THE VANISHED POMPS OF YESTERDAY
By
Lord Frederic Hamilton
THE VANISHED POMPS OF YESTERDAY
THE DAYS BEFORE YESTERDAY
HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE
George H. Doran Company
New York
THE VANISHED POMPS
OF YESTERDAY
BEING
Some Random Reminiscences of a
British Diplomat
BY
LORD FREDERIC HAMILTON
Author of "Here, There and Everywhere," "The Days
Before Yesterday," etc., etc.
A New and Revised Edition
NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1921
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TO
EMILY LADY AMPTHILL
MY FIRST CHEFESSE
WITH EVER-GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS
OF HER KINDNESS
FOREWORD
TO THE SECOND EDITION
The account of the boating accident at Potsdam on page 75, differs in several particulars from the story as given in the original edition. These alterations have been made at the special request of the lady concerned, who tells me that my recollections of her story were at fault as regards several important details. There are also a few verbal alterations in the present edition.
CONTENTS
Special Mission to RomeBerlin in process of transformationCauses of Prussian militarismLord and Lady AmpthillBerlin SocietyMusic-loversEvenings with WagnerAristocratic WaitressesRubinstein's rag-timeLiszt's opinionsBismarckBismarck's classification of nationalitiesBismarck's sonsGustav RichterThe Austrian diplomatThe old EmperorHis defective articulationOther RoyaltiesBeauty of Berlin PalaceDescription of interiorThe Luxembourg"Napoleon III"Three Court beautiesThe pugnacious Pages"Making the Circle"Conversational difficultiesAn ecclesiastical gourmetThe Maharajah's mother
Easy-going AustriaViennaCharm of townA little piece of historyInternational familiesFamily pride"Schlssel-Geld"Excellence of Vienna restaurantsThe origin of "Croissants"Good looks of Viennese womenStrauss's operettasA ball in an old Vienna houseCourt entertainmentsThe Empress ElisabethDelightful environs of ViennaThe Berlin Congress of 1878Lord BeaconsfieldM. de BlowitzTreaty telegraphed to LondonEnvirons of BerlinPotsdam and its lakesThe bow-oar of the Embassy "four"Narrow escape of ex-KaiserThe Potsdam palacesTransfer to PetrogradGlamour of RussiaAn evening with the Crown Prince at Potsdam
The Russian frontierFrontier policeDisappointment at aspect of PetrogradLord and Lady DufferinThe British EmbassySt. Isaac's CathedralBeauty of Russian Church-musicThe Russian languageThe delightful "Blue-stockings" of PetrogradPrincess ChateauPleasant Russian SocietyThe Secret PoliceThe Countess's hurried journeyThe Yacht ClubRussians really OrientalsTheir limitationsThe "Intelligenzia"My Nihilist friendsTheir lack of constructive powerEaster Mass at St. Isaac'sTwo comical incidentsThe Easter supperThe red-bearded young PriestAn Empire built on shifting sand
The Winter PalaceIts interiorAlexander IIA Russian Court BallThe "Bals des Palmiers"The EmpressThe blessing of the NevaSome curiosities of the Winter PalaceThe great Orloff diamondMy friend the Lady-in-WaitingSugared CompensationsThe attempt on the Emperor's life of 1880Some unexpected finds in the PalaceA most hilarious funeralSporting expeditionsNight drives through the forest in mid-winterWolvesA typical Russian villageA peasant's house"Deaf and dumb people"The inquisitive peasant youthCuriosity about strangersAn embarrassing situationA still more awkward oneFood difficultiesA bear huntMy first bearAlcoholic consequencesMy liking for the Russian peasantThe beneficent india-rubber IkonTwo curious sporting incidentsVillage habitsThe great gulf between Russian nobility and peasants
