have said more than once that you would carry on the
war to a successful finish. Do you believe that with the
conditions as they exist at present in the rear this can be
done? Are you acquainted with the internal situation, not
only in the interior of the Empire but also on the outskirts
(Siberia, Turkestan, Caucasus)? Are you told all the truth
or is some of it concealed from you? Where is the root of
the evil? Allow me to tell you briefly the essentials of the
case.

"So long as your method of selecting ministers was known to
a limited circle only affairs went on somehow, but from the
moment your system became generally known it is stupid to
govern Russia in that way. Repeatedly you have told me that
you could trust no one, that you were being deceived. If
that is true then the same influences are at work on your
wife, dearly beloved by you, who is led astray by [--].

[FN: the evil circle that surrounds her. You trust Alexandra
Fedorovna--that is easy to understand. But that which comes
out of her mouth is the result of clever fabrication and not
the truth. If you are not strong enough to remove these
influences from her, at least put yourself on guard against
this steady and systematic interference of those who act
through your beloved. If your persuasion is ineffective, and
I am certain that you have more than once fought against
this influence, try some other means so as to end with this
system once for all. Your first impulses and decisions are
always unusually true and to the point, but as soon as
another influence comes in you begin to hesitate and end up
by doing something different from what you originally
decided. If you should succeed in removing this continuous
invasion of the dark forces there would take place at once
the birth of a new Russia, and there would return to you the
confidence of the greater number of your subjects. All other
matters would soon settle themselves. You would find people
who under different conditions would be willing to work
under your personal leadership. At the proper time, and that
is not far distant, you can of your own free will organize a
ministry which should be responsible to you and to
constitutional institutions. This can be done very simply,
without any force from outside