No. 21.—THE NEW CZAR AND CZARINA OF RUSSIA.

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 38, 4 June 1881, Page 412

No. 21.— THE NEW CZAR AND CZARINA OF RUSSIA.

Out here in the Colonies we do not as a rule take much interest in European Royalties, but the following sketch of the new Czar and Czarina, which is from the pen of one of England's most famous journalists, contains so many new and interesting social details that We have determined to publish it intact. "A Russian Grand Duke, " the writer commences, "said in the reign of the late Czar to a great English statesman, ' Whenever God means to clear off a dynasty pour utilite, ■publique, he so manages as to have it represented by Princes who cither must be extinguished, or are easily got rid of." This Imperial Highness looked forward to the extinction of the Romanoff ■dynasty, and to prove that he was a sincere prophet of evil, told of the investments which lie had been making in Republican France He was asked what reason he had for supposing that the reigning family and the principle they represented were pretty nearly used up ? ' Because,' he replied, 'there is not a man worth a straw in the whole lot, and the women are a lot of poor weeds.' The Grand Duke in question had a good word to say for Michael Nicholaivitch, and Vladimir was an excellent fellow; hut he ought to have emigrated to New Zealand or Australia, and there followed on a large scale the business of a farmer. As to the Czarewitch, now Alexander 111., he was a Kalmuck, and his mind was purely rudimentary. lie had no belief in anything except the orthodoxy which a woman of narrow provincial intellect — his mother — had stuffed into his head, and the •compressing power of brute force. The Czarevna, his wife, was mignonnc, and had seductive graces ; hut she came also of a used-up stock. There was some attenuated Marie Antoinette furniture in the room, to which the Grand Duke pointed to illustrate the idea which he wanted to make clear. He asked if the very attenuation of the Marie Antoinette style did not indicate the necessity for the new blood which revolution Avas to transfuse into French institutions ? It was worn almost to a thread when the storm of 1789 burst upon Versailles. The new Czar, it must be admitted, is a rude warrior, who does not want to be scratched to show Tartar blood, which of all the Romanoffs he alone shows. He is tall and of massive build, and has more backbone and less shank than the other male descendants of the Emperor Paul, from which he takes his small eyes, which -are very exjn-essive of pleasure or of anger, the high cheek bones, bridgeless nose, and the wide as well as wide-open nostrils. The shape •of his mouth, which accords with that of his other features, is now hidden with a short full brown beard and a moustache. In one respect Ms majesty is German and a Hesse-Darmstadt. His Majesty is a melomaniac. The sense of melody was, until the late Empress entered the Roman off family, denied them; and the late Emperor thought music noise. Music has been •one of the agencies of Avhich the new Czarina made use in taming the savage breast of her husband, and attaching him to the domestic hearth. Her tact, liveliness, and prettiness enabled her to gain a legitimate influence over him, and to polish him up somewhat, for before his marriage he had rough tastes, was allowed to indulge in them, and not to give his eldest brother trouble when the latter came to the throne, had been allowed to grow up ■nninstructed, unless in Greek orthodoxy and military drill. To the orthodoxy he did not take so kindly as his brother Nicholas, whose birthright and fiancee he was destined to inherit. Nicholas was a mild, smooth-skinned Jacob, and afflicted with a spinal malady from hischildhood. It occasioned a brain disease, which carried him off at Nice within six months of the time appointed for his wedding, The first journey made by the actual Czarina across \ France was for the purpose of taking an eternal farewell of her betrothed, avlio expired when' she was at _ his bedside. She returned overburdened Avith grief to Copenhagen. Russians have a great objection to anything which reminds them of the dead. When a great personage dies, they lock up the room in which he \ dreAv his final breath, or Avail up the doors. In the poorer classes they think it a profanation to spend in Aveeping over graves the energies which are needed for the living. Widows re- | marry, but a Russian does not like to espouse the relict of an intimate friend. When therefore, the Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandreovitch died, there seemed no prospect of the daughter of King Christian ever recovering the «hance which had slipped from her, of one day wearing the croAvn matrimonial of Russia However, Prince Gortschakoff and her father put their heads together and managed to hand her on to the (JzareAvitch Alexander, to whom she was married in her ninteenth year. Her marriage did not give promise of domestic felicity. The CzareAvitch had formed an attachment for a Maid of Honour of the Empress, nee Metcherski, and daughter of a noble poet. 'The

