The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21

Is no assured and Transforming hone Of
conscious and blessed Immortality ontsids
OF the Christian Scriptures, and that all
the PHILOSOPHERS do not bring God so near
70 man as he Is brought by the GOSPEL of
christ. The non-Christian world NAV
give In valuable criticism and confirm
scriptural truths, and make excellent sug-
gestions as TO Christian Improvement. but
IL mas nothing To add to the Christian
Greco. The work is prOfusely illus
trated. lChlcago: The Parliament Pub
ilsnng COMPANY. Sold only by subscrip-
ton. The King Publishing Company, 1872
Market street, sole agents for the Pacific
coast. Two volumes. cloth; price SCI
IHE ROMANCE OF AN EXPRESSIVE
have here, translated from the French of
X. Waliszewski, what is really fascinat-
ing biographical sketch of Catherine IL.
1he author says in his preface: This is
romance in which fiction finds no place.
Even legend enters into it no more than il
must needs enter into every faithful eyo-
cation of the past The readers curiosity.
however, and his taste for adventure. if
ne has II. will lose nothing all the same. "
Inc promise OF the preface is not belied in
the story that follows, and the author
gives so many facts of interest concerning
Catherlne's personality and the people
who surrounded her that after the book is
finished, though we must condemn her
vices, we Cannot but admire her great
talents and the vigor she displayed in the
conduct of her empire. Materials for an
exact study of Catherine, we learn, have
only OF recent years been accessible, but
now patient and discriminating search
OF the State archives in Russia and
France and of documents published by
hA IL
have thrown much new light upon her
character Upon this material is founded
The Romance of an Empress" One of
the first things the reader or history will
be apt to inquire is whether anything has
been discovered to clear up the mystery
OF the murder of Peter III, a worthless
character, whose only title to renown is
that he took the heiress of an obscure
German priDcipaity and made ii possible
for her to sit upon the throne of the
Romanoffs. Unfortunately, NJ. Walls
ZeWskl leaves the mystery as deep as
ever. The crime has been generally cred
tied TO Alexis Orloff, the brother of Cath
arine's favorite; while Others think the
Indirect lnstigator, IL not the perpetrator,
was Tirplof. Ii it was Orloff, he dOu bt-
less did 1t In cOnnIvance with his brother
to advance their interests with the Queen,
whereas II TiTDlofs was the hand which
directed the deed the direct in stga:or must
erick Of Prussia declared. twenty wears
afterwaTd that Catherine was ignorant OF
the crime, and the despair with which she
heard Of 1t was not felgned, 'for she justly
foresaw the judgment that everybody
passes upon her to-day" Perhaps under
all the circumstances it would be as well
for us to accept Voltaire's philosophical
view, who wrote of it some years after the
event: Il know that she (Catherine) is
reproached with some trifles about her
husband. but these are family affairs about
which / do not meddle. And after all it is
often as well 10 have fault TO repair: it
obliges people to make greater efforts to
wrest esteem and admiration from the
public" Catherine once declared, II am
a beginner by profession. Every-
thing is begun. nothing finished" And
history has conceded with this self-confes-
sion. She was a monarch of great under
takings. though but few were carried to
conclusion. But this is partly accounted
Tor by the fact that she had to do
With new people. Russia was at this
stage, Waliszewski tells us, nation which
had no need Of being directed-for the
most part not even susceptible of direc-
ton. THE sole misfortune of which il ia
capable is that of falling asleep. It would
be IN vain to take such a nation by the
hand and lead it into the way that il
knows so well how to find by itself. II
sufflces to give it shaking and start it for
ward from time to time. That Is what Cath
erlne understood in the most wonderful
way. Her action was that of a stimuIapt
ana a propeller-of prodigious yioor -
NJ. Wahszewskrs object has been not to
give history Of the reign of Catherine.
put rather the portrait of q woman and a