The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
"

quired dominion Of the Crimea. otherwise called
the Greek Kingdom Of Bosporus which had been
long ruled by Tartar Khans as vassals OF the
Ottoman Sultan, but which was ceded to Russia
in 1888 This journey was intended to be, and
was, a triumphal progress, and the Empress wrote
TO the Prince de Lignc inviting her 10 accompany
her. Delays occurred so that the start was not
made till Jan, 1887, when the Empress left Czarsko
Zelo attended by the principal personagcs of her
Court and by the Ambassadors Of France, Austria,
England and Prussia. The King OF Poland met
her on the way, and the Emperor Of Austria. Joseph
H. Joined her at Kherson. The Prince de Ligne
wrote series Of letters descriptive Of this journey
to tho Marquise de Coigny; they are reproduced
In the second volume of this work and set forth the
author slatest impressions OF remarkable woman.
They were printed after the Emprcsss death by
the author himself. who gives the following rea-
son for their publication: Il request malicious per
sons who have read the Private Life of Catherine
II, and another libel called her 'Amours not TO be-
lieve them. There may be a few little things that
are true in the accounts which have appeared of
the journey Of the Empress TO the Crimea probably
remembered and repeated by those TO whom told
them. But. as they are mingled with other things
that not true at all have resolved to publish the
letters that1 wrote during this journey II Her I'm
r6tinl Majesty Of all the Russas still liv-
ing. should not publish her praises; when sang
them. she did not hear them. will she now"
The last letter which the Prince de Ligne re-
ceived from the Empress Catherine ii was penned
in July 1896. In November Of that year she was
seized with apoplexy and died without reg aiming
consciousness in the sixty seventh year Of her age
The Prince staggered by tho blow. With
the Empress disappeared the last living link TO
his brilliant past: more than that II was loss to
his affections Immediately after her DEATH
he wrote account Of her which was published
in his miscellaneous works. and which is repro
duced on pages 2l629 of the book before us He
begins by telling us that "She was still handsome
sixteen years ago" that Is to say In 1850. when
she was fifty one years old. 1T was plain that
she had always been beautiful rather than pretty:
the majesty of her forehead was tempered by the
eyes and the charm of her smile. but that forehead
told all Without being Lavater, one could read
there, as in book. genius justice, honesty, courage
depth. equanimity geptleness, calmness, frmness.
The breadth of that brow revealed the faculties
Of memory and imagination; there room there
for all Her slightly pointed chin was not abso-
lutely advanced. but II was certainly far from
retreatng, and had much nobility. The oval
OF her face was not we'll defined on this account;
though the face itself infinitely pleasing for
the frankness and gayety that dwelt upon
her lips. She had fresh complexion and
beautiful bust the last, however only came to her
at the cost of her waist, which once was slender
almost to breaking. In Russia the women grow
fat very fast" In those days II was by no means
superf1uous TO add that she was fastdously
cleanly. Our author opines that. II she had not
had fashion OF drawing her hair back when it
ought to have fallen lower and framed her face she
would certainly have looked better. One scarcely
perceived that she was short She told ME
in her slow way that at time she had
been extremely quick in her movements -
a thing Of which 1t was impossible TO form
idea. Her three bows in masculine fashion
Ia Russo were always made on entering a room,
precisely in the same manner: one to the right
to the left, the third TO the middle in front OF
her. Everything about her was measured and
mcthodcal. She had the art OF listening: and so
great habit Of presence Of mind that she seemed
10 be understanding when. perhaps, she was really
thinking OF something else. She never talked
for the sake OF talking. and she brought the best
out Of those who talked to her. Nevertheless
the Empress Maria Theresa had far more witchcry
and fascination. She gratfcd and allured much
more than the Empress Catherine at first sight,
being led on by the desire to please every one
in general; then her grace gave her powers
that more less studied. Our Empress
charmed the Russian Empress allowed the much
| less powerful impression that she first made to
deepen. They rcsembled each other in one thing,
namely. that though the universe should crumbe
al their feet i'm pat iddS ferient ruinde Nothing
earth could have made them give way. Their
great souls were armorcd against reverscs en-.
thusiasm few before one and marched behind the
other" The Prince de Iigne expresses the con
vcton that II the sex Of Catherine the Great had
allowed her the activity Of man, able TO every
thing for himself and enter into all details, there
| would have not been single abuse left in hei
i
| hesitate to pronounce her a greater sovereign
than Peter the Great; she would never have
made his shameful capitulation at the Pruth
We are told that her predecessors, Anne and
Elizabeth would, on the contrary. have made only
commonplace men. whereas, as women, theil
! reigns were not without glory. Catherine Il
| united the qualities she had remarked in then
| with all those that made her the creator rathe
| than the autocrat Of her empire She was easily
| q greater statesman than either Of those En-
presses; she never risked anything, and, whethc
| belligerent or pcacemaking, she never met with
| a single reverse
The quality Of GATHERINGS intellect was sturdy
rather than supple. Our author recalls that sh,
never said any but good things Il could cite thous
ands) yet never witty one. Is il not true, sh,
said 10 me more than once. that you never heaIc
me utter bon mott You never expected TO finC
me so stupid, did your" The courter replie1
that he preferred her careless talk, which grew
sublime when IL touched on noble facts of history
Of feeling or Of government What sort OF look
ing person did you suppose me 10 be? was tn
next query. Tall, stiff, eyes like stalls and
great hoop" This amused her whenever sh
thought Of II, and she often repIoacbed the Primo
for it, Il thought" explained. there would b
| nothing 10 do except admire; and elimination il
wearisome" He goes on TO note thai twas the con
trast Of the simplicity OF all she said in sccial f
with the great things that she did which mad
her so piquant She would largh at paltry things
idle quotations. nonsense and could emuFe kcI
self with nothing. Isn't II true" she Gskod On
day, that should never have wit CROUCH 70
Paris am convinced that, II had been one O
the women Of my country who go there in travel
ling, the Parsians would never have ssked m
TO supper" She called herself sometimes you
impcrturbable." because once when the two wcr
speaking Of the qualities OF the soul. the Prime
told her that was pre,emnently hers. The word
which took her quarter Of an hour 10 rro rouno,
rolling II out with her majestic ard sorcror
slowness. diverted her much, especially when, {