'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎122v] (244/1486)

.Lino itiuciuuuii, snortiy Deiore uiiii-puso
oyal Standard floating over tho palace of the
to Emperor William was suddenly observed by
10 silent and expectant crowd outside to drop to
ilf-mast high, in the sameway as it was seen to
o on the morning of March 9, 1888 ; and thus it
icame known that tho widowed Consort of the
Id Emperor had now also breathed her last, after
irviving him for nearly two years. Knit together
i their lives as few Royal couples have ever been,in
teir end the Emperor and the Empress Augusta
ere also alike. Though both were groat travellers,
was vouchsafed to each of them to die in the
ime residence and under the same familiar
oftree with which their names will always remain
> closely associated—that well-known palace,
nter den Linden, which is connected with so
any of the memorable scenes and incidents that
owd the page of modern German history.
Marie Louise Augusta Catherine, the deceased
srman Empress (not Empress of Germany, as
ten erroneously written), was born on the 30th
September, 1811, her parents being Duke
mrles Frederick of Saxe-Weimar and his wife,
aria Paulovna, Grand Duchess of Russia. Duke
larles Frederick was tho son of that “ Carl
igust ” whose name will remain for ever associ-
ed with some of the noblest flights of the
jrman mind. Weimar was the cradle of modern
3 rman literature, and the Princess Augusta was
witness of its infant efforts—at once infant and
.ult. Goethe, Schiller, Wieland, Herder—these
id others were the men under whose influence
ie favourite granddaughter of their munificent
id Maecenas-like patron, Carl August, passed her
dldhood and early youth. In 1827 the third son
Frederick William III. had married the elder
mwhter of Duke Charles Frederick—Princess
ane, who preceded her sister to the grave in
>77 ; and in October, 1828, his elder brother,
rinco William, being then in his 31st year,
iked the hand of Princess Augusta of Saxe-
r eimar,who was only in her 17th. In the follow-
g February they were ceremoniously betrothed,
id on tho 11th of June succeeding they were
arried with great festivity and pomp, the
tnperor and Empress of Russia, with a crowd of
her high personages,being present. The Hohen-
illerns have never been very much addicted to
ariages de convenance. In the captivation of
larts they have generally followed their own free
ant, just as in the conquest of territory they
ive been guided by nothing but their own amhi-
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