New-York tribune., 1893-12-24
THE CZAR, ,HISLIFE ANDWORK
PORTRAYED BY AN ADMIRlNG FRENCHMAN.


in his Alexander III, His Life and His Task"
gives the whole credit TO the Car OF having
originated the idea OF Admiral Gervaiss visit
to Cronstadt The execution OF that idea was.
according to NJ. Flourens. due TO Nj. de La
boulaye the French Ambassador at ST. Peters,
burg. who succeeded General Appert there He
was so Jealous in carrying into effect the Cars
wishes as to get himself recalled from his high
post by NJ. Ribot can believe this. NJ. Ribot
would have no objection to all Europe becom-
ing Republican, but as a Liberal of the Dufaure
school he has no desire to see 1t become Cossack
through the nstrumentality Of the French Re-
public. NJ. Flourens was one Of the promoters
Of the French exhibition at Moscow In 1891. He
now says that he went into that enterprise for
political reasons. and he takes credit to himself
for having In furthering 1t prepared the way for
the Franco Russian demonstrations Of last Sep
tember He speaks Of his conversations with the
Car, and throws side lights furnished him in
Russia On the diplomatic history Of the last ten
years. AS there are no shades whatever In his
pictures OF the imperial family. or In the account
of the Cars work as an administrator his book
Is to Issue from the censors hands with no
paragraphs pages blacked with printers ink.
NJ F'ourens has no kind Of sympathy with the
aspirations Of the Finanders, or Of the Lutheran
populations Of Courland Lithuania The
former ought be too glad to be rolled into uni
formity by the bureaucratic mangle and the lat
ter are poor blind bats or narrow minded prag-
matte Germans because they are not satisfied to
yield to the sou-crushing espotism of the Ortho-
dox Church of which Alexander III is the head
Alexander. told. is not animated by any
feeling of bigotry against Lutherans or Catho-
lies. He Is above that. But he sees great
national interest in having faith. one bap
tism. one cult-the one he himself processes; in
short. as much uniformity in the domain Of
conscience there Is In the vast steppes Of
which he Is the sovereign.
VI. Fourens received at Gatschna. He
describes the Car az the theoretical and
spiritual father of 100000 900 subjects. and the
father. according to the flesh. Of five charming
children. His home life is kindly, moral and
dgniEed: his tastes simple. and he could
AFFORD to live I'm a glass house. The Ministers
are his fellow workers. He Is patient. hard
working. conscientious, methodcal, and, in
! short has the qualities though NJ. Flourens
! does not say so--of first-rate German bureau-
/ crat. All his hours and moments are mapped
/ ont beforehand. The time 10 be given to feteS
| and functions IS strictly limited His time of
daily recreation Is during the two hours that
/ follow his midday meal which is taken in a
/ great dining-room at the end OF which pro-
j
/ the young grand dukes and grand duchesses.
! The Car drives walks or takes violent phys!-
| cal exercise in these two hours. His wife, who
likes TO think she shields him from Nihilist
conspira tors generally accompanies him. She
| is a tiny wife, OF a slender. supple figure, which
contrasts with his gigantic stature. Her pret
tiness has the charm Of piquancy. for her dispo-
! sition is lively and her face shows II TO be so.
| She is passionately fond Of dancing and he OF
music and he is often stage manager and
cornet-A piston player at theatricals in which
the whole Imperial family take part The
/ Czarina according 10 NJ Flourens, has high
strung nature Danger is not without charms
for her One sees that she Is intrepid She
almost enjoys riskng her life 10 share the
| cars dangers in riding on horseback to re-
views with him and in always being at his
side in the sledge troka. VI. Flourens speaks
/ Of her as being intensely jealous OF her moral
influence over her children. Nobody must
! share that. She does not let them have gov
ernors and governesses. only teachers. and
| these direct the sub-teachers professors in
rotation. Thus there is the English teacher
today the French tomorrow. the German the
! day after. and time il not allowed To any to
/ gain an ascendency over the pupils mind.
The Imperial children are frank kindly, simple
hammered and natural They have a courteous
! bearing are entirely free from affectation. and
! yet are conscious OF the high rank TO which
/ they We're born Their manners are perfect. In
| Denmark they have In their numerous cousins
| pla ymates and friends who equal
! footing At Gatschna. whore they live when they
are not at Fredenburg i'm the Crimea. they
are allowed the Of the palace. and romp in
the state and galleries among the
masterpieces Of japanese or Chinese or French
or Russian art The eldest who IL now adj
mitted To membership in the Council OF the Em-
pire IS the image Of his mother. and tiny.
The Russians are unable to reconcile themselves
To his small stature. they being for three gener-
ations in the habit Of seeing gigantic emperors
| and grand dukes. But the little Czarewitch ac
cordng To his fathers complacent bographer.
has In him the making of great Car. He Is
Of "A resolute character, is studiOus. conscientious
and when he has IA conviction stands by II.
Thus ON the day on which he was admitted to
SIT in the Council of the Empire he differed on
some vexed question from his father and voted
against him with the minority
The Grand Duke George must be the image Of
the Princess Of Wales and the King OF Greece.
| He ovcrgrew his strength. requires special care
and a warm climate--a reason why he has lived
away 50 much from home in the Caucasian
Mountains and Algeria. He alone does not
strikingly resemble the Czarina. Her retrousse
nose. full lips-the lips. by the way. OF gour-
mand-are repeated but without piquancy. in
! in all the young grand dukes and grand
duchesses. The third boy. the Grand Duke
| Michael. is the flower of the flock. He is fair,
has frank. sweet, azure eyes, and the sort or air
which associate with the word aristocratic.
Alexander IL an early riser. lie works In what
ne calls his morning room small apartment In
the right wing Of his palace OF Gatschina. The
! furniture Il contains large desk. book
case. Il few chairs and a brass lamp. purchased
at the French exhibition at Moscow. lie re-
ceives there his Ministers. and reads the papers
they submit to him. Any one suspected or pecu-
lation Is shut out forever from his presence.
Doubtless Alexander III Is honest as the sun.
and as well-medning NJ. Flourens thinks
| him. But he IL not omniscient and he
| has 10 hear and through other