New-York tribune., 1909-02-14

"A
orom engraving after the painting by Mopse-
show their zeal. and they did. In Poland +,
the Caucasus. the name Of Nicholas I is stiH a
terror" All his ideas Of life. we are rernindsI
were drawn from his military experiences u
dstrusted his subjects and turned to the oe5
cials of German blood whom he gathered abo,.
him. and they sometimes carried out his orders
with a cruelty ne had not contemplated T. :,
said that he regarded himself as the To,T,
anointed. the instrument Of Providence ana
that he truly wished to act Justly and visalzz
His English critic is inclined to think that +,
the less prejudiced future sit viii be fo,rnd
that he did as much for the advancement of
the true interests Of his country as could be
expected in the circumstance" character
istic story, hitherto unpublished exempIfes the
Nicholas regime, Mr.. Hodgetts declares, better
than reams of description:
When the Emperor was in Moscow witnessing
performance of Lucia di Lammermoor' at the
splendid opera house, one OF the largest in the
world. a fire broke out and the theatre was burnt
to the ground. The emperor IN calmly told the Gov
the same day: I shall expect 70 find the opsrI
listen 10 a performance Of Lucia By the slTrs Ir
company" and he was obeyed- He was in truth
what the Russians call a Molodyetz smart fsI-
low.
Did Nicholas really dis of a broken heart
over the defeat Of his Crimean army and the
consequent revelations of the corruption Of his
system of government? He would not believe
the news from the Alma brought by the tele-
graph. and il was not until several days after
that he was induced to credit the report Of
courier from the battlefield Have heard
rightiy?' he exclaimed Are Russian troops
defeated and have they fed before the enemy"
1t is not necessary to consider Paul Grimm's
story that Nicholas committed suicide In de-
spair, the agent being poison concealed IN
ring; but that he did perish in this manner IS
still it is said, the common belief TIE private
life of Nicholas was for many years exceed
ingly happy. As youth he fell romanticaiy
in love with a stately maiden. the daughter Of
that Queen Louisa of Prussia whose l0EelineSs
and whose virtues made Of her for the German
people a worshipped ideal The spiendidy
handsome young Grand Duke did not sign IN
vain. and their marriage was in all respects one
OF genuine affection Empress Alexandra greatly
encouraged native talent as well as the talent
Of other European countries. and had an Unat-
fected interest in the arts. especially N music
There is a pretty story that summer morn-
ings at Peterhof she woke to the sound OF q
band playing the strains Of the first waltz
which she danced a girl at Berlin with
Nicholas, her fairy prince from the north
Their first born child a son, who as
Alexander II was to not only ernanCipate the
serfs. but 70 grant many other liberal reforms,
and who. by strange paradox, was to Be the
first Russian Emperor attacked by a street
assassin. Many chapters are here devoted TO
his career. and they are animated by some
thin, like enthusiasm. Whatever his faults.
says the author, whatever his mistakes, be
was honest and singIe-minded, and he marched
through the world doing his duty TO the best Of
his ability and according to his lights He lad
the foundations Of freedom in his country, and
under his reign that country was glorious. Pros
porous and developed an intellectual and arts
tic activity that was unparalleled With rs
death it seemed as though q brief spell Of SUI
shine on the usual grey and cloudy sky OF TIE
Russian winter had been brought to an enc
That sunshine, AIr. HOdgettS believes, viii re-
turn. Brief studies of Alexander III and OF Us
son, the present Emperor. together with Dis
cussions of the phases OF life and politics n
the Russia OF to-day complete the work II Is
in too many particulars painful history oul
it ends, we are glad to say, note OF cneel-
ful anticipation