughout the palace, which has been converted into a museum since the deatli of her who animated it by her presence and her mind. ]STo one ever better understood familiar life and free conversation than did that absolute princess. Not wishing to resign herself to the solitude to which her position condemned her, she discovered the art of conversing familiarly even while reigning arbitrarily.

The finest portrait of the Empress Catherine which exists, is in one of the halls of the Hermitage. I remarked also a portrait of the Empress Mary, wife of Paul I., by Madame Le Brun. There is, by the same artist, a genius writing upon a shield. This latter work is one of her best; its colours, defying alike time and climate, do honour to the French school.

At the entrance of one hall, I found behind a green

OF ТПЕ EMPRESS CATHERINE.167

curtain, the social rules of the Hermitage, for the use of those intimate friends admitted by the Czarina into the asylum of Imperial liberty.

I will translate literally this charter, granted to social intimacy by the caprice of the sovereign of the once enchanted place : it was copied for me in my presence :—

RULES TO BE OBSERVED ON ENTERING. ARTICLE I.

On entering, the title and rank must be put off, as well as the hat and sword.

ARTICLE II.

Pretensions founded on the prerogatives of birth, pride, or other sentiments of a like nature, must also be left at the door.

ARTICLE III.

Be merry ; nevertheless, break nothing and spoil nothing.

ARTICLE IV.

Sit, stand, walk, do whatever you please, without caring for any one.

ARTICLE V.

Speak with moderation, and not too often, in order to avoid being troublesome to others.

ARTICLE VI.

Argue without anger, and without warmth.