The Russian GipsiesMidnight drivesGipsy singingIts fascinationThe consequences of a late nightAn unconventional luncheonLord Dufferin's methodsAssassination of Alexander IIStrmerPathetic incidents in connection with the murder of the EmperorThe funeral procession and serviceDetails concerningThe Votive ChurchThe Order of the GarterUnusual incidents at the InvestiturePrecautions taken for Emperor's safetyThe Imperial trainFinlandExciting salmon-fishing thereHarraka NiskaKolteshaExcellent shooting thereSki-running"Ringing the game in"A wolf-shooting partyThe obese GeneralSome incidentsA novel form of sportBlack game and capercailzieAt dawn in a Finnish forestImmense charm of itIce-hilling or "Montagnes Russes"Ice-boating on the Gulf of Finland
Love of Russians for children's gamesPeculiarities of Petrograd ballsSome famous beauties of Petrograd SocietyThe varying garb of hired waitersMoscowIts wonderful beautyThe forest of domesThe KremlinThe three famous "Cathedrals"The Imperial TreasuryThe SacristyThe PalaceIts splendourThe TeremA Gargantuan Russian dinnerAn unusual episode at the French Ambassador's ballBombsTsarskoe SeloIts interiorExtraordinary collection of curiosities in Tsarskoe ParkOrigin of term "Vauxhall" for railway station in RussiaPeterhofCharm of park thereTwo Russian illusionsA young man of twenty-five delivers an Ultimatum to RussiaHow it came aboutM. de GiersOther Foreign MinistersParaguayThe polite Japanese dentistA visit to GatchinaDescription of the PalaceDelights of the children's playroom there
LisbonThe two Kings of Portugal, and of BaratariaKing Fernando and the CountessA Lisbon bull-fightThe "hat-trick"Courtship window-paradeThe spurred youth of LisbonPortuguese politenessThe De Reszke familyThe OperaTerrible personal experiences in a circusThe bounding BishopEcclesiastical possibilitiesPortuguese coinageBeauty of LisbonVisits of the British FleetMisguided midshipmanThe Legation Whale-boat"Good wine needs no bush"A delightful orange-farmCintraContrast between the Past and Present of Portugal
BrazilContrast between Portuguese and Spanish South AmericaMoorish traditionsAmazing beauty of Rio de JaneiroYellow feverThe commercial Court ChamberlainThe Emperor PedroThe Botanical Gardens of RioThe quaint diversions of PetropolisThe liveried young entomologistBuenos AyresThe charm of the "Camp"Water throwingA British Minister in Carnival-timeSome Buenos Ayres peculiaritiesMasked ballsClimatic conditionsTheatresRestaurantsWonderful bird-life of the "Camp"Estancia NegreteDuck-shootingMy one flamingoAn exploring expedition in the Gran ChacoHardshipsAlligators and fishCurrency difficulties
ParaguayJourney up the riverA primitive CapitalDick the AustralianHis polychrome garbA Paraguayan Race MeetingBeautiful figures of native womenThe "Falcon" adventurersA quaint railwayPatio CuAn extraordinary householdThe capable Australian boyWild life in the swamps"Bushed"A literary eveningA railway recordThe Tigre midnight swimsCanadaMaddening fliesA grand salmon-riverThe Canadian backwoodsSkunks and bearsDifferent views as to industrial progress
Former colleagues who have risen to eminenceKiderlin-WaechterAehrenthalColonel KlepschThe discomfiture of an inquisitive journalistOrigin of certain Russian scaresTokyoDulness of Geisha dinnersJapanese culinary curiosities"Musical Chairs"Lack of colour in JapanThe Tokugawa dynastyJapanese GardensThe transplanted suburban Embassy houseCherry-blossomJapanese politenessAn unfortunate incident in RomeEastern courtesyThe country in JapanAn Imperial duck-catching partyAn up-to-date Tokyo houseA Shinto TempleLinguistic difficulties at a dinner-partyThe economical colleagueJapan defaced by advertisements
Petrograd through middle-aged eyesRussians very constant friendsRussia an Empire of shamsOver-centralisation in administrationThe system hopelessA complete change of sceneThe West IndiesTrinidadPersonal character of Nicholas IIThe weak point in an AutocracyThe EmpressAn opportunity missedThe Great CollapseTerrible storiesLove of human beings for ceremonialSome personal apologiesConclusion
