Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-15
0lOttrster Daily Spg
ra11eyrand and the Princess DOrothea.

youngest OF four daughters of prince Peter,
son of the celebrated Ernest John de Biron,
whom Anna o. Russia raised from the dust to
the highest dignities in the empire, giving HIM
the Duchy OF Courland as but slight token
of her favor. By tine will of mis- father Peter
married in early life; but his violent temper
made his matrimonial state very unhappy
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 mental charms,
offered her his hand, which she accepted.
The offspring of this union were four daugh-
tiers, who for a long time were held to be the
most perfect beauties in Europe. Uniting the
charms of unusual intellectual capacity with
the symmetry of corporal perfection, the fame
OF the four princesses of Courland spread
through the whole of Europe, and the poets
came to sing their praises, while kings wor-
shipped at their feet. All had numerous bril-
liant offers in 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 second the prince Of Hohenzollern- Hech-
ingen; the third duke of Acerenza; and the
youngest DorOthea, the count de Taleyrand
Perigord, nephew of the great Talleyrand,
general in the French army. 1t was this last
named lady who died but few weeks ago as
duchess OF Sagan, after as eventful career
as ever fell to the lot of duchess or princess.
THE PRINCESS AND TALLEYRAND.
The union of Dorothea of Courland with
the Count de Talleyrand, afterwards Duke de
Dino, was not happy one, though protested
ly love match. The princess was only six
teen years old at the time of her marriage
which took place on the 22d. April, 1909, and
so full of radiant beauty, that after the first
month of her 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 a glimpse of her sweet face. For
while the counts vanity was gratifed by
this alteration paid to his young wife: but
6laSe in his inmost nature, he ended by get
ting tired of even this enjoyment, and before
long treated the princess with utter neglect.
The knowledge of this could not long be hid
den from the gossippers of the salons, and had
the consequence OF bringing forward a host Of
open admirers and Gn1IS-amOng them Prince
Talleyrand. The great statesman was una
BILE to hide his fervent admiration of his young
niece, and confiding in his relationship Of
fered her the protection of his name and posi-
ton, Shrewd, far beyond her age, the
Princess Dorothea neither refused nor accept
Gu lulS DuG Wllle Ureaung 1alley-
rand invariably as a kind and loving uncle
managed to keep him for some time at re-
specttul distance. This naturally increased
the ardor of the enamored diplomatist, who
hencetorth, aud for the rest of his life, became
one of the most faithful and sincere friends Of
the princess. Probably there was not being
in the world to whom Talleyrand, in his later
age, was so thoroughly and so steadfasIy at
tached as to his young niece. Dazzled, at
first, by her extreme beauty, he was complete
ly captivated, after somewhat fuller acquaint-
ance, by the geniality Of her intellect; to such
an extent that not untrequently her advice
ruled the most important OF his undertakings
An immediate point of sympathy between the
prince and his niece was established in the
dislike of both to the person and court of the
emperor.
TALLEYRAND's DEATHBED.
Princess Dorothea accompanied Talley-
rand to the congress of Vienna, and not lit
tie contributed In that brilliant assemblage of
princes and ambassadors, to the successes of
the great diplomatist. Returned to France,
she obtained separation from her husband,
and thenceforth devoted herself entirely to
the duties devolving upon her as presiding ge-
MUS Of her uncle's household. Twenty years
thus spent ended by giving her complete as
cendancy over the mind Of the prince, and
mastery over his will such as no one possess
ed before. Whun Talleyrand was lying on
his deathbed, as full of scepticism as ever,
she insisted that he should become reconcled
to the holy mother church. He smiled in an
swer IL have never been in hurry, yet
always arrived in time" But the princess
would allow no more jests, and forthwith in
troduced Able Dupanloup, Jealous mission
airy OF the church, since then deservedly pro-
NOTED to episcopal duties. Telleyrand, help
oh no hIIrn of he
niece, repeated every word dictated by the
able, and on the morning of the Goth of May,
1888, with trembling hands, already in the
agony of death, signed paper by which he
confessed himself true christian and faithful
son of the Catholic apostolic church. When,
few days after, his last will and testament
was opened, it was found that Talleyrand had
left the great bulk of his fortune, amounting
to near twenty millions of francs, to his be-
loved niece, Princess Dorothea. "a man
living in falsehood; yet not what you can call
false man." says Thomas Carlyle, summing
up his character.
THE PRINCESS IN LOVE IN ADVANCED YEARS.
By singular freak of nature and circum-
stances, Princess Dorothea, having devoted
the morning of her life to diplomatic intrigue,
was fated to give the evening to the passion
of love. BY the death Of her elder sister
she became, in 1916, sovereign owner of the
Duchy of Sagan, medlatlzed prlnclpality of
about a hundred square miles, with some fifty
thousand inhabitants, situated in Lower ST.
lesa. Ihereupon the princess left France
and settled at the old Schloss of Sagan, a
magnificent palace, surrounded by vast gar
dens, built by Wallenstein, and fitted up with
all the pomp and splendor of royal residence.
In the course of the due visits of congratula-
ton paid by the feudal lords of the neighbour
hood, Prince Felix of Lichnowsky made his
appearance the head Of an old noble family,
possessing large landed estates in Austrian
and Prussian Silesia, and celebrated for the
geniality of its members for several genera
tons.
A tall, fine and eminently handsome man,
with halo of romance around him, Felix of
Lichnowsky made deep impression on the
princess. She invited him to stay at the
Schloss, and before long she declared herself,
without hesitation, deeply and madly in love
with him. Notwithstanding the difference of