The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
Emperor Nicholas l.

Danilovitch. a most respectable man,
but q nonentity and not even a person.
age belonging to the upper ten or pos
sessed OF manners or education In the
social sense Of the word. He was Of
that class Of people who eat with the
knife. and though he did not communi-
cate this popularity to his imperial
pupil, yet he did not teach him those
small conventions which distinguish
gentlemen born from gentlemen by rea.
son Of their official position, which lat.
ter are but too often found in Russia.
The instruction which the young
Grand Duke received differed in no way
from that given to cadets in military
schools: he was taught obedience and
submission to the will Of his parents.
but he was not prepared for the high
position in which he found himself
placed quite Unexpectedly. Such a con.
tingency had never been catered for by
those responsible for his training.
The Emperor Is an exceedingly ran.
corous man. Instead Of practising the
principle which made Louis XII. of
France so famous-that OF not remem-
bering as king the injuries he had re-
ceived as Duke Of Orleans-he thinks
II his duty to chastise when he can
every slight to which he considers he
has been subjected. either a. sovereign
or as heir to the throne. He likes to be
feared. but unfortunately he cannot
even inspire respect. much less awe.
He feels this. and not knowing how to
fgm against the lack Of consideration
for his person he becomes savage in his
wrath, and though in appearance a
quiet. inofensive little man. Ia capable
Of the utmost cruelty and hardness.
He has no generous impulses. none OF
that enthusiasm Of youth which induces
one to do generous actions, even when
they are not quite in accordance with
prudence. He lives q mechanical life
devoid Of interest and Indifferent to
everything that does not concern his
immediate person.
People have asked themselves whether
the indifference ne has shown In grave
moments Of his life has been affected or
real. When the news was brought to
him OF that terrible disaster Of Tsu.
shima which cost Russia her whole fleet
and the loss Of 10 many precious lives
the Emperor was playing tennis In the
park Of Tsarskoe-Selo. He read the
telegram that sounded the knell Of 20
many hopes and then quietly resumed
HsS 8Suc, NOT muscle OF MS race
moving. Was It stoicism. indifference
or a strength Of mind almost SUPER
natural? The world tried to guess, but
was afraid to think that It arose from
Inability to understand the greatness
OF the catastrophe. 1t Ia certain that
no one has practised with greater sue
cess than he has done the famous
maxim OF La Rochefoucauld, that I'VE
bear with the greatest composure the
misfortunes that do not concern us"
Nicholas II. probably thought that the
misfortune which had befalien Russia
on the day Of Tsushima. did not concern
him personally. Just as he did not real
ize that tho catastrophe Of Khodinska
which made his coronation 40 memor.
able and cost the lives OF nearly 1000
people, concerned him too. On this las,
occasion no danced the whole Of the
night following It; on the first one he
went on playing tennis. The only dif-
ference between the two lay in the kind
OF amusement he INDUCED In.
When he found himself confronted
with revolution It never once occurred