GRAND DUKE KONSTANTIN PAVLOVICH: (1779-1831)

GRAND DUKE KONSTANTIN PAVLOVICH: (1779-1831)
GRAND DUKE KONSTANTIN PAVLOVICH: (1779-1831) Grand Duke of Russia, son of Emperor Paul I. Tsesarevich of Russia during the reign of his brother Alexander I. He secretly renounced to the throne in 1823. After the death of Alexander I, and for 25 days, he was known as ''His Imperial Majesty Konstantin I Emperor of all Russias''. An interesting L.S., twice, in Cyrillic, five pages, signed to the second and fifth page, 4to, Warsaw, 15th June 1826, to Knight de Pougens, in French. Grand Duke Konstantin, in his capacity as Commander in Chief in charge of the militarization and discipline in Poland sends an unusual request regarding an inconvenient list of books, stating `Sir, I am going to make a request to you which you will for sure find quite extraordinary. I have accidentally read the catholic memorandum notebook corresponding to December 1825 and found an article entitled the bad books. I noticed that the author, after wisely exposing the danger that such books represent, and although the work is destined to honest people, he surprisingly includes the list of the most infamous books, which you can already rate reading the titles.´, further saying `Libraries contain a large amount of works which offend manners, religion and respect to Royal houses, and this memorandum list opened and available to young people could awake the desire of reading them, a lecture which will only trouble their thoughts and bribe their imagination´. The Grand Duke concludes requesting the books included in the list stating `Considering such dangers, I confess Sir, that I wish to know more about such works…please send them to me..´. Konstantin Pavlovich boldly signs at the base of the letter and adds three separate pages with a list of fourty five book names, signing again at the end of the list. A letter of good content. With two blank integral leaves, to the letter and again to the list. Two ink collection stamps. Small overall minor age wear, professionally repaired to the fold, otherwise VG £500-600 Tsar Alexander I installed his brother Grand Duke Konstantin in the Congress of Poland as de facto Viceroy and named him Commander in Chief of the forces of the Kingdom. The curious list of book titles including The child Jesus, or the Son without Father; The Prostitute who became an Honest Woman; Julie´s Distractions; The Confessions of the Nymphs of the Royal Palace; The Crimes of the Kings of France; Mahomet´s Cousin; The Crimes of the Queens of France; The Courtesans; Duels, Suicides, and Love at the Bois de Boulogne; The Girls school; The Evil painted by himself; My Foolish Twenty Years; The Voluptuous Life of the Capuchins and Nuns, etc..