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J .'.V .'T. n *......»¥l.....— '■' ^ «"*•* *<<**\> tirfi - Vt i|i»tifi< <||liiiii>ilii ■ M*** " ' I'lurtliy^ > * ' 'i ^ - ^ -<# w -» ... . .»• i ...... *' '*...•. •. » • [JK jar" i ............... *■ • .». -Ml -'C-f ■.............in rii........?,* ■» ».......\»......*»m n *%*% i -n^f^y*!*' ■ ■ •: v.':-'.r-..r .... , ..... ..... . .".v......%i . • . • • • ♦ ; :.........-.1. . ; • 44 -V*-£4 44 4* ^ll* 4* 4* 4* . • '. \ ' „ /.***•**•■•;•»»'♦*♦ '...»♦., i * ... •• ...... .......».• ••.............. ■"i um +**.tm: +jui«,4 „,Mik- *< l> *mb*ri—~>*4>-M**' ----■ ' Jar * -A. ^ I 'i I '"' ^■^^■> it,^ * f ,f,- **r. * .-. ..nWi,---i - t .ii ni(I,.iiiin. nirffl.^^''^^^TMlM^t^'yj.f■■>..1 ?}VT>rvr»Tr?7zr -"V"*- < "V "'T-* ^T"¥, >-^> I^ > —_LT, ■—1 ,......• • . • • v • " •' •• * t *11* ILL * * * * 1,11 - '—r- . ■ i t ^ f —- TRAVELS into POLAND, RUSSIA, SWEDEN, and DENMARK. INTERSPERSED WITH HISTORICAL RELATIONS AND POLITICAL INQUIRIES. illustrated with charts and engravings. By WILLIAM COXE, A.M. F.R. S. fellow of king's college, cambridge; and chaplain to his grace the duke of marlborough. mutt IN TWO VOLUMES. i&fttyr HE SECOND EDITION, volume the first. LONDON: Hinted for t. cadell, in the strand m dcc lxxxv. to the Right Honourable Lord HERBERT, MY LORD, JLJL your Lordfhip upon your travels enabled me to collect the materials for the following work, it cannot be in-fcribed to any other perfon with fo much propriety as to your Lordfhip. You, I flatter myfelf, will recollect with pleafure the refult of thofe inquiries to which you were particularly attentive; and I am happy in this publick opportunity of expreffing the grateful fenfe which I entertain of being honoured with your Lordfhip's friendihip; and of declaring the fincere regard and attachment with which I am, which I enjoyed from accompanying My Lord, Your Lordfhip's moft faithful And obedient fervant, WILLIAM COXE, King's College, Cambridge, April 2, 1784. PREFACE TH E following pages contain the refult of that intelligence which 1 collected,, and thofe obfervations which occurred, during my travels through the Northern kingdoms of Europe; and it is neceflary to apprize the reader upon what foundation the principal facts are fimported. In regard to Poland, I was honoured with information from perfons of the higheft rank and authority ; and fortunately obtained pofleflion of fome original letters written from Warfaw, before and during the Partition, which have enabled me fo throw a confiderable light over that interefting period. I pre fume, therefore, that the account of Poland tuiupchciids. many particulars which have not been hitherto prefented to the publick. With refpect to Ruffia,, as the Emprefs herfelf deigned to anfwer fome queries relative to the itate of the publick prifons * ; this gracious condefcenfion in fo.great a fovereign could not but facilitate my further inquiries. To this lmuil add, that the late celebrated hiftorianf, Mr. Muller, favoured me with various communications on fome of the molt important and intricate parts of the Ruffian annals, and pointed out to me the moll: approved writers on this empire. The nature of the Swedifh government rendered the fources of information eaiy of accefs ; and, fince my return to England, feveraL * See Vol. II. p. 76. the order of St. Vladimir, has, in refpeft to t Mr. Muller died in the latter end of his memory, conferred a penfion on his 1783. The Emprefs, who, in confederation widow, and ennobled his fon, of his great merit, had honoured him with 2 Swedifh t vi ! Swedifh gentlemen, well verfed in the conftitutlon of their country, have fupplied much additional intelligence. As the materials which I acquired in Denmark were lefs extenfive than thofe collected in the other parts, the account of that kingdom is confined to thofe circumltances which I was able to afcertain, it having been my invariable refolution never to adopt uncertain accounts, but to adhere folely to thofe fads which appeared to me to be derived from the molt unqueftionable authorities. In the hiftorical relations I have had recourfe to many Engiim and foreign authors, and particularly feveral German writers of un-impeached veracity, who were refident for a confiderable time in fbme of the Northern kingdoms, and from whom I have drawn many anecdotes not known to the Engiim reader. Throughout this work I have fcrupuloufly cited the authors whom I have confulted, and have fubjoined in the Appendix to the firft volume a lift of the principal books employed on this oceafion, with an explanation of the references by which they are diftinguifhed. I cannot clofe this preface without expreffing my obligations to Mr. Wraxall, Mr. Pennant, and Dr. Pulteney, for their refpective afliftance, acknowledged in the courfe of the work. Colonel Floyd alfo claims my fmcercft thanks for communicating his accurate Journal of our Tour, to whofe obfervations and defcriptions, befide the extracts in the following pages, I gratefully confefs myfelf indebted for many interesting particulars. CON- C vii ] CONTENTS of VOLUME L Dedication p. iii Preface p. v BOOK I, TRAVELS into POLAND. Ch. I, Origin andprogrefs of the polifh government.—Gradual diminution of the royal prerogative, and ejlablijhment of a monarchy wholly eleclive. p. i Gh. II. Eleclion of Staniflaus Auguftuss,—Hiflory of the Diffi-dents,—Rife of the civil commotions, p. 16 Gh. Ill, Attempt to affaffmate the king of Poland.~fir/j adventures and miraculous efcape, p. 2 6 Ch. IV. On ifje Partition of Poland. p, 39 Ch. V. Account of the Permanent Council, p. 53 Ch. VI. General diet,—Liberum Veto,—Diets of confederacy, eleclion, and convocation, p. 81 Ch. VII. Finances.—Commerce.—Military ejlabltfhment\ p. 96 Ch. VIIJ. Of the nobles and gentry.—Clergy.—Burghers.— Peafants,—State of vajfalage.—Jews,-—Population. p. 106 BOOK II. Ch. I. Auftrian Poland.—Dejcription of Cracow,.8f€. p. 122-Ch. II. Salutation and drefs of the Poles.— Salt-mines of Wi- elitfka.—Journey to Warfaw. p. 143 Ch. III. Warfaw.— Court.—Palace,—Entertainments.—Fete Cbampetre, &fc. p. 150- Ch. IV, 'Ch« IV. Villanow.—Account of John Sobiefki and his family. p. 163 Ch. V. General Jlate of learning.—Wretched adminiflration of juftice. p. 17 7 Ch. VI. Bialliftock.—Dutbby ofLithuania.—Grodno, p. 1 84 Gh. VII. Journey through Lithuania.—Remarks on the Plica Polonica. p. iCi BOOK III. TRAVELS into RUSSIA. Ch. I. Journey to Smolenfko.—Defcription of Smolenfko,—< Journey to Mofcow. p. 21 c Ch. II. Defcription of Mofcow.—-Hofpitality of the Ruffian nobles.—Account of Mr. Muller.—Anniverfary of St. Alexander Nevlki.—Entertainments' at Count Alexey Orlof's, &c. p. 230 Ch. III. General defcription of the churches.—Of an enormous bell.—Principal buildings -of the Kremlin.—'Tombs and characters of the tzars.—-Genealogical tables. p. 258 Ch. IV. 'Tombs of the Ruffian patriarchs.—Account of the patriarchs Philarctes dTz^Nicon. p. 277 Gh. V. Ruffian archives.—-Cor refpon dene e between Elizabeth queen of England, and Ivan Vaffilievitch II.—Rife of the titles of tzar and emperor.—Univerfity.—Mattheei's catalogue of the Greek Manufcripts.—Hymn to Ceres attru buted to Homer. p. 293 Ch. VI. Market for the fale of houfes.—Foundling hofpital.— Excurjion to the monajlery of the Holy Trinity. p. 309 Ch. VII. Htjiory of the tzar who reigned under the name of Demetrius.—Grounds for fuppojing him to be the real Demetrius. p. 327 Ch. VIII. Of the princefs Sophia Alexiefna Jijler of Peter the Great. p. 353 BOOK BOOK IV. Ch. I. Departure from Mofcow.— Tver.—Journey tozvards Ch. II. Novogorod.— Continuation of the journey to Peterf- Ch. III. Defcription of Peterfburgh,—Inundations of the Neva. Plan for a bridge of a fingle arch acrofs the Neva.—» Colqffal flatue of Peter the Great.—Precautions againft the cold.—Ice hills.—Annual fair upon the Neva. p. 411 Ch. IV. Prefentation to the emprefs.—Court.-—Orders of knighthood.—Hofpitality of ^Ruffian nobles, &c. p. 437 Ch. V. Fortrefs.—Cathedral.—Tombs and characters of Peter the Great and of the Imperial family.—Hi/lory of the boat, called the Little Grandfire, which gave rife to the Ruffian navy upon the Black Sea. p. 457 Ch. VI. Sarfko-Selo.-—Oranienbaum.—Prince Menzikof.— Pcterhof.—SchluiTeiburgh. p. 477 Ch. VII. Of Catharine I. p. 493 Ch. VIII. Account of Alexey Petrovitch and of his wife Charlotte Chriftina Sophia princefs o/Brunfwick. p. 513 Peterfburgh. P- 376 burgh. P- 398 A P P E N D I X. Catalogue of books, Vol. I. List List of the Charts, Plans, and Engravings, of Vol. I. with Directions for placing them. The map of Poland is taken principally from the general map of that country, publifhed at Warfaw, by which the limits of the difmembered provinces were at fir ft regulated ; and from the particular maps publifhed in Ruflia, Auftria, and PrufTia, afcertaining the refpective boundaries, to front p. i Map of European Ruflia, from the general map publifhed by the Imperial Academy of Sciences in 1776, to front, p. 21 r Plan of Mofcow, from a plan publifhed in that city in 1736, to front p. 235 Plan of St. Peterfburgh, publifhed in that, city in 1776, p. 411 Polifh Gentleman to front p. 143 Head of Staniflaus Auguftus the prefent king of Poland, from a print engraved at Warfaw after an original picture painted by Bacciarelli, p. 15* Engraving of the Parus Penduliniis p. jg^ Ruffian Gentleman in a winter drefs p. 430 Ruffian peafant p. 432 Head of the Emprefs of Ruffia, from an original painting by Bn;mpton. in the poffeffion of the Earl of Grford, p. 437 TRAVELS ......../jf_ A0 ■ A7 ■ — nullum--MJLllim 1--Mum* imm™r_ IHI'H"!J_ 2\/ O X A J Diimembercl lVovinu\s. /?/' '/'/,•< l, A /// '//AAA, * J •//' ^'Jt<'/)rACy /j l L 'I I W' I Bfitt in 3* j ////• i2 ^ 2$ I, Z 2P, K i J1//AA —samsL. .jiava.. —'.fimm-...mmiii—hdphi ;„ tumt—nmtml_mm' pmmw- - i»m4 3\0 3 a 7, 07-a/iv >1 r- l..... .:///v^* Ctftttnla / X- * ■ •-:\J\JoliileJ \So\ ,) \/r/////>/ { a 37^ I 2? «H...... ■>0A'/ v'tUf's/t ///>w/,'l/', /^ _2Vc i ! / y '/A-.A- v/- ,A'y,/AW viir *w — 'r'-/r . 9*. r 11 a//-yy/v/ x WW.....Ill I VTJJAfy Jo /J 20 jr» 2/ . yvufT/Hs',,,,. *S /A*/;*/.,,!;. ( V"r,u;'A< v;/w,/A>(/<■/ <•/'/>,irAAi//t,fAr 'J'c"ai/sAAoi /A,<\'/r<;j/ mination to -.the fucccllion, during the life of his father, by a confirmation of all the privileges above .enumerated, which he folemnly ralilied at his acceflion. Under Gafimir III. + brother and fucceffbr to Ladiflaus lit* feveral further innovations were introduced, into the original conftitution, all unfavourable to regal prerogative. One of the principal changes which took place in this reign,, and which laid the foundation of ftill more important revolutions in the Polifli government, was the convention of a national diet inverted with the fole power of granting fup plies. Each Palatinate or province was permitted to fend to this general diet, be-iide the Palatines and other principal, barons, a certain number of nuntios or representatives, chofen by the nobles and burghers {. This reign is therefore coniidercd by the popular party as the -jqia, at which the freedom of the conftitution was permanently eifablithed. Cafimir was engaged in feveral uiir fuccelsful wars, which exhautted the royal. treafures; and as he could not impofe any taxes without the content of the nation, he was under the necellity of applying repeatedly to she * Prelatc-ruin, Baron/im et Militanum. J See Chap. VIII. for proof that the I.engnich, Jus Pu6. vol. II. p. 35. bin/c'ucij were permitted to fetid reprcfenta'- •J- Sometimes called Catimir IV.. tives. . diet: book fat for fubfidics: almoft every fupply was accompanied with —j—i a lift of grievances, and produced a diminution of prerogative. In Poland, as in all feudal governments, the barons, at the head of their vafPals, are bound to fight in defence of the kingdom: before the reign of Cafimir III. the king could require fuch military, or, as they were called, feudal fervices; but this monarch, in compenfation for fome pecuniary aid, gave up that privilege, and renounced * the power of fummoning the nobles to his ftandard ; he likewife agreed not to enact any laws without the concurrence of the national diet. John Albert, fecond fon of Cafimir, being elected in preference to his elder brother Ladiflaus, king of Hungary and Bohemia, afTented without hefitation, as the price of this partiality, to all the immunities extorted from his predecefTors; and fwore to their obfervance in a general + diet held at Petri-kau, 1469. Alexander, brother and fuccefTor of John Albert, declared, in 1505, the following limitations of fovereign authority to be fundamental laws of the kingdom. 1. The king cannot impofe taxes. 2. He cannot require the feudal fervices ; 3. nor alienate the royal domains; 4. nor enact laws; 5. nor coin money ; 6. nor alter the procefs in the courts of juftice. Sigifmond I. fucceeded Alexander : one J of the Polifh hiftorians, fpeaking of his reign, exclaims with much indignation, " The king is almoft wholly deftitute of power ; he can-" not procure any fubfidy on the moft prefling emergency, for 11 carrying on war, or for the portion of his daughters, with-11 out increafing the privileges of the nobility." Notwith-ftanding, however, this exclamation, we cannot forbear to remark, that the power of levying taxes at difcretion is the moft * Quod nullas conftitutiones faceret, neque f Pneclarorum Baronum ac nuntiorum de terrigenas ad bellum moveri mandaret,abfque fingulis terris hie congreflbrum univerforum conventione communi in fingulis terris infii- confilio ac voluntate, &c. Conft. Pol. v, I, tuenda. p. 294. ■Conft. Pol. v. I. p. 186, % Orichovius. dangerous dangerous prerogative that can be lodged in the hands of a fovereign, and the moft formidable engine of defpotic autho- » rity : the acquisition of it by the monarchs of France finally fubverted the liberties of that kingdom ; and it was made the flrft object of refiftance by the aftertors of freedom in our own country. If indeed we were inclined to point out any particular period, at which the Polifli conftitution attained its moft perfect Hate, we fhould perhaps fix on the reign of Sigifmond I. when the perfon and property of the fubject were fecured by ample provifions; and the crown ftill retained confiderable influence. But the time was arrived, when an inordinate pallion for liberty led the nobles to render the throne wholly elective ; and at each election to continue their encroachments upon the regal authority, until the king was reduced to a mere pageant. The firft public attempt towards eftablifhing this favourite object of the Poles, a free election of the king, was brought forward in the reign of Sigifmond Auguftus, fon and fucceflor of Sigifmond I. who was conftrained in 1550 to agree, that no future monarch fhould fucceed to the throne, unlefs he was freely elected by the nation. The death of Sigifmond Auguftus without ifluc gave efficacy to this concefhon, which might otherwife have been counteracted by the popularity and influence attendant on a claimant by hereditary fucceflion. For it may not be improper to remark, that, during the Jaghellon line, the fovereigns upon their accefhon, or election, although formally raifed to the throne by the confent of the nation, ftill relied their pretentions upon hereditary right, as well as upon this confent; always ftyling themfelves heirs of the kingdom of Poland. Sigifmond Auguftus, in whom the male line of the Jaghellon family became extinct, was the laft who bore that title*. IV. The fourth period begins upon the demife of Sigifmond * Lengnich, Jii« Pub. v, T. p. 59. Auguftus, mj0K Auguftus, in 1572, when all title to the crown from heredi-— tary right was formally abrogated, and the molt abfolute freedom of election eftablifhed upon the molt permanent balls. At this sera a charter of immunities was drawn up at a general diet, a ratification of which it was determined to exact from the new fovereign, prior to his election. The ground-work of this charter, termed in the Polifli law PacJa Conventa, was the whole body of privileges obtained from Louis and his fuc-cefTors, with the following additions : 1. That the king mould be elective, and that his fucceffor fhould never be appointed during his life. 2. That the diets, the holding of which depended folely upon the will of the kings, mould be afFembled every two years. 