New-York tribune., 1880-10-03
THE Grand DUKE CONSTANTINE.
FROM Tn. Whitehall Rer,e,s.

No living member of the Imperial family of Rus
sa with the exception, of course OF the Car him
self)has been more talked about, praised anu ma
llgned than the second son of the Bear" From
hls very infancy the Russian press was Dusy about
him. ana it Is only lately that the public OF Musc0vy
are beginning TO believe tnat in his there has
been much ado about nothing and that the bark
is of more Importance than the bite. The present
Gar having always, even in his extreme youth,
been remarkable for his most reserved and quiet
habits the second son of Nicholas attracted aten-
ton by reason OF several absurd and meaningless
anecdotes related about him during his childhood
which seemed to indicate that he was possessed OF
more than the ordinary amount of brains and char
acter allotted to members OF the Imperial family of
Russia. There can indeed be doubt that the
Grand Duke Constantine is, beyond all comparison,
the most intellectual member of his family, and If
he has not quite answered all the expectations en-
tertained by his admirers 1t s because those expec
tatIons we're exaggerated and founded upon false
or superficial idea of his abilities
Having incidentally sneered at the cosmopolitan
character Of the Russian nobility he was forth With
put down Panslavlst; having said one day IN
Jest My brother is only the of the Grand Duke
Nicholas, whereas am the son or the Emperor" he
was pointed ont as an ambitious lntriguer ana.
while still child, on going on board man-ot- war,
when he insisted upon his titular dignity OF " Grand
Admiral being observed by ordering all sail to be
holsted and the rigate to be turned to Cronstadt,
all the press proclaimed him destined to be one of
the future naval heroes of Holy Russia. Not one of
these wonderful predictions has come true and al
though since his accession TO the throne the Gar
has put his brother III many prominent and Impor-
tant posi- of political life, the Grand Duke Con-
stanUne remains simply what he always was-no
cOnspratOr traitor, martyr or genius, but simply
the most intellectual member of his family. and not
the least charming personally. Like his nephew,
the CesarOwitZ, his great defect Is want OF sus-
tanned energy he will conceive great things and
even in some rare cases, endeayOr TO execute them
but he will tire soon and abandon them, and sink
back indolently to his music and cotere OF friends.
Personally he is the most charming OF men, al
though, oddly enough, he is not widely popular in
st. Petersburg Society, being considered cold and
proud aud unreliable His salon, however, is one
which we should earnestly advise ali those furnished
with the proper credentials 10 frequent for IL the
rendezvous of much that Is, from all intellectual
point Of view, the most remarkable in the Russian
capital. Himself an accomplished musician and dis
cipe Of RubInsteIn, he has many friends IN the ar
tstic world and world OF letters. and one OF his
greatest intimates is the celebrated Count Lutke.
President of the Academy of Sciences. In word.
the general impression His Imperial Highness gives
an impartial bseryer who has had many OppOrtu-
nities of studying him closely is of being man
who perhaps, in early life NAV have intended to be
great but VINO grew tired of making any efforts as
years PASSED, and finally decided to content him
self with being merely charming.