Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11
CHILDHOOD OF AN AIVOCRAT.
Catherine of Russia Described u!
others ana Herself.


In paper by Susan Coolidge, in the Au-
gust Atlantic" this portrait of the EN-
press Catherine in her youth is given:
1t was curious situation. On one side
the partition was this brutal, foolish boy
fogglng mis- dogs and his attendants. play
ing like child with regiment of puppets
often drunk, ana passonately resisting the
oruer 10 take ii bath, which thing was ali
hOritnl To MS soul, on the otner Side was
ms E!rltSh wife, acute, penetrating, sllelI,,
scrutmiZihg ana Judging Things and PEI
sonS, Veiiilg benedtI SMILES i.hd u,Sci Get
words ner reai character ana purposes.
inele sae sat inoHtn alter month, DeauiHs
ner curry head over book. books were
her c!ieI friends, she tells u.s. during those
years or suspense. Sf:e always ctrfIeu One
III her pocket and il sne nau moment to
herself she spent IL Ia readlns. size re;iu
political ecJnOIny; she r1dI f'Ia.o; she read
sHneDouyS history OF Germany IA nine soI-
umc5 qudrto, Ailne. de Se.IS,c, Daronids
Mon,esqu,eu's Esprit des Lois oita,ce >
I nv crSal history; also. ali the RGSs.,.L
books she could lay holt Of, anu the '-Al-
mails OF iacitus, which, she says, caused
a singular revolution IN her BRAIN 10
which, perhaps, the melancholy cast OF her
thoughts at that tInlr contributed hot
Il nttie. She studied nGri at lal-
g''auSes, eluippins herself il every way
mplacabiy set She read under sur
veIIiance, as she dii everything else. =
maid always stood by 10 wItci her. All
sac could see WAS the young duchess ntent
upon her boons. No one suspected the
passions at worA under that childish CA
terror. the pride, the IesDlNe, The DouniiesS
aInb!riCn concealed behind The bright Young
eyes and The really smile.
Here is her portrait, the portrait of
desoOt in embryo. painted by herself:
In whatever position 1t should please
Providence 10 place me, | siJali n-Eef Ice
without those rCSl urces WIiCn talent and
ia tgfvr < tu1p
to his natural abilities, ant | felt myself
pcsse3'et OF sitlcieat courage either to
mount or descend without Le4ng carried
away by undue pride on the enc hand. OF
feeNnS huinbie1 CT diSp,ritCI ON the other.
| knew 1 was a human beng. and there
fore OF limited powers and Incapable OF
perfection, but my intentions had always
teen pIr" Gri Esod. If from the very be
ginning | had perceived that - love II hus-
band who was not aniabie ana who took
no pains - BE- 50 was q thiaG diHicalt, i!
not impossible, yet at least I had devoted
myself to him ard his Interests with al.
the attachment which Il friend AMI even =
servant could devote to his rricad ana mas
ter. Ny counsel to him had always lea
the very best 1 could devise for his wei
rare; and II he dill not choose to follow /.
the fault was not mine, bat thai Of his own
tudsment, which was neither suunt no:
just. When ! came to Russia. and durias
the first years of our union. had this pr.n e
shown the least disposition II make ni,,l-
-
been opened to him: but when ] saw that
OF all possible objects, | was the one en-
whom ne bestowed the least atten-
ton. precisely because l WAS his wife
II is not wonderful that l SHOULD Enl my
position neither agreeable Eor to my taste
or that l sh02ll coIsiIer /. icfsJ.ue ans
even mi ;eca!ic. This latter feeling | SUD
pressed mole resoUtely than any other
the pride AMI cast of my disnos;ttol rel
de::nS the i1ea CT being unhappy most re-
plgnant II me. l Used IL say to myself
happiness ard misery depend n ourselves.
II you feel unhappy. raise yourself cbove
your misery, and 81 act that your happiness
may I've independent Ct accidents. To s-ch
a disposition | Joined great sens bility. ana
a face, to say the least Of it, interesting.
one which pleased at first sight without
art or effort. Naturally induIcnnt. l won
the confidence ef those who ha any reia-
tons with me, because every one felt that
the strictest probity and good will were
the impulses which | most readily obayed:
and IL I may be allowed the expression,
| venture to assert in my Cwn behalf that
| was true gentleman. one whose cast Of
mind was r1Cre male than female; and vet
| was anything but masculine for. Joined
to the mind and character of n man. /
possessed the charms of very agreeable
female .... ..... .,..