252Л GROVE IN A BALL-ROOM.
several orchestras were executing military symphonies, and responding to each other with a harmony that was admirable. The light reflected on the trees bad u charming effect. Nothing is more fantastically beautiful than the golden verdure of foliage illuminated during a fine nio;ht.
The interior of the grand gallery in which thej danced was arranged with a marvellous luxury. Fifteen hundred boxes of the rarest plants in flower formed a grove of fragrant verdure. At one of the extremities of the hall, amid thickets of exotic plants, a fountain threw up a column of fresh and sparkling water : its spray, illumined by the innumerable wax lights, shone like the dust of diamonds, and refreshed the air, always kept in agitation by the movement of the dance. It might have been supposed that these strange plants, including large palms and bananas, all of whose boxes were concealed under a carpet of mossy verdure, grew in their native earth, and that the groups of northern dancers had been transported by enchantment to the forests of the tropics. It was like a dream ; there was not merely luxury in the scene, there was poetry. The brilliancy of the magic gallery was multiplied a hundred- fold by a greater profusion of enormous and richly gilded pier and other glasses than I had ever elsewhere seen. The windows ranged under the colonnade were left open on account of the excessive heat of the summer night. The hall was lofty, and extended the length of half the palace. The effect of all this magnificence may be better imagined than described. it seemed like the palace of the fairies : all ideas of limits disappeared, and nothing met the eye but space,
RUSSIAN DANCING.253
light, gold, flowers, reflection, illusion, and the giddy movement of the crowd, which crowd itself seemed multiplied to infinity. Every actor in the scene was equal to ten, so greatly did the mirrors aid the effect. I thav never seen any thing more beautiful than this crystal palace; but the ball was like other balls, and did not answer to the gorgeous decorations of the edifice. I was surprised that this nation of dancers did not devise something new to perform on the boards of a theatre so different from all others where people meet to dance and to fatigue themselves, under the pretext of enjoyment. I should like to have seen the quadrilles and the ballets of other theatres. It strikes me that in the middle ages, the gratifications of the imagination had a greater influence in the diversions of courts than they have at present. In the Michael Palace the only dances that I saw were the polonaises, the waltz, and the degenerated country dances called quadrilles in the Franco-Russian. Even the mazourkas danced at Petersburg are less lively and graceful than the real dances of Warsaw. Russian gravity cannot accommodate itself to the vivacity, the whim, and the
Under the perfumed groves of the ball-room the empress reposed herself at the conclusion of every polonaise. She found there a shelter from the heat of the illuminated garden, the air of which during this summer night was as stifling as that of the interior of the palace.
I found leisure during the fete to draw a comparison in my own mind between France and Russia, on a subject regarding which my observations were
254INTERESTING CONVERSATION
not in favour of the former. Democracy cannot but be uncongenial to the ordering of a grand assembly. The one which I beheld in the Michael Palace was embellished with all the care and all the tokens of homage of which a sovereign could be the object. A queen is always indispensable to the maintenance of elegant pleasures. But the principles of equality have so many other advantages, that we may well sacrifice to them the luxuries of pleasure. It is this which we do in France with a disinterestedness that is meritorious ; my only fear is lest our great grandchildren may have different views, when the time shall have arrived to enjoy the perfections prepared for them by their too generous ancestors. Who knows if these undeceived generations shall not say, when speaking of us, ?i Seduced by a sophistical eloquence, they became vague, unmeaning fanatics, and have entailed on us absolute misery?'
To return from the contemplation of the future which America is promising to Europe:—before the banquet, the empress, seated under her canopy of exotic verdure, made me a sign to approaeh her; and scarcely had I obeyed, when the emperor also came to the magic fountain, whose shoAver of diamonds was giving us both light and a freshened atmosphere. He took me by the hand, and led me some steps from the chair of his consort, where he was pleased to converse with me for more than a quarter of an hour on subjects of interest; for this prince does not, like many other princes, speak to you merely that it may be seen he does so.
He first said a few words on the admirable arrangements of the fete; and I remarked, in reply,
WITH THE EMPEROR.
255
that in a life so active as his, I was astonished that he could find time for every tiling, including even a participation in the pleasures of the crowd.
' Happily,' he replied, ' the machine of government is very simple in my country ; for, with distances which render every thing difficult, if the form of government was complicated, the head of one man would not suffice for its recµurements.'
I was surprised and flattered by this tone of frankness. The emperor, who understands better than any one that which is felt, though not expressed, proceeded — replying to my thought — ' If I speak to you in this manner, it is because I know that you can understand me: we are continuing the labours of Peter the Great.'
' He is not dead, sh`e; his genius and his will still govern Russia.'
When any one speaks in public with the emperor, a large circle of courtiers gathers at a respectful distance, from whence no one can overhear the sovereign's conversation, though all eyes continue fixed upon him.
It is not the prince who is likely to embarrass you when he does you the honour of conversing; it is his suite.
The emperor continued: — ' It is not very easy to prosecute this work: submission may cause you to believe that there is uniformity among us, but I must undeceive you; there is no other country where is found such diversity of races, of manners, of religion, and of mind, as in llussia. The diversity lies at the bottom, the uniformity appears on the surface, and the unity is only apparent. You see near to us twenty
256IMPROVEMENTS IN THE KREMLIN.
officers, the two first only are Russians; the three next to them are conciliated Poles; several of the others are Germans; there are even the Khans of the Kirguises, who bring me their sons to educate among my cadets. There is one of them,' he said, pointing with his finger to a little Chinese monkey, in a whimsical costume of velvet all bedizened with gold.
' Two hundred thousand children are brought up and instructed at my cost with this child.'
' Too colossal for one man.'
' What man has ever stood in nearer relation to his people ? '
' You speak of Peter the Great ?'
