#moravian dress

[slavinkka]

Rakvice🇨🇿

Some beautiful Moravian dresses/costumes from Rakvice, a village/municipality in the South East of Czechia🇨🇿. 

This place has wonderfully preserved their beautiful culture.

You will notice with Moravian dresses, women tend to have large, puffy dresses with their distinctive huge, wide skirts and abundant petticoats underneath.

In many regions in South Moravia, men's costumes typically include a long white embellished ribbon with a decorated cockade on the right side of their vests as you can see above.

I managed to find some older photos from 1959 too♡

A traditional dress/costume in Czech & Slovak is called a "Kroj" (pronounced like kroi). I love how highly and beautifully embellished each garment is from here♡

[marmota-b]

Podhorácko Miku!

Jumping on the cultural representation bandwagon (must say I had to look her up...) with a quick doodle of one of the least obvious Czech / Moravian folk costumes.

I mean, original idea was Valašsko / Moravian Wallachia (part of my own family heritage) but I feel like that's the second most obvious Czech folk costume artists reach for every time they want to be different and avoid the super-obvious Slovácko... Podhorácko is a rather loosely defined border region between South Moravia and Vysočina / the Highlands, where it seems the folk costume doesn't differ too much from Horácko proper and what sets the region apart is rather geography and dialect.

One thing to bear in mind is that folk costumes were never uniforms, and Podhorácko appears to be one of the regions that underline the individuality. I zoomed in on Tišnov (among other reasons like liking the town, the red and white striped skirts are striking and easy to draw) and stole some elements from an old photo of very low quality which I'm guessing is from the 1890s (based on the non-folk-costumed lady in the back), and even there every single person seems to be wearing something slightly different.

Upon reflection, not sure where I came across the beribboned sleeves because Tišnov it ain't. Ah well. If someone with better artistic skills wants to take her on, please do. Yay for cultural representation. 😀

[thatcaithness]

Czech and Moravian folk dresses

[marmota-b]

Today's Czech Republic / Czechia. The Protectorate is what it was for six years in WW2 after German invasion in March 1939. Haná (the long á is rather important distinction because "Hana" is a woman's name) is the region around Olomouc; and a small river it's named after.

• Hanácký kroj traditional folk dress from Czechoslovakia.

Date: 1940

Medium: Cotton, embroidery, lace, silk, embroidered in part and worn by Olga Kupkova (nee Skacelova), designed and made in the Hana region of Moravia, former Czechoslovakia (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia).

[edutainer2022]

An angsty Bereznik-timeline-Jeff story snuck up on me. I got to write it out in the campus bomb shelter, awaiting the strike of Dagger-class missiles. But in the end, a glimmer of hope won over. As always, many thanks go to @janetm74 for incessant support.

MESSAGE

Colonel Tracy walked up to the GDF Headquarters. It was the military training, a familiar grid to fall back on, that got him there. Not through it. Nothing could get him through it. But he kept his back ramrod straight, looked ahead with glassy eyes, put one foot in front of the other and got there. Jeff Tracy was summoned to collect Captain Tracy's, status updated to KIA, personal effects, sent from the Airbase, so Colonel Tracy reported on time, as told. Because Jeff Tracy, the father, wasn't available. Captain Tracy's father, previously Scott Tracy's, Scooter's, and Scotty's father, was prostrate, still and numb, all out of voice or tears, or wits, or strength, or a will to go on, over the charred remains of an F-18 fighter jet, somewhere on the outskirts of a thick Moravian forest. Indefinitely.

They could have just mailed Scott's things home to Kansas, but for some reason his old combat friends Lord Hugh and Major* Casey were adamant he came in person. Not that there could be much classified about well-worn Yale t-shirts, a dress uniform and spare fatigues, faded jeans, Scott's favorite running shoes and, it could be presumed, a copious number of snapshots of little brothers over the years Captain Tracy kept in his locker and in every available pocket at all times. But his friends (and the boy's superiors) insisted, so he showed up. The empty hull of him, at least. It became apparent why when Lord Hugh offered him a seat and entered a personal passcode into a secure comm unit. Val Casey's face was stricken with anguish. Through the cotton cloud of numbness Jeff could distantly register his heart constrict - he could hardly process any more agony those days. Already hit and anticipating a takeover, Scott managed to send out the last message. Jeff knew the drill since the last war: the pilot would access a unique classified frequency they were to use only once - when chances of survival were zero to none. The message was to contain whatever usable intel the pilot could offer on the ground behind enemy lines. It would be recorded into a cloud, scrambled and bounced off different servers so as to not give away the pilot's or the jet location. Jeff was summoned to be played the "unclassified" portion of Scott's last ever holocall. He took Hugh up on his offer of the seat as his knees buckled.

