New-York tribune., 1896-10-18

daughters married on she has no domestic cares
Of her and Is a; liberty 20 order her mode %
existence rs she peases. unhamporcd by any re-
strictons or obligations Her rank f. Of tho high
est For She Is the cldcs, daughter OF Queen Vic
torla and the mother Of the present German En-
pcror. besides which she enjoys the titles and the
status OF an Empress-Queen. In fact. She has tho
rank OF sovereign without any OF the responsible
flies that are attached thereto; and while abe may
at one moment have experienced some dlsappolni-
rnent at being deprived by her husbands premature
death Of the opportunity TO inaugufatc IN Germany
n number Of political social and economical REFORMS
upon which she had set her heart. Yet she Is far
too clever a woman not to have realized by tn,
time that her existence an Empress Dowager is
IN infinitely more agreeable one than that OF an
Empress regent would have been.
Had she been at the present moment SEATED by
her husbands side on the throne she would have
had little or no time to devote to all those arts and
sciences to which she Is 50 passionately devoted.
and which nowadays occupy the greater portion Of
her life There are few more gilod women in the
world than Empress Frederick. the diversity. the
scope and the depth OF whose knowledge are simply
amazing. In conversation II T. difficult 10 hroach
any subject, matter what 1t Is. that she has not
mastered. Her acquaintance with m"diaeval,
renaissance and modern schools of painting and
with all forms and works OF art industry H. unsur
passed even by those men who have devoted their
lives 20 these studies. and the writer Of these lines
has on one and the evening heard her convcrs-
ing on Venetian art with Ludvic Passlni. proving
herself his equal in knowledge OF Venice. past and
present: talking with distinguished physician.
who was astounded by the theoretical knowl ledge
which she displayed Of the throat and breathing
orsans declaring that If she had had but practical
experience she would have been the finest throat
doctor I'm the world; and discussing literature with
a celebrated Englishnan Of letters chlding him
upon his admitted inability to cap passage from
Pope which she quoted. Her skill with the brush
IS far beyond that of mere amateur, while her
sculptures surpass anything OF the Kind ever at
TEMPTED by n woman. The subject which naturally
stimulates her to artistic effort Is the portrait
of her fondly loved husband. His memory IS 20
fresh In her mind. her eye 30 capable OF recalling
his image and her hand well trained to follow
her impression and 10 reproduce what she can
visualize that no sculptor could Vie with her in re-
producing his Likeness. On occasion she had
given n commission to the celebrated German sculp
tor Uphus for u colossal statue of the Emperor
Frederick one day she called at his studio while
he was al work on the clay model of the bust She
pointed out to him some features In which he had
not caught the likeness. When verbal explanations
did not adequately convey her meaning she asked
permission TO model herself. set to work. and In
half an hour with touch here and there modified
the features 10 such degree that the sculptor
WAS astounded by the striking likeness. The model
has since been put into marble. ana is universally
considered TO he the best portrait cxtant of En-
peror Frederick
In spite Of being grandmother the widowed En-
press Is still In splendid bodily health and vgor.
She rides on horseback daily, and in winter spends
n considerable amount Of time on the Ice skating.
Kindhearted generous and mpulsive she Is. never
theess "A fierce hater and dangerous enemy as
Prince Bismarck found 10 mis- cost. For 1t was
mainly through her ccverncss and diplomacy that
he lost his post of Chancellor and was relcgatod
TO private life. Indeed. his overthrow was uni
versally regarded ut the time rs her Victory vic
tory which no one could grudge her who remem
bered the cruel persecution 10 which she had been
subjected by the Prince both prior and subsequent
TO her husbands death. Had Bismarck had his
way and been permitted TO fulhl his project, En-
peror Frederick would not have been permitted 10
ascend the throne for the three short months that
his reign lasted and his wife would never have OBJ
tained either the rank the revenues OF an En-
press
The Empress IL not comcly, and, In fact, has
never been pretty but has always had bright.
Intelligent and pleasing face Moreover she mas In
herted her mothers peculiarly meiodous voice.
She is impcrious and intolerant OF stupidity and
affectation Her objection To the latter renders her
particularly averse TO her eldest son. whose fond
ne,s for posturing and posing she abomnates ana