3. That every * noble or gentleman in the whole realm fhould have a vote in the diet of election. 4. That, in cafe the king fhould infringe the laws and privileges of the nation, his fubjects mould be abfolved from their oaths of allegiance. From this period the Padla Conventa, occafi-onally enlarged, have been confirmed by every fovereign at his coronation. Henry of Valois, duke of Anjou and brother of Charles IX. Kins! of France, was the firft fovereign who afcended the throne after the conftitution had been thus new-modelled. He fe-cured his election, as well by private bribes to the nobles, as by a ftipulation to pay an annual penfion to the Republic from the revenues of France. His example has been neceflarily followed by each fucceeding fovereign, who, befide an unconditional ratification of the Pacla Conventa, has been always conftrained to purchafe the crown by a public largefs and by private corruption ; circumltances which endear to the Poles an elective monarchy. Under Stephen Bathori, the regal power was ftill further abridged by the appointment of fixteen relident fenators, * See the Definition of a Noble. Ch. VIII. cho fen chofen at each diet, to attend the king, and to give their opinion in all matters of importance, fo that he could not iffue any decree without their confent *. Another fatal blow was alfo given to his prerogative in 1578, by taking from him the fupreme jurifdiction, or the power of judging in the laft refoit the catifes of the nobles, excepting fuch as arife within a fmall diftance t of the fovereign's place of refidence : it was enacted, that without the concurrence of the king each palatinate or province fhould elect in their dietines their own judges, who fhould form fupreme courts of juftice, called Tribunalia Regni\\ and that in thefe courts the caufes of the nobles mould be decided finally and without appeal; a mode of judicature which prevails to this day. The turbulent reign of John Cafimir was marked by the introduction of the Liber um Veto ||, or the power which each nuntio claims and exercifes of interpofing a negative, and in confequence of that interpofition of breaking up the diet; a privilege which the fovereign himfelf does not pofTefs, and which has contributed more than any other innovation to de-ftroy the due balance of the Polifli conftitution. But the king was ftill the fountain of honour : he conferred the principal dignities and great offices of the republic; and bellowed the Starofties, or Royal fiefs, which are held during the life-time of the pofTefTor. Hence he ftill maintained great influence in the councils of the nation ; but this laft folitary branch of royal prerogative was wrefted from his prefent Ma-jefty at the eftablifhmcnt of the Permanent Council §. * This appointment was made, in 1573, Auguftus II. and the Great Chancellor now under Henry, but did not abfolutely take exercifes, in his Majcity's name, that branch place till the reign of Stephen. Lengnich, of royal prerogative. Jus 1'ub. v. I. p. 344.. II. 44. % Lengnich, Jus pub. /. II. p. 536. •j- The courts exerciling juiVicc in the king's |] For an account of the Liberuin Veto, name within the diftricl are called AfuStfoiia fee Chap. VI. Rcgni. Until the death of John Sobiefki, the § A delineation of the Permanent Council, kings judged frequently in perion, but this in the words of the edu't which etfablifhed ceafed to be the CUuom from the time of it, is given in Chapter V. Vol. I. C Thus Thus it appears, that, from the time of Louis to the prefent t period, the nobles have continued without interruption to di-minifh the regal authority, and to augment their own privileges. Many of the concefTions which they obtained from the fovereigns of the Jaghellon line, were juft and reafonable, and aimed only at an equitable degree of freedom. When, however, an abfolute right todifpofe of fo tempting an object as the crown gave them repeated opportunities of prefcribing unconditional terms to every candidate for the throne, they were no longer content with that equal diftribution of power, which is the excellence of a limited monarchy ; but afpired to and nearly attained a direct ariftocracy under a regal title and form. From this general review of the revolutions in the conftitution of Poland, we may eafdy infer, that, notwithftanding their fo much boaftcd liberty, the Poles are by no means equally free. Indeed their hiftorians, however they may differ in other points, unanimoufly agree in reprobating their affectation of liberty, the ihadow rather than the reality of freedom ; which is in fact merely a turbulent fyftem of Ariftocratic licentioufnefs, where a few members of the community are above the controul of law, while the majority are excluded from its protection. We fhould fuppofe, that, if in any in fiance they were free, it would be in the election of a king, one of their moft vaunted privileges; and yet Sarnifki addrefTes the Poles with great truth in the following words: w Turn over your annals, and you will fcarcely find a Tingle " example of a free election-." Another Polifli hiftorian of great note, the celebrated Staniflaus Lubienfki bifliop of Plotfko, juftly contends that the Poles, free as they pretend to be, are abfolutely in a ftate of flavery, to which they have been * Rcvolvitc annalcs veflros, vix ullum exemplum libera ele&ionis invenietis. 4 - reduced reduced by an inconfiderate pafTion for liberty *, In a word, c it is evident beyond the poflibility of doubt, from the hiftory ^ of this country, that the Poles were more free at home, and more independent and flourifliing abroad, when the fovereign had more authority, when the nobles aflifted at the diets without the privilege of difToIving them; and when they fub-mitted themfelves and their peafants to the jurifdiction of the king. The proof of this affertion is founded on the following facts. i. The prefent wretched ftate of the towns compared with their former flourifliing condition, during the reigns of the Jaghellon family, when the burghers even pofTefTed a right of feuding nuntios to the diets i, forms a ftrong contraft to their former pjrofperity ; and attefts the melancholy effects of arifto-cratical defpotifm. 2. The wretched condition and poverty of the peafants, whofe increafe of oppreuion has kept pace in an equal proportion with the increafe of the power of the nobles ; for when the king loft his weight in the conftitution, this moft numerous and ufeful order of fociety loft a patron and protector. 3. A total confufion introduced into the admi-niftration of public affairs; and a ftate of anarchy, which prevents deliberation, and delays the adoption of neceflary meafures even in times of the moft prelim g emergency. 4, The declenfion of the importance, and contraction of the territories of the republic. During the reigns of the kings of the Jaghellon family, before the nobles had acquired a decided preponderancy in the ftate, the kingdom of Poland was far more powerful and extenfive than it is at prefent : fince the changes in the conftitution, and the introduction of anarchy, * Expendamus paululnm {latum reipub- reverentia, nulla potcflatis vcrccundia : tan- licae : inconfultus libcrtatis amor dum iidem turn quifque audet, quantum habet virium. leges ferunt, qui poenis obnoxii funt, et impu- Dudum jam agricolas mifcros alpero ferviiu- nitatis defiderio, juris, quo tot ibeculis patria tis jugo preifimns, &c. p. 194. ftetit, convellunt fundamenta, nos eo redegit See Chap. VIH. ut liheripejjimo cuiqueferviamus. Nulla legum C 2 falfely book fajfely called liberty, the Poles have not only made no con- —^_. quell except what they have been forced to relinquifh; but have feen even their original territories gradually mouldering away, and at laft considerably reduced by the late partition. A kingdom with more than twelve millions of inhabitants, if well regulated, would never have fallen fo eafy a prey to the ambition of its neighbours: its internal ftrength, afiifted by its natural alliances, would have been fufncient to have pro* tradlcd, if not prevented, its diiiricmberment. Nor are the fatal efTedls of the evils inherent in the conftitution yet fully exhaufted: the fame incapacity of refilling the encroachments of neighbouring powers, which made the Poles lb tamely accede to the late divirion, will render them equally lubmiflive, whenever any future claims fhall be urged by a combination of the neighbouring ftates ; and compel them to acquiefce under any pretentions, however chimerical, or however unjuft. Anarchy, in fhort, and confu lion are not only tolerated, but are even fuppofed by the nobles, who reap the benefit of thofe evils, to be abfolutely neceffary for the fupport of the conftitution ; fo that there is a proverb, which implies that Poland fubftfts by anarchy, In oppofition to this abfurd idea,, an hiftorian, whom I have before mentioned, advifes his countrymen no longer to fuffer the republic to be governed; by chance, or to fubmit to the caft of the die the admi-niftration of affairs, on which their very exiftence as a nation depends *• King Staniilaus Letziniki and the Abbe Konarfki are the moft celebrated of the modern Polifli authors, who have ex-pofed in the ftrongeft colours the diforders of the government, * Non corulemnet'fs (fays Sarnifki, in the rorum confilia ; nee finatisaniplius cofu rcni-flriking paflage to which I allude, and of publicam regi, ncc permittatis iuhiteaktt res, which it was impoflible to preferve the fpirit in quibus vita et mors, falus. et interitus, ad jn a trauilutign) quafo prudcntiiTiniorum vi- limen fedent. and and the exorbitancy of the privileges poflefied by the nobles ; hot what avail the reprefentations of hiftorians againft factions^ againft a tumultuous nobility, or againft the cabals of neighbouring powers ? It is hardly pofTible to fuppofe that Poland, without an army, without money, without fortreftcs, without re-fources,and without good government thefourceof all the other calamities, will ever emerge from her prefent Situation: her misfortunes will not only continue, but will gradually increafe,. notwithstanding the remonftrances of a few real patriots ; until by flow progrefs, or fome violent revolution, Poland either fubfides into an hereditary monarchy, or a well-ordered republic; or, which is more probable, is totally fwallowed up by the neighbouring powers^ Ladiflausf GENEALOGICAL TABLE. Ladiflaus, called 1. Loketcc, died 1533. __A_ Cafimir II. the Great, b r^io; died 1370, aged 60; in him ended the male line of the Houfc of Piaft. Elizabeth, mar. Bogiflas duke of Pomerania. , m.Wil-count of Elizabeth, mar. Carobart fon of Charles II. king of Naples and king of Hungary. ~/V__ Anne ]i;un count Cilly. Anne, mar. Ladiflaus Jaghellon. o n < O o X o £ 4—* o ft o o o Louis, k. of Hungary 1342, of Poland 1370 ; died 13S2, aged 56 ; mar. 1. Margaret daughter of the emperor Charles IV. 2. Elizabeth daughter of Stephen governor of Bofinia. v.___ Andrew, m. Joan I. queen of Naples, af- faflinatcd at..... '345- O M o 3 < 2"e b»-3' . a w « u a « v-J p-. b0"O ^ ■3 to _ B •* H rQ B fl it c oc " B*£ p •* c E w 3 g j3 fa i—i Maria, m. Sigifmond emperor of Germany. Hedwigc, m. Ladiflaus Jaghellon. Kings TRAVELS INTO POLAND. *5 O s a o q o Dm 0 rr. <; ryp 0-5 c-6 3 O ■ — .2 43 .2 £ - »3 t—1-D "2 1—, 2 * o 3 tJ £ ^ fl. 3 O • *9 s- H*3 c 3 id i! 4^ p 2 «3 .. 6h i= « o re c3 . .« _ = B a a> n ^9 _S -3 U E mm c -a *3 3 ^ ~ t ^ o 5 ™ ,~ C C = 3 .? ^ rt * ? M c/3 n ,3, £ 1—-i"q p., re 1 r" 5 'l C 4J « " 3 br.*-1 3 —, - r5 0 3- O -3 ^ .a 3 •~> •-— *£ . 00 O 1 ,X o a, o vo p - « "3 C by) u P3i « 1-3 ^3 a s - R -; > r-4 n cc - L" 2 * a 3 - 3 -yeU --o £ t^H*^i o « rt « 2-g ■a 1= >■ « G -G r J L. /-i I 7* i= 3 tin ^ <» "j 5j <; - — ti X. -3 >-i ^ C O J3 « rt O a CD u re re " H J VI -J3 a, -3 o co 5 2 « —■• "O m + -iO gig —> r: 1—1 re rt 0 u > ^ 0 3 - >,T3 3 .2,*a s 3 °< i Pi ^5 T3 CHAP. CHAP. II.; Election of Staniflaus Auguftus.—His excellent regulations op* pofed by the neighbouring powers.—Hi/lory of the Diffidents—. their privileges abolijhed by the diet of 1766.—Confederacies in their favour fupported by the Emprefs of Ruflia.—Rtjlored to their rights by the diet of 1768.—Proceedings of that diet. — Rife of the civil commotions. UPON the demife of Auguftus II. Staniflaus Auguftus, fon of Count Poniatowfki the friend and companion of Charles XII. was fupported in his pre ten lions to the crown by the Emprefs of Ruflia, and the King of Pruflia; their afliftance, joined to that of a ftrong party among the nobles who had declared in his favour, and aided by his great perfonal accomplishments, raifed him to the throne of Poland. Five thoufand Ruffian troops ftationed at a fmall diftance from the plain of Vol a, wherein the diet of election was afTembled, fecured good order, and overawed the violence of the oppofite party. The practice of cantoning a body of fokliers near the plain where the Polifli kings are elected, has been adopted by different foreign powers for near a century ; a mode of proceeding, which, however galling it may appear to the licentious nobility, prevents the effufion of blood that formerly deluged thefe popular affemblies. Staniflaus was in the 3 2d year of his age when he afcended the tbrone in 1764, and feemed calculated by his virtues and abilities to raife Poland from its deplorable ftate ; if the defects of the conftitution had not fettered his exertions for the public good. The faireft hopes were conceived of his future reign ; hut thefe flattering prefages at firft realized, were foon disappointed by the factions of a turbulent people, fomented by the 3 - - intrigues intrigues of the neighbouring powers: thus the reign of the moft amiable among the Polifli fovereigns was doomed to experience the dreadful effects of that exceflivc liberty, which is almoft inconfiftent with the exiftence of government. The firft acts of his Majefty's reign were highly adapted to introduce order and regularity into the interior adminiftration, and to refcue his country from her dependence upon foreign powers. The tendency of thefe excellent regulations to increafe the power and confequence of Poland gave umbrage to the adjacent ftates; and were like wife vigoroufly oppofed by a ftrong party within the kingdom : at this crifis too, religious difputes blending themfelves with political cabals, the flame of civil difcord burft forth with a violence which had not hitherto raged even in Poland. The body of Polifli religionifts, termed Diflidents, make a principal figure in the fubfequent commotions; their concerns being the real or pretended object of attention in every material transaction. The hiftory of this party is thus fketched by the Polifli hiftorians. The reformation made its way into Poland under Sigifmond I. who perfecuted its followers : their number however gaining ground, his fon Sigifmond Auguftus * not only indulged them in the moft liberal exercife of their worfhip ; but admitted them together with the Greeks^ and all other fects then fubfifting in Poland, to a feat in the diet, and to all the honours and privileges before exclusively confined to the catholics. Thefe maxims of unlimited toleration were fo generally adopted by the nation at large, that the members of the diet, which affembled upon the deceale of Sigifmond Auguftus, being of different perflations, determined on a reciprocal indulgence of their refpective tenets. In order to avoid any hate- * Sigii'mond Auguftus gave fuch evident to change his religion, " ut etiam de ipfo marks of favour to the proteltant confeflion, ** rumor diet ac ii avita facra remintiars that he was even fuipeited of being inclined " vclltt." Lenguich, Jus l'ubl. II. p. 554. Vol. I. D fat book fuj diftinctions, they failed themfelvcs indiscriminately Ci dif-*—^—* " fidents in religion a phrafe intimating, not, according to our notions, feparatifts from an eftablifhed church, but limply perfons holding a diverfity of opinions in religious matters. It was at the fame time enacted, that this difference of religious fentiments fhould create no difference in civil rights; and accordingly in the Pacta Convcnta formed by the diet, the foU lowing claufe was infertcd as part of the coronation oath to be tendered to the new fovereign. u I will keep peace among *' the diffidents t." This claufe Henry of Anjou fwore to ob-ferve, before he was permitted to afcend the throne. In procefs of time, however, the Roman catholics, having, tinder the protection and influence of fucceflive fovereigns, acquired a confiderable afcendency, ventured to appropriate the expreflion of diffidents to all thofe who diflcnted from the catholic religion. This alteration in the ufe of the title was attended at rirft with no incroachments on the privileges of the other fects; and the term diffidents, though now conveying the idea of a Separation from the eftablifhed worfhip, was not * This remarkable decree is as follows: fcnfe of the diet, fo contrary to the general 4< Et quoniam, aiunt ordines, in noftra Re- principles of the catholics, when we confider 14 publ. non parum eft dillidium in caufa Rc- that the catholic nuntios were inferior in M Iigionis Chriftianae, occurrendo nc ex hac number to thofe of the other perflations, fo 44 caufa inter homines damnofa qua'dam fcdi- that the former were well fatisfied to obtain 44 tio oriatur, uti in aliis Regnis clarc vide- an equality with the others. The proteftant •4 mus, fpondemus hoc nobis invicem, pro party in the nation was at this period fo " nobis & fucccfloribus noftris in pcrpe- ftrong, that it was even taken into confidera- 44 tuum, fub vinculo juramenti, fide, honore tion to cleft for their king a Polifli nobleman, 44 & confeientiis noftris, quod, qui futnus who had embraced the reformed religion* 44 dijfidentes de rcligio/ie, pacem inter nos 41 Cum in fenatu fi non majoreni, pareni ta- confervare, & propter diverfam fidem, & 11 men catholic is partem eflicerent, inter M mutationes in ecclefiis, fanguinem non ef- 44 equires auteni praivalcrent." Lcngnich, 44 fundere, nequc mult are pecunia, infamia, Jus Pub. v. II. p. 555. See alfo Land's Lct- carccribus & exilio, & fuperioritati alicui ters on the State of Poland, p. 82. ** aut officio ad ejufmodi p roc t (Turn nullo mo- f "Paccm inter diffulentes fervabo." ** do auxilium dare : qnin imo, fi quis fan- Henry, who objected to this univerfal tolera- 44 guinea) effundere voluerit, ex iflA cauffa tion, tried to withhold his confent ; upon 44 opponerc nos omnes erimus obftrifti, licet which one of the Polifh envoys cried out, *' etiam id alioquia fub praetextu decreti, aut 11 Unlefs your Majefty confirms this article, *' alicujus proceflui judiciarii facere voluerit 41 you cannot be king of Poland," nili earn ** a Pacta Cunvcnta Augufti III." p. ao. conditioncm approbaveris, Rex Poloniaj non We need not be furprized at this general cris. Pac. Con. Aug. Ill, p. 19. yet yet regarded in an obnoxious light, The diffidents indeed ftill continued in fuch unqueftioned pofTeffion of all rights civil and religious, that, when it was agreed by both catholics and proteftants to perfecute the arians, it was thought necefTary, prior to their perfecution, to expel them from the body of diffidents. In confequence of this exclulion, the arians, in the reign of John Cafimir, were firft rendered incapable of being-elected nuntios, afterwards deprived of their places of worfhip, and finally banifhed from Poland *. This perfecution of the arians, inadvertently affented to by the protectants and Greeks, was only a prelude to that which they in their turn fullered from the catholics: for, as the catholic party became the moft powerful, the term diffidents, now confined only to perfons profefling the proteftant t and Greek religions, began to grow of a lefs inoffenfive import, and to convey an idea of non-conformity. The fectaries diftinguifhed by that appellation, perceiving the intention of the catholics to undermine their privileges, ftipulated and obtained, that they fhould not be blended with the arians, or fall under the penal laws enacted againft that feet. But thefe promifes were infenilbly eluded, their privileges were gradually diminished ; in the courfe of a few years they were Subjected to a variety of diiqualifications, and at length, in 1733, formally incapacitated from fitting in the diet |\ An old law of Ladiflaus II. * The following quotations from Lenguich prove the truth of thefe facts: " Credebant ar'uni fe ad difiidentes perti-" nere, verum ncque difiidentes illos in eorum " numero effe voluerunt. ** Poll mortem Uladillai IV. catholici de-11 clarabant, non effe dillidcntes ni(i qui tri-** unum Deum colerent. " In comitiis 1658, rex nuntium, quia fecial " arianorum erat, ad mantis oiculum admit-" tere nolebat; ct nuntii inter fe conftitue-'< bint, ne i])forum conclavi arianis locus " effct." Jus Pub. II. 567 & icq. D . For the extirpation of the Brian feci, John Cafimir was dignified by the pope with the title of orthodox, as if orthodoxy confided in perfecution. TantaMia: animis cadeftibus ira?! f Namely, the Lutherans and Calvinifts; all other proteftant feels, the Memnonites, anabaptifts, and qinkers, being not included among the dilfidents : and the periecuting laws enacted againft the arians are in full force againft them. Pac. Con. Aug. III. p. 28, 29. I ■Lengnich, Hi ft, Pol. p. 376. 2 againft book againft hereticks, as well as the penalties levelled againft the _J—'arians, were revived, and occafionally put in force againft the diffidents. Thefe continued perfecutions greatly diminifhed their number, and rendered of courfe their remonftrances ineffectual. The catholics, who now took the lead in the diet, went fo far as to declare it high treafon in the diffidents to feek the relto-ration of their immunities by the interceflion of foreign powers ; although many of thefe foreign powers were guarantees to the treaty of Oliva, in which it was stipulated, that the rights of the diffidents lhould be maintained in their full latitude ':. Such was the fituation of the diffidents at the acceffion of his prefent majefty ; who, though himfelf ftrongly inclined to toleration, was yet obliged to concur with the general fenfe of the diet; and to confirm in their full extent all the laws which had been promulgated againft them. The diffidents applied to the courts of London, Peterfburg, Berlin, and Copenhagen, as the mediating powers in the treaty of Oliva ; who warmly fupported their caufe, and prefented memorials to the cnfuing diet, demanding a reltoration not only of their religious efta-blilhments, but alfo of all their ancient privileges fecured to them by the abovementioned treaty. The diet of xj66, however, was not of a temper to accede to thefe propofals. The enemies of toleration contended, that the privileges alluded to were become obfolete, having been repeatedly abo-lifhed in various diets ; and that the diffidents had no well-founded claim either to the reftitution of their civil immunities, or to the toleration of their worfhip : the bifhop of Cracow, the moft bigotted of the catholics, even propofed a law againft all who fhould abet the oppofite party. Violent alter- * For the account of the diffidents, fee Lengnich, Pac. Con. Aug. III. i6—30. and Jus Pub!, fparfim. 4 cations cations arofe in the affembly, when the Pruffian and Ruffian CIjIAP* memorials were read ; and as an immediate tumult was appre- *— bended, the king retired from the diet without proroguing it, as ufual, to the following day. The primate likewife refufed to continue the fitting, and the members feparated in great diforder. On the fubfequent day the fpirit of intolerance was in no degree abated ; the moderate party was over-ruled, and the acts againft the diffidents were confirmed without referve. But, in order to conciliate the mediating powers, the bench of bifhops, by command of the diet, drew up nine articles in favour of the diffidents, relative to the free exercife of their worfhip. Thefe conceffions not being thought iufficiently favourable, while the exceptionable laws remained unrepealed, the Emprefs of Ruflia remonftrated againft the proceedings ot the diet; and the diffidents began to form confederacies in different parts of the kingdom. They were joined by many dif-contented catholics, and affifted by a large body of Ruffian troops, who entered Thorn, where the firft and principal confederacy took its rife. All the mediating powers, Great-Britain, Denmark, Pruffia, and Sweden, teftified their approbation of thefe confederacies. The difputes foon began to embrace other objects betide religion ; political grievances were likewife brought forward ; and feveral confederacies ftarted up in different parts of the kingdom among the catholic nobles ; all of whom affected to be advocates for toleration, and declared their intentions of fapporting the caufe of the diffidents. Prince Radzivil, who had fignalizcd himfelf in oppofing the king's election, was appointed marihai to all the catholic confederacies, united in one formidable aflbciation under the appellation of malecontents.. The coalition of this catholic confederacy, with that of the diffidents, foon after took place ins the palace of prince Radzivil at Warfaw. Mean while the king-convoked an extraordinary diet, as the only probable means to prevent! book prevCnt a civil war, and to appeafe the Emprefs of Ruflia, —J—■ whofe troops were advanced within a fmall diftance of Warfaw. The diet, however, which was fummoned for the purpofe of reconciling the oppoflte parties, failed in producing the intended effect: the bifhop of Cracow and his partifans inveighed with fuch bitternefs againft the pretentions of the diffidents and againft the interference of foreign powers; that he, together with the bifhop of Kiof and a few others, the moft violent of their party, were arretted in the night by a corps of Ruffian troops, and lent, without further trial, to Ruflta, where they experienced a rigorous impriibninent *, * The bifiiop of Cracow and his affociates were arretted on the i jtii of October, 1767 ; tliey were detained in prifon above five years, not being releaied before the beginning of 1773. They were hi ft confined at Smolenfko, and afterwards at Kaluga. The following extracts from fome manufcript letters in my poifeffion give fome account of their impriibninent, and of the bifhop's return : 44 At firit their confinement was very ri-41 gorous, and particularly in their journey to 44 Smolenfko: for although they were con-** ducted together, and then imprilonc-d at 44 the fame place, yet they were never per7 44 pitted to fee each other during the iirft *4 fix months Afterwards they were lefs ri-44 gotoufly treated. They were removed 4' from Smolenfko on fufpicion of a corre-44 fpondence between the bifhop of Cracow 44 and his partifans in Lithuania ; and al-*4 though this fufpicion was not founded, yet 44 it occaiioned the rcfolution adopted by the *4 court of Peterfburg to tranfport them to The diet, intimidated by the fate of their leading members, and being no longer inflamed by their eloquence, appointed, though not without fome altercation and tumult, a grand committee to adjuft the affairs ot the diffidents in conjunction with the mediating powers, and then broke up. This grand committee cxprefled the moft favourable difpofition towards the diffidents, and propofed that all the laws enacted againft them fhould be repealed, and their antient privileges reftored, Thefe refolutions being laid before the extraordinary diet, which was convened the beginning of the following year, 1768, were ratified almoft without oppofitkm. This ready and unanimous acquiefcence of the diet in regulations, totally repugnant to the fentiments of the majority, can only be accounted for by the dread of the Ruffian troops quartered in. Warfaw, and the influence of bribes judicioufly diftributed by the Ruffian minifter. The operation of the fame caufes rendered the diet equally compliant in other particulars : and induced them to eitablifh feveral * civil regulations, tending to perpetuate the defects of the conftitution, and which had no 44 king, with whom he remained a full hour, 44 namely, from eleven to twelve. He ad-44 drefled his ma jetty with great decency and 44 refpect; and, among other things, begged "pardon, if, before-his arreft, he had ex-44 preffed himfclf either in a manner or in 44 terms which were difpleafing, affuring him 44 at the i'mne time of his attachment, fide-44 lity, and zeal for the fervice of his king, ** and the good of his country After the **■ audience, he intended mafs, and pnicnted " his majefiy >.«. ith the New Teftament, a'c-11 quitting htmfelf of that ceremony with 44 propriety and decorum. " The bifhop of Kiof, having feparated 44 from the bifhop of Cracow on the other " (idc of Minik, will riot be here for fome 44 time. The palatine of Cracow and his fon 44 continue between Smolenfko and Kaluga, 44 the place of their confinement, in order to 44 attend upon Colonel Baclunatou, their con* 44 (factor, who was taken ill upon their jour* 44 ney. The palatine, willing to repay with 44 gratitude and humanity the attention 44 which he received from the colonel during 44 his confinement, could not be prevailed 44 upon to cpiit him in his illnefs; and as he 44 has fome knowledge of phyfic, he is in 44 hopes of completing his cure." * Thefe regulations, which refpect chiefly the eftablifhing in perpetuity of the elective monarchy, of the Liberum Veto, and of unanimity; in all matters of ftate, are all detailed in the articles of the diet of 1768, publifhed at Warfaw : the principal claufes are the fame as are mentioned in the fourth chapter of this book relative to the changes made in the con-ftiturion in 1775; the reader will find them amply mentioned and accompanied with fome-judicious remarks, in Lind's Prefent State ot Poland, Letter III, other book other recommendation except their fubferviency to the RulTian «—¥—, defigns -upon Poland. The nation at large fecmed at this juncture to have caught the fubmiilive fpirit of the diet; and received the new edicts with every fymptom of cordiality. Poland fcemed to enjoy for a moment an univerfal tranquillity ; but it was that fullen tranquillity which precedes a tempeft, and announces to the intelligent obferver the mod violent commotions. During thefe tran factions, the king, without influence, and confequently without a fhadow of authority, was one while hurried down the popular current; and the next moment fenced by the mediating powers to accede to all the conditions which they laid before him : a wretched fituation for a prince of his fpirit and magnanimity, and below which it is fcarcely poffible for any fovereign to be reduced. But more grievous fcenes yet awaited the unfortunate monarch ; he was doomed to behold his country torn to pieces by the moft dreadful of all calamities, a religious war ; to be frequently deprived al-moft of common neceffaries; and to be indebted for his very fubfiftence to the voluntary contributions of his friends : to be little better than a ftate prifoner in his capital; to be carried off and nearly affaffinated : to fee his faireft provinces wrefted from him; and, finally, to depend, for his own fecurity and that of his fubjects, upon the protection of thofe very powers, who had difmembered his empire. The Polifli malecontents could certainly ailedge fome very plaufible caufes of diffatisfaction. The laws pafTed at the laft diet bore a greater refemblance to the abfolute mandates of a Ruffian viceroy, than to the refolutions of a free aftembly. The outrage committed upon the bifiiop of Cracow and his adherents entirely fubverted all liberty of debate; while the authoritative manner, in which the mediating powers of Berlin and Peterfburg ftill continued to interfere in the affairs of Poland, Poland, threatened a more grievous fubjection. Thefe fpecious CI*A1>< grounds of difguft, joined tcr an ill-timed fpirit of difcontent 1—,—1 which had gone forth throughout the nation againft the king, occafioned the interline commotions that foon reduced Poland to the moft dreadful ftate of defolation. The diet had not long been dillblved, before the indulgences granted to the diffidents firft excited a general difcontent among the Roman catholic party : feveral confederacies made their appearance towards the frontiers of the Turkifh empire in defence of the facred catholic faith ; they carried ftandards before them highly calculated to inflame the zeal of the populace ; upon fome of thefe ftandards images of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jefus were delineated ; upon others the fpread eagle of Poland, with the mottos " Conqueft or Death," '* For religion and liberty Some banners bore as a device a red crofs, under which was inferibed (l the fymbol of vie-*' tory." The private foldiers of the confederacy, like the crufaders of old, wore a crofs interwoven in their clothes. One party of thefe infurgents feized upon the fortrefs of Bar in Podolia, and another got pofTeffion of Cracow. The royal troops, who were fent againft them, were either routed or prevailed upon to join them. In this dreadful crifis of affairs the fen ate petitioned the embafTador from the court of Peterfburg not to withdraw the Ruffian troops from the kingdom, as they afforded the only fecurity againft the confederates: the requeft was readily complied with, and Poland became a fcene of bloodfhed and devaluation, in the various conflicts between the two parties, the fuperiority of Ruffian discipline generally prevailed. The confederates, however, at firft fecretly encouraged by the houfe of Auftria, affifted by the Turks, and fup-plied with money and officers by the French, were able to protract hoftilities from the diftblution of the diet in 1768, * Aut vincerc aut mori.—Pro religione ct libertate. Vol. I. E to book ro t|ie flivifion of Poland in 1772. To enter into a detail of 4—I—t military operations falls not within the defign of this work. From the various acts of cruelty and revenge which diftinguifh and difgrace this part of the Polifh hiftory, I fhall felect only one event too remarkable to be omitted; the attempt made by the confederates to aflafTinate the king. The following circumftantial account of this fingular occurrence was communicated to me by my ingenious friend Nathaniel Wraxall, Efq; whofe name is well known in the literary world ; and who, during his refidence at Warfaw, obtained the moft authentic information upon fo interefting a n anfaction: as he has obligingly permitted me to enrich my work with this narration, I am happy to lay it before the reader in his own words. CHAP. III. .Attempt to ajjajfinate the king of Poland.—His majefty attacked by the confpirators in the flreets of Warfaw, wounded, and carried off.—His adventures and miraculous efcape.—Return to Warfaw.—Account and fate of the principal confpirators. " TN the midft of thefe turbulent and difaftrous fcenes, the " confederates (who ever confidered the king as unlaw-" fully elected, and who imputed to his fatal elevation and " direction, or approbation, all the various ills under which the M kingdom groaned from the Ruffian oppreffion) planned and ** executed one of the moft daring enterprizes of which mo-" dern hiftory makes mention. 1 mean the attempt to afTaf-" iinate the king. It is fomewhat remarkable, that in an age " fo il fo humanifed, fo free from the enormous and flagitious cftAp. & 111. «* crimes common in barbarous centuries, fo enlightened as is ...... y,.„ ■ « the prefent, this is the third attempt on a crowned head in « my remembrance. Louis XV. Jofeph I, of Portugal, and « Staniflaus Auguftus, all narrowly efcaped afTafli nation. As " duel:, after the folemn engagements into which he had en-" tered. Even after he had conducted the king back to War-il faw, he expreffed more than once his doubts of the propriety " of what he had done, and fome remorfc for having deceived " his employers. " Lukawiki and Strawenfki were both taken, and feveral " of the other aflTaflms. At his majefty's peculiar requeft and M intreaty, the diet remitted the capital punifhment of the in-" ferior confpirators, and condemned them to work for life on " the fortifications of Kaminiec, where they now are. By his " his interceflion likewife with the diet, the horrible punifh-u ment and various modes of torture, which the laws of Po-" land decree and inflict on regicides, were mitigated ; and " both Lukawiki and Strawenfki were only limply beheaded. " Kofinfki was detained under a very ftricSt confinement, and " obliged to give evidence againft his two companions. A " perfon of diftinction, who faw them both die, has aflured " me, that nothing could be more noble and manly than all u Lukawfki's conduct previous to his death. When he was " carried to the place of execution, although his body was al-" moft extenuated by the feverity of his confinement, diet, " and treatment, his fpirit unfubdued raifed him above the *c terrors of an infamous and public execution. He had not " been permitted to fhave his beard while in prifon, and his " drefs was fqualid to the greateft degree ; yet none of thefe " humiliations could deprefs his mind. With a grandeur of " foul worthy of a better caufe, but which it was impoflible " not to admire, he refufed to fee or embrace the traitor Ko-" finfki. When conducted to the fcene of execution, which " was about a mile from Warfaw, he betrayed no emotions of " terror or unmanly fear. He made a fhoft harangue to the 11 multitude aflembled upon the occafion, in which he by no 44 means expreffed any for row for his paft conduct, or contri- F 2 " tion 3P SKE T C II OFT II E n.ooK u tion for his attempt on the king, which he probably regarded wJL^ " as meritorious and patriotic. His head was fevered from hb *f body. " Strawenfki was beheaded,at the fame time, but he neither H harangued the people, nor fhewed any iigns of contrition*. f Pulafki, who commanded one of the many corps of confede-f rate Poles then in arms, and who was the great agent an<& H promoter of the afTaffination, is ftill alive though an out-"•law ami an exile. He is faid, even by the Ruffians his ene-mies, to pollers military talents of a very fuperior nature; At nor were they ever able to take him prifoncr during the ci— *' vil war-. " To return to Kofinfki, the man who faved the king's life. u About a week after Lukawfki and Strawcnfki's execution, '{ he was fent by his majefty out of Poland. lie now refutes-at Semigallia in the. papal territories, where he enjoys an an--u nualpenfion, from the king. " A circumftance almoft incredible, and which Teems to H breathe all the fanguinary bigotry of the 16th century, h t( cannot omit. It is that the papal nuntio in Poland, infpircd-a with a furious zeal againft the diffidents, whom he believed-*i to be protected by the king, not only approved the fcheme '« for*afTaffinating his majefty, but blcfled the weapons of thc-14 confpirators at. Czetfchokow, previous to their fetting out. a on their expedition. This is a trait indifputably true, and > ** fcarcely to be exceeded by any thing under the reign of " Charles IX. of France, and of his mother Catharine o& u Medicis." In addition to Mr. Wraxall's account I am enabled to add j the following circumftances: Upon General Coccei's arrival at thq mill, the firft queftion i * After the conclufion of thefe troubles, American fervice, and was killed in the at-Jnlafki cfcaped from Poland, and repaired to tempt to force the Britifh Lines at the ficg*., America: he diftinguifhed himfelf in the, of Savannah in 1779. 5 " which. P & E S E N T It E1GN. which his majefty afked was, whether any of his attendants-had fullered from the afTaflins ; and upon being informed that one of the heyducs was killed upon the fpot, and another danger* ouily wounded, his mind, naturally feeling, now rendered more fufccptibls by his late danger, was greatly affected ; and his joy at his own efcape was confiderably dimiuifhed. Upon his return to Warfaw, the itreets through which ha pafled were illuminated with torches, and crouded by an im-menfe concourfe of people, who followed him to the palace, crying out incefiantly " The king is alive." Upon his entering the palace, the doors were flung open, and perfons of all ranks were admitted to approach his pcrfon, and to felicitate him upon his efcape. The.fccne, as 1 have been informed by feveral of the nobility who were prefent j was affecting beyond defcription* Every one. ftruggled to get near him, to kifs his hand, or even to touch his cloaths: all were fo tranfported with joy, that they even loaded Kofinfki with careffes, and called him the faviour of their king. His majefty was fo affected with thefe figns of zeal and.afteciiou, that he exprefTed in the molt feeling manner his flong fenfe of thefe proofs of their attachment, and declared it was the happier! hour of his whole life. In this moment of rapture he forgot the dangers he had avoided, and the wounds he had received ; and as every one fecmcd anxious to> learn the circumftances of his efcape, he would not fuller his. wounds to be infpected and drafted before he had himfelf fa-tisfied their impatience,,by relating the difficulties and dangers' he. had undergone. During the recital, a per fon unacquainted' with the language might have difcovcred the various events of the ftory from the changes of expreffion in the countenances of the byftanders, which difplaycd the moft fudden alterations from terror to compaflion, from companion to ailo-rrifhment, and from aftonifhment to rapture; while the univerfal filence was only broken by lighs and tears of joy. The The king having finifhed the account, again repeated his aflurances of gratitude and affection for the unfeigned proofs they had given of their love and attachment; and difmifTed them, by adding, that he hoped he had been thus miracu-loufly preferved by Divine Providence, for no other purpofe than to purfue with additional zeal the good of his country, which had ever been the great object of his attention. Being now left alone, his majefty permitted the furgeons to examine the wound in his head. Upon cutting away the fkin, it appeared that the bone was hurt, but not dangeroufly; from the quantity of clotted blood, the operation of drefhng was tedious and painful, and was fubmitted to by the king with great patience and magnanimity. The furgeons propofed at firft to bleed him in the foot; but they laid afide this intention upon finding both his feet fwollen confiderably, and covered with blifters and bruifes. The family of the heyduc, who had faved the king's life by the lofs of his own, was amply provided for : his body was buried with great pomp; and his majefty erected an handfome monument to his memory, with an elegant infcription expref-five of the man's fidelity and of his own gratitude. I faw the monument: it is a pyramid ftanding upon a far-cophagus, with a Latin and Polifh infcription; the former I copied, and it is as follows. 4< Hie jacet Georgius Henricus Butzau, qui regem Staniflaum " Auguftum nefariis parricidarum telis impetitum, die m Nov. " i 771, proprii pectoris clypeo defendens9 geminatis ictibus u confoftlis, gloriofe occubuit. Fidelis fubditi necem lugens, Rex " pofuit hocce monumentum illius in laudem, aliis exemplo*." * " Here lies George Henry Butzau, who, " glorioufly expired. The king, lamenting 11 on the 3d of November, 1771, oppoling " the death of a faithful fubje£t, erected this *-* his own breaif to fhicld Stanillaus Auguftus M monument, as a tribute to him, and an from the weapons of nefarious parricides, " incentive to others." the Poles ; and Auftria, fcarce a century ago, was indebted to > .