New-York tribune., 1901-05-11

correspondence with Philip Christopher Count
SIS Herbert 5. Stone & co. ~
Here is the romantic story OF that foolish.
headstrong and unhappy beauty, Sophie Doro-
thea of Celle. story now for the first time told
with anything like careful accuracy and with
the use OF every available document The
originals Of large number Of the letters which
passed between this lady and her lover. Count
K0nigsmarck found their way long years ago
into the archives Of the University Of Land in
Sweden. and have never been published before
save IN the form OF few brief and unimpor-
tant extracts in a Swedish book now out OF
print They waken pity for dead and gone love-
Illness. and grace and charm all wasted and
brought 70 woful straits, but we do not see in
AEr Wilkins's sympathetic pages much 10 change
the judgment pronounced upon Sophie Dorothea
by Thackeray-"that she had cold selfish lib
ertine Of a husband one can doubt. but that
the bad husband had a bad wife is equally
clear"
bad husband indeed was the suIlen. mean.
coarse fellow who was TO become George OF
England and bar forever the advent OF the
sprightly gentleman Of St. Germans He was
not all despieable perhaps: he was a good SOL
der. and, Thackeray reminds US. while he
and his German train plundered England for
the sake Of his beloved Hanover and his Han
overian haren. he let her govern herself. But
there his list OF virtues stops. In his treatment
OF the beautiful little cousin whom he married
he was merely brutal and base. She was the
sole heiress Of his uncle. the Duke OF CeIle. and
George Louis and his father and mother Of
Hanover wanted Celle and the wealth thereof.
81 the tears and protests OF the child OF sixteen
availed her nothing. She never loved her
faithful husband. and when handsome. dashing,
sentimental K6nigsmarck. soldier Of fortune.
cf,a a3ernTN lost ha-
restless and unsatished heart. The two years
% letter writing and love making which fol-
lov-ea were full Of misery for the princess. and
A. Is certain that II the plans Of elopement made
IN their last interview had succeeded. her life
would have been more wretched still. His letters
show that the fascinating adventurer loved her
as much as such man could love anybody. but
il was a cruelty selfish love. and, glamour aside.
he was a poor sort OF hero. Whether he were
boasting IN his cups of her affection or care
fully pointing out 10 her how much worldly
prosperity he had sacrificed for her sweet sake
he seems a decidedly uninspiring parsonage He
owes something after all 10 the infamous Count
ess Platen, who set her group OF murderers
,lpon him in the dark corridor Of the old Han
overian palace For that tragic death, brought
about by a furiously jealous and vindictive
woman. serves even now 10 push into the back
ground the meaner aspects OF his relation 20 the
unfortunate princess. He was not IN truth
worth the mad and slavish passion she lavished
upon him.
Her letters are much pleasanter reading than
his They are mostly graceful refined and
uolished-even the foolishly sentimental
are in their way well expressed. Her style is so
modern that il is hard realize that the writer
has been dust for two hundred years. The little
princess had not beauty alone she had wit and
ACCOMPLISHMENTS and a nimbleness OF mind
which she no doubt derived from her French
mother For Duke George William Of Celle had
married 10 the prodigiOus and never ending
wrath of all his heavy German relations. a
tain poverty stricken E1eanore d'Olbreuse,
beautiful Huguenot whose blood, blue though
it was in France. did not seem sufficiently blue
70 these Brunswickers. Eleanore was good and
clever woman, an excellent wife. dignihed duch-
ess. and King Edward OF England and the En-
peror william Of Germany need not be ashamed
of that ancestress, albeit she not OF royal
strain. Indeed, they might well be grateful for
that French leavening OF Hanoverian dulness
coming down 10 one through Sophie DorOthea's
son. George II OF Great Britain and Ireland, and
10 The other through her daughter. the Queen
OF Prussia mother OF Frederick the Great
Sophie Dorothea was twenty-eight years old
when the catastrophe OF her life fell upon her,
ana 20 her sorrow over K0nigsmarcks death
hand ana his family could infiict. Repudiated
nv them and by her father. she was practically
iunprisoned for thirty-twO years In gloomy
castle" overlooking the marshes OF Ahden. She
saw her children the day before the murder; she
never saw them again. In the ruin OF her world.
only one soul remained faithful 20 the poor
creature-her mother. After that mothers death
she was indeed unfriended. for about her were
attendants who systematically cheated. be-
trayed and robbed her. II wretched ex-
istence as portrayed by her sympathizing biog-
rapher:
Most authorities say that she was never per-
mitted 10 enter the church, and a minister at
tended her in the castle; but local tradition con-
tradicts this statement, the truth probably being
that al first she not permitted, but when
the stringency OF her prison rules was relaxed
a little she was allowed 20 attend public wor-
ship. II is said that she was conducted 70 and
from the church. only few yards from the
castle gate by escort. She was not allowed
20 walk about the village, only IN the castle
garden. which Is very small hardly larger than
a prison yard and bounded on one side by the
Aller and on the other by the mOat and marsh
She was permitted 20 drive a distance OF six
miles from the castle along certain road 20
the west. There Is stone briage on the way
20 Hayden which marked the six miles limit OF
the drive. The princess was never allowed 90
cross this bridge nor could she drive along any
other road but this. Thus far and no farther
could she go; this way and none other for thirty
years. How tired she must have got OF ~
Piteous was her lonely death. and her coffin
long lay under a pile Of sand IN the cellar AT
Ahlden awaiting the Kings final orders His
FIRST command was that his uncrOwned queen
should be buried with as little ceremony as pos
sble in the garden; but IL was rainy season.
the Auer had overnowed It's banks. and no