The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-12-09
TIE EMPEROR NICHOLAS.
Extract from The letter Of gentleman aehO
resided for some time an st. Petersburg.

TIE EMPEROR NICHOLAS.
Extract from the letter Of gentleman aehO
resided for some time an st. Petersburg.
PANS, July 10, 1929.
The Emperor Nicholas is well formed
and finely proportioned young man, rather
inller than Alexander, with handsome,
manly continuance, blue, serene eyes, and
a mien truly imperial. The first impression
he leaves upon you, is that of a manly,
sound understanding his look Is firm
growing firmer if you stand it, but relenting
as your glance loses its assurance. You
cannot help feeling convinced at the first
glance of his eye, oveFshadowed by manly
brows, but that you have man before you
who is too fully conscious of his immense
elevation TO show the least pride.
On no Russian prince has more care been
bestowed than on Nicholas. His education
was superintendent by the. empress mother,
1.-THE consort of the emperor PauD whose
favorite as we'll as hope, he was from his
childhood. His education had been chiefly
committed to Germans, among whom was
the celebrated Richter, and, to speak the
truth, his teachers have discharged their
duties in a manner which does honor to
their nation. For this nation Nicholas has
the highest respect, being himself of Ger
man descent. In his earlier years he had
somewhat romantic cast, and slight mus
tachoes curled on his upper lip; he still
wears whiskers.
In 1913, when Alexander became certain
that the empire would never have an heir,
he. with his mother, fixed upon Nicholas as
successor, and negotiations were opened
with the king of Prussia, to whose daughter
he was marred-a princess of very sound
understanding, but rather too shrewd and
cool. The influence she exercises over him
cannot be said to be undue, but that it is
very great is certain. Nicholas resembles
Alexander in some points, yet his counte-
nance is more manly and intellectual, though
Alexander was considered the most gifted
of his contemporary monarchs. In Alexan-
der you could not help observing tint Of
slyness and effeminacy in his best years,
and of relaxation in his latter. Nicholas Is
more vigorous, less pliable, but not less po
lite; there is more softness in him, and, at
times, you may even observe a curing Of
the lips, which Alexander always knew how
to smooth into softness. OF all his brothers
he shows and evinces the greatest mental
powers. He is about thrty-6ve years Of
age, and altogether a handsome man. The
grand duke Michael, his younger brother,
resembles Alexander very much but never
would you believe that these brothers were
horn of the same mother with Constantine :;
there Is not the least similarity either in
feature or character between these broth
ers. Constantine is altogether an ugly man,
with a short, crooked nose, that points up
wards to the eve, coarse and disgusting
features, without the least proportion. and
the department of rude barbarian; and
yet Constantine is far from being disliked,
especially by the soldiery, the populace, and
the peasantry, with whom he has too many
points of similarity not to please them.
The late emperor, however, has really
done great benefit to the empire by ex
GLIDING this prince from the throne, meas
ure rather high handed, but fully in accord
ance with the fundamental law of the en-
pire, according to which the reigning en-
peror may choose his successor from among
the members of the imperial family. Should
Constantine have assembled the throne, he
could not have kept it twelVemonth. He
is as whimsical despot as his father Paul,
with none of The graces nor the better parts
of that prince; rude like Baskre, and
will commit himself 10 the greatest excess
ses, if not awed by the presence of his few
superiors.
You may form an idea Of the confidence
which is universally reposed in Nicholas,
by the fact, that no sooner had he subdned
the guards and superseded Constantine,
than the people, both high and low, ex-
pressed publicly, as their conviction, that
he would conquer Constantinople, and de-
stroy the Turkish empire.