New-York tribune., 1902-05-11

and with an Unsuitable capacity for enjoyment
was bound to end in catastrophe" But the
author of this book protests against the notion
! that there was at the start amiability all
between the two. Catherine was not. he asserts,
habitually neglected and i'll used by her hus-
| band. He was to the end of his days good
natured man, and. though often rude TO his wife
| he was never brutal. If they drew apart, it was
| because neither could really understand the
other. Peter had perception enough to recos-
nize something Enthusiastically in his wife To
( the brilliant young Princess DashkOva7 who de-
tested him and wOrshipped Catherine. he once
said: My child. you would do we'll to recolect
/ that il is much safer TO deal with honest block
heads. like your sister and myself. than with
great geniuses who squeeze the juice out Of
/ the Orargz and then throw away the rin8-
! TT though he had glimpses like this OF his
wife's true character, they We're ftful and d't
not carry him far. He did not see that, while
there could be no question of love between
them. it would have been Well for him to have
made her one of his advisers. The consideration
ne first showed for her opinions did not last
/ long and after a while she saw in him only a
/ foolish creature who gave her no pleasure and
did nothing for the good of the country Thus
| they passed from one misunderstanding To an
! other until misunderstanding, developed on her
, side into contempt and on his into Indifference
Such a situation boded i'll for the empire, and
though Mr.. Balm says the best he can for his
hero. he say nothing that suggests any
really states1uanIike abilities in tf- latter. 'u
his accession to the throne he recalled a NUM-
| Der of exiIes. though his selections were not all
calculated to please the people. HE instituted
one or two reforms. The oppressive salt tax
/ was reduced the judicial torture chamber WAS
| abolished. and the police department was % a
certain extent overhauled and improved tie
showed. too. that he was WiIuG To work W.T.
ness this passage from Mr- B,.D~ chapter Oh
the opening of the new regime
At The beginning OF his reign the ueV e.a-
paror IN. infested "a I,l-rish ru,r-y and Il minute
diligence in the discharge of his duties "A-
| distressed and dISquieted all the SuPln- ta
somnoIcut oureaucrats who had grown up un --r
I the easy going Elijah bcthau regime Pvtyg aTt~t
every morning, summer and winter, AT o. tl.. g.
! While he was dressing hIs atjutantS Wyr- IL
mitted to make reports and take orders Fro..
To I'D he was IN his Cabinet conSultns Wlia MS
ministers. Before IO he had already gone -1e
round OF all the pdblc offices, often arr F...9
there early To ind no one but Junior tt..
On the premises. whereupou the senators tHl
ministers wound be roundly rebuked for neglect
ing their duties. Al the stroke ~ IL ne dppv--'i
on the parade ground. where all the officers sore
already awaiting him. After rigorous insi
tion of his warriors (aud wee betide the sold -~
| whose Cravat improperly tied whose
buckles We're not CT the regulation sizel Pete.
| assisted by a Prussian officer. the subSeqUeu.E
/ celebrated General Bauer. would exercise the
troops himself till O'Clock. II must also III i-.-
ness be admitted that he made an excellent
ed at the discipline and steadiness of the tr''2s
| after Il couple OF months of this rigorous rr-i-
men. and confessed that he himself could uet
/ have done more within 50 short u time N /
/ o'clock Peter diued without the slightest ,rtv-
monv, calling TO his table any one ot whatever
rank with whom h. would speak OcvdSlvulty
he accepted Invitations To private houses. t~ie-
Cially the houses Of the English factors where
he was a great fdVoriJe- His afternoons were
/ never idle After short SieStI he would go
/ about n fresh tour of inspection. generally
appearing when ana where he was least ,N-
pected. His evenings We're devoted 10 anus
ments Of a boiStcrOUS description in th' c,re.r "t
his IIolstei9 o:fcers where the emperor, tlr--1
/ naturally abstemous. frequently smoked and
drank more than good for him. the proceed
/ inSS generally terminating in rough horScI'-N-
. Very often. however the time between dinner
and supper filled up with concert When
/ Peter would. for hours ut time. play first v.'-
/ lin in the orchestra with inCOuCeIVahle artor-
| Then supper and smoking party VHith
/ lasted generally far into the night after "hlth
! Il Peters usual practice To discuss p'Hl'~
and transact business with his CCnfdautS u :
O'Clock Yet ne always Up again at o,l''N
/ the next morning that he seemed 20 many
people 10 lie in a fair way toward running H7
! health shortening his days. To all those N %"
had grown uP beneath the old. tranquil. 'hl
/ sway of Elizabeth. the hustle and racket of the
new reign very disturbinS- What " IN '.'
marching and exercising of troops and the r"li-
/ ing of carriages and the traffic and COuCour~'
says ROlStCV. st. Petersburg seems tO have Un-
dergOne a complete change. and all its Cirtun-
stances are altered that We seem To be
, breathing quite different atmosphere.
Against such merits reflected in this
/ rI,I. ,rfrra #F