Dark curls were plastered to the boy's forhead, drenched in sweat. Or maybe blood. Scott's face was covered in soot and there was a gush over his brow, but even that combined with the bluish tint of the holo couldn't hide the pallor.

"Hi, guys!"

The ready smile, ever there when Scott was talking or thinking of his brothers, faltered. Haunted eyes squeezed shut briefly against a painful grimace and reappeared, brimming with moisture.

"God! I love you all so much I wish I could just message my heart to you! Allie..."

His son's face mellowed at the mention of the baby brother and in an instant it was Lucy's hologram in a torn and blooded flightsuit, shivering from strain and emotion. And onsetting shock. Val Casey by his side was crying openly.

"Allie! You be good for me, alright?! Listen to Dad and Grandma! Know that I'll always be there for you! ALWAYS! Gordie, you go on training! I'm so proud of you! Go get 'em, Squiddo! Johnny... I know, I know... but hey! I get big brother perks! You're so smart, kid, you can do anything! I'll see you in the stars, I KNOW you'll make astronaut! Virg... Virgie, you listen to me - don't let ANYONE doubt you! Least of all yourself! You do what your heart feels right, ok? I believe in you, brother! Gosh, I could just hug you lot and never let go!"

Jeff's knuckles were white, his grip on the edge of the conference table so tight he could snap a slab off. The expression on the holo-tinged face shifted to something hesitant and so, so impossibly young.

"Dad! I'm so sorry! I let you down... I know you needed me for the Project. It's gonna be AWESOME! Dad... I'm scared... I love you!"

An explosion off screen distorted the signal and the feed was cut off. Jeff was on his feet by then, a flimsy office chair kicked to the side. That didn't last long, though, as he reached both hands to the empty space where a gossamer image of his son just revealed feeling guilty and afraid, all alone, seconds before dying. In a place he ended up only following in his father's footsteps. Jeff's battle with consciousness and gravity was lost before it even started and the hardwood floor rushed close in a flash.

***

[He was in the hallway of their Kansas farmhouse when a flash of auburn practically collided with his chest. Lucy was winded, eyes wild, hands twisting his shirt in a frantic grip.

"Have you found him?! I just checked the treehouse - he's not there! Jeff, we need to find him before dark! It will be too late!!"

He grasped his wife's shoulders instinctively to calm her, but Lucy was adamant, stepping out of his embrace.

"New plan! I'll take the basement - you go on and check the barn! We need to find Scotty!"

With that she was gone, feet pounding down the stairs. He took his cue and went out to the old barn. It was empty. Dark was gathering in the corners, making the bits and pieces of equipment look distorted, grotesque. Menacing. He knew better than just to call the boy's name. Overwhelmed or upset, or tired - little Scooter could hide with the best of them. He searched the nooks and crannies, checked beneath the crates, then made his way to the back wall. It was then that he heard the scream. His son's voice, calling for him. Pleading for Dad's help from beyond the wall. Old wood turned to dark filthy bricks beneath his fists as he tried to let the boy know Dad was there. No matter how hard he flung himself against the wall - it didn't budge as the voice calling to Dad got fainter.]

***

He came to Lord Hugh and Casey propping him from both sides, helping to sit up. Val's gaze was full of worry and reprimand.

"Hey, Jeff! Easy! When was the last time you ate anything? Slept?"

He didn't have time for any such nonsense! Sleep or sustenance stopped being remotely meaningful concepts since they told him his son was dead. But now? He needed to be in a hurry! The vice grip on his friend's hand made the usually cast iron Lord wince. Jeff needed to get up and rush. He needed to go find his son! Before it was too late!

----

*Sometimes I headcanon Casey (and maybe Lee Taylor) might have been demoted a rank for participating in a very off the books (and maybe not entirely smooth) black op of getting Scott out of Bereznik captivity.

[zoyazoy]

Hellooo! The Kyjov folk dress you drew is lovely – much like the Polish, Slovak and Hungarian one.

If you ever decide to draw some Moravian dress again and wanna know how a certain garment or detail is supposed to look, I could help. I know a thing or two about our traditional clothing (embroidery, sewing patterns, how the older versions of the dresses looked and so on). Especially the Kyjov type :D

I actually have a whole guide on that one that I could translate to English if you were interested.

