, 1873-11-16
RUSSIAN IMPERIAL. MARRIAGES.
HOW the 0ld-Tin1e Cznrs Used to
ChooAc ThUtr Wives.

FINN, ~. fYr,tnnoH Enatirer. i
OF tho uauy Who have studied tho ntno books
d !iotoaotua' shoro aro not low Mno "op.o
aItitlo him Tho Father Of Historical Lies and.
indeed, much OF tho narra.ion il pa.pab.y Abarrd
10 1egreo that makes ono suspect the truth Of
I asun nta tnose teasoaaoo .'., asa@euonse! 1AsooA
ngly IN this era Of historical 1copticlem' ono Is
not hcnncd to p1aoo too much crodenee in his
account OF tho Dabylonjan marriage regulations.
~ teus 10 ~ "as Nv cu1.o" ~ .as n .a,a~ 49,
10 assemble annually all the unmarried naalaens
n certain public locality, droaaad In
thcir gayest attire, and auction thom OF ~ Wiyos
,ass .,,a,, .rod,h1o h,t :. a..
Ea:net more Amua'ng snan e1cololo1 oas ~
oeafh 1aat LILO b9zantlno ana joleFoho o4sso11ane
ot comparatively modern tmos hayo recorded
!. - % tho nrosl Ernnt-e and r.; r,usai. during
:, ua97 " VIZ ut'eA .on1tio' ~" - -
tho as1teenth aud ao7cnteensh cen1us.oa' VI
tho truth OF their atatements In thiB rc-
M h,frSd % farmland H. II an admirable criticism con-
t-;,,,ta5 - +ho T7.r,,s dr. Da.n 3Gontiaa nnon
1lpa'ea ~ NV u..oae oss A0n . ne.s 'eu e.
some focontly pubhshea "orRe OF husaian DE
tory, has givon us some extremely Interesting |
facts upon tho lives Of the Czarinao during tho |
porioi, OF the Hppninsanoe, which aro il}uatra- |
tiyo Of tho CURIOUS custonls roserrod To-, Ac-
oording to tho Crock hihtorianB Of the ninth |
century, the Empresn Euphrogyno. being, deniro
Years old, cont messengers into all parta Of l
Euror,o and Asia, oommsndipg fhora to seek out |
and bring bcfore her all the most beautiful |
maidoue they could lud. On tho return OF her |
cnvoys, tho girls thoy had, brought with them !
Woro artayed in the great. hall Of the Pa1nce
and Eupiiropyne, iondtng hor son into tho apart
ment, placed = golden apple In his band, aud
told him to present it to tho virgin Of his
choioe. Among tho many beauties there
In fo{r
cat Of ali. pauHing before hnr In wonder
1t tho sight Of 10 much loyellnass,, tho
boy-princo iuyoluntarily uttered m axiom which
had boon taught him by his .priessly tutors:
,a oe sro 1so.sso ts ns so1,Tco ~ mcb h1ss be
Young foo4, eAher paqnea or CONFUSED 81 thls
rcadY roply, gave tho apple TO Thoodora Of
vorat mstob1 in this gaia1y Of beauties. This
story has d strong flavor oi Oriental fornanoo:
OUT tue history OF. tho Czar1nan. 1atniaaes us
WIN acsuni 1sanza9lone 81 coitatn taiea ~ tns
Arabian Nights. u 10 pretty certain; however,
that the Czars subsequently obtained this ora-
tom OF wife-hrnting from the Greek Emporora
the moro 80 as tho first Prince OF all the NuHeiaa
Who TINS obtasned spoaas WAS the aon OF .
Greek A,-Vassili lvanoTitch:
tho. epoch whom tho Russian Emporors chose
thofr companions after this fanhton, 1t waB next
to impossible for them TO FORM naTT,ago alli-
auoa with any European powers: The great
schism Of tue Crook Church, and tho Tartar
harism had reared Well.nigh 1npassaoie SOCIAL I
barrior between the Court OF MOSCOW and the
Courts Of Europe and the Greek and Latin
Churches we're equally ini'nical to suoh an ALL
Rnce. 20
We have previously mentioned tho marriage OF
Vnsaill lvanoyitch aa the 1lrst instance IN which
husstah potenta5e tnua oetalne1 ofluo i,oVV
young girls being brought from all parta OF Aus,,
n
Car Who contradict marriage under these stll7
gular circumstances was 1van tho Terrible: who
iAsuod tho following ukaaa IN tho yoar loaos
From 5van ns nos of a. hs hns
* to the rrincss sna ooassn e@Sats 1mep8 T.nn
MY MY ~ tou! No ma ana havS cnnnan%a9
tSam 10 insnoot iii tie uumsrrlsa laies FOUR aaueh
ters betroshod u. When this leer shall reaoh you
immediately start With them foE Noygorod-
Ihos9 IT .mongss yoa @ VINO - sna ,l oeaee thoiT
a1, non % tbems,ves grsat ,.Sraca mi tsrrls
nunispment. Circulate nj !yttss aongs you WITHOUT
hands. da.Ds ~
! II was aftcr this,faahton that ivan tho Terri.
bic obtained Ills first aud boHt-boloyed wife, An:
setesis Ronmanos. Previous 70 his third maF;
riage 2 goo Young girls Of all ranks wore brought
| ". menY Of whom bad travelled from the moat
iistapt parts Of Ruesia, oyar districts destitute
of roads, and 1t no llttio expenae to themselves.
After long examination tNentY-fQur were
| chosen as candldataB, which number was roducod
BY yatmore severe aud searching scrutiny to
| tTeIye. upon whoso comparative 'phgai-
| cal oxcolfoncds doctors and midwiyoe
woro summoned to decide. But all, It is
| said, wero found equal ID hoalth, ylgor, and
bon,ty, 4 contemporary wituoss las Informed
M thtt tho mniiana had ali been at first con-
Quoted to a flne mans!on. and twelve uirls placed
| in eanh room. eyorv room containine ap1eudld
| throno and twelyo beds. Tho dzar, ontoring
| zach room In turn, seated himself upon the
thrnne: the girls arose and came forward ono at
a Iimo. kneolinr, at Tho Emporor'a foet 40 loan
az ho chose to inspect hor; and each Young
WOMAN GRO leaving i,ig prosance lid hofore hip3
= handkerchief broiaerod WITH poarls. Iyan
1 hositated for a long time but finally fixed hir
choicc upou Maria sobakaine.
Tho auocoodiue Uzars followed this ouatou
until 1t came to 30 considerod thnt no Ozar had
tho rtght to choose his bride ID any other way.
publio opin,on hed Tit It would not be lust to
take from eyon tho most huu1ble Of Iugeiau
Gesutics her = chance Of becoming Ennrcss,
Wien Alexis Roulna,lof, at that timo a widowor.
lad gouo to visit tic boyar Matroof, he wa
creafiy struck With tho modesty. Ind beamty
| nf Nathslin Nnrychi;no tho daurhtnr