A passion for a married lady seldom produces on the lover's part a friendly feeling towards the husband, but it did so in this instance-Lieut. -Colonel Gorski subsequently informed me, that during the last war, 1831, before a general engagement between the Polish army and the Russian guard, the soldier above referred to oflBcially apprised his superiors, that although otherwise determined to do his duty in the field as became a Polish soldier, yet should he chance to be confronted sword to sword with the Grand Duke Michel, he would neither kill nor wound his imperial antagonist, in order to spare the bitter anguish which such misfortune would probably produce on the mind of the Grand Duchess, but that he should have no objection to make him a prisoner.
This singular declaration naturally excited general hilarity among the oflBcers, who, at all times courteous to the ladies, afforded the Grand Duchess's ardent admirer the opportunity of drinking sundry glasses of excellent claret, to the health and prosperity of the fair object of his affection, whom he saw but twice for an instant, and with whom he never exchanged a word. The taste of the Polish soldier was by no means a bad one: the Grand Duchess proved to be the best dancer at the fashionable Polish balls at Warsaw; she is of dignified stature and graceful deportment; she bears an equal resemblance to the Marchioness of Aylesbury and Viscountess Palmerston, and thus realising our conception of a Scandinavian queen, one of those northern beauties so glowingly portrayed in Ossian's poetry. She received a superior education at the celebrated seminary of Madame Campan, protected by Napoleon, and was there called la belle savante.
His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Michel when in a passion is like a lion, ready to tear, it is said, everything before him, but when the passion is over, he is sociable, and such a wit, that his jests force a smile on the most care-stricken countenances. Albeit he is a Eussian, he behaved well some years ago to one of my female relatives at Carlsbad. He saved her intended from a journey to Siberia. Indeed he does not seem to partake of the deadly hatred of the generality of the Russians towards the Poles, nor is he so much hated by them.
It is to be remarked that the late Grand Duchess Constantine ex • cited almost a similar passion at first sight in the heart of Baranski, one of the strongest men in the guard in the late Polish army, probably still alive; but the latter saw her often at the reviews. She even remarked him first, and the late Grand Duke, her husband wishing to oblige his wife, and having been apprised of his good conduct, promoted him to the rank of an officer.
CHAPTER XL— PUGATCHEF.
Page 187. (a). — As everything on Russia now is interesting and excites the general curiosity, it may not be amiss to give a sketch of her principal military commanders.
The most powerful men in Russia, after the emperor, are Princes Worontzof and Paszkiewich.
The former has an aristocratic name; has been in England, and has the reputation of being an accomplished gentleman, an able administrator, a man of extensive knowledge and information, rather than a great general, though he is not altogether deficient in military capacity. He has always, it is said, advised peace being made with the Circassians, against whom, no Russian general was ever successful. He owes his elevation not only to his enormous wealth, to his high friends and connexions at the Russian court, but also to the minor military successes of Prince Dolgorouki and General Freytack.
As to Prince Paszkiewich, he is a man that does not belong to the NOTES.