I wanted to learn to write poetry. For the past 8 days I explained to her the rules of versification. But when it came down to it, we noticed that we were wasting our time completely in vain. There is, I think, no hearing so insensitive to the consonance of verse. Her mind, vast in politics, did not find images to make her dreams come true. He could not stand the tedious work of adjusting rhymes and poems. The failure of these experiments seemed to annoy the empress. Fitz Herbert said to her: “What can we do? You cannot achieve all kinds of glory at one time; you must be content with your couplet dedicated to your dog and your doctor:
(1-21 Pa Chigspezze Apaegzop, Osh shogai Molzeig Kosbegzop.
(i.e., Duchess Anderson, who bit Mr. Regerson, is buried here).“ So I abandoned these poetry lessons and announced to my august student that she should limit herself to prose alone.”
"The Prince de Ligne," continues Segur, "did not allow boredom to settle even for a minute in our little circle. He constantly told various amusing anecdotes and composed songs and madrigals for various occasions. Taking advantage of the exclusive right to say what he pleased, he mixed politics into his riddles and stories. Although his fun sometimes it reached the point of foolishness, but sometimes, under the guise of a joke, he expressed sharp and caustic truths. He was a habitual courtier, a calculating flatterer, kind in heart, and a sage in mind. His ridicule amused, but never offended.”
Practicing poetry was generally a common activity in this circle. Catherine sent Grimm either stormy ones, written “in one minute” by Segur to the rhymes given by Kobenzel, or poems composed by de Ligne to the rhymes proposed by Catherine; “And while these gentlemen were engaged in versification, Red Kaftan (Mamonov’s favorite), wrote Catherine, “drew one of them (Segur) in profile.” For this Red Kaftan, learned books were ordered from Paris, complete editions of the works of Buffon, and until these books arrived, everyone indulged in unbridled fun: “Red Kaftan and my pocket ministers are making a terrible noise: each wants to outdo the other in jokes and tomfoolery,” complained Catherine. “These gentlemen are completely uneasy. They argue, talk and fight all in one voice, and I listen and look and sit very quietly in the corner. Yes, that’s how life is! And yet they call it a very quiet life!
All three ambassadors were considered guests of the empress, and she demanded that they live entirely at her expense. In Yuev they were given wonderful premises - Segur was given a whole house - and the empress sent them a whole staff of servants. "I lived in Kev," says Segur, "in my court, like any Russian boyar, or some descendant of Rurik or Vladimir. When the empress did not invite us to her table, which happened twice a week, we gave troubles at home. But soon we got tired of living separately, and we agreed to converge at gr. Kobenzel, because his house
Gr. Mamonov:
it was more spacious and quieter and could easily accommodate a larger number of guests. This house, where we received both Russians and foreigners, hosted some European coffee shop, which was always full, and in which people of different tribes met; Here shouts were heard in various languages, and dishes, fruits and wines from different countries were consumed. Time passed in general nonsense or in private discussions about various subjects, from the most important to the most ordinary.”
Ekaterina continued to do business in Kev. By the way, she signed a decree banning duels, of which she was very proud; It was here that the ratification of the Franche trade agreement took place, about which Segur was so fussed. “There was,” he says, “an exchange of acts signed by both sovereigns (Catherine II and Louis XV); each of the Russian authorized representatives received from the king 40 thousand francs and a portrait of His Majesty, showered with diamonds and worth almost the same; the Russian and French chancelleries each received 1000 chervonets. The Empress also gave me her portrait, covered with diamonds, beautiful mosses and 40 francs.
In addition to state affairs, Catherine engaged in serious reading in Kev. She studied the work of the English lawyer Blaxton on English freedom, and wrote comments on it. Khrapovitsky had to obtain for the Empress the Order that she had drawn up for the Commission on the Code, `20 years ago; Catherine compared Blaxton with her Nakaz. Secretary
It was necessary to supplement extracts from Blaxton’s book with information. And Kev Catherine carried on an active correspondence with her son, her daughter-in-law and Grimm. Her son and daughter-in-law informed her about the health status of her grandchildren,
Gr. Kobenzel.