648 My Acquaintance ivith Karamzin. QDec. 



of the forms of good breeding, his demeanour united much of the sin- 

 cerity and simplicity of the patriarchal times : every word, every ges- 

 ture, addressed itself to the heart. In short, his manner made me feel 

 completely at home. The company consisted of per sons of various ranks and 

 professions ; among whom were many individuals holding distinguished 

 offices under government; literary characters, and foreigners. But, 

 however much his visitors might differ as to their respective pretensions 

 or avocations, they were all happily amalgamated into one harmonious 

 society by the intellectual fascinations of their host. His cordial polite- 

 ness admitted no distinctions : he addressed himself to every one with 

 the same affability, and listened in turn to each with the same attention. 

 He was the centre that preserved the whole equipoise : his presence 

 appeared to diffuse a feeling of perfect equality among all ; while his 

 influence imperceptibly swayed them. 



Before I say anything of Karamzin's conversational talents, it may not 

 be altogether superfluous to premise a few general remarks on what 

 ought to be understood by that term. Not only among ourselves, but 

 even in France, which has long been considered as the very focus of 

 social intercourse, it is complained that the art of conversation is on the 

 decline, and that the secret will ere long be quite lost. Who, now-a-days, 

 goes into company for the sake of conversation ? Who, too, are those 

 who constitute what is denominated the best society. People of rank 

 and fortune invite their acquaintance to a dinner, or an evening-party, 

 where the guests fare luxuriously, play at cards, and dance ; but con- 

 versation does not constitute any part of the entertainment. Neither the 

 master of the house nor his visitors are called upon for any mental exer- 

 tion: on the contrary, silence appears to be considered rather as a 

 recommendation than otherwise. While grand dinner-parties resemble 

 a formal public ceremony, the ball-room has become a place for stage 

 effect and theatrical display ; and we find both the former and the latter 

 dull and uninteresting. In France and England intellect and talent 

 still continue to be deemed recommendations, and obtain for their pos- 

 sessors admittance into every society ; but there, political discussions 

 altogether banish agreeable conversation ; so that what should be a 

 relaxation becomes a task, and that by no means a light one. It is true 

 that here, in Russia, literary persons and men of learning are admitted 

 into the higher classes of society ; but the compliment is paid more to 

 the official situations they hold, or to their private connections, than to 

 their intellectual value : consequently, the degree of attention shewn 

 them is not so much in proportion to the latter as to the former. It 

 seldom happens, too, that they are invited to the tables of our great men, 

 except when their services are required in some business connected with 

 the pen : like physicians, they are then called in, in a case of urgency. 

 Will a man of real talents — one who entertains a proper feeling for his 

 own character — conceive such an honour worth striving for, as that of 

 being permitted to occupy a place at a splendidly-covered table, to play 

 at whist in gilded drawing-rooms, and to remain a silent spectator of the 

 parade of fashion ? Assuredly not. People of rank, on the other hand, 

 do not care to seek, in the conversation of literary men, for information 

 on such subjects as they either know but imperfectly, or are altogether 

 ignorant of; or should they affect to patronize the followers of learning, 

 they treat them as mere dependants and hangers-on. These, and other 

 circumstances which I shall not here mention, have erected a kind of 



