Sunday, February 20, 2022

Alexandra's letter to William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon, dated December 29, 1902/January 11, 1903

Source:

The Life and Letters of William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon, page 260, by H. D. A. Major, 1925


The letter:

Zarskoe Selo.
Dec. 29th, 1902. Jan. 11th, 1903.
DEAR BISHOP,
It was with greatest pleasure I received your very kind letter and book. I thank you most heartily for both. For me it is indeed a great happiness to find old friends have not forgotten me, tho' I live so far away. How much has occurred since we last met! joys and sorrows followed each other in rapid succession. I cannot imagine England without beloved Grandmama. How well I remember sitting by her side, listening to your beautiful sermons — one you kindly gave me at Windsor!

Yes, indeed time flies fast and we have so much to do in our short sojourn on this earth, such manifold tasks for all of us to accomplish. What joy if in any small way we can help another wanderer bear his heavy cross or give him courage to battle bravely on! How many faults we have to try and master! — the hours seem too scarce in which to fulfil all our tasks.

My new country is so vast that there is no lack of work to be done. Thank God the people are very religious, simple-minded, childlike and with boundless love for their Sovereign and faith in him; so that bad elements and influences take a time before rooting amongst them. But much patience and energy are needed to fight against the wave of discontent which has risen and spreads itself all over the world — is not the End soon coming?

Are you never coming over here? I should be so happy to see you and show you our little four-leafed clover. Our little girlies are our joy and happiness, each so different in face and character. May God help us to give them a good and sound education and make them above all brave little Christian soldiers fighting for our Saviour.

Alas, I have not much free time, but when I find a spare moment I sit down to read. I am so fond of Boehme and many of the German and Dutch theosophists of the 15th and 16th Centuries — there are such splendours [in them] and they help one on in life, and make everything so much easier to bear. Can you tell me of any English authors, as I know no old Philosophers?

But my letter is becoming too long. May I hope to hear from you again? It would indeed give me great pleasure.
I remain,
Yrs. sincerely,
ALEXANDRA.


Above: Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.


Above: Her daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.


Above: William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon.

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