Part 32

[115] These he published and distributed along the borders of the Caspian Sea, therein declaring--That he came not upon the frontiers of Persia, with an intention of reducing any of the provinces of that kingdom to his obedience, but only to maintain the lawful possessor of them on his throne, and to defend him powerfully, together with his faithful subjects, against the tyranny of Mir Mahmoud, and to obtain satisfaction from him and his Tartars, for the robberies and mischiefs which they had committed in the Russian empire.

[116] Memoirs of Bassewitz.

[117] MS. memoirs of count de Bassewitz.

[118] Catherine paid the last duties to her husband's ashes, with a pomp becoming the greatest monarch that Russia, or perhaps any other country, had ever known; and though there is no court of Europe where splendour and magnificence is carried to a greater height on these occasions than in that of Russia, yet it may with great truth be said, that she even surpassed herself in the funeral honours paid to her great Peter. She purchased the most precious kinds of marble, and employed some of the ablest sculptors of Italy to erect a mausoleum to this hero, which might, if possible, transmit the remembrance of his great actions to the most distant ages. Not satisfied with this, she caused a medal to be struck, worthy of the ancients. On one side was represented the bust of the late emperor, with these words--'_Peter the Great, Emperor and Sovereign of all Russia, born May 30, 1672_. On the reverse was the empress sitting, with the crown on her head, the globe and sceptre by her side on a table, and before her were a sphere, sea charts, plans, mathematical instruments, arms, and a caduceus. At distances, in three different places, were represented an edifice on the sea coast, with a platform before it, a ship and galley at sea, and the late emperor in the clouds, supported by eternity, looking on the empress, and shewing her with his right hand all the treasures he had left her, with these words, 'Behold what I have left you.' In the exergue, 'Deceased 28 January, 1725.' Several of these medals she ordered to be struck in gold, to the weight of fifty ducats and distributed among the foreign ministers, and all the grandees of the empire, as a testimony of her respect and gratitude to the memory of her late husband, to whose generosity she took a pleasure in owning herself indebted for her present elevated station.

Mottley gives us the following, as the czar's epitaph:

Here lieth, All that could die of a man immortal, PETER ALEXIOWITZ: It is almost superfluous to add, _Great Emperor of Russia!_ A title, Which, instead of adding to his glory, Became glorious by his wearing it. Let antiquity be dumb, Nor boast her Alexander, or her Cæsar. How easy was victory To leaders who were followed by heroes! And whose soldiers felt a noble disdain At being thought less vigilant than their generals! But he, Who in this place first knew rest, Found subjects base and inactive, Unwarlike, unlearned, untractable; Neither covetous of fame, nor fearless of danger; Creatures with the names of men, But with qualities rather brutal than rational! Yet, even these He polished from their native ruggedness; And, breaking out like a new sun, To illuminate the minds of a people, Dispelled their night of hereditary darkness; And, by force of his invincible influence, Taught them to conquer Even the conquerors of Germany. Other princes have commanded victorious armies; This commander created them. Blush, O Art! at a hero who owed thee nothing Exult, O Nature! for thine was this prodigy.

[119] The distinguished regard which this princess shews for the arts and sciences, and her endeavours to attract the great geniuses of all nations to reside in her dominions, by every possible encouragement, affords the strongest presumptions, that in her reign we shall see a second age of Louis XIV. and of this we have had a recent proof, in the obliging letter which this august princess wrote with her own hand to M. d'Alembert, and the choice she has since made of M. Duplex, a member of the royal academy of sciences at Paris, when the beforementioned gentleman thought fit to decline the gracious offers she made him. In which choice she has shewn that it is not birth nor rank, but true merit and virtue, which she considers as the essential qualifications in a person to whom she would confide the most sacred of all trusts, that of the education of the grand duke, her son. What then may not be expected from the administration of a sovereign so superior to vulgar prejudice? And especially when assisted by a Woronzoff and a Galitzin, both the professed friends and patrons of literature and the fine arts, which they themselves have not disdained to cultivate, when business and the weighty affairs of state have allowed them a few moments leisure.

[120] The following anecdote, communicated by a nobleman of the strictest probity, who was himself an eye-witness of the fact, will give us a clear insight into the character and disposition of Peter I. In one of the many plots which was formed against the life and government of this monarch, there was among the number of those seized a soldier, belonging to his own regiment of guards. Peter being told by his officers that this man had always behaved extremely well, had a curiosity to see him, and learn from his own mouth what might have been his inducement to be concerned in a plot against him; and to this purpose he dressed himself in a plain garb, and so as not to be known by the man again, and went to the prison where he was confined, when, after some conversation, 'I should be glad to know, friend,' said Peter, 'what were your reasons for being concerned in an attempt against the emperor your master, as I am certain that he never did you any injury, but on the contrary, has a regard for you, as being a brave soldier, and one who have always done your duty in the field; and therefore, if you were to shew the least remorse for what you have done, I am persuaded that the emperor would forgive you: but before I interest myself in your behalf, you must tell me what motives you had to join the mutineers; and repeat to you again, that the emperor is naturally so good and compassionate, that I am certain he will give you your pardon.'