Thank you so much! I was so worried i might make some mistake drawing the dressesT_T glad the native person love it! I am so glad you willing to help me, sole info are a bit hard to find for someone outside of European hahaXD, but won’t stop me from drawing it! And of course I would love to see it, but if you have free times to translate of course! Im sure many people would love to understand folk dresses better. I want more people to draw about Czechia🥺💗

[historical-closet-raider]

Fashion Plate Friday

Fashion plate from the November 1823 edition of Ackermann's Repository.

Description in Ackermann's:

"FULL DRESS. Lace dress over a blue satin slip: the corsage full, supported in the centre by a row of white satin leaves formed into a stomacher in front, and shaped behind by blue satin lacings: very full sleeve, separated into bouffants by blue satin Vandykes extending half way up the sleeve, and is finished by a broad Vandyke lace: blue satin band, with radiated leaves behind. The skirt is elegantly ornamented with a row of white satin uniform flowers and an antique wreath of leaves in Moravian work, with a very rich embroidered border of flowers beneath, united by semi-circular branches and roses to a pyramidal border that surrounds the bottom of the skirt. Tucker, of a double row of fine tulle: a small bouquet on the right side of the bust. The hair a la Madonne in front, with plaited bands round the head, and a bow at the back; demi-wreath of Persian roses behind. Earrings, necklace, and bracelets of dead gold. White kid gloves trimmed a la Francaise. Transparent painted horn fan. White satin shoes."

[pagan-stitches]

I have been infatuated with these Moravian birdies that are the center of my current piece for years. I developed the pattern from the sleeve of a historic dress, but find all modern examples in men’s shirts in pictures of the Ride of the Kings in the Southeast region of the country at Pentecost.

[pennstateuniversitypress]

Unlocked Book of the Month: History, Manners, and Customs of the Indian Nations Who Once Inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighbouring States

Each month we’re highlighting a book available through PSU Press Unlocked, an open access initiative featuring scholarly digital books and journals in the humanities and social sciences.

About our February pick:

First published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1818, History, Manners, and Customs of the Indian Nations provides an account of the Lenni Lenape and other tribes in the mid-Atlantic region, looking at their history and relations with other tribes and settlers, as well as their spiritual beliefs, government and politics, education, language, social institutions, dress, food, and other customs. The text, written by the Reverend John Heckewelder, a Moravian missionary based in Ohio and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, includes the author’s observations, anecdotes, and advice, preserving not only his knowledge about the Indian nations in the eighteenth century but also his perspective, as a missionary and settler, on Native Americans and the often-fraught relationships between the tribes and European settlers. This version of the text, published in 1876, contains an introduction and notes by the Reverend William C. Reichel as well as a glossary of Lenape words and phrases and letters between the author and the then-president of the American Philosophical Society concerning the study of the Indian nations and their languages.

Read more & access the book here: https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-06701-8.html

See the full list of Unlocked titles here: https://www.psupress.org/unlocked/unlocked_gallery.html

[futuredaysbycan]

If morena in hxh drowns i will be sitting in moravian traditional dress sipping slivovice like water

[famousinuniverse]

Czechs call their culture česká kultura . The historical and geographic term "Bohemian" is misleading, as it not only excludes Czech-speaking Moravians but includes members of several ethnic minorities that live in Bohemia but do not speak Czech

Culture of Czech Republic - history, people, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, dress (everyculture.com)

Czech girl, from Czech Republic, by Matt Conant

[regencyfashionmagazines]

La Belle Assemblée

Fashions for September, 1806

Explanation of the Prints of Fashion

Parisian Summer Fashions

Plate 2. Fig. 1 - Full Dress

A round train dress of Moravian worked muslin, with correspondent border, worn over white satin; white satin sash, tied in front; long waist, with robing back; round bosom, cut low, embroidered border round; no neckerchief; a short full sleeve, gathered into a puckered roll the size of the arm; the hair parted near the forehead, the front in close curls, divided from that which forms the crown by a tiara of frost-work studded with antique medallions in the centre, the rest of the hair formed into various horizontal braids, twisted into a knot on the crown of the head, and fastened with a gold comb, the ends formed into curls; necklace and ear-rings of amethysts, linked with wrought gold; India muslin scarf, richly embroidered with an embroidery of purple and gold; white satin shoes; and white kid gloves.

