The Russian Journals of Martha and Catherine Wilmot Being an Account by Two Irish Ladies of Their Adventures in Russia As Guests of the Celebrated Princess Daschkaw, Containing Vivid Descriptions of Contemporary Court Life and Society, and Lively Anecdotes of Many Insteresting Historical Characters 1803-1

E-094. Very Good. Hardcover. Hardcover. 8vo. Macmillan & Company, Ltd. , London, UK. 1935. Xxvi, 423 pgs. Contains a monochrome illustrated frontispiece and monochrome illustrations. Second Printing. Bound in blue cloth with gilt titles present to the spine and design present to the front board. Boards lightly rubbed and worn. No ownership marks present. Text is clean and free of marks, binding tight and solid. Martha & Catherine Wilmot were Irish travellers and diarists. Wilmot began her four-month journey to Russia in 1803, travelling to the country estate of the princess, Troitskoe. While there, she took part in court life and became the princess' close confidante. While touring with the princess, Wilmot met Aleksei Orlov, and in her honour he ordered his regiment to stage a fake battle. She kept a diary and wrote letters home to Ireland frequently. She also encouraged the princess to write an autobiographical memoir, which Dashkova dedicated to Wilmot as her "young friend" and gave her permission to publish the manuscript. Wilmot's sister, Katherine, arrived in Troitskoe in 1805 to bring her sister home, but she stayed there as a guest for another two years. Between frequent trips to Moscow, Wilmot transcribed a copy of the princess' memoirs, with her sister translating them from the original French. Her sister left Russia in 1807 with the memoirs transcript when the Wilmots learnt they were under threat from Madame Shcherbenin, the estranged daughter of the princess, who was suspicious of their intentions. E-094; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .