The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-05
THE STORY OF A GERMAN PRINCESS.
Talleyrand and the Princess DorOthea.
A REMARKABLE PERSONAL HISTORY.

The London Spectator, noticing the
death of Princess Dorothea of Courland,
Duchess of Sagan, at her castle in Prus-
sian Silesia, on the 10th of September
last, gives an interesting review of her sim
gular career. She was born August 81,
1898, and was the youngest of four daugh-
tiers OF Prince Peter, son of the celebrated
Ernst John de Biron, whom Anna of Rus
STA raised from the dust to the highest dig
mites in the empire, giving him the Duchy
of Courland as but a slight token of her
favor. By the will of his father Peter
married in early life; but his violent tenn
per made his matrimonial state very I'M
happy one, and he brought two wives to
the grave before he was thirty years old
Then he made the acquaintance of Ann
Charlotte Of Modem, the daughter of
poor German nObleman, possessing small
property in Courland; and, attracted by
her physical and men,al charms, offered
her his hand, which she accepted The
offspring of this union were four daughters,
who for long time were held to be the
most perfect beauties in Europe. Uniting
the charms of unusual intellectual capaci-
ty with the symmetry of corporal pertec-
ton, the fame of the four princesses of
Courland spread through the whole of Eu-
rope, and poets came to sing their praises,
while kings worshipped at their feet. All
had numerous brilliant offers of marriage;
but, by the advice of their mother, each
of the four princesses made love match,
or what was held to be such. The eldest
married Count of Schulenburg; the Sec
ond the Prince of Hohenzollera- Hechin-
gen; the third Duke of Acerenza; and
the Youngest, DorOthea, the Count de Tai
leyrand -Perigord, nephew of the great Tai
leyrand, general in the French army. 1t
was this last named lady who died but
a few weeks ago as Duchess of Sagan,
after as eventful a career as ever fell to the
lot of duchess or princess.
THE PRINCESS AND TALLEYRAND.
The union of Dorothea of Oourland with
the Count de Talleyrand, afterwards Duke
de Dino, was not a happy one, though pro-
fessedly love match. The Princess was
only sixteen years old at the time of her
marriage, which took place on the 22d of
April, 1909, and so full of radiant beauty,
that after the first month of he. arrival in
Paris, crowds used to follow her carriage
in the streets, wherever she went, and
masses of people stood for hours under the
burning sun, or in pouring rain, to get
glimpse of her sweet face. For while
the Counts vanity was gratified by this
alteration paid tohis young wife but, base
in his Utmost nature, he ended by getting
tired of even this enjoyment, and before
long treated the Princess with utter neg
lect. The knowledge of this could not
long be hidden from the gossipers of the
salons, and had the consequence of bring
ing forward host of open admirers and
unais-among them Prince Talleyrand.
The great statesman was unable to hide his
fervent admiration of his young niece, and
confiding in his relationship, offered her
the protection of his name and position
Shrewd, far beyond her years, the Prin-
cess Dorothea neither refused nor accepted
this protection; but while treating Talley-
rand invariably as kind and loving uncle,
managed to keep him for some time at a
respectful distance. This naturally In
creased the ardOr of the enamored diplo-
matist, who hencetorth and for the rest of
his life, became one of the most faithful
and sincere friends of the Princess.
Probably there was not a being in the
world to whom Talleyrand, in his later age,
was so thoroughly and SO steadfastly at
tached as to his young niece. Dazzled, at
first, by her extreme beauty, he was COM
pletely captivated, after somewhat fuller
acquaintance, by the geniality of her in
tellect; to such an extent that not unfre
quently her advice ruled the most import
ant of his undertakings An immediate
point of sympathy between the Princes
and his niece was establishedin the dislike
of both to the person and court of the En-
peror.
THE COURT OF NAPOLEON 1.
The refined manners of Princess DOro-
thea recoiled at the innate vulgarity of the
generals and field marshals, and their low
born spouses, who gave the tom at the
Tuileries; and the often coarse behavior Of
the mighty Caesar himself appeared to hel
anything but imperial Or heroic. Being
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