The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-22

curly hair. Genius" we are told. seemed
seated on her high white forehead. Her eyes
we're soft and sweet. her nose quite Grecian. her
complexion norid. and her features very ami
mated" When our author arrived at st. Pc
tersburg Prince Potemkin had been dead some
years. but they spoke OF him still as sort OF
enchRnter. Ono may form an idea OF the extra
ordinary lveliness OF his imagination in read
ing the account written by the Prince de Ligne
OF the journey made by the Empress in the Crl-
mea-the palaces. the wooden villages which he
caused to rise along the road like exhalntions.
and the immense forest no burnt to give her
Majesty real frework exhibition. II Is well
known that this man, who had so long remained
first favorIte. could not survive tho thought OF a
disgrace. and that tho news OF his successor.
Zoubofr. having gained entire asccndancy over
the mind OF the Empress. literally killed him.
Zouboff was by no means well disposed toward
Mmo. lie Brun. apparently because she had
seemed TO neglect his patronage. Notwith-
standing tho dislike OF tho new fnvoritc. abe
wns asked to paint the young Grand Duchesses.
daughters OF Paul. afterward Emperor. as well
as the Princess Anne. wife OF the Grand Duke
Constantine. At this period the court OF Russia
was composed OF such great number OF charm
ing women. that a ball at the Empress's was n
marvellous sight: hut none. in Nine. lie Bruins
opinion. who was. perhaps. wont to fatter her
patrons could vie In good looks with the ladies
OF the imperial family.
According to our author. who probably did
not look much below tho surface, the Russian
people lived 50 happily during tho reign Of
Catherine that small and Rreat blessed her ms
one to whom tho nation owed its glory and
well being All the remarkable actions OF her
reign are here ascribcd to Catherine alone. for
she never. we are assured, gave any real au
thority TO others. debating her dispatches to
her ministers. who were but her secretaries
We are told that Lady Bruce. who had long
been hor intimate friend. said one day. /
notice that your Maiestys favorites are very
Young" " l desire them TO be so" che replied
II they were older. people would cay they
governed me-" Zoubofr. who was the last was
not moro than % ut the outside. The Empress
appeared to treat him most kindly; neverthe-
less. all agreed In saying that the one OF hor
lovers she had most cared for was LanskoI
For the latter the great Catherine mournod
long. often retiring alone by moonlight to
u tomb she had erected for his remains
This woman. IL seems. whose power was 80
absolute. was when alone. the simplest and
least exacting OF her sex. She rose at five in the
morning lit her own FIRE. and made coffee for
herself 1t is related that one day having liz 1t
without knowing that a sweep had gone up the
chimney. the man began TO swear horribly at
her. fancyinR he had to deal with a servant
Tho Empress fastened 10 put out the fire. not
without laughing at this berating. At another
time she rang in vain for her Wallets and open
ing the door and fading them playing cards
she demanded why they had not answered her
bell. One Of them replied quietly that they had
wanted 10 finish their game. and she said no
more upon the subject. 1t was not Nine. Le
Bruins privilege TO paint the Empress Of tho
North. for tho day appointed for the sitting
Catherine was seized with the apoplectic attack
which struck her down. II is worth noting that
after her death Paul caused the body OF his
father to be exhumed. and reinterred with more
honor than tho remains OF his mother. tho
assassins OF Peter III. being compelled by his
sons command TO carry the ends OF tho pail
which covered the bones Of the murdered SOW
eregn. Paul indeed was so vlndlctive that
the greater part Of his excuses may DO at-
tributed TO his hatred for the Russian arlstoc-
racy. OF whom he had good cause to complain
during GATHERINGS lifetime. Paul. It seems.
was extremely ugly. having fiat nose. and very
larce mouth full Of long teeth. which made MIN
resemble "a deaths head. The Empress Marie.
on the other hand was a handsome woman.
with splendid fair hair. and from being rather
stout, looked still fresh.
Not long after Paul's assassination. Nine lie
Brun returned TO Paris. As In tho case OF
the Empress Catherine. she had imagined the
famous First Consul TO be n sort OF Colossus. and
could not be made 10 recognize as Bonaparte
the little. slight man who WAS pointed out TO
her. She found an Old acquaintance in Nine.
Campan. who held a high position in the Bona
parto household, and she remarked. with sur
PRISE. in her friends room n bust Of Marie
Antoine,te. Il told her" she writes how
pleased was to see 1t there. and she said Bona
partc approved Of It. which. | thought. was nice
Of him. 1t is true that at this period he seemed
10 fear neither the past nor the future" Soon
afterward tho Princess DolGorouki came TO
see Nine Le Brun. who asked her what she
thought Of the Court Of the First Consul 1t is
not court" she answered. but power"
We have been obliged to pass over some OF
the most interesting chapters in this very at
tractve book. Among these we would specially
commend TO the reader those describing our
authors experiences In London at an exciting
luncture OF the Napoleonic era, rs well as the
account Of Partisan society under the Restora-
ton. Indeed. the whole book Is stored with SO
much curious information. and is pervaded
with such bright and genial spirit. that II may
be opened at random without the risk OF light
ing on duh page. To those who have often
succumbed TO the fascination OF French memoirs
We need only say that the present volume is a
class. NJ. W. H.