* afovereign + of this country for the prefervation of its metropolis, and almoft for its very exiftence. A kingdom, fo lately the mafter or protector of its neighbours, would never have been fo readily overwhelmed by them, without the moft glaring imperfections in its government. Poland, in truth, formerly more powerful than any of the furrounding ftates, has, from the defects of its conftitution, declined in the midft of general improvements; and, after giving law to the north, is become an eafy prey to every invader. The Partition of Poland was firft projected by the king of Pruflia. Polifh or Weftern Pruflia had long been an object of his ambition : exclufive of its fertility, commerce, and population, its local fituation rendered it highly valuable to that monarch ; it lay between his German dominions and Eaftern Pruflia, and while pofleffed by the Poles, cut off, at their will, all communication between them. During the courfe of the laft general war, he experienced the moft-fatal effects from this disjointed ftate of his territories. By the acquifition of knights were conftrained to hold the remain- Pruflia being declared a fovereign, indepen- ing part, called Eaftern Pruffia, as a fief of dent, and hereditary duchy, the crown of Poland. In 152 c Eaftern Pruflia Frederick, fon of Frederick William the was erected into an hereditary duchy, and Great, affumed the title of King of Pruffi 1, given to Albert of Brandenburg as a Polifli which however the Poles never acknowledged, fief. Upon his death it felt to his fon Albert until 1764, at the acceifiou of Staniflaus Au- Frederick, who being impaired in his facul- gnltus. His prefent majefty Frederick II. by ties, the adminiflration was veiled firft in Jo- the partition treaty now pofl'elfes bothWeftein achim Frederick eleftor of Brandenburg, and and Eaftern Pruflia. afterwards in Joachim's fon John Sigifmond, * Under Sigifmond III. whofe troops got who had married Albert's daughter. Upon poffeflion of Mofcow, and whofe Ion Ladiflaus the demife of Albert without male heirs, was chofen great duke of Mufcovy by a party John Sigifmond, who fucceeded to the duchy of the Ruiliau nobles. of Prullia, did homage for that duchy as a f John Sobicfki, who compelled the Turks vafl'al of the republic. His grandibn Frede- to raife the fiege of Vienna, and delivered the rick William, the great Elector, was the firft houfe of Anuria from thegrcateft dangers it duke of Pruffia rcleafed from this badge of ever expeiieneed. , feudal dependence by John Cafimir ; Eaftern Vol. I, G Weftern book weftern. Pruflia, his dominions would be rendered compact, »—I_. and his troops in time of war be able to march from Berlin to Koningfburgh without interruption. The period was now arrived, when the fituation of Poland feemed to promife the attainment of this favourite object. He purfued it, however, with all the caution of an able politician. On the commencement of the troubles, he fhewed no eagernefs to interfere in the affairs of this country ; and although he had concurred with the emprefs of Ruflia in railing Staniflaus Auguftus to the throne of Poland; yet he declined taking any active part in his favour againft the confederates. Afterwards, when the whole kingdom became convulfed throughout with civil com- i;69. motions, and defolated likewife by the plague, he, under pretence of forming lines to prevent the fpreading of the infection, advanced his troops into Polifli Pruflia, and occupied that whole diftrict. Though now completely mafter of the country, and by no means apprehenfive of any formidable refiftance from the dif-united and diffracted Poles, yet, as he was well aware that the fecurity of his new acquifitiori depended upon the acquiescence of Ruflia and Auftria, he planned the Partition of Poland. He communicated the project; to the emperor, either upon their interview at Niefs in Silefia, in 1769, or in that of the following year, at Neuftadt in Auftria ; from whom the overture met with a ready concurrence. Jofeph, who had before fecretly encouraged the confederates, and even commenced a negociation with the Porte againft Ruflia, now fuddenly altered his meafures, and increafed his army towards the Polifli frontiers. The plague prefenting to him, as well as to the king of Pruflia, a fpecious motive for ftationing troops in the dominions of the republic; he gradually extended his lines, and, in 1772, occupied the whole territory, which he has fmce difmembered. But, notwithftanding this change in his fentiments, fentiments, his real views upon Poland were at firft fo effectually concealed, that the Polifh rebels conceived that the Auftrian army was advancing to act in their favour ; not fup-pofing it poflible, that the rival courts of Vienna and Berlin could act in concert. Nothing more remained towards completing the partition, than the acceflion of the emprefs of Ruflia. That great prin-cefs was too difcerning a politician not to regard with a jealous eye the introduction of foreign powers into Poland. Poffefling an uncontrouled afcendancy over the whole country, fhe could propofe no material advantage from the formal acquifition of a part; and muft purchafe a moderate addition to her territory by a confiderable furrender of authority. The king of Pruflia, well acquainted with the true interefts of Ruflia in regard to Poland, and with the capacity of the emprefs to difcern thofe interefts, forbore (it is faid) opening any negotiation on the fubject of the partition, until fhe was involved in a Turkifh war. At that crifis he difpatchcd his brother Prince Henry to Peterfburg, who fuggefted to the emprefs that the houfe of Auftria was forming an alliance with the Porte, which, if it took place, would create a moft formidable combination againft her; that, neverthelefs, the friendfhip of that houfe was to be purchafed by acceding to the partition ; that upon this condition the emperor was willing to renounce his connection with the Grand Signior, and would fuffer the Ruffians to profecute the war without interruption. Catharine, anxious to pufli her conquefts againft the Turks, and dreading the interposition of the emperor in that quarter ; perceiving likewife, from the intimate union between the courts of Vienna and Berlin, that it would not be in her power, at the prefent juncture, to pre-. Vent the intended partition, clofed with the propofal, and fe-lected no inconfiderable portion of the Polilh territories for herfelf. The treaty was figned at Peterfburg in the beginning G 2 of book of February, 1772, by the Ruffian, Auftrian, and PrufTian —J—> plenipotentiaries. As the troops of the three courts were already in pofTeflion of the greateft part of Poland, the confederates, hemmed in on all fides, were foon routed and difperfed ; and Europe waited in anxious expectation what would be the iffue of this unexpected union : yet fuch was the profound fecrecy with which the partitioning powers proceeded, that for fome time after the ratification of the treaty, only vague conjectures were entertained even at Warfaw * concerning their real intentions; and the late lord Cathcart, the Englifh minifter at Peterfburg, was able to obtain no authentic information of its fignature, until two months after the event. The firft formal notification of any pretentions to the Polifli territory.was in the month of September, 1772, announced to the king and fenate affembled at Warfaw, by the Imperial em-balTador; which was foon followed by the memorials of the Ruffian and Pruffian courts, Specifying their refpective claims. It would be tedious to enter into a detail of the pleas urged by the three powers in favour of their feveral demands ; it would be no lefs uninterefting to lay before the reader, the anfwers and remonftrances of the king and fenate, as well as the appeals to the other itates which had guarantied the poficflions of Poland. The courts of London, Paris, Stockholm, and Copen- * I have a collection of MS. letters written from Warfaw before and after the parti-tion: the following paffrges from thofe letters will fhew the myflerious conduct of the three courts, and the uncertainty of the Poles Concerning the difmemberment. 41 On cache l\ Vienne les trail motifs et le " but de la prochaine entree des troupes en •* Pologne,"&c May 6, 1772. All 'be letters fpeak of the apprehenfions of difmemberment; but the firft which mentions it with any certainty is dated May 19, which relates, that one of the king of PrulRa'a 4 officers, paffing through Maricnburgh, even faid, that the neighbourhood of that town had fallen to the king by the partition. May 30 *• On croit de plus et plus qu'on " nous pirtagcra, tant d*avis qui s'accordeut l' I.l deffus nc peuvent pas etre fur de vaines " imaginations et conjectures,'* &c. Auguit 13. La bombe va crever, on " acheve le trait£ departage," &c. Auguft 24. " C'en eft fait, le traite ebau-" ch£ au mois de Fevricr vient de prendre 11 confluence," &c, hagen, hagen, remonftrated againft the ufurpations; but remon-ftrances without afllftance could be of no effect. Poland fub-mitted to the difmemberment, not without the moft violent ftruggles, and now, for the firft time, felt and lamented the fatal effects of faction and difcord. A diet being demanded by the partitioning powers, in order to ratify the ceffion of the provinces, was, after fome delay, convoked by the king in the following fummons: " Since u there are no hopes from any quarter, and any further delays " will only tend to draw down the moft dreadful calamities ** upon the remainder of the dominions which are left to the " republic; the diet is convened for the 19th of April, 1773, u according to the will of the three courts: neverthelefs, in %i order to avoid all caufe of reproach, the king, with the ad-" vice of the fenate, again appeals to the guaranties of the *' treaty of Oliva." The diet met at the appointed time ; and fuch was the fpirit of the members, that, notwithftanding the deplorable fituation of their country, the threats and bribes of the three powers, the partition-treaty was not carried through without much difficulty. For fome time the majority of the nuntios appeared determined to oppofe the difmemberment, and the king firmly perfifted in the fame refolution. The embaffadors of the three courts enforced their requisitions by the moft alarming menaces ; and threatened the king with depolition and imprifon-ment. They alfo gave out by their emiifarieSj that in cafe the diet continued refractory, Warfaw fhould be pillaged. This report was induftrioufly circulated, and made a fenfible impreffion upon the inhabitants. By menaces of this fort, by corrupting the marihal of the diet, who was accompanied with a Ruflian guard ; in a word, by bribes, promifes, and threats, the members of the diet were at length prevailed on to ratify the difmemberment. In the fenate, however, or upper houfe, there book tnere was a majority of only fix; in the lower houfe, or af-* r j—i fembly of the nuntios, of but one fingle vote in favour of the meafnre *■ An act was then pafTed to limit the feflions of the diet to the term of a few days, and delegates were appointed, with full powers to adjuft, in concert with the embauadors, all the terms of the difmemberment. The commiflioners, or delegates, on the breaking up of the diet in May, immediately entered upon their office; and, by the month of September, finally concluded the treaty of the partition in conformity to the dictates of the three courts. At this juncture, feveral nobles were bold enough to iflue manifestoes and remonftrances in various parts of the kingdom, againft the ceflion of the provinces, and to reprobate the conduct of the partitioning powers; but fuch remonftrances were totally difregarded, and may be confidered only as the laft convuliions of an expiring nation. Of the difmembered countries t, the Ruffian province is the largeft, the Auftrian the moft populous, and the Pruflian the moft commercial. The population of the whole amounts to near 5,000,000 of fouls ; the firft containing 1,500,000, the fecond 2,500,000, and the third 860,000. Weftern Pruflia was the greateft lofs to Poland, as by the difmemberment of that province, the navigation of the Viftula entirely depends upon the king of Pruflia ; by the lofs confequently of this diftrict a fatal blow was given to the trade of Poland ; for his Pruflian majefty has laid fuch heavy duties upon the merchandize pafling to Dantzic, as greatly to diminifh the commerce of that town, and to transfer a confiderable portion of it to Memmel and Konigfburgh. Although the limits of Poland were fettled by the treaty of * By 54 againft 53. provinces. For an account of the Auurian f The reader, by confulting the map of province, fee Book II Chap, I*; oftheRuf- Poland (prefixed to this work), will fee the lian, Book III. Chap. I. nutation and extent of the three difmembered Partition, Partition, yet the Auftrians and Pruflians continually extended their frontiers : the emperor feized upon Cafimir, and even avowed an intention of taking poflefTion of Cracow and Ka-miniec; while Frederick alleged thefe ufurpations as a jufti-ncation for fimilar incroachments on his part; urging, that he could not, confident with his own fecurity, fee the emperor increafing his dominions without following his example, and aifuming an equivalent. Catharine was forced for a time to connive at thefe encroachments ; but no fooner was peace * eftablilhed with the Turks, and the rebellion of Pugatcheff crufhed, than fhe immediately turned her whole attention to Poland; and it is owing to her fpirited remonftrances, that both Auftrians and Pruftians have relinquilhed their ufurpations, and confined themfelves to the limits marked by the treaty of partition. The partitioning powers did lefs injury to the republic by difmembering its faireft provinces, than by perpetuating the principles of anarchy and confufion, and eftablifhing on a permanent footing, that exorbitant liberty +, which is the parent of faction, and has proved the decline of the republic. Under pretence of amending the conftitution, they have confirmed all its defects, and have taken effectual precautions to * The peace between the Emprefs and the Turks was figncd on the sift of July, 17.74, in Marfhal Romanzof's camp near Bulgaria ; and in a letter from Warfaw, dated Augufl 29, of the frme year, it is faid, 4« The Km-M peror and King of Pruflia continued en-* croaching upon the Polifli territories, and '*■ enlarging their frontiers which were marked M by the treaty of Peterfburg. But upon the 41 concluflon of the peace, the Auflrian and 44 Pruffian troops retired within their refpoc-*' tive lines. Behold already ihe good effects *' of this glorious peace! What would have 41 become of us, if the arms of the Ottoman ** empire had profpercd according to the 11 wiflies of many?" And in another, dated Sept. 14, 1775, " The king of Pruflia has written to the em-44 prefs of Ruflia a letter in a moft enchant-44 ing flyle. After much praife, he adds, 44 that notwithstanding the juflice of his claim 44 upon thofe parts which he has annexed to 44 his former acquilitions, he fhall make no 44 difficulty in facrilicing them, as a proof of 44 his readincfs to oblige her Imperial majefty; 44 provided the houfe of Auftria will alio re-44 flore what ihe hr.s taken." f " Our liberty," laid a Pole, 44 is like a 44 two-edged fword in the hand of an infant, 44 and for that very reafon our neighbours are 4* anxious to preferve it entire." render book rentier this unhappy country incapable of emerging from its <—J—-prefent deplorable ftate. The delegates, who ratified the treaty of partition, being alfo empowered by the diet to concert with the three courts any alterations in the conftitution which might appear beneficial to the kingdom, continued fitting from May 1773 to March 1775, during which period the convocation of the ordinary diet was poftponed, until the members of the delegation had agreed to all the innovations propofed by the embafTadors; and until every part of the government was finally arranged. Notwithstanding the wretched condition of Poland, and the refiftlefs power of the three courts, yet the king and the majority of the delegates long with-held their confent to the propofed alterations. Some idea of their fpirit may be formed from the following account of one of the meetings, when the propofitions relating to the change of government were firft produced in September, 1773. Prior to the appearance of the three embaf-fadors in the aftembly, much was faid, and with great vehemence, againft the projected innovations; many reproaches were thrown out againft the authors of that plan, for facrific-ing the public advantage to their private ambition, refentment, and interefts. At the entrance of the three embafTadors, a dead filcnce took place for fome minutes, until the fecretary of the Ruffian embaffy began to read the plan for new-modelling the conftitution; then a general murmur Spread through the whole aftembly, and, as he proceeded, increafed to fuch a degree as almoft to drown his voice; nor was it without frequent interruptions, that he was permitted to nnifh its recital. He had fcarcely concluded, when the whole body of delegates loudly demanded the treaties of partition and alliance : the embafTadors anfwering, that many points could not be adjuftcd without farther inftructions from their refpec- tive tive courts; it was replied, that in the mean time they might introduce the treaty of commerce, which they were authorised to conclude. At all events, it was urged, the propofal concerning the change of government is premature; a revolution of fuch extreme importance demands the moft deliberate examination, and ought not to be hurried through, as if it was a circumftance of no concern to the nation. One of the delegates, who was moft violent in his oppofition, delivered his fentiments with a freedom which aftonifhcd the affembly ; and when the embafTadors, who did not undcrfland the Polifli idiom, applied to a Caftellan for an explanation of what was faid, the latter excufed himfelf, under pretence of not being qualified for the office of interpreter, as having but an imperfect knowledge of the French language. When, at laft, one of the Palatines, who was of the embaffador's party, acquainted them with the contents of the fpeech ; the orator ventured to thank him for explaining the purport of his harangue in fo able a manner ; while the praifes which, in a fine tone of irony, he affected to beftow upon the Palatine for his rcadi-nefs to oblige, as well as for his independent fpirit, occafioned much mirth in the affembly. The undifguifed approbation given by the greatcft part of the members to this orator, convinced the embaifadors that this was no time to obtrude their refolutions upon the delegates: they accordingly broke up the meeting, and poftponed the bufinefs to a future opportunity The next feilion, however, was not more favourable to their wuhes, nor did the patriotic zeal of the delegates feem to abate. Their oppofition indeed to this mcafure continued fo violent, that more than a year elapfed before the embafTadors * The following paffage in one of my MS. ** continues to be read ; it dill excites con-letters, dated fo late as Nov. 13, 1774, will 44 tinual debates, and more will a rife ; but fhew the difficulty of fettling with the dele- 44 all will be finifhed according to the will of gates. " the miiiiUcrs.'