From the Athenæum.

Demetrius the Impostor. An Episode in Russian History. By PROSPER MERIMEE. Translated by Andrew R. Scoble. Bentley. THE history of the Russian adventurer Demetrius, by M. Mérimée, has a double interest; it is one of the most stirring episodes in the annals of Russia and it is one of the most remarkable examples on record of a species of historical illusion of which almost all parts of the world have furnished characteristic instances but which has not yet received a sufficiently profound investigation at the hands of philosophic historians. Many places of the world have produced impostors, who, personating dead men, and laying claim to their honors, have for a time had a career of The Perkin Warbeck of English History is no solitary example of imposture aiming at a crown. But perhaps in no case has imposture been associated with so many circumstances disposing us partially to respect it, and even to question whether, after all, it was imposture in the strictest sense of the term, as in the case of the pseudo-Tsar, Demetrius.

success.

without just causo, to secret violence, Boris did ascend the throne. For five years he reigned as Tsar; governing with great energy, but with such haughtiness and cruelty as to become universally hated. The Russians were exasperated, and were in a state of mind to hail any one who should promise to deliver them from the tyranny of Boris. Such a man appeared.

Suddenly a surprising rumor was brought from the frontiers of Lithuania, and spread with incredible rapidity through all the provinces of the empire. The Tsarevitch Demetrius, who was believed to have been assassinated at Ooglitch, was still living in Poland. Having been favorably received by a palatine, he had made himself known to the principal nobles of the republic, throne. It was related that he had wandered and was preparing to reclaim his hereditary for some time in Russia, concealed beneath the frock of a monk. The archimandrite of the convent of the Saviour at Novgorod-Severski had given him a lodging without recognizing him. The prince had proceeded from thence to Kief, leaving in his cell a note, in which he declared that he was Demetrius, the son of Ivan the Terrible, and that he would one day recompense Ivan the Terrible had died in 1584, leaving the hospitality of the archimandrite. On the his elder son Feodor to succeed him on the other hand, it was stated that persons worthy of throne, and a younger son, Demetrius, the belief had seen the Tsarevitch among the Zapoissue of a seventh marriage, and a mere infant, rogue Cossacks, taking part in their military as presumptive heir. Feodor, who was weak expeditions, and distinguishing himself by his and unable to rule personally, governed The name of the ataman under whose orders he courage and address in all warlike experiences. by his brother-in-law, Boris Goudonof, a man had enrolled himself was also given. Other auof great ability, but severe, tyrannical, and un- thorities declared that they had seen the same popular. By the orders of Boris, the Tsar- personage, at the same time, studying Latin at evitch Demetrius (the Tsar's son) was educat- Huszcza, a small town in Volhynia. Though ed at Ooglitch, under the care of his mother, reports were contradictory as to details, they all the Tsarina-Dowager and his uncles. He agreed on this one point- that Demetrius was had grown up to be a mad, ferocious imp, of still living, and that he intended to call the ten years of age, when, one day in May, usurper to account for all his crimes. About 1591, he was found in the court-yard of the the middle of the year 1603, at Brahin, in palace, with his throat cut. Whether he Lithuania, a young man, who had been for some had been murdered, or whether he had acci- time attached to the service of Prince Adam dentally fallen in an epileptic fit on a knife Wiszniowieki, in the capacity of equerry or with which he was playing at the time, could valet de chambre, declared to him that he was not be ascertained. The people about the physician named Simon, a Wallachian or German palace, however, and the populace of Ooglitch by birth, having become acquainted with the believed that he had been murdered; and a sinister designs of Boris, or rather having redreadful riot ensued, during which various ceived large offers from him to destroy the life persons were killed on suspicion. The Regent of the presumptive heir, had feigned consent, in Boris, having instituted an inquiry into the order that he might better frustrate the plans case, exculpated the supposed murderer, in- of the tyrant. On the night fixed for the assassi flicted the severest punishment on the rioters, nation, this faithful servant had placed in the and caused it to be declared that the Tsar- bed of the Tsarevitch the child of a surf, of about evitch had died by an accident. The belief, the same age, who had been put to death. Feelhowever, that he had been murdered still reing convinced that Feodor was so completely mained; and it was whispered about that the under the influence of Boris that it would be inmurderer was no other than the Regent Bois possible to obtain justice from him, the physician himself, who had removed the young Tsar- and had afterwards confided him to the care of a had fled from Ooglitch with young Demetrius; evitch to prepare for his own accession to the gentleman devotedly attached to his family, who, in order to guard him more effectually from the hatred of Boris, had made him enter a convent. The physician was dead, as well as the gentle

throne.

On the death of Feodor, which occurred in 1598, and which was also attributed, though

the Tsarevitch Demetrius. He related that a

man to whom he had confided the prince. In the defeat of the forces of Boris, and the death the absence of these two witnesses, the unknown of Boris himself, he was able to enter Moscow produced a Russian seal, bearing the name and in triumph, M. Mérimée gives a succinet but arms of the Tsarevitch, and a golden cross clear account. Entering Moscow on the 20th adorned with precious stones of considerable of June, 1605, Demetrius immediately assumed value. This, he said, was the present which, the reins of government, and sent for his according to Russian usage, he had received betrothed Marina, the daughter of Mniszek, to from his godfather, Prince Ivan Mstislavski, on share his throne. The marriage was celebrated the day of his baptism. The young man, who declared that he was the son of Ivan, appeared with feasts and ceremonies of barbaric pomp ; to be about twenty or twenty-two years of age. and the only drawback to the universal rejoioIf Demetrius had lived he would have been ing was, the discontent of some of the Russian twenty-two years old in 1603. He was small of boyards with the introduction of so many stature, but broad-shouldered, and possessed of foreigners into Moscow, and with the favor remarkable vigor and agility. His hair was shown to them and their religion by the new sandy, indeed almost red, in color; his eyes Tsar. The conduct of the young impostor in were of a pale blue, and yet his complexion was his capacity as ruler is thus described by M. very swarthy, as is frequently the case with the Mérimée, who evidently regards him as a man inhabitants of cold countries. It was well known of no ordinary character :that Maria Fedorovna, the mother of Demetrius, was quite a brunette, and that Ivan the Terrible was rather below the middle height. Those who remembered the Tsar Ivan perceived a family likeness in the face of the unknown; and yet, the Tsar was a handsome man, whilst the features of his pretended son were not at all prepossessing. Several of his contemporaries, who had frequent opportunities of seeing him, represent him to have had a large face, prominent cheek-bones, a flat nose, thick lips, and little or no beard; and this description corresponds almost exactly with his portrait in the Academy of St. Petersburg, and with an engraving published in Poland in 1606. We notice in it, as it were, an exaggeration of the Slavic type, associated with an expression of remarkable firmness and energy. The unknown further exhibited two warts which he had, one on his forehead and the other under his right eye. One of his arms, also, was rather longer than the other. All these signs, apparently, were well known to have been remarked in the child who had died at Ooglitch.

His conduct and all his habits contrasted singularly with those of his predecessors. He was resolved to reign by himself, to know everything, to see everything with his own eyes. Basmanof, though always treated by him with the greatest distinction, and even with friendship, quickly perceived that it would not be easy to govern this young man of twenty-three years old, whose Mentor he had undoubtedly hoped to become. Demetrius would have neither favorite nor master. He was determined that all should bend to his will, and yet, despot though he was, he was fond of discussion, and allowed his boyards the most complete liberty to contradict him. He daily presided over his council; and his prodigious memory, his quickness of perception, and his penetration, confounded his ministers. They inquired where he could have gained such a thorough acquaintance with the state of his empire, its wants and its resources. Though tolerating and even inviting contradiction, he too frequently abused his superiority to rail pitilessly at adversaries whom he had convinced of mis

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It was in Poland, then a more powerful take, or whom respect had reduced to silence. country than Russia, and not well disposed His pleasantries left wounds as deep as the intowards Boris, that the young Pretender sults of a capricious and unreasoning tyrant gained his first adherents and matured his could have produced. Moreover, he too openly scheme of invasion. His most active friend displayed a partial preference for foreign customs, which shocked the prejudices of the Muswas George Mniszek, Palatine of Sendomir covites. He was incessantly quoting the ex-with whose beautiful daughter the ad- ample of Poland, that ancient enemy of Russia, venturer fell in love. The exertions of this and extolling on every occasion the superiority friend won over the Papal Nuncio at the of her laws and of her civilization. Travel, Polish court, and also Sigismund, King of and gain instruction," he would say to his Poland. Many of the adherents of Demetrius boyards," you are savages; you need the polish really believed in his claims as Tsarevitch; of education." These jests upon the ignorance others sided with him on grounds of policy - of his subjects were never forgiven; for that Sigismund, for example, out of hostility to ignorance, in the eyes of many persons, bore a Russia, and the Papal legate out of a hope, sacred character, akin to that of the ancient resuggested by the adventurer, that his acces-ligion and time-honored customs of the country. sion to the Russian throne would be favorable When he entered Moscow, it was still a prey to to the interests of the Latin Church in that throughout the city. He succeeded in promptly the ravages of famine, and misery prevailed country. By one means or another, Deme-remedying this sad state of things by wise regutrius got together a considerable force of Poles, lations which, by encouraging commerce and the Cossacks aud Germans - and invaded Russia, importation of food, soon produced abundance in where there was already an enthusiastic dis- the place of dearth. He also applied himself, position to receive him as the lawful Tsar. from the very outset of his reign, to reforming Of the progress of the impostor's arms, till by the administration of justice, by setting bounds

abruptly from table without washing his hands. This was then considered the height of impiety. Another crime imputed to him was, that he did not go regularly to the bath on Saturdays. On the day of his coronation, one of the Polish Jesuits who had accompanied him paid him a compliment in Latin, which no one understood, and the Tsar, perhaps, as little as any one; but the devotees had no doubt that the speech contained horrid blasphemies against the national

guage of the Papists. Sometimes, when speaking to Russian ecclesiastics, he used the expres sions, "Your religion, your worship." It was inferred from this that he had his own particular religion, which could be nothing else than the Latin heresy. At one of the sittings of the imperial council, it was represented to him that a proposition which he had just brought forward was condemned by the seventh oecumenical council, the last whose authority is recognized by the Greek Church. "Well," he replied, "what of that? the eighth council may, very likely, come to a contrary decision on the matter."

to the rapacity of the judges, and prohibiting | before taking his meals, and he sometimes rese the slowness of their proceedings. Following the example of many Tsars whose memory was cherished in the traditions of the people, he appeared every Sunday and Wednesday on the threshold of his palace, and there received all petitions with his own hand. He interrogated his petitioners with kindness, listened patiently to their statements, and frequently terminated with a single word an affair which had lasted for long years. If he found it necessary to reject a request, he did it with so much consider-religion, for all knew that Latin was the lanateness, that his obliging words gave almost as much satisfaction as if he had granted a favor. His indefatigable activity of mind and body astonished all his court, but the Muscovites, accustomed to the solemn etiquette of their Tsars, thought that he was sometimes wanting in dignity. For example, instead of going to church in a carriage, according to custom, he repaired thither on horseback, and frequently on a restive steed, which he took delight in managing. In former times, Tsars never passed from one room into another, without being supported under the arms by several of their courtiers. They were guided and led about like children in leading-strings. All these tiresome ceremonies were now set aside. The new Tsar went out of his palace without informing any one, almost always without a guard, executing on the spur of the moment any thought that occurred to his mind. He walked on foot through the town, sometimes inspecting the works of a cannonfoundry which he had just established at Moscow, sometimes entering into the shops, chatting with the merchants, especially with foreigners, and displaying great curiosity to examine everything and become acquainted with the instruments and products of their industry. His chamberlains and body-guards frequently had to look for him in street after street, and found it extremely difficult to find him again. Whenever he heard of any new branch of industry, he immediately became desirous to introduce it into Russia, and made the most advantageous offers to skilful artisans and enlightened merchants, in order to induce them to settle in his dominions. He was fond of the arts, and particularly of music. It is said that he was the first tsar who took vocal and instrumental performers into his service. During his meals, symphonies were executeda Polish fashion, then newly introduced, and regarded almost as scandalous by the Russians. Many persons would have preferred that he should have got drunk with his buffoons, like Ivan the Terrible, rather than that he should listen to German or Polish musicians. His skill in all warlike exercises, and his dash-molished, had formerly stood; the window was ing intrepidity, gained him the admiration of his soldiers, and especially of the Cossacks; but the mass of the nation found it difficult to reconcile this restlessness and taste for useless dangers with the idea which they had formed to themselves of a Tsar of all the Russias. Scrupulous persons, in particular, found much to complain of in his conduct, in all that regarded religious practices. He was inattentive at divine service, be frequently forgot to salute the holy images

Besides devoting his attention to internal reforins, Demetrius cherished schemes for aggrandizing Russia among the nations, and for placing her at the head of a great Panslavic empire. For this purpose, he broke with Sigismund, King of Poland, and made preparations for a war against him. But in the midst of his projects, and when, as yet, he had reigned but a few months, he was surprised by a conspiracy, the leaders of which were some of the Russian boyards whom he had most favored. His imprudence and confidence prevented him from taking means to protect himself; and on the night of the 28th of May, 1606, his palace was attacked, himself slain, and a vast number of Poles were massacred in the streets of Moscow. M. Mérimée thus describes the death of the impostor :

As for Demetrius, seeing the first door of the palace broken through, and feeling convinced that all resistance was useless, he threw down his sword, ran through the apartments of the Tsarini, and made his way to the chamber most remote from the place which the rebels were assailing. He had, it is said, received a sabre wound in his leg. However, he opened a window which looked into the open space where the palace of Boris, which he had ordered to be de

more than thirty feet above the ground, but there was no one in the neighborhood, and he jumped down. In his fall he had the misfortune to break his leg, and the pain was so intense that he fainted. A moment after he recovered his consciousness, and his groans attracted the attention of a few Strelitz from a neighboring guard-house, who recognized him. Moved with compassion, these soldiers lifted him up, gave him some water to drink, and seated him on a