The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-17

ny sfR ARCHIBALD ALISON.
In tho recently published second volume ef Sir Arehi
bald Asons History of Europe' (new srssesl We ~
the efoo~ng striking portrait Of the ihtc Emperor of
Iussiar-
Eichol,s l. /. the grc.t.st sovereign tha, RussA has
known sinee Peter the Great In soms re,peots In In
greater than Peter himse No, less cnsrgsNc In char
acter and ardent In .hsn hi1 iuatrious
prrdeeessor he IL thoroughly rational and he has
brought the nation forward more eompletely in ths
path which nature had poated out for a. Peter Was
Russian only IN his despot.n his violence, hts cruelty
his bensfo.nee his ardor for Improvement bis rsiote
ambition all borrowed from III. states - Western
Europe Al these states greatly furtbc- advanced
in The career OF civilization than hls his reform.
were "a gd.a, par, premAtor- hs impro,er,enr sbor
tive, h!s rabnements superficial He aimed AZ doing by
imperial What many ardent have enG~ayored 10
effect b. democratic despotrf.to ingrsn nsuos
the i1tuonr OF another, and 10 reap from tbs infancy
OF civilization the fruits Of Ito maturity Tho atemvt
failed Ia h@ hands as 10 has done In these ~ hs
republican Imta,prs as II VIII do In those - their
eesHors whether tho throa. IN the fbuss q ths
end of the world. His civilization was alb external
merely 10 made a brilliant appearance but u did NJ,
extend beneath the surface, and left untouched the
strength and yiss Of the state lie aAttsred himself he
had civIed Russia because he ruled by polite. which
governed by fear aud army which retained II in
hublectlon by discipline.
Nicholas, tho other hand is esscntaly Russian In
all bis IDEAS lie heart and soa PATRIOTS, not merely
In Wish but In spirit and thoaght. lilo vshss 10 Inn
prove and elevate his county AMI hs has doa@ much
developing, not changing the national spnt =, maAinG
II become FIRST Russia, not second France OF Eng
land He has adopted the marin OF AontsaF aleu-, ths,
uaton ever attained to real greatness but br iss
tutons in conformity with itA spirit lie " nslthsr lsd
away ~ the thirst for sudden mechanical imr
Ike fetsr nor the praises Of phiosophera, hhs Ca
th.rn. the vsons of iac, perienced phlnE thropv
lie Alexander lie has not Attempted 70 apl,.i
In psaieniia march, and done At the sIysas. Of
hunorsd thousand lives Ia. he drramt o. mystical
regeneration with Sikionary syb ami made
put Their hands 10 holy srhneo froal hsf inn lrnos
He neither corresponds wth French Atbsits nor
fngikh democrats be dsnps.s the <Aisss Of
The hrst, ho brave. the hostility Of the All. N,
maxim Il 10 take they arr, and neither
suppose them better worse iis q content
10 let Russia Uo- up ina ku's!sn gsrh, animated
tlobH without the aid either Of Partisan c1rnunlsm os
Rrtish liberalism. The Improvements he has effected in
the goycrnmsnt 0f Ills dorIa!enn have h.,~ Vssi
trampbs With when hs external policy have bs.~n
Aene ei unbounded but they have ali besn Aehlsved
no, imitation o. bot 70 opposition o. -. iisas os
western knFop~ hey bo<p.at, not less than h,s in
isrnai government, tho national charaeten u his policy
Bat IL suec", the test 81 worldly uisooS he has
teen iar wrong In bic system, for lie las psssei tho
Balkan hsrstofore imperVlous 70 bis prr~esaors hs
has conquered Poland, converted the Elras into Rus
clan lake planted The tha hAspoas Of Ftivan
and opened ,hrough subdusa HuBg.ry rath 70 Coz
stan;nop..
elevated destiny Iafty stAtur. api pfln-siy ar
give additional influence 10 tnhJ.stir eoun,@ns nos
In -hich The prevailing ehArAebr i rssoutoa.
yet not uuHirei With swsstssss. Igss Wellington.
Crsar and many other of The great r-csrd~f
IN history hs srprsOn hA' bsetns intsirc, uAf
dutss ~ toveregny, in.tsad " Tho tern routn. %
military disripins krsmpafy IN al ths relations of
pnvHts his a faithful husband and an adsetlonsis
father, be h,s exhibited 10 brilant eur Ani When
surrounded by every temptation vhrh fs ogsr Tho
simplicity and affections ~ rAtrArctai hfs Is. 10 he
not prfcct eharncsr Iis virtues often borg~r upsa
vices lie errsls aslss arr siin 70 defsrtr n~eply In
pressed with the responsibility ~ hls A,ua0n hshrn
has son.tlnsn b~-0ra. sisrHnss An snre Of lus
t6c Gsgsusrated into severity. fr Archibald erplaln.
in foot note % II u In rtgaFi - political offences of
rerous dy" bo~sref that this ssvsrt,y chiefly applies
He kbops hov 70 Distinguish the insOcsnt ff0ua tbs
guilty and has often ssnesd Bobs AMI taa "a rnoaa
sItf, In sspsrstipg N. fus The othsf ho NJ
oblivion Of injury, tiniAsss 20 tie relatives 81
thos. Who had consped agass' hi. hrons AH4 fs ba.
towards the guilty thsmsslys 10 has hg ben equally
soupassionats Is has not Always lst the passoa a.
the contest pass apay -th ~ terfulnaiou Hs 10 ss
Alexander tie Great IL resolution bat IN Bsxnasl
nifty NJ. wants tho sst grass 10 The hsfolr caraci-F-
be dos MT knsv how "a forgive