Wilhelm von Freygang (1782-1849) was a Russian diplomat and writer. His father served as the personal physician to Emperor Paul I. Wilhelm was educated at the University of Göttingen, where he earned his doctorate in 1804. Returning to Russia, he embarked on a diplomatic career, working at the Russian ministry of foreign affairs as well as the Russian embassies in Vienna and Paris. While in Vienna, he married Fredericka Kudryavcheva, with whom, in 1812, he traveled to the Caucasus to participate in the Russo-Persian negotiations. On this journey the couple visited Georgia and southern Caucasia, with Fredericka writing a series of letters that were eventually published in the couple's travelogue "Letters from the Caucasus and Georgia," first published in German and the translated into other European languages; the English edition came out in 1823.
After he service in Persia, Freygang continued his diplomatic career, serving at the Russian embassy in the Netherlands in 1814-1819 and as the Russian Consul General in Saxony in 1820-1833. He spent the last fifteen years of his life in North Italy.
Tiflis, 5th February, 1812
Every evening the wife of the Governor-General receives the Georgian ladies, of whom the greater part are princesses of the country, and some among them are of the family of the czars. The most interesting of these is Thekla, daughter of Heraclius: she is married to a Prince Orbelianow [Orbeliani], and is no disgrace to the stock whence she sprang. These ladies come on horseback attended by a servant; they are covered from head to foot with a large white veil, so that a cavalcade of them may in the dark be taken for a train of ghosts: some upon their arrival throw aside this veil, and appear in the Georgian costume. The General has signified his wish to see this strange dress changed for the European, and a few have already had the courage to venture upon the innovation. However, though the oriental costume may seem extraordinary to us, I think it is perfectly adapted to the climate and habits of the country. In Persia, for example, where the men pass the greater part of their time on horseback and in the use of arms, they wear a dress conveniently loose; but that of the ladies is made to fit closer to the shape, as they seldom quit their sofas. In Europe the man takes off his hat; but the Persian, who never uncovers his head, puts his shoes off upon entering a house, that he may not injure the carpet, which is often of great value. There are many other customs which are quite opposite to those of Europe; at the Georgian dinner for instance, which commences with what is our dessert, and the extreme heat induces the people to take no food that is not light and cooling: in consequence of this temperance, they are generally robust, and attain to an advanced age. The men are clad warmly even in summer, for the evenings are always more or less cool...
Tiflis, 12th February, 1812
I have lately been present at a wedding, and was this morning spectator of a burial. The following are the Georgian customs upon these occasions.
They marry very young, the bride being often no more than twelve years of age, and the husband perhaps fifteen. Not infrequently they are betrothed from the cradle, but remain during the greater part of their childhood unknown to each other: they have a rule indeed that those betrothed are not to see each other until the nuptial day. The contract takes place in the church according to the Greek [Orthodox] ritual, excepting that the spouse is covered with a veil, not allowing even the future husband to see the features of his bride; for here marriage is a matter of speculation, rather than an affair of the heart: upon coming out of church, muskets are fired off in honour of the young couple.
On their nuptial day, the bride, loaded with jewels and other ornaments, and covered with a veil reaching to the ground, is placed on a carpet, where she sits with her legs folded according to the custom of the country. To complete her resemblance to an Indian pagod [idol], this statue of a wife remains the whole day in the same position, without eating or drinking, and what is more extraordinary, without speaking a word. It would seem as if in Georgia, marriage were one of those associations, into which none can be admitted until proved by severe trials; but it is some consolation to the novice, that her intended partner is subjected to the same ceremony. Having been introduced into the house, he places himself by the side of his fair unknown, and in like manner remains silent for an equal length of time. Were they to turn their backs on each other for a moment, it would be deemed a serious lovers' quarrel: but, in this submissive posture, they appear to say to each other—" they would marry us, don't be angry with me, it is not my fault."
After the ceremony, the bride is unveiled when a banquet, more or less sumptuous according to the condition of the parties, concludes the festival. Being present when a Georgian bride was first unveiled, I strove to remark any emotion that the new married couple might, as I thought, naturally feel, upon beholding each other for the first time; but my scrutiny was in vain, for the lady looked a mere statue: the man showed some slight satisfaction at sight of his wife, who was very young, and pretty enough. She would have been more so in my eyes, if unassisted by art; but her cheeks were daubed with paint, her eye-brows joined with a coarse pencilling, and she was quite disfigured with a tasteless profusion of pearls and diamonds.
This mode of matrimony renders domestic happiness with the Georgians very uncertain. It has often been observed, that marriage is a lottery—a consideration which affords but a sorry consolation for unfortunate couples. Right reason however did never adjudge that, mere chance should regulate the fate of husbands and wives; for their happiness depends upon a certain relation in their tastes and principles, which it is essential to ascertain beforehand. Connections made at hazard, can only suit those communities, wherein marriage is but the means of forming an establishment, or of procuring wealth; and where the wife remains her husband's victim in slavery and indifference. Although the widow's grief be generally a token of the wife's affection, one may be deceived respecting that of the Georgian dames. I saw a man buried this morning: the widow remained prostrate for several hours before his coffin; her cheeks were flooded with tears, while her grief further vented itself in deep sighs and groans; and, at the frequent repetition of her husband's name, she tore her hair, and beat her breast, all her actions bespeaking sorrow and despair; but all this appears to be in the regular course of proceeding upon such occasions. In the funeral obsequies of a man, the horse of the deceased, with his saddle and stirrups thrown across it, precedes the body; his servants carry his arms, and the family close the train, making continual cries of lamentation; but this also is the custom. When the body is interred, the widow returns home, where she remains seated in the same place surrounded by her women in mourning, and all keeping a dead silence. This latter form is preserved during six weeks, being, as we may call it, their quarantine of sorrow; too long, you will agree with me, for such excessive grief to be sincere.
