Sources:
Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 2: Engagement and Marriage, 1894, pages 81 to 83, by George Hawkins, 2023
George Hawkins at Letters and writings of Nicholas II and his family on Facebook
Nicholas's letter from the same day:
Alix's letter of June 1 to the Bishop of Ripon is here:
The letter excerpt:
... I am improving in my carving the chickens. Курина are the easiest, but when parts of other four legged beasts come, I feel rather lost.
The Dr. from here is coming at 11.30 and he will tell me when I am to begin drinking the waters and then about 12 I shall plunge into the rotten egg bath. Now the sun is coming out again.
You know whenever I am in the midst of a Russian lesson, marvelous musicians turn up at the corner of the улица. It is such a nuisance I have such a mass of letters still to answer, it makes me frantic and inclined to use your sort of shocking language.
My ноги are still very painful, that is why I hope he will allow me to take many baths in a week.
How awfully kind of your Father allowing you to come over in his yacht, as it is such a much nicer way of traveling than by land. Gretchen is learning away with Schneiderlein, and I hear tscha tscha tschi going on, as if so many cats were spitting.
I got a most touching letter from Friedrich August of Oldenburg to-day, he is such a nice fellow, tho' a little cracked.
I read about the Russian rivers to the Ladies last night and we stared our eyes nearly out over the maps, a weakness of yours, is it not, sweet one? Then I had my head washed, which takes an hour, as one's hair will never dry. Shall I cut mine off and appear like you? Eh? Wld that not look imposing? Of course it is in all the papers that I am here and all the tradespeople send epistles and beg of you to order things, even a piano and tea were offered. The rude people stand at the corner and stare; I shall stick my tongue out at them another time...
The letter in full:
No. 25
Harrogate
May 25th 1894
My own darling Boysy,
Most loving tender thanks for your dear long letter I received this morning and for the cutting from the papers wh. interested me muchly. I shall try and get a frame for the photo, but I fear none is to be got for that size, if not I shall cut the three heads out and put them separately into frames. No, Sandro may be handsome but won't be a 3rd R as you old wretch dared to propose. How unpleasant always having to go to funeral services. I wonder if it is the wife of one of my old neighbours at St. Petersburg, the dinners at the balls at the Winterpalace, the one was the nice old Admiral who had a beautiful ring, and one was rather deaf. You cannot make out how it is that the number of my letters is greater than yours. Why I wrote sometimes twice a day and before you had arrived. Yours are the greatest joy possible.
I am trying hard to learn more now — yesterday we read an anecdote about Lisa and her canary bird wh she let starve till it died, I am only so stupid and я всегда забываю слова. Мы уже пили кофе и теперь я буду писать. There, I hope this is correct. By the by, the Bishop of Ripon sent me his sermon this morning, wh he has especially written down for me as he really otherwise never does it. When you come you must read it, only it is written so small it will take one a good time to read it. He has proposed to me to go to Ripon wh is only 20 minutes by rail and he will show us all that is interesting — it is most kind and we shall certainly go.
Yesterday morning after an hour's lesson I was driven in a bathchair, into wh the others forced me to go, and they walked along side. We went a very pretty road, but warm, and later got higher up and stopped under a tree where the air was perfectly delicious and fresh and thought the sea must be quite close. After luncheon I read a novel and then drove with Gretchen as Schneiderlein had to write, through a very pretty town and Park, then learned again an hour and wrote to A. Helena whose birthday is to-day [illegible] arrives.
I am improving in my carving the chickens. Курина are the easiest, but when parts of other four legged beasts come, I feel rather lost.
The Dr. from here is coming at 11.30 and he will tell me when I am to begin drinking the waters and then about 12 I shall plunge into the rotten egg bath. Now the sun is coming out again.
You know whenever I am in the midst of a Russian lesson, marvelous musicians turn up at the corner of the улица. It is such a nuisance I have such a mass of letters still to answer, it makes me frantic and inclined to use your sort of shocking language.
My ноги are still very painful, that is why I hope he will allow me to take many baths in a week.
How awfully kind of your Father allowing you to come over in his yacht, as it is such a much nicer way of traveling than by land. Gretchen is learning away with Schneiderlein, and I hear tscha tscha tschi going on, as if so many cats were spitting.
I got a most touching letter from Friedrich August of Oldenburg to-day, he is such a nice fellow, tho' a little cracked.
I read about the Russian rivers to the Ladies last night and we stared our eyes nearly out over the maps, a weakness of yours, is it not, sweet one? Then I had my head washed, which takes an hour, as one's hair will never dry. Shall I cut mine off and appear like you? Eh? Wld that not look imposing?
Of course it is in all the papers that I am here and all the tradespeople send epistles and beg of you to order things, even a piano and tea were offered. The rude people stand at the corner and stare; I shall stick my tongue out at them another time.
Now my beloved Child, I must say Goodbye. God bless and keep you, my own beloved Nicky. Ever yr own, true, loving and devoted girly
Alix
Many loving kisses.
Севодня тёплая погода. Какъ ваше здоровы? Я дурнь говорю мнѣ трудно произносить (выговаривать) русскій слова. Я уже немняъ понимаю, надѣюсь скоро восучиться. Прощайте, душки.
Above: Nicholas and Alix.
Notes: "я всегда забываю слова. Мы уже пили кофе и теперь я буду писать" = "I always forget the words. We have already had tea and now I shall write."
курина = chickens.
улица = street.
ноги = legs.
"Севодня тёплая погода. Какъ ваше здоровы? Я дурнь говорю мнѣ трудно произносить (выговаривать) русскій слова. Я уже немняъ понимаю, надѣюсь скоро восучиться. Прощайте, душки." = "It's warm weather today. How is your health? I'm talking nonsense, it's hard for me to pronounce (say) Russian words. I already understand a little, I hope to learn soon. Farewell, darling."
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