The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-15
NEW BOOKS.
Princess I.ieyen's letter..

In the volume entitled Letters Of Dorothea
Princess Leven. During Her Residence in
London. isi2-3i edited by l.. G.. Robinson
uongmans). A. Rus, ian Ambassadress at
the Court of ~ James's during most of the
Regency and the whole of the reign of
George ", and also a part of the reign Of
William ", the author of these letters
played n conspicuous part in English
society, and also exercised a good deal of
influence, though the extent of this in
huence has probably been exaggerated.
The letters here printed were written to
her brother. Gen. Alexander Benckendorff
who at one time. under Nicholas l.. as Chief
OF the Third Division controlled { he political
police of the Russian Empire. There is no
doubt that Nine. de lieven was all attractive
woman. and that, although she had no taste
for books, she took an intelligent interest
In public affairs and may he fairly enough
described as politi cian in petticoats.
At successive stages of her career she was
the Egeria of Mctternich. of Earl Grey
and Of Guizot. Parts of her correspondence
with Nletternich and with Guizot have
already been published. When, soon after
her arrival in London, she found the Duke
of Wellington a great power in public life,
she made marked advances to him. which
WtTe I't III ~ CplNlil SIfll, lll' SOME years
later. when the quest ion of the Independence
of Greece became ah urgent one she trans
ferred her devotion 10 Canning. II may
have been because his vanity was wounded
by this change of attitude on her part that
the Duke wrote in retrospect in $40: NO
body knows better than do the lady whom
you mention. She can and she will bctray
everybody in turn if II suit her purpose
~ Do l,,.,, : g h.y shar-
actor was not moro fattcring, although.
according TO the late Lord Chelmsford.
1T was Nine de Levcn who made Palm
prston."
Nine de Lievcn has been held accounta-
he in some degree for the signal trans
formal ion which the relations of Great
Britain and Russia underwent during thu
twenty-five years of her residence in London.
There seems TO le no qualification for the
charg'. II is true that, on the one hand,
the aims of Great Britain and Russia in the
settlement Of the peace of Europe in sli-ij
were identical and that the relations be-
tween the two Powers were extremely
friendly when Count Lieven he was not
then Prince presented his Credentials. II
j. no less true that. on his recall the two
countries had driftod apart and the actions
Of each had come TO be regarded with sus-
picion by the other, and that the breach
then created has never since been closed
The Transformation was Gu To causes with
which Nine de- Iieven had nothing TO do.
In the first place, the liberal sentiments
expressed in lSli. and no doubt enter
tanned AZ the time by Alexander /, were
before long succeeded by the reactionary
policy which, in internal and external af
fairs was to charaC, erie Russia down to
tho death of Nicholas I On the other
hand the downfall of Napoleon was fol-
lowed 10y an outburat Of liberal feeling
in England. which infected even the Tory
party, an,, caused tn" Conservatives TO
accept the leadership of Canning, the siren
uous opponent Of TN" Holy Alliance and
upholder of the liberties of the Spanish
American commonwealth. II, temper
arilv, during he lat year of Canning's ife
the British and Russian Governments con-
Cured in desiring the Independence of
Greece. il was from different motives.
Canning was prompted exclusively 10y
sympathy with the cause Of Greek emar-
cipation from the Ottoman yoke, the ST.
Petersburg Government was influenced
hv n desire to hasten the collapse Of TIC
Turkish Empire.
II j. difficult to understand the intimacy
Of Nine. de Licv"u'- relations with Earl
&c; after the latter became Prime Minis
,tcr. except upon the Theory that she hoped
10 shape "A Liberal policy to absolutist
onCs. She failed, however, 10 prevent
the selection of Sir STAFFORD Canning a.
ioh Ambassador at ST. Petersburg,
selection di-tasteful to the Gar Nichola, l.,
and the failure j. commonly suppose to
have caused her husbands recall II seems
10, ,.,,l, L,.l al
merston promised To cancel Canning's
nomination TO tine post mentioned, but
that the Cabinet had indor,cd the promise,
and had allowed Lord Durham, Special
Envoy to tho Russian capital, to~give
similar assurance to the Emperor. In
one of these letters, dated in November,
1880. az the time when the composition Of
the Ministry beaded by Earl Grey was
settled, the writer says: Lord Grey
wished to give the Foreign Office To Lord
LanSdowne ! suggested Palmcrston, and
Grey consented AZ once, In the hope that
the choice would be- agreeable TO our Court.
Have no fear, not a soul here has any idea
Of the influence by which this has been
brought about" Under the circumstances
we are not surprised that Nine. de Leiven
deemed herself i'll used when Palmerston
broke his promise, and Insisted upon send-
ing Sir STAFFORD Canning to the Rus sian
Iour' After her husbands recall, Nine. de
Lievcn performed for a time the duties of
Lady-n-Waiting upon the Empress, but
she stayed less than year ia Russia, pre-
ferring to live In Paris, where, with few
interruptions, she remained for the rcst of
her life. Hcr attachment to GuiIot and
his devotion TO her We're honorable to both.
Il beautiful sunset To a stormy life: her
last written words to him were, Il thank
you for twenty years of affection and hap
pncss" In lsis she followed Guizot, when
he sought a refuge in England and took
up her residence for awhile AT Brighton,
where, curiously enough, she met her old
adorer, Mettcrnich, who was also fugitive.
In 1850 she returned to Paris, and, with the
exception of a few months after the out
break of the Crimean War, continued to
live there until her death IN 1857.
OF course, in these letters we hear great
deal about English society in the second
and third decade. of the nineteenth century;
The writer admires, but w4h qualifications;
her viewpoin, is distinctly foreign For
example: this beautiful England il al