Derzhavin: A Biography

Chapter 4

    the merriest time of Catherine’s rule. Past wars had been triumphant, Russia’s importance was growing, and the nobility—having been showered with favors—was coming into its own after the horrors of the pugachovshchina. Even in the imperial family, it seemed, peace reigned: the widowed grand prince entered into a new marriage, and for a time his second wife was able to reconcile him with his mother. Life at court and in Petersburg was busy and ebullient. Splendor mingled with poverty, refinement with coarseness. Six-horse teams strained to drag gilded carriages through the muddy streets; fräuleins put on pastoral scenes at the Hermitage assemblies—and occasionally were whipped afterward.Grandees collected paintings,bronzes,and porcelain; madeVersailles-style bows to each other;and traded slaps in the face.The empress corresponded with Grimm. Mitrofan Prostakov did not want to do his lessons, preferring to marry instead.1 Whist, faro, and macao flourished everywhere, in palaces as well as shacks. At the bank Derzhavin mortgaged the lands he had received.This did not make his fortune, but along with card playing it allowed him to live decorously while awaiting better days.Securing a position meant,first of all,finding friends.Derzhavin began to renew his old acquaintances and to seek new ones. He needed to find a civil position: around Derzhavin velvet caftans were gradually replacing uniforms. Although his difficult youth had made him somewhat reticent and reserved, he also knew how to be pleasant.AtAleksei Petrovich Melgunov’s, at picnics on shady Melgunovsky Island (the one that later passed to Elagin, Oberhofmeister of the imperial household), he made himself entertaining in the midst of clever and educated conversation.The masons among Melgunov’s friends invited him into their lodge,but he held back.He was at home both at the magnificent feasts  4 Catherine II. Helioengraving. . K.Watson, from an original by A. Roslen. of Prince Meshchersky and General Perfilev and among less exalted people, where an old silver mug would foam, filled half with Russian and half with English beer (guests would throw croutons and lemon rinds into the beer).Women, more often than not the willing participants of bachelor feasts, found in him an enterprising and cheerful suitor.Among lovers, as among wines, he had no particular preferences: he loved them all with equal enthusiasm. Here’s a rose wine: Let’s drink to the health of rosy women. The heart feels sweet With a kiss from crimson lips! You too, rosy one, are pretty: Do give me a kiss, my dear! Here’s a purple wine: Let’s drink to the health of dark-browed women. The heart feels sweet With a kiss from lilac lips! You too, dark one, are pretty: Do give me a kiss, my dear! Here is the golden wine of Cyprus: Let’s drink to the health of light-haired women. The heart feels sweet With a kiss from lovely lips! You too, blonde one, are pretty: Do give me a kiss, my dear! The Okunev brothers, who had lent him his first carriage when he was becoming an ensign five years ago, now introduced him into the home of Prince Vyazemsky.This was a particularly important acquaintance: Prince Aleksandr Alekseevich was a cavalier of Saint Andrew and the procurator-general of the Senate which is to say he occupied a position roughly equivalent to the ministries of finance, internal affairs, and justice combined. He owed his promotion to his own stupidity: entrusting him with the introduction of important business , Catherine could rest assured that it would not occur to anyone to credit Vyazemsky with her own merits. In addition,Vyazemsky, who had been recommended to the empress long ago by the Orlovs, remained an excellent campaigner .While obliging the empress, he never forgot himself—that is to say, he stole in moderation. Because he was covetous, he was unscrupulous and Derzhavin:A Biography  energetic. He lived on Malaya Sadovaya Street in his own house, where the privy chancery was also located. Sometimes he was personally present during interrogations . No one liked him, but everyone frequented his house. How could one not visit the procurator-general? He was fifty years old. His wife, née Princess Trubetskaya, was considerably younger than her spouse and tried to impart a certain pleasant quality to the house. In seeking the protection of the Vyazemskys, Derzhavin...