'I know little or nothing of the emperor,' replied the soldier, 'for I never saw him but at a distance; but he caused my father's head to be cut off some time ago, for being concerned in a former rebellion, and it is the duty of a son to revenge the death of his father, by that of the person who took away his life. If then the emperor is really so good and merciful as you have represented him, counsel him, for his own safety not to pardon me; for were he to restore me my liberty, the first use I should make of it would be, to engage in some new attempt against his life, nor should I ever rest till I had accomplished my design; therefore the securest method he can take, will be to order my head to be struck off immediately, without which his own life is not in safety.' The czar in vain used all the arguments he could think of, to set before this desperado the folly and injustice of such sentiments; he still persisted in what he had declared, and Peter departed, greatly chagrined at the bad success of his visit, and gave orders for the execution of this man and the rest of his accomplices.

Transcriber's notes:

The following is a list of changes made to the original. The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.

of procelain, the court magazines, the foundery, of porcelain, the court magazines, the foundery,

and brought martins and black foxes, and brought martens and black foxes,

Labourers in the mines belonging to the crown 300 Labourers in the mines belonging to the crown 3000

dicipline by land: nay, the most common discipline by land: nay, the most common

and encouragement on the part of a govornment; and encouragement on the part of a government;

situated on the Driester, and subject to the Turks, situated on the Dniester, and subject to the Turks,

in a word, he was worthy of being the father of In a word, he was worthy of being the father of

to the empire, the reigns of which she intended to the empire, the reins of which she intended

He led a retired life, and died in 1646. He led a retired life, and died in 1696.

retook from Lewis XIV. in 1694. After this, retook from Lewis XIV. in 1674. After this,

up the renegado, Jacob, to the conquerors. up the renegade, Jacob, to the conquerors.

cruizing on the coast of Crim Tartary. The Ottoman cruising on the coast of Crim Tartary. The Ottoman

Marshal Sheremeto, the general Gordons and Schein, Marshal Sheremeto, the generals Gordon and Schein,

Accordingly, in the month of March 1677, he sent Accordingly, in the month of March 1697, he sent

by king Willian with a spectacle worthy such a by king William with a spectacle worthy such a

is signed, and they cad no longer go from their is signed, and they can no longer go from their

This is speaking like the high-priest of depotism. This is speaking like the high-priest of despotism.

he invited all the boyards, and principa lladies he invited all the boyards, and principal ladies

gained a pitched battle, againsr an enemy who gained a pitched battle, against an enemy who

ignorant of the place where these two princes where, ignorant of the place where these two princes were,

gave up those Zoporavians who had engaged in gave up those Zaporavians who had engaged in

prisoners. Is has been the custom of the prisoners. It has been the custom of the

Demetrius Cantemir, was at this time Waiwod of Moldavia. Demetrius Cantemir was at this time Waiwod of Moldavia.

perish with famine. other memoirs pretend, on perish with famine. Other memoirs pretend, on

and six thousand six hundred and nine-two and six thousand six hundred and ninety-two

almost every century: Gustavus Adolphus get possession almost every century: Gustavus Adolphus got possession

took great delight in the ancient Green historians, took great delight in the ancient Greek historians,

he gave orders that the man, whom he had exmained he gave orders that the man, whom he had examined

transmitted to the latest postesity. transmitted to the latest posterity.

And here we cannnot forbear recalling to the And here we cannot forbear recalling to the

Caspian Sea, in the neigbourhood of Daghestan, Caspian Sea, in the neighbourhood of Daghestan,

head of James II. in London, as he had before head of James III. in London, as he had before

not been attested by a a public minister, who was not been attested by a public minister, who was

Gods's assistance, we owe to our labour, and those of our God's assistance, we owe to our labour, and those of our

of the country, and his ill-behaviour to his wife.' of the country, and his ill-behaviour to his wife.

us word, that he did rufuse to admit them; but that the us word, that he did refuse to admit them; but that the

materials for reparing this great structure, which materials for repairing this great structure, which

who, was to have Stanislaus again for her king. who was to have Stanislaus again for her king.

of renouncing arbitary government. Charles of renouncing arbitrary government. Charles

in this situation during the whole of the pear 1719. in this situation during the whole of the year 1719.

them on his throne, and to defend him powerfully, toge- them on his throne, and to defend him powerfully, together