The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-07-21
Two Views o f u Russian Officer.


treme of neatness. His clipped moustaches
are faultless. His uniform is astonishingly
we'll made. His manners are charming. He
has none of the cold, naughty reserve toward
civilians which chracterizes the Austrian
officer. If you shake hands with him, he
gives such courtly yet cordial squeeze, that
you might fancy his we'll bred soul was in
his warm agreeable fingers. In society he is
delightful. His conversation positively spar
kles with good sayings, and is interesting
from its gay profusion of the most apt and
we'll told anecdotes. His courtesy is win
ming to degree. He apologies more read
lily and gracefully for the most trifling acci
dent than any gentleman in Europe. You
feel positively under an obligation to him
for having inadvertently trodden on your toe,
or inserted his elbow in your ribs in crowd.
He is so accomplished a linguist that you
would inwardly confess he speaks your own
language better than you do yourself All
languages indeed, seem TO come natural and
easy to him. Then he is traveller, and such
traveller He speaks with equal familiar
ity about the north pole and the tropics. He
tells you precisely what you wish TO know.
In few pungent sentences he raises a pic
ture in your mind of any place or person,
picture of such finished and perfect accura-
Cy lHdI tIIHG VIII lIy III WILL W GI1dCc II.
He is certainly not literary man, yet he is
said to be the author of one Of the most re-
markable pamphlets of the day, and his in
formation on literature is astounding He
knows the policy and public men of every
state in Europe thoroughly. He has dined
with them, and he knows more about them
than you and !, who have lived familiarly
with them all our lives. This is not pre-
tence Or. fanfaronade his knowledge is per-
fectly submissive to good taste; is never
brought forward obtrusively, but it comes at
the first call when wanted, and is perfectly
sound. He would tell you something new
of Lord Byron, or of your own brother,
which would put his character before you in
different light from any in which you had
hitherto considered it. He has not the small
est prejudice on any subject whatever. You
cannot argue with him, his ideas are so flu
ent, appear so reasonable when uttered, that
painting dissent tolls after then: in vain. He
appears to have considered every scheme of
government which has ever attracted the at
tention of mankind. He believes that of
Russia to be the best. He does not quarrel
with you for thinking differently, if you re-
ally do so. Every man may enjoy his own
opinion, and he respects yours, though he
cannot partake of it.
Such is the dazzling surface OF the char
acter of many among the higher classes Of
the most extraordinary people in the world;
but so deeper, and you shall marvel at the
low depths of its infamy and disgrace, the
completeness of its rottenness and corrup
ton. He is an incarnate talsehood back
bitter, with malicious intent, most notable
slanderer. He has no high and inspiring
creed no soul-no heart; but he has the
ID Of he, oil To ri
despises and sneers at the honor of women.
He would connive al the shame of his wife,
sister, mother or daughter, for his own inter
est or convenience, without the smallest
scruple. He would dishonor the hearth of
his kinsman or best benefactor, by means
which should send him to the galleys. He
would commit burglary unblushingly, if
it was not likely to be brought home to him.
He would cheat at play. He would dexter