* 44 The plan for the permanent council Vol. I. II were were able, by the influence of threats, bribery, and promifes, to obtain a majority; and before the delegates, terrified or feduced into compliance, formally acceded to the change of government. This important point being obtained, the delegation was diffolved on the i 3th of April, I7 7 5> and all the articles were confirmed by the general diet. The following note, delivered by the three embafTadors to the delegates on the 13th of September, 1773, will give the heft general idea of the changes made in the conftitution. " The courts are fo interefted in the pacification of Poland, " that, while the treaties are getting ready to be figned and " ratified, the minifters cannot lofe any of that valuable time, " fo necefTary for the re-eftablifhment of order, and the tran-" quillity of this kingdom. We now, therefore, deliver to '* the delegation a part of thofe cardinal laws, to the ratification " of which our courts will not fuffer any contradiction. I. " The crown of Poland fhall be for ever elective, and u all order of fuccelfion profcribed : any perfon who fhall " endeavour to break this law, lhall be declared an enemy to " his country, and liable to be punifhed accordingly. II. " Foreign candidates to the throne being the frequent " caufe of troubles and divifion, mail be excluded ; and it fball " be enacted, that, for the future, no perfon can be chofen ci king of Poland, and great duke of Lithuania, excepting a " native Pole, of noble'1- origin, and pofTefling land within '* the kingdom. The fon, or grandfon, of a king of Poland, " cannot be elected immediately upon the death of their father M or grandfather; and are not eligible, excepting after an in-. " terval of two reigns. III. " The government of Poland fhall be for ever free, ft independent, and of a republican form. IV. " The true principle of the laid government confifting That is, any gentleman. " in the Uriel; execution of its laws, and the equilibrium of CI " the three eftates, namely, the king, the fenate, and the >— " equeftrian order, a Permanent Council ihall be eftablifhed, « in which the executive power lhall be vetted. In this couu-ff cil the equeftrian order, hitherto excluded from the admi-?f niitration of affairs in the intervals of the diets, fhall be ad-" mitted, as fhall be more clearly laid down in the future ar-" rangements." Thefe arrangements having been carried into execution, I ill all make a few remarks upon the feveral articles. By the firft, the houfe of Saxony, and all foreign princes,, who might be likely to give weight to Poland by their hereditary dominions, are rendered incapable of filling the throne. By the fecond, the exclufion of a king's fon or grand fon, excepting after an interval of two reigns, removes the fainteft profpect. of an hereditary fovereignty, and entails upon the kingdom all the evils infeparable from that moft wretched form of government, an elective monarchy. By the third article, the liberum veto, and all the exorbitant1 privileges of the equeftrian order, are confirmed in their utmoft latitude; and by the laft, the prerogatives of the crown, before too greatly reduced, are ftill farther diminiihed, as will be more minutely difplayed in the enfuing chapter. Before the conclufion of this chapter, it will be proper to mention the fate of the diffidents. Their pretentions were finally fettled between the republic and the mediating powers, at the laft meeting of the delegates. The catholic party op-pofed in fo violent a manner the reftoration of their antient privileges, that, by the confent of the foreign courts, they continue excluded from the diet, the fenate, and the permanent council. In return, however, the diffidents enjoy the free ex-erdfe of their religion ; are permitted to have churches without bells; fchoois and feminaries of their own ; they are call 2 pabio book pable of fitting in the inferior courts of juftice ; and in the —/ tribunal, appointed to receive appeals in matters of religion, three of their communion are admitted as affeffors. In confequence of this toleration, the diffidents have con-frrucfed churches in different parts of the kingdom; one built upon this occalion by the Lutherans at Warfaw, has the following infcription : " Has cedes Deo J. O. facras u Ccctus Varfovieniis in Auguft. Confeff. ex confenfu Sta-" nillai Augufti Regis et Reipublicae ftruere ccepit. " Aprilis 24, 1777." CHAP. V. Government of Poland.—Legijlative authority poffeffed by the diet.— Executive power vejled in the permanent council.— At~l for the eflabltfbment of that council.—Article I. Arrangement of the permanent council.—Conflituent parts taken from the three eftates, the king, fenate, and equeftrian order. —Election of the members. —Prerogatives of the king.-—-Limitations of his authority.—Primate.—Marflial of the equeftrian order.—Article II. Mode of proceeding.—Its five departments.—Foreign affairs.—Police.—War.—Juftice.— The freafury.—Article III. Power and duties.—Article W. Limits of its authority.—Detail of the Jive departments. THE government of Poland is with great propriety flyled a republic, becaufe the king is fo exceedingly limited in his prerogative, that he refembles more the chief of a commonwealth, than the fovereign of a powerful monarchy. The The fupreme legiflative authority of this republic refides in the three eftates of the realm, the king, fenate, and equeftrian order, aflembled in a national diet *. The executive power, which was heretofore entrufted to the king and fenate, is now, according to the new form of government, vefted in the permanent council. The act for the eftablifhment of the permanent council, by the diet of 1775, is thus worded. Since the former exiftence of the council ad laius noflrum in the republic is proved from the antient conftitutions which mention it, and nominally from the fixth article in the confirmation of king Stephen, as well as from the conftitutions t of 1576, T590, 1607, 1641, 1669, 1677, and of 1678: We therefore eftablifh a national council, ad iatus nojirum, compofedof the three orders, namely, of us the king, the fenate, and of the equeftrian order, to act in the manner pre -fcribed as follows. Article I. Arrangement of the Permanent Council. I. This council lhall bear the title of Supreme Permanent Council. It ihall be compofed of the three eftates of the republic, namely, of the king, the fenate, and the equeftrian order, which (hall be for ever infeparable, excepting during an interregnum, or in the king's abfence, for which a provilion is hereafter made. The firft eftate, the king, as chief of the nation, is never changed ; but the other two eftates fhall be elected, every two years, at the ordinary diet, by the majority of fecret votes, in the following manner. 1. All Senators and minifters are candidates of courfe, but the members of the equeftrian order fhall addrefs thcmfelves * For an account of the diet, fee the next tions, and are denominated conftitutions of chapter. i>/6> !SOT» ;1S Pa fled in the diets which f The laws of Poland are called conftitu- aflembled in thole years-. 4 to to the marfhal of the laft diet; and, in cafe of his death or > abfence, to the firft nuntio of the province from which the marfhal was taken, three days before the diet, either in perfon, or by memorials ilgncd by themfelves, and Sealed with their own coats of arms. 2. The marfhal of the diet be inp* elected, and all the ceremonies in the chamber of the nuntios being properly performed, after the junction of the two houfes according to the conftitution of 1768, the lilts of the candidates lhall be read; that of the fenators and minifters by one of the principal fecretaries ; and that of the candidates of the equeftrian order by the Secretary of the diet. No perfon lhall be excluded from being a candidate, who can prove that he poffefTes the necefTary conditions and qualifications, fuch as are hereafter defcribed. And if any perfon fo qualified is omitted, the great fecretaries lhall be anSwerable to, the fame diet for the omiffion of fenators and minifters, and the marfhal of the diet for that of the members of the equeftrian order; and if they are convicted of having defignedly been guilty of the omifTion, they fhall be deprived of their charges. 3. A printed lift of the candidates fhall, the fame day, be given to each member of the diet, to be taken into confideration. 4. The enfuing day each member of the diet fhall fecretly mark the names of as many perfons in the printed lift as are nccef-fary to fill the permanent council. This ceremony fhall be performed in a corner of the fenate-houfe. The fenators invited by the great marfhals, or, in their abfence, by thofe who perform the office of marfhals, and the nuntios Summoned by the marfhal of the diet, fhall receive from the fecretaries the printed lift of the candidates, ftamped with the arms of the republic, Similar to that which was diftributed the preceding day. With theSc lifts they fhall repair in order, one after the other, to a fmall table Surrounded with curtains, upon which table they fTiall fecretly draw a line under the names of the perfons perfons whom they favour; and every one lhall put his lift CI^AP-into a vafe Handing upon a table in the corner of the hall, * which vafe fhall be previoufly opened in the fenate-houfe by the marfhal who is firft in rank, in order to fhew that it is empty. The vafe fhall be provided with three different locks, the keys whereof fhall be given, one to his majefty, a fecond to the great marfhal, or to him who ftands in his place ; and a third to the marfhal of the diet. At the fame time nine deputies fhall be chofen, three from the fenate by the king, and fix by the marfhal of the diet from the equeftrian order. As foon as all the lifts have been delivered, thefe deputies, being fworn, fhall bring the vafe into the middle of the fenate- houfe, and having, in the face of the whole affembly, opened it with the three keys, fhall compare the number of lifts with the members of the diet who are prefent, count the fuffrages, and the firft in rank among the deputies fhall openly proclaim the names of thofe who have the majority. 5. Each elector muft underline in the printed lift fo many, and fuch perfons as are required ; that is, among the perfons elected lhall be the third of the members in the late permanent council, to the number of twelve, namely, fix from the fenate and miniftry, and as many from the equeftrian order, equally chofen from each province. All the lifts, in which this rule is not obferved, and in which there are more or lefs perfons nominated than the neceflary number, fhall be confidercd as null, and be rejected by the deputies. 6. Thofe who have the plurality of fuffrages fhall be admitted into the council; and it is only in cafe of an equal number of votes for any candidate or candidates, that the king fhall have the calling voice. The neceflary qualifications, which entitle a member of the equeftrian order to become a candidate for a feat in the council, are to have belonged to any of the four jurifdictions of the re- public, S public, (of the marfhal, of war, of the afTefTorium and of . the trcafury), to have been deputy in any tribunal, nuntio of the diet, or minifler to a foreign court. Thofe who fhall be elected during the diet, before they enter upon their office fhall take the following oath. " I do fwear, in the name of the Almighty, that I will be ** faithful to you Staniflaus Auguftus, my gracious mailer, and << to the republic of Poland ; that, in the exercife of my office " as counfellor of the permanent council, 1 will execute with u zeal all which the laws relative to the permanent council <4 ordain ; that I will not fuffer myfelf to be furprifed either u by prefents or menaces ; that in giving my advice I will not u be biailed by any perfon, but will act in obedience to the " laws, and in conformity to juftice will confult the good of M my country ; that if 1 fee or know any thing which may ci be either ferviceable or detrimental to my country, I will u faithfully acquaint his majefty, my moft gracious mailer, and his permanent council, and will give my fuffrage in the " manner I think moft likely to prevent the evil. I will not u reveal the fecrets which may be entrufted to me by his ma-" jcfty and his council. And fo help me God." The council lhall be compofed of the following perfons : i. The king as chief and prefident. 2. Three bifhops, among whom the primate of his own right, lhall prefide during two years, but lhall have no feat the two following years. 3. Nine lay-fenators, two of whom may be elected either from the minifters or fenators. 4. Four from the minittry of the republic,namely,one from each department; of thefe eighteen members of the fenate, fix muft be taken from each of the three + provinces. 5. The marfhal of the equeftrian order, and, in cafe of his death or abfence, the firft counfellor of the * Court of Juftice, having cognizance f Great Poland, Little Poland, and Lithvi- withki a certain diftance of the lbvereign's ania, place of relidence. See p. 9. note f. equeftrian equeftrian order, according to the turn of the provinces. 6. CHAF-Eighteen counfellors of the equeftrian order, including the i .* * marfhal. 7. The fecretary of the permanent council lhall be elected from the Referendaries *, and national notaries, 8cc. Of he Pensions. The primate, bifhops, and minifters, enjoying very confi-derable revenue^ derived from their charges, fhall have no * pennons. Lay-fenators of the crown, and of Lithuania, fliall annually receive each 14,000 florins f, = ,£388. iSs. The marfhal of the equeftrian order, as member of the permanent council, 30,000 florins, =£833. 6s. Sd.; and, during his refidence at Warfaw, fhall be allowed a guard of fifteen men, with an officer, from the army of the crown. Each counfellor lhall have 14,000 florins per annum, = ^388. 