The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-16
BISMARCK LEARNING RUSSIAN.
"Reminiscences of the Man who Taught
Him in st. Petersburg.


NJ AleXef Is bringing out an interesting
volume in which he gives his recollections
of Prince Bismarck. NJ Alexief was the
Russian professor of the prince all the
time the latter was Prussian ambassador
at St Petersburg. Bismarck on arriving
there determined to learn the Russian
tongue, and set about doing so at once.
NJ Alexief had taught many upper-class
Germans, and was strongly recommended
to the new ambassador. He received a
message from Prince Bismarck asking
him to call at a given hour at the embassy.
When he arrived there he was shown into
the presence Of the Prince. He spoke in
flatterng terms Of the Russian tongue,
and said he had resolved to learn IT, Il
know" he said, that the task of learning
to speak 1t is difficult, and particularly for
a foreigner, but / cannot stand working
through interpreters, who have their eyes
and ears open the whole time they are
Interpreting. They have been already
cause of trouble" M Alexief says II was
Prince Bismarcks instinct to be always
putting his shoulder to the wheel and
doing so as far as he could without the
help of servants or agents. He took Rus
sian lessons twice q week from 10 TO u
O'Clock; he never kept the professor wait
ing moment. The ambassador was APP
prised of his arrival without delay, and
ne CAME uOWu W the ullluE room IN a
dressing gown and a smoking cap, which
hid his badness and made him look
younger. A cigar was in his mouth; he
had a pleasant way of accosting his
teacher and of shaking hands. When this
ceremony was over he offered a cigar
Prince Bismarcks cigars were the best
NJ. Alexief ever smoked When compli-
mented on them Bismarck, who was then
only count, said that good cigars were
the best friends of the diplomat The best
dinner that ever was cooked would leave
a bad impression If followed by bad
cigars.
NJ. Alexief was surprised at the rapid
progress Of his pupil. They read together
Russian books. Bismarck had hardly
dipped into the grammar than he asked
10 translate Tourgueneff's novels. "Une
Nichee de entilhommes' had just come
out. He copied In an exercise book all
the words he did not know. writing with
a quill pen, and in large. well-formed
letters.
When asked whether II might not be
more convenient to use a pencil he said:
mo; have never yet been able to write
with pencil a pencil is good for lympha-
tic. cold commonplace or effeminate per-
sons, who are not Obliged to write often
and much. / never remember what /
write with a pencil, and hardly ever forget
what / write with a pen" His memory,
and particularly his visuFl memory was
surprising. He could tell exactly in what
part Of book such or such passage oc-
Cured. The Prussian ambassador and
his teacher read LA Cloche." Of Hezen
and LA Avenir" Of Prince Dogorould
Both papers were prohibited in Russian
but an exception was made In favor OF
the embassies. At the end OF four months
progress had becen 80 far made that Bis
marck could converse fairly well IN Rus
sian and understand what Russians. speak
ing In that tongue, said 10 each other
One morning he related how he had dined
the evening before at the Winter Palace.
The Gar Alexander n. often spoke 70
Prince Gortchakom IN Russian Prince
Bismarck whenever this took place. as
sumed black stare, rs though he did not
understand. Suddenly GOrtchakOn. look
Ing "a him, asked. "Do you know Rus
siam" Bismarck confessed that he had
been learning n FOR four months Alex
ander n. expressed bic great Fatiafaction
but did not for The resf Of the eveuing
speak 20 hiH chancellor in Russian
d. AieKicf says be- did not end the prur-
sian ambursador good pagmaater One