Metcherskis, Panines, Gargarins, and Dolgoroukis formed a powerful clan at Court. The particular Princess with whom the Czarewitch was enamoured was highly gifted with beauty, intellect, and delicate sensibilities. She and her Imperial lover were called ' Beauty and — must I say it all ? — the Beast. ' You know the tale of Perrault from which the soubriquets were borrowed. The beast in the story was rough outside, but the inner man was both admirable and lovable. Princess Metcherski, remembering tins, was not offended at the Grand. Duke's nickname. He proposed to marry Beauty, and told his parents he would never accept anyone else for a wife. They sent him from St. Petersburg with his regiment. When be was absent, she was obliged to accept an otter which Prince Paul Demidoff had been instructed to make her. He reluctantly obeyed ; she, believing the Czarewitch had forsaken her, went, with a breaking heart to the altar, and directly the ceremony was over she was taken abroad. Within a, year she died at Vienna, leaving an infant son behind her. Paul Demidoif was greatly shocked at her death, and to atone for neglect and harsh words, threw himself head foremost into religion. He gave up the Circle Imperial, where he sometimes lost as much as 300,000 f. a night at baccarat, and founded an ouvroir for poor women in the Faubourg St. Antoine. Prince Paul was at that time devoted to Mr. G rattan Guiness, Lord Kadstock, and an enthusiast named Pappengouth, who spent his life trying to ascertain what particular Sovereign was anti-Christ. He finally came to the conclusion that it must be Napoleon 111. Bismark, he was satislied, was the Little Horn. "When Princess Paul DcmidofV was no more, Alexander yielded to la roiaou iVctat, and became reconciled to the Princess Dagniar. He soon forgot his great disappointment. I saw him in Paris go into convulsive lits of laughter, the year of the 18(57 Exhibition, at Mdlle. Schneider's antics in 'La Grande Duchessc.' At his wife's entreaty, he consented to study, and took lessons, always with her at his side, from professors of history, mathematics, and political economy. He and she became inseparable companions, and, indeed, comrades. She went with him in his hunting excursions. When the state of her health admitted, she rode out with him, mounted on a licet and powerful horse. He, on his side, accompanied hefr in her annual visits to Denmark, where they cast state aside, and lived a natural hourffcois life. The Czarina is slight and tall, but looks inicpionnc beside her husband. She lias less regular features than the Princess of Wales or the Duchess of Cumberland, but has more expression and animation. Her eyes are those of a songbird. The face is oval, and the nose slightly rctrousec ; the mouth is pouting, for this illustrious lady has full, rosy lips. She has beautiful silken hair. Her hands and feet are small and elegant. The figure looks to advantage in a riding habit with a fur collar. I have seen portraits by Komney which were very like the new Czarina, who is imbued with grace, amiability, and it is said the faculty of divining spirits. The vulnerable point is a horror of what is vulgar, coarse, xinrclined, or democratic. She lias nexer yet been to the Elysee. The Czarewitch visited there when he sojourned at the Hotel Bristol, but she could not bring herself to go with him. Her Majesty i.5 refinement itself, and to some extent petite ■maitrcss. And yet she was brought up in very straitened circumstances, and taught to make her own dresses and bonnets. Her father's income did not exceed £1200 a-vear before he ascended the Danish throne. The Czarina was at Copenhagen during the last war of the Duchies, and has never forgiven the Germans for the evil they did then to her native land."