Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-09-15
CHdRACTER OF ALEXANDER.
THE PRESENT
EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.
From a lofe qvork. |

would nave proved fatal TO Paul, but thar
The youth and natural good diipo6tion Of
his edeA fon defeated ii; who BY the pu-
r'ty Of his morals and his perGonal charms.
intfnres high degree Of admiration.
Thar ideal character which enchants MS !,
Telemachus, is almoR realized in him.
ne may b. reproached 100 with the fame
faults which Fenelon has beRowed on his
Imaginary pupil - but theie are, perhsus.
not TO much faults as the abfene OF certain
qualities not yet developed in him. or
which have been fitted in his heart by the
mierable companions which have been al.
lotted him. He inherits from Catharine
magnanimity Of fentiment, and an upalter-
able eqaaniHaity Of temper. mind iuit
and penetrating, and uncommon difcretioo.
with the alloy howeve~, of a cautious dir,
iofticn, a circumfpeetion unfuirable to his
age, and which might be taken for diflinu-
lation, did !. not evidently proceed rather
rom the delicate ftuation in which he was
rlaced between his father and grandmother
than from his heart, which is naturally
flank j.nd ingenius. He poheGes- his mo.
theirs nature and beauty, as well as her
mlldnefs and benevolence, while in none
OF his features does he relemble his father.
Paul, conjetturing the intentions Of CStha-
rine in favour of this fon, has always fe,r
coldly towards him; at the fame time ne
dhcovers In him no refembIa.ce of charac-
ter, no conformity Of taRe, with himtelf
ne is the conitant mediator between the
emperor and thofe unhappy Persons. who,
by fome triaing neglect, may provoke his
anger. He requires not the dignity of
Grand Duke of Rufia, to infpire fentinenss
OF love and intereh; nature has richly en-
dowed him with the mott amiable qualities.
and his character Of heir to the created
empire in the world, cannot render them
indifferent to humanity. Heaven, per-
maps, defined him TO render thirty Mill
ons of people more free than they are at
preient, ard more worthy of being 70.
His character, however, though am;a-
Die, is pailive. He wants the courage and
confidence to diicoyer the man of merit
always modef and unobtrufve and ills
to be feared, that the moft inlportunate and
impudent,who are generally the mott igno-
rant and vicious, will find little difficulty
IN procuring acceis to him. Yielding TOO
eaily to the impulfes of OILERS, he does
not Efficiently confult his own heart ard
understanding. He appears to have LOFT
bis relifh for inifru6tion, in loGng his maj
tiers, and Especially colonel La Harpe, his
hIft Prcceptor, to whom he owes all the
knowledge he has acquired. A too pre-
mature marriage has contributed 10 DIM
NTH his energy; and it is probable that.
notwithstanding his good qualities, he will
become in time the duPe of his courtiers,
and even Of his Wallets.
Death took Catherine by furprizs. II
is evident to thofe who were acquainted
With her court, and the unfortunate eff
arrangement between the mother and fon,
that ihe entertained with to have ano-
Their iuccetior. The dread of rejecting
on the end OF her lays, and on that of her
reign, which fhe feared Aill more, with
the death of Potemkin, prevented her from
accomplishing this projea, while fhe had
time for Il, or from confirming il by will,
The youth OF the Grand Duke Alexander,
and fill more the goodnefs Of his head &c
heart, were afterwards obGacles TO the ex.
eeution of her deGgn Her prediction
tor the young Prince, however, worthy
no doubt OF a puser foures, was very ari-
W'fb a no6Ae and aoeN dJlbs/rdLe04,
be aasfa,ed ueitbty odLeng nor lrg65e 10
f,iead@;p, nsr literal, mar .gyqtsfal fer tbe
'aias taken on bsnee0Kst, nsitbey aoasbe
'y0mft TO acknowledgment.
Ieiem0ebxs, Back xvi.