The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-03-28
The EmperOr NichoIns--His SIC.
cesSOr.

longer a matter Of doubt. II he had lived
until the 9th Of July, he would hive beeh
fifty nine years Of age. He has been on tho
throne since the LIST Of December 1875, near
ly thirty years. The hereditary Grand Duke
who now succeeds his father is thirty seven
years OF age. The following interesting
description of his person and appearance is
from a work on Russia by the Marquis Gus
TINE, who saw him at watering place in
Germany some fifteen years ago.
al found myself amid the crowd Of cur
ious spectators close to the Grand Duke,
lust as he decended from his carriage; and
as he stood for some time before entering
the gate of the maiS0n des bGins, talking
with Russian Lady, the Countess,
| was able to observe him at my leisure
His age, as his appearance indicates, is twen-
y;his height is commanding, but he appears
| to Ine, for SO young man, rather fat. His
| features would be handsome were it not that
their fullness destroys their expression. His
round face rather resembles that of German
than Russ; It suggests an idea of what the
Emperor Alexander's must have been at the
same age, without however recalling, in any
degree, the pysiognomy of the Calmuc.-
A face of this cast will pass through many
changes before assuming its definite char
acter The habitual humor which it, atpre-
sent, denotes, is gentleness and beneyolence;
but between the youthful smile Of the eyes
and the constant contraction of the mouth
there is, nevertheless, dscordance which
does not bespeak frankness, and which per.
haps, indicates some inward suffering. The
sorrows ofyouth---of that age in which hap
piness is, as it were, the right of man-are
secrets the better guarded, because they are
mysterious, ,inexplicable entothose who ex.
perence them. The expression of this young
prince is aimable; his carriage graceful i'm
posing and altogether princely; and his
manner modest, without being timid, which
must alone gain him much good will
"Snce writing the above, have again
seen the Hereditary Grand Duke, and hav g
examined him more nearly and liesurely.- -
He had cast off his uniform, which appear
ed to fit him too closely, and gave to his
person bloated appearance. In my opin
ion he looks best in undress. His general
bearing is certainly pleasing; his carriage i;
10 fly, yet without military stiffness. The
kind of grace by which he is distinguished
reminds one Of that peculiar charm Of man.
ner which seems to belong to the Slavonit
race. 1t is not the expression of the quick
passions of southern climes, neither is it the
imperturbable coolness of the people o
the north; is a combination of simplicity, o
southern mobility, and of Scandinavian mel
ancholy. The Slavonians are fair complex
| he, tha ic fhaI
half German, but in Mecklenberg and Hol
stein, as in some parts Of Russia, there arr
Germans of Slavonian extraction.
"The countenance of this prince, notwith
standing his youth, presents fewer attract
ions than his figure. His complexion ha
lready lost its freshness; one can observ
, that he is under the influence Of some caus,
of grief his eye-lids are cast down with sad
ness that betrays the cares of ripper age
. His we'll formed mouth is not without an ex
preston of sweetness; his Grecian protil
reminds me of antique medals, or of the POI
traits of the Empress Catharine; but no
withstanding his expression of aimablenes
Gan expression which almost always impart
that also of beautyO his youth, and yet more
his German blood, it is impossible to avo
dissimulation which one trembles to see i
SO young man. This trait is doubtless tn
, impress of destiny. 1t convinces me tha
> the Grand Duke will be called to the throne
, The tones of his voice are sweet, which
not commonly the case in his family; they sa
e it is gift which he has inherited from hi
mother. ., ... ......
He shine among the young people Of hi
suite with our discovering what it is that pre-
. serves the distance which may be easily OF
. served to exist between them, unless it b
I the perfect gracefuness of his person.
Russian travellers had spoken to me of tn
n beauty Of the prince as quite a phenomenon
Without this exaggeration should hav
been more with it; besides, could not br
recollect the romantic mind, the arch-ange
\ ic form, of his father, and his uncle the Gran
n Duke Michael, who, when in 1915, they vii
h ted Paris, were called 'the northern lights,
d and felt inclined to be severe because
d had been deceived; yet notwithstanding thi
!. the Grand Duke of Russia appears to me ;
Y one of the finest models of a prince that
8 have ever met with"