18s. The fecretary of the council fhall receive the fame fum. Explanation of the duties and prerogatives of the perfons who compofe the Permanent Council. His majefty the king our moft gracious mafter, as chief of the nation, and the firft eftate, reprefenting the majefty of the republic, fliall, according to ufual practice, convoke by circular letters, and at the time prefcribed by the laws, the ordinary diets ; he muft always confult the permanent council upon the matters to be laid before thole affemblies, in the fame manner as he before took the advice of the fenate, which from henceforth fhall no more be convened. His majefty fliall in like manner fummon the extraordinary diets, cither of his own accord, or at the inftance of the permanent council, which the king cannot refufe if the majority demand it. All the laws and conftitutions of the diet, decrees, privileges, and public acts, fliall be iffued in the name of the king, as it has been hitherto * " Referendaries are a kind of matters of " of the King's courts of juftice." Connor's " Requefts, whofe office is to receive peti- Poland, v. TI. p. 77. 11 tions made to the king, and to give lis f 30 Polifh ilorins ~ a pound ftening. V majefty** anfwer ; they have a place in any Vol. I. I practifed. pract.ifed. He lhall figu all the difpatches pafled by order of the council, not having it in his power to pat a negative upon them, if they are carried by a majority. He lhall give public audience to embaifadors and foreign minifters, to envoys or refidents, fhall treat with them* but cannot conclude without communicating the whole to the council, and following the advice of the majority. The king, on his part, cedes the following royal prerogatives : i. For the election of bilhops, palatines, caitellans, and minifters, the council fliall nominate by ballot three candidates, one of whom the king lhall appoint to the vacant office*. 2. The power of appointing to all other eccieiiaftical and 'civil offices fhall continue, without any diminution, veiled in the king, excepting the commiflioners of war, of the treafury, thofe in the department of the marfhal, and in the aflefforiuui rcgni : all thefe commiflioners were before accuftomed to be named by him in the intervals between the diets ; but his majefty now confents, that from henceforth the council fhall elect: three candidates, to be prelected in the fame manner as in the laft mentioned article relative to the nomination of the fenators and minifters. 3. With refpect to military ranks, his majefty fliall appoint the captains in the Polifh companies, and the officers of the four companies, which are upon the Polifh footing, and bear his name. Excepting thefe, all other military promotions fliall be conferred according to Seniority. Nevertheless, his majefty may propofe candidates for military promotion, chofen among the young officers in the national Service, to be fecretly balloted for with that perfon who has the right of Seniority; provided, at the fame time, the great general delivers to his majefty his recommendation in writing, with his reafons for the faid recommendation. 4. His majefty renounces the right to difpofe of the royal demefnes and fta- * The king had before the folc difpofal of thefe offices. See p. 9. 5 roftics, roflies, with this claufe, that the proprietors of both fexes be continued during their lives in po lie Hi on of the faid eftates, which, from this prefent time, mail never be granted to any perfon whatfoever, under the appearance of recompence or any other pretext; but they fhall be employed for the public good, to the great advantage of the country, and with the confent of the king. 5. Four regiments of guards fhall be reftored to the command of the great general, as in the time of Auguftus III. that is, while they preferve the name and rank of guards, they do not bind themfelves by any new oath; and with this difference, that whereas formerly the great generals poffeffed alone the military power in their hands, at prefent they fliare that power with the committee; which committee, as well as the great generals, depend, in virtue of the prefent law, upon the permanent council. In return, the king fhall receive an annual fum fufficient to keep in pay two thoufand troops, who lhall depend folely upon his majefty ; but this fum fliall not be included in the additional revenues granted to his majefty, in compenfation for thofe loft by the difmemberment of the provinces. 6. Reciprocally the republic Stipulates on its part, once for all, that all the other royal prerogatives (thofe excepted which the king has gracioufly pleafed to renounce) fliall remain in full force, and be for ever inviolate. The Primate. The primate, during his office muft attend the permanent council at leaft fix months in the year. The antient laws which fecure the prerogatives of the primate during the interregnum remaining in force, he fliall t prefide in the council, even fhould it not be his turn for fitting in the council. During the interregnum, the permanent council, keeping its * That is, during the two years in which he fits in the council, f Namely, as viceroy during the interregnum. I 2 power power and authority, fliall maintain, in the nfual forms, the tiibunals, and all the jurifdictions of the republic, according to the conftitution of 1768, in all things not contradicted by this new arrangement. The primate, during the two years of his function, figns his name after the king to all the acts of the permanent council; and, in cafe of the king's abfence, or during an interregnum, he has two* votes, in order to decide in cafe of equality of fuffrages. In the primate's abfence, the firft Senator in rank, who is member of the council, fupplies his place. The Marshal of the Equeftrian Order. The equeftrian order lhall have its marfhal in the permanent council, who is the firft in rank among the members of that order. He fliall be elected every two years at the ordinary diet by fecret fuffrages, always from each of the three provinces by rotation, according to the form prefcribed for the election of the counfellors. No fenator or minifter is capable of being elected marfhal unlefs he before-hand refigns his charge. He fliall take the following oath before the fame diet in the fame manner as the other counfellors. «< I fwear before Almighty God, that I will be faithful to ** you Staniflaus Auguftus my gracious matter, and to the re-" public of Poland ; that in the exercife of my office of mar-<£ dial of the permanent council, I will execute with zeal all " which is ordained by the laws eftablifhed by the council; 11 that in giving my advice, and voting, 1 will take for the rule " of my conduct the written laws, and the good of my country, 4< from which I will never fwerve, neither induced by intreaties, *' promifes, friendfhip or hatred, or any other fpecies of cor-** ruption or perfonal attachment whatfoever; that I will never " divulge the fecret deliberations of the council; that I will * That is, I fuppofe, one vote as ufua!, and the calling vote in cafe of equality. 4. " caft " caft up the votes, and faithfully declare the majority of fuf- chap. " frages. So help me God." * The marfhal of the equeftrian order in the permanent council cannot be chofen marfhal or nuntio of the next diet, nor be re-elected marflial of the permanent council, excepting after an interval of four years. His office. He, as well as each of the counfellors, may re-monftrate againft the ill-execution of the laws, and lay before the council thofe matters of which it has the cognizance. It is the duty of the whole council to watch over the fecurity and maintenance of the eftablifhed government, and the prefent conftitution ; and the marflial, as well as each member, ought to have at heart the prefervation of the prerogatives of the three eftates; but more particularly the chancellor, who is a member of the council, and the marflial fliall take care that the papers fhall be kept in order, and the infpector of the acts and archives of the permanent council fliall depend upon the permanent council in pleno. The marflial, as well as each counfellor, may prefent candidates for fubaltern places in the permanent council, who fliall be accepted, if the council is unanimous, and, in cafe of any oppofition, fliall be elected by the majority of fuffrages. The marflial and chancellor fhall take care that the faid fubalterns perform their duties, recommending to the permanent council to reward or punifh them according to their deferts. The marflial diftributcs the votes to the members of the equeftrian order, draws the balls or the billets from the vafe, in prefence of two deputies from the fenate and two from the equeftrian order, chofen by the plurality of voices, counts the number of fuffrages, and declares the majority. The feal of the permanent council, to* gether with the arms of the two nations, fliall remain in the poffeflion of the fnft among the chancellors who are members of the council. The marfhal fliall fign next.to the king and primate, book primate, or, in the latter's abfence, next to the fenior fenator, —^L^ all the acts and refolutions of the permanent council, and fhall the fame day difpatch each act to its refpective department. At the ordinary diet he fliall take his feat at the left hand of the mar thai of the diet, and after his j unification he fliall depart from the affembly, together with all the members of the equeftrian order in the late council. If he exceeds his power, the permanent council may cite him, as well as each counfellor, before the tribunal of the diet, according to the form prefcribed by law. The Secretary of the Council. He can only give his opinion, but has no vote in the council. He fliall deliver gratis to the petitioners the refolutions and anfwers of the permanent council, and fliall counterfign all the difpatches. He fliall receive from the fecretaries of the departments (who fliall depend upon him as far as relates to reports which are to be delivered) the reports of all that paffes in the fittings of the different departments, and what is inferted in the regifters; he fliall acquaint the permanent council with the contents, and fhall form a regifter of all the operations according to the decifion of the diet. He fliall be obliged to report to the permanent council every thing that comes to his knowledge, which may be either advantageous or detrimental to the republic. During his abfence, the permanent council fliall elect:, by a majority of fuffrages, another perfon, who fliall perform the duties of his office until he returns. The archivift fliall be elected in the permanent council by the majority of fuffrages, in the fame manner as the above-mentioned fub-alterns, and he fliall be informed of all by the fecretary. The extracts, as well from the archives of the permanent council, as from the departments which appertain to the council, fliall be delivered gratis. The fecretary fhall take an oath, fimilar to the foregoing one, one, with the addition of the following claufe : " I fwear that " I will not entruft, or give to any perfon, the papers which «* are configned to me, without the permiftion of the counil." The inftigators * of the two nations t (their ancient duties remaining in force) lhall depend upon the permanent council, and fliall not make their appearance in it without being Summoned. They fhall take the ufual oath, with the addition of the following claufe : " We fwear that we will not abandon any " perfon for prayers, threats, promifes, or perfonal confideration, " nor indict but at the inftance of the permanent council." The nomination of the fecretaries for the departments, the keeper of the archives, and Scribes (all of whom mult be natives and nobles) as well as the appointment of their duties, lhall. depend upon the permanent council. The Interpreters. There fliall be two for the Eaftern languages, and one for the Ruffian tongue: they fliall depend upon the permanent council, and particularly upon the department for foreign affairs. The members of the permanent council lhall not be exempted from appearing in the courts of juftice, Sec. If, in criminal affairs, a counfellor incurs any punifhment, he lhall fubmit to it according to the laws and the nature of the crime, without deriving any benefit from his office, &x. Article II. Arrangement, divifion, and mode of procedure in the Permanent Council. The Permanent Council is divided into five departments. i. For foreign affairs. 2. Police. 3. War. 4. Juftice. 5. Treafury. In the department for foreign affairs there fliall be only four members, and eight in each of the other departments, amounting in all to thirty-fix perfons. The election of thefe mcm- * Officers of the crown who profecutc in cafes of high trcafon. f Poland and Lithuania, hers book ucrs jQlaii \)C made by the permanent council aflembled in a «—J—■ body, either unanimously, or by a majority of open fuffrages. The prefence of three perfons in each department fliall be deemed fufficient to proceed upon bufinefs. The minifters * (who are of the council) ftiall prefide in the departments belonging to their refpective charges, and if any accufation fliall be brought againft them, they fhall retire from the permanent council, not havi ;g a vote in fuch cafes. The members of each department fliall receive the memorials and reports which concern their refpective departments : having examined and made extracts, they fliall add their own opinion upon each matter, and fliall then lay the whole before the permanent council for its final decifion. In the department, when there fhall happen to be no mi-niftcr, the fenior fenator fliall prefide. Each prefident has, belide his common vote, a cafting voice, in cafe of an equality of fuffrages. In all the departments, as well as in the council in p/eno, the loweft member in rank fliall give the firft vote. The council fliall affemble in p/eno, as often as neceflity requires, in prefence of the king, when he is pleafed to be prefent ; and in his majefty's abfence, the primate during his turn fliall prefide ; and in his abfence, the firft fenator. The king fhall firft propofe whatever he thinks proper, and the queftion fliall be decided, if not unanimouily, by a plurality of voices. In all cafes, when the king is not prefent, the primate, or, in his abfence, the firft in rank, fliall have the power of propofing. Afterwards, the marflial of the equeftrian order, and then each counfellor, fliall fucceflively have the liberty of propofing. Then the fecretary of the council fliall read the regifters of the five departments, that the affairs which they treat may be finally decided by the * Namely, one of the great treafurers in the department of the trcafury; one of the great generals in that of war, &c. permanent PERMANENT CO UN C I Im- permanent council in p/eno, or returned to the department from which it wras delivered for more exact information. When the king is not prefent in the council, the firft fenator and the marflial of the equeftrian order fliall, in the name of the council, make reports of the affairs in agitation to the king. The king, having received them, fliall, if he pleafes, give his two votes in writing, which fhall be as valid as if he had been prefent. If the king gives no vote before the next meeting, the queftion fliall be decided by the majority ; and, in cafe of an equality, the firft in rank who preiides in the council fliall have the carting