The sun., 1908-08-09


December. t7A or l7st. was the daughter
OF General In the Russian service. who ai
the time Of her birth was military oom-
mander at Riga. Her mother, whom abe
lost In childhood. the Baroness Chariotte
Sohilling. was the intimate friend Of Prin-
cess Marie Of wGrtemt erg. the wife Of the
Emperor Paul. The Empress treated Dor
othea from her infancy with inotherly kind
ness, and appointed her when Hhe left school
one Of her maids Of honor. Tho girls court
life, however. was OF short duraticn. for In
1900 OF 1904 she married Count (afterward
Lieutenant -General) Lieven, an ofloar who
became envoy at Berlin In 1900 or 1910 and
who was made Russian Ambassador at
London In 1912. For the next twenty-five
yeers Nine. do ldeven resided at short In
tervals in kngland. Thore she began by
becoming leader Of fashion, the intimate
friend of lady Jersey and Lady Cowper, q
patroness OF Almack's, In which capacity
abe introduced the waltz to London society.
Touching her personal attractions, We may
acoept the testimony Of Mr.. Greville. who
10 said to have been one OF her many lovers,
and who In later years became ono Of her
correspondents. without any pretensions
:" ooouG' ue "Htoe, DIG pau % hne ."
air and manner, and co'intenanoe 90
pretty and 30 full Of intelligence as to te.
on the Whole. avery striking and attractive
person He adds that almost imnne-
diately she took her place in the cream OF
English society. forming close intimaoios
with the most conspicuous women In 1t.
and assiduously cultvating relations with
the most remarkable men OF nj! parties
Welcome everywhere. she was the guest OF
the Regent at Brighton; she made the
round OF all the country seats OF the
Kingdom.
In ono OF her letters to her brother. who
for many years held q post Of oonfdenoe
at the Russian court, she told him that abe
was literally fought for. and that 1t was
not 'fashionable" where she was not. 1t
seams probable. however. that her LIE from
1919 to 1854 when her husband was recailed)
was much fuller and moro interesting than
bad bean her lie beforo that date. Durfng
tho nrst half dosen years OF her long so1ourn
In England enc mao played great soo,ai
part. but from 1919 the interest which pre-
viously she had taken in social matters was
supplantsd by the greater interest which
abe gradually acquired in politics. Even
tually. indeed. her absorption In politics
gave her comparatively little leisure Tor
society. Tho extraordinary change IN Nine.
do Ldeven's interests seems TO have been
In the nrst instance quiokoned by her inti-
macy with Prince Metternioh. whom she
INST In 1918 at the Congress OF Aix-la-Cha-
pelIe. Extracts from her oorrespondenoe
Justify the statement that she conceived
passion for him as he for her. In one OF
her letters she writes: MY friend. how
sweet 1t II TO love ttheel It's ravishing
thing she longed for his company and
depiored bis absence % q penanoe. The
relations formed between them at Ax-la-
Jhapene were renewed at Verona four years
atsr. ChAteaubriand described IN bitter
language Mme. do Laevcn's presence at the
atter famous congress-. He could not for
give her for her neglect OF Nine. Reoamisr.
Who had accompanied him to Verona. 1t b
,Iear that the salon of Nine. de Leven was
he oentre Of all that was best at the oon-
yress. Although the judgment seems
hard on Mime. RAcamier and long list
IF prinoesses present. she said herself, that
hero was not another woman Of distinction
here, and that she was the sole represent
ative Of her speoies- It was at Verona that
'hs gained tho frisndship Of Count Nessel
-ode. tho most nguished representative
,f Russia. Thereafter she became fro