Fig. 2 - Evening Walking Dress

Plain muslin dress, a walking length, a ribband laid flat round the bottom; a patent net apron, with an embroidered border in stars, and a lace put full all round; the bosom of the dress cut rather low, and a full plaiting of net all round; a short sleeve rather full, confined with a plaited band of muslin the size of the arm; a small straw hat, a little turned up on one side, no rim on the other, but the vacancy occupied by field-flowers, or roses; a band of yellow sarsnet is passed under the chin, and tied in a bow on the top of the crown; no hair is seen but on the sides; a half square of lilac muslin, embroidered with a border of laurel leaves in white, is thrown negligently round the neck, and confined simply with the right hand; necklace and ear-rings of pearl; gloves of yellow kid, tied above the elbow with a bow of lilac ribband; sandals of the same, laced with lilac; lilac ribband round the waist, and tied with a small bow and long ends behind.

Read the original

[marmota-b]

I can't explain all of them because I'm not familiar with all of them and also, well, traditions are often opaque even to those familiar with them.

Pig killing is kind of a big deal because, you know, there's actually a lot of meat in one pig, that would historically be your family's meat for the next year, basically. Everything that can be used, will. And you need to cook or preserve the meat (smoking etc) as quickly as possible before it goes bad. So everyone who can pitch in with work, should, and in return they get fed, so it becomes this sort of mini festival (zabijačka).

Literally an end of winter / beginning of spring festival. There isn't much to explain beyond that. You have an effigy impersonation of winter, and you get rid of it in a dramatic fashion.

Am not familiar with the drunk ram.

Maypole. Boys / young men would try to tear down the maypoles in neighbouring villages, so naturally they also guard their own. I think it's simply a matter of one-up-manship. We got yours and saved ours, we're better than you!

Pomlázka, Easter Monday custom, I'm sure you can find a lot about it online. Supposedly helps keep girls and woman young and vital and pretty. You're supposed to get lightly whipped, and reward the men with painted eggs. Controversial these days, largely a question of consent. (Basically it recently became the Czech representation of the constant low-key fear of living as a woman. The roots of the controversy can probably best be summed up by comparing a historical village woman with several layers of petticoats to a modern woman without said protective layers... if you remove a tradition involving ritual violence from its context, don't be surprised that it went horribly wrong for a lot of people.)

Traditional carnival masks / costumes. I'm not sure if there are specific reasons behind them, but I think part of the point is, it's not just an excuse to dress up, it's a communal event, people in villages would go door to door asking for contributions to a later party, and I think the codified traditional masks have something to do with the more ritual, annual, communal nature of the event. Carnival is one big party before Lent starts. (Also the bear's fur was traditionally made from pea "straw", you can see it here.)

I think the king was running away to Hungary, not from. This is a South Moravian tradition, and the story dates back to the 15th century when there was a power struggle between Jiří z Poděbrad, the Czech nobleman elected Czech king, and Matthias Corvinus, the Hungarian king who claimed the Czech throne for himself. He had some support in Moravia, but lost a battle against Jiří and the story goes he ran away in women's clothes. How that transformed into a festival with a boy being paraded around in women's clothes on a horse is anyone's guess.

St Nicholas, angel and devil. An Advent tradition, I understand originally it was in part a way to check how well children knew their catechism. Nowadays they usually ask for a poem or something. Reward for good conduct is sweets, bad conduct is threatened by being taken by the devil into his sack and to Hell. No kidding; once when I was about six, on a public event on a historical steam train (that's somehow another tradition connected with St Nicholas's day these days), a very very scary čert actually laid hands on me threatening that for no reason whatsoever except I guess I was sitting closest to the aisle, and I'm still very pissed about it thirty years later. 😠 Less scary variant, you're threatened with no sweets and getting coal and potatoes instead.

Another Advent tradition. Basically Advent was a time when you were supposed to get your affairs in order, so there were a lot of these traditions of people dressing up one way or another and checking up on people and being scary.

Pretty much what it says. Happening at Christmas Eve, which is one of those traditional days of division of the year when the border between the natural and the supernatural may be thin.

More or less Walpurgisnacht. Another division of the year sort of thing, I believe, another burning of an effigy. Think of witches in this tradition more as evil spirits than the historical witch trials. (In a lot of places, also the day / evening when the aforementioned maypole is raised. But other places raise maypoles instead as part of harvest festivals, or the-local-church-was-consecrated-on-this-day festivals - often identical with the harvest festival, especially considering the popularity of St Wenceslas whose feast day is at the end of September. But I digress.)

