Leading Articles in the Reviews. 



659 



STRANGE LEGP:ND OF A RUSSIAN 

 TSAR. 



Did He Die a Hermit in Siberia ? 

 Madame Jarintzoff discusses in the Contemporary 

 Review the legend of Alexander I. and the hermit, 

 Thcodor Kouzmilch. She says that the great historian, 

 N. K. Schilder, transparently alluded to his own belief 

 in the possibility of the story. A book pviblished in 1907 

 by the Grand Duke Nicholas Michailovilch denies this 

 possibility. But the writer thinks it worth while to 

 state the case afresh.- According to the usual story, 

 Alexander died at Taganrog in 1825. But the legend 

 says that shortly before this occurrence he went out 

 visiting the soldiers' hospital, and was struck by the 

 face of a soldier dving of fever, who was said to have 

 been strikingly like the Emperor. On November nth 

 the Empress's diary ceases. 



CID HE CHANGE PLACES WITH A DVING SOLDIER ? 



The doctor's diary tells how that Alexander refused 

 on the 14th to take medicine, and said, " Don't be 

 angry with me ; I have got my reasons " : — 



During these last few days, from the l6th to the 19th 

 November, Alexander ceased to speak. All the descriptions 

 agree that he " became delirious and (|uite changed." // any 

 replacing of him by the soldier from the hospital or by anyone 

 else could have taken place, it could only have been done in the 

 course of those three days, whilst the real Alexander was still 

 conscious and able to fulfil the desire of his life, and yet ill 

 enough to make his suite think that he was near death. With 

 his extraordinary self-control, one may, perhaps allow him even 

 this feat. Certainly, if the (eat was accomplished, it was with 

 the help of people of the place, and not wiili the connivance of 



which, it must be remembered, were painted in both instances 

 only from memory. 



There are many other things that point to the 

 identity between the hermit and the Tsar. But " the 

 legend cannot be killed, however much may be written 

 against it." 



bU staff. 



THE MYSTERIOUS HERMIT. 



There were many popular legends at the time to the 

 elTect that the Emperor had not died, but a soldier had 

 been killed in his place :— 



In 1837 (/.f., twelve years after the stated death of -Mexander 

 in Taganrog) there appeared in those remote places an old 

 hermit, who called hlmseU Theodor Kouzmitch. L'ntil his 

 death in 1864 he lived a grave, solitary life in four successive 

 places, the last of thc-sc a hut near a forest belonging to a 

 merchant of Tomsk, one KroniotT, who in 1S59, with great 

 reverence, invited Theodor Kouzmitch to dwell there. The old 

 man, without disclosing his past or his real name to anyone, 

 became known at once from the time of his appearance, not 

 only amongst the neighbouriog popul.alion, but in all Siberian 

 and European Kassia. 



When people came from afar to see Theodor Kouzmitch they 

 found a tall man with something great and strangely fascinating 

 about him, with a big brow and a long silver-white beard, of 

 felicent and gentle speech, like one who hail known and suffered 

 much, with manners instinct with natural charm, and a lovable, 

 smiling look in his eyes that was not to be forgotten. I lis habits 

 as regards tidiness and accuracy were exceptional. lie used to 

 walk up and down the field, in front of his hut, with the gait .,f 

 a military man ; the altitude of his head and shoulders, and his 

 arms folded at the back (.\lexander's favouiil'; pose) suggested 

 power and command ; his itep was precise ; nd .licrt. I lis pose 

 on horseback undoubtedly expressed perfect case, and indicated 

 practice since boyhoml. There was an extraordinary amount nt 

 gentleness and consideration in him and a fascination in his 

 quiet voice (one of Ahxandcr's characteristic qualities). • 



.Schilder traced a great likeness in the features of Theodor 

 Koiumi:ch to those of .Mcxandei on comparing their portrait". 



A BENEVOLENT AUTOCRAT. 



Under this genial title, T.P.'s Magazine contains an 

 appreciation of the Hon. Richard McBride, K.C., from 

 the pen of the editor. 



Advocates of second chambers will be pained to 

 know that British Columbia gets along very well with 

 only one house of legislature ! Tlie supporters of ilr. 

 Jlciiride number forty, and the Opposition two 

 members. In addition to his premiirship he holds the 

 office of Minister of Mines. Th^ office is no sinecure, 

 for " T. P." writes :— " Take, for instance, his treat- 

 ment of what even in British Coluinbia is a not infre- 

 quent occurrence — namely, labour unrest. Labour 

 unrest is serious in any country, but it is most serious 

 in countries where the' prospect of the (juick return of 

 mining draws the strong and advL-nturous and some- 

 times unruly men of all nationalities. British Columbia 

 is full of great mining camps ; and thus the Prime 

 Minister has had to deal, more than once, with situa- 

 tions that, beginning in a dispute about wages or 

 hours of labour, or a conflict between union and non- 

 union, might easily have developed into bloodshed. 

 .\nd bloodshed there would have been if the conflict 

 between elements so stubborn and so resolute as the 

 miners on the one side and the mine-owners on the 

 other had not all to be submitted to the cold, clear 

 judgment of the ruler of the country." We coijld do 

 with a few autocrats of the same sort on this side at 

 the present moment. 



poi:try in the magazines. 



When June is IIi.kk. 

 Mr. ]ows. Northern Hilliaru contributes to the 

 June Lippi'uott's the following Unos : — 



When June is here the btirgconed trees 

 Vield tribute to each passing; breeze ; 

 The ghostly dandelions while 

 .Sift through the air in ftallier flight. 

 And tleck, foamwise, thfr grassy seas. 

 The lilt of birds, the droBe of bees, 

 And all the jocund niinsttrelsies 

 Of nature swell for oui ilelight, __ 

 When June is hew. 

 We reck but little, at ou^ ease, 

 Of either leaven or the Icls 



Of life ; but with a heart as light 

 As buoyant swallows in ihcir llight, 

 Wc cast aside care's panoplit^, 

 When June is her». 



Rodin at home is the subjei t of a chatty antl 

 interesting sketch in the Lady's lualiit by .Madame 

 Ciolkowska. 