Basic superstition. I can't remember what the consequences of getting it wrong are supposed to be, it may also differ among people. The practical upshot is, it's the polite thing to do when drinking and toasting with friends in Czechia - especially Moravia, I wasn't fully aware of this custom growing up in Bohemia.

Am not a beer drinker so can't comment on that.

As others have already said, this means there's a local festival happening. There will be people in the streets, probably a parade, you will most definitely get slowed down or even stuck (streets may be closed off entirely), you might yourself choose to stay and have fun.

Czech customs taken out of context:

•Calling family and friends to kill a pig and eat it in an almost ritualistic nature

•Setting a flame and drowning an effigy of a winter goddess in an actual ritualistic nature

•Driving around a drunk ram in a decorated cart

•Guarding a shaved tree decorated with colorfull ribbons

•Chasing girls with a willow branch whip

•Carnival, but instead of dressing up as your favourite anime character, you wear funky tall hats with colorfull pom pomps glued on it, a hay costume and a bear mask, sometimes you see two dudes dressed up as a bride and a groom

•Dressing a young boy in a girl costume and pretending hes a king running away from Hungary in disguise

•Dressing up as Chort (Čert) to scare children

•Dressing up as white creatures with long beaks called "Lucky" to scare children but also adult men

•Divining future by throwing a shoe against the door, looking inside a frozen river, cutting open an apple or making a nut shell boats just to see if anyone dies or gets married next year

•Burning witches...that's it

•When drinking a toast, never cross hands with anyone, and make eye contact

•Tapping a glass of beer on a table before you drink it

• And if youre driving a car and see a village sign decorated in colorfull roses and ribbons, you're not getting out of the village any time soon

[history-of-fashion]

1838-1840 Dress by unknown

(Moravian Gallery, Brno)

[czechnotebook]

CZECH KROJE Kyjov, Moravian Slovakia

Arguably one of the most widely recognized Czech kroje, Kyjov’s kroj features a full red pleated skirt under a black apron, which is richly decorated with colorful embroidery and trimmed with lace. The loose/puffed sleeves are embroidered with black designs. The kroj is then completed with black boots, scarlet headscarf, red vest, and an embroidered neck scarf.

The popularity of this kroj can be attributed in part to Kyjov’s reputation as a folklore hub in Czechia. It has been seen at international events representing the Czech Republic as the national dress, and has occasionally been adopted as a default kroj among Americans celebrating their Czech ancestry.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Saturday 9 November 1839

8 ½

1

very fine sunny morning F61 ¼° now at 12 10/.. just after breakfast having had Drawing master with Mr. de Richter about 9 ½ - the former brought 4 pieces the emperor and a female figure ½ lengths’ large ([miniatures] in frames) and a fruit piece and flower ditto same size – 10/. a lesson – the style not at all what we want – civilly explained this – took leave of our artist and gave up the thought of looking for another drawing master here – Mr. de R- was to have prepared a botanical lesson for us on the cryptogarnia, but had been prevented and begged to pass the hour in conversation -  talked over the voyage de Siberia – Mademoiselle could not supporter la froid – we ought to partir in March with the dernier trainage pour se rendre à Bernaoule for botany – no difference between European and Asiatic botany till Beranoule and here begins the flora of the Altai [Altaj] mountains and Asia – at Irkoutsk [Irkutsk], of course, still greater difference - here the flora is quite different from that of Europe – ‘here we see the Robinia or caragana spinosa – the curious camel-hair like robinia M. de Fischer shewed us at St. P- not yet described by botanist except by himself – then talked of Tiflis and Georgia – and de R- mentioned a friend of his aux Eaux in Georgia, a German botanist Moravian Pasteur who would be the very person to accompany us thereabouts – talked of expense – what we pay here etc. and asked de R- to make enquiries and think what would be the expense of the journey to and in

Georgia and to Irkoutsk [Irkutsk] – the Russian [?] sent every ten years to the Greek convent at Pekin is to go next year – asked if it would be possible to arrange going with this  [?] – no! because the Chinese government offended that an astronomer and a botanist were sent the last time and made excursions into the country! Mr. de R- staid till 11 (eleven) then breakfast – before finished had the young man from Mr. Marc with the packet of money at 21/. per £1. in 2 parcels as desired one parcel = £170 = 3750 – Expense common etc. 43/. the other parcel = £30 = 630/. – 9/. – then finished breakfast – then had Gross and his wife – paid him the 630/. – 9/. = 621R. for the last ½ years wages from 10 May to 10 November – he observed that it should have been guineas – turned to my Journal vid. 13 April last p. 35 - .:. called them both in a 2nd time and gave him 30/. + 40 silver kop. = 31/50 which with the former payment = 652/50 I said the loss on the money was so great Gross would decide whether the 2 francs a week allowed for Grotzas’ washing should be paid now or afterwards – answer, as I understood it, afterwards, for tho’ it was only Grotza who answered, I suppose, he being present, and not contradicting, that the washing account is to stand over – there is also a little account for things she paid for in London and not settled with her (her own fault) in England = one pound and six pence – had just written so far now at 1 50/.. – dressed – out at 2 – left our cards chez le gouverneur – then chez Madame Apraxine then chez la comtesse Goudovich – and then went to comtesse Panin – she was en voiture sortant de la cour, but very good humouredly returned and received us – très aimable, and very good and kind, and civil – assiste aux leçons de sa fille (Lessons in Russian) and only libre on Fridays avaient deux heures – will go with us next Friday to the university cabinet de l’histoire naturelle and on Tuesday from (between) 12 and 2 will bring Madame......... to make our acquaintance – not Russian etiquette for us to have left cards chez le gouverneur le princesse not being at home – but right to leave them chez sa nièce Madame A- and the comtesse – left comtesse P- at at 3 25/.. and in 2 minutes at our boulevard opposite end to that when we usually alight – walked A- and I from 3 27/.. to 4 46/.. four turns – sunshine the 1st turn or 2 – afterwards beautiful clear rose-coloured sunset and golden [?] smoke as yestedya – home in 8 minutes at 4 54/.. at which hour F62 ½° on my table and R -9 ½° as yesterday = F10° or very nearly wrote the last 12 lines till now 5 ¼ - found on my table 4 little brochures par Mr. Fischer de Waldheim, and a small packet containing 7 little turquoises – Mr. F- had called himself – and found also note from Mr. de R- to ask whether we would go to the university tomorrow or not – wrote note in answer yes! that is compliments, and beg him to come at 1 tomorrow as he proposed to go with us – 2 gentlemen in the room next to A-‘s, dining and talking loud almost as if in our very room – dressed – dinner at 6 20/.. about 8 when we arrived chez countess Koutaisoff – tea, and staid talking chiefly to him till 9 40/.. – then chez our princess R- at 9 50/.. to 11 – supper at 10 – and sat talking – her spirits seemed to use a little tho’ she said she was plus souffrante que [?] aux yeux – praised [?] things – les enfans, les yeux (de la countess and du count) and le tapis (carpet work of

SH:7/ML/E/23/0123

the countess – very beautiful) – and where there (chez les Koutaisoff) spoke of the beauty and fine person of la princesse R- yes! said the comte –it is true, tho she is much changed during the last 4 years – she was the finest woman in Russian – always about court – the comte and I talked of Russia – the commanding beauty of the Emperor and of the imperial family – the standing army 2,280,000 men under arms including about 500,000 cavalry, but exclusive of the irregular troops – the count himself has lately retired from the army [in] the giant [strides] in civilisation – everything - in the last 60 years – what a pity the hereditary prince Alexander cannot marry our queen, and the 2 rule the world! – he must travel – must see England a couple of years hence – shall ruin himself in horses – has a harras, the 2nd in Russia – 1000 horses – they yield [?] a revenue of – did he say 500,000 Rubles per annum? he mentioned having an income amounting to that – and that his harras occupied 24,000 square arpants of land – his estate to go thro’ it all would take 3 days – 400 or 500 versts – ten times the extent of Moscow – oh! more than that – he has 2 towns – the comtesse Orloff (dame d’honneur)  has the 1st harras in Russia – 2000 horses – which she inherited from her father – she is sister to count Panins’ mother – bigotte à present – her archbishop died 2 or 3 years ago? – spoke of the magnificence of the house of prince Serge Galitzin pictures, bronzes etc. – of merchants qui ont des millions – chez la princess R- found her father and mother and the old English lady – more at home than ever before – very fine day – count K- said we had had -15° R- today – now at 12 ½ tonight it seems to me as if R- stood at -12 ½° = F2° - F61 ¼° sur ma table – some while with A-