voice. If the king is abfent from Warfaw with the permiflion of the council, the council muft repair to the place where he reticles ; but if his majefty quits Warfaw of his own accord, the election of the candidates, and the diitribution of the charges, fliall be fufpended two months; at the expiration of which term, one of the members of the department for foreign affairs fliall attend his majefty, to the end that a correfpondence be preferved between the king and the council. The memorials, in all public matters cognizable by the council, may be prefented to any member of the council, or even to the fecretary : but in all private affairs equally cognizable by the council, the memorials muff be prefented by thofe perfons whom they concern. The member who pre-fents a memorial, having firft iigned it, fliall fend it to the fecretary of the council, and the latter, having made extracts from it, fhall read them to the council at the next meeting, bringing with him, however, the original to be examined in cafe of neceflity. But if the counfellor, who fends a memorial to the fecretary, perceives it to be of fuch great importance as to deferve the infpection of the council, he fliall add after his name the following words, " This memorial admits no " delay." But fhould a memorial be of fuch a nature as to Vol. I, K require require fecrecy, and to be laid before the council in the firft > refor t, then the counfellor, to whom it has been given, fliall himfelf, without fending it to the fecretary, lay it before the council. In all queftions, if the members of the council arc not unanimous, the firft in order, whoever he be, marflial, minifter, or member of the council, fliall diftribute, in the manner above-mentioned, the votes to the fenators, and the marflial of the equeftrian order to the perfons of that order, and the majority fliall be collected with the greateft exactnefs. The majority may be afcertained by two modes of decifion ; either by fecret, or by open votes, when the perfon who af-fents, faying, " I permit" the fuffrages fliall be inferibed in the regifter by each voter. The Turnus can never be employed in plena, excepting the members of the council are fifteen in number; and before the turnus is made ufe of, the perfon who lays any proportion before the council ought to aik the members if they confent; the anfwer, that they confent, or filence, announces unanimity; but if any member fhould oppofe and demand the turnus, then they fliall proceed to open voting. Each propofition may be the fubject of deliberation during three days; but if any one member objects to that delay, he may propofe to determine, by ballot, whether the affair fhall be taken into confidcration, or be immediately decided. The turnus, once begun, fliall be continued without interruption until the fubject in agitation fliall be finally decided, &:c. In all queftions, the decifion by ballot may be in lifted on by any one member, but it muft be ufed in the following points, t. In election of vacant offices referved to the council. 2 In extraordinary expenccs iifued by the treafury of the republic, not warranted by law. 3. In matters of high treafon, State crimes, difturbance of the public tranquillity, and conventicles contrary to law. The votes by ballot fliall be collected with with the greateft precaution and fidelity, and with every mark of neceflary folemnity. For this purpofe, a table fhall ftand in the middle of the apartment, Surrounded with curtains about the height of a man, which may be drawn and undrawn to admit the counfellors; upon this table fliall be placed a vafe, having two openings with infcriptions affirmative and negative, into which the balls fliall be put; thefe openings fliall be only big enough to admit the balls, and not to receive the whole hand. The vafe fliall be alfo clofed with a lock, the key whereof fliall be placed upon the council table until all the members have given their fuffrages, and the balls are to be counted. The vafe being opened, the marflial minifter, and the marfhal of the equeftrian order, fliall firft hold it up and invert it to fhew that it is empty ; after which, it fhall be fealed by the two marfhals, and covered with the curtains. Next, the fecretary fhall diftribute ivory balls to all who have a vote in the council; and every member, according to his rank, fhall approach the table, and, firft holding up his hand to fhew that he has but one ball, fhall put it into one of the openings, permitting, or not permitting, as he fliall think proper, and according to his confeience; and in this manner he cannot fee how the others give their votes, nor be feen himfelf. If there are many candidates, the fecretary fliall diftribute to each member billets, all written in the fame hand, containing the names and furnames of the candidates ; each member fliall then put into the vafe the billet containing the names and furnames of the candidates whom he favours, and fliall burn the other billets, a candle being ready for that purpofe. In cafe of equality of fuffrages, the king has the cafting vote; and, to the end that each member may folicit the vacant charges in the gift of the permanent council, they may all propofe themfelves, as well as recommend others, giving in their petition to that purpofe in writing. The fecret balloting being finifhed, the K 2 marflial ook marfhal of the equeftrian order, and the marflial minifter, .^1_>lhall break each his feal and open the vafe; and then, in conjunction with the two deputies from the fenate and two from the equeftrian order, lhall declare the number of balls or billets. After which, the marflial of the equeftrian order lhall read aloud the names of the candidates, and the number of votes in favour of each candidate, and fliall declare for whom is the majority, which the fecretary fliall immediately retnfter. The king has the privilege of convening an aftembly of the permanent council ; and, in his abfence, the firft in rank ; neither of whom can refufe to furnmon a meeting upon the requeft of any one member, reprefenting the neceflity of dif-cufling an affair of great importance. Each member of the council has the liberty of delivering his opinion in a decent manner ; but whenever any affair, relative to any member, is in agitation, that member lhall have no vote. Two perfons of the fame family, and even of the lame furname, cannot be elected into the council, at the fame time,, as members of the lame eftate, namely, two fenators, or two perfons of the equeftrian order ; but only one perfon for each eftate. All the decrees of the permanent council fliall be iffued in the name of the king, without any payment for the affixing of the feal, in the following manner : " We the king, with li the advice of the permanent council.'1 In order to prevent too frequent interruptions, no member of the council fliall be abfent more than fix months in the year, either at one or at different intervals, but with the confent of the permanent council granted by the majority. The members who exceed their leave of abfence lhall lofe a proportionate part of their falary ; the fame iliall be underftood of thofe who, being at WarfaWj do not attend the fittings of 3 the the council; excepting, in both cafes, perfons employed in other public offices, or thofe who produce proof of ficknefs. The deduction of the Salaries from the abfent members fhall, at the end of the year, be divided among thofe who have affi-duoufly performed their duty. The members of the permanent council cannot be fent beyond the frontiers as minifters to foreign courts: a perfon may decline being elected a member ; but, when once admitted, he cannot refign upon any pretext. At each ordinary diet, when the council expires, a third of the members of the laft permanent council, namely, fix from the fenators, and the fame number from the equeftrian order, fhall be continued, by ballot, members for the following years; and this is done to the end that the council may always contain perfons experienced in bulinefs. At the next ordinary diet, a particular place in the fenate-houfe fhall be alligned to the council, to anfwer any complaints which may he brought againft it, and to receive a public tcf-tiniony to be infer ted in the conftitutions of the diet; either that the diet received no complaints againft the permanent council; or that, having received them, they were proved upon examination to be ill-founded; or that, having acknowledged their validity, juftice was accordingly inflicted. The Senators and minifters in the council fliall have their ufual places in the fenate. In the ordinary diets, the counfellors of the equeftrian order fliall fit next to the minifters. None of the counfellors, either fenators, minillers, or thofe of the equeftrian order, fhall be prefent at the diet in es, or at the opening of the tribunals. No counfellors lhall accept any other public charges than thofe which appertain to their office. No rhembcr of the council fliall oppofe the fignature of privileges, refolutions, or acts decided by the majority ; and if either the king, the fenior fenator, or the marflial, fhould refute fufe to fign, in that cafe, each member fliall fubfcribe for himfelf, and the names of the majority fliall render the act valid. In cafe of death, the vacancy fliall be filled up within the fpace of ten weeks by ballot, in the manner above-mentioned. If the deceafed be a bifhop or lay-fenator, his fuccelfor fhall be taken from the bifhops or lay-fenators; if a minifter, from the boards of the faid miniiter's office; if a perfon of the equeftrian order, either from the candidates prefented at the laft diet, or from thofe propofed upon this occafion. Article III. Power, authority, and duties of the Permanent Council. i. Without enjoying the leaft authority, iegiflative or judicial, the council orders the execution of the laws ; and, being the center of public affairs, as well foreign as domeftic, is bound to determine according to the laws of its prefent efla-blilhment. 2. It fliall iifue alignments for the payment of funis referved to the public treafury, and Specified in the general table of expences unprovided for in extraordinary cir-cumftances; and the members of the council cannot, during the holding of their office, partake of the faid aflignmcnts. 3. It fliall receive all projects beneficial to the ftate, decide upon the admiflion of thofe which are confonant to law, and mutt lay thofe which appear advantageous, but which have not the Sanction of law, before the firft diet, for the determination of the ftates. 4. It fliall form plans for the reformation of the laws, and fhall prefent them before the next diet: it fhall frame a new code of laws, public, civil, and criminal, to be approved by the diet. 5. It fhall fend embalfadors and mi-iiilters to foreign courts from the perfons nominated by the king. The permanent council fliall give them the neceflary inltructions, excepting in all cafes referved for the diet. 6. The permanent council Avail appoint, by ballot, in the manner above-mentioned, three candidates for the vacant charges, ex- 7 cepting cepting thofe which are in the king's gift, or are chofen by the C^AI>-nobility in the Palatinates. 7. It fhall take the moft effectual ■—^ methods to preferve the alliances and treaties of the republic. Article IV. Limits of the Permanent Council's authority. The council has no power in all matters referved to the flates affembled in diet, and can enact nothing contrary to any liberties and prerogatives juftly conferred. It muff not ufurp to itfelf the legiflative or judicial authority, nor in any degree take into confideration thofe affairs whofe decifion is referved to the diet alone. If the council fhould exceed its power, the members lhall be liable to be cited and tried at the diet for high treafon, and, if guilty, to be punifhecl according to the antient laws eftablifhed upon this article. The permanent council fhall remain in full authority for two years without interruption, even fhould one or more extraordinary diets interfere; and at the ordinary diet until a new council fliall be elected in its place, according to the prefcribed form : then the antient council fliall lay before the diet the fituation of affairs, and give an account of its whole adminiftration. The permanent council can only act according to the laws in being, or carry the laid laws into execution. In all cafes, not exprefsly mentioned by the laws, the permanent council cannot decide; but in all fuch circumftances it may prepare any propofals for new laws, and publifli them in the circular letters for the convocation of the diet. Department I. Of foreign affairs in the Permanent Council. The department of foreign affairs fliall be compofed of four members, amongft whom fhall be one from the duchy of Lithuania, one of the chancellors, and two counfellors of the equeftrian order. To thefe fliall be added one of the national fecretaries, who fhall have no vote: he fliall infpcct and expedite all foreign affairs, and fhall take the ufual oath, 8tc. This department fhall affemble as occaiion may require. When When the king is not prefent, a chancellor fliall prefide ; and, in the latter's abfence, the firft fenator. The national fecretary fhall make a report of all the letters directed to him, and, if required, fhall lay them before the members of the faid department : he fliall not fend any anfwcrs without their approbation. He fhall read at the meetings the letters and memorials to the department, which fliall deliberate upon the an-fwers : he fliall write down the refolutions, and fliall expedite the difpatches accordingly. In all cafes of public moment, fuch as letters from the king to foreign courts, ftate affairs which require any explanation, memorials and declarations, the department fliall draw them up, and lay them before the council in plena, for its determination. Whenever any information is to be given to the Polifh minifters at foreign courts in the ordinary courfe of affairs, the prelident of this department, having firft heard the obfervations of each member, fhall form the re-fult. All inftrucf ions for foreign minifters fliall be firft drawn up in this department, and then prefented to the permanent council for its decifion. If any member of this department dies, the permanent council fhall, without delay, elect one of its counfellors in his place. The fecretary of this department fliall be nominated by the king from the national fecretaries, or notaries. He fliall maintain the correfpondence with the foreign minifters of the republic, and to him fliall be addreffed all letters and memorials. In the fame manner as the fecretary, the fubaltcrns in this department fliall be chofen by the king. Department II. Committee of the marfhals of Poland and Lithuania. t. The great marfhals fliall act according to the conftitution of 1768, reftraining, however, the aifociation of the affeffors * in * Before 176S, the great marfhals were by their tribunals: but in the diet of 1768 fole judges in all criminal caufej cognizable the following claufe enacts, that "fix affef- " fors in the following cafes. In criminal affairs. — In all taxes * chap. upon provifions and merchandize only in the place of *ne» * king's refidencc, excepting corn, and the productions belonging to the nobility.—In all cafes of debt or borrowings, only ex vi inferipti fori, when one of the parties appeals from the firth inftance, and the fum exceeds 500 florins r; £13. 17J. gd. —All appeals from the firft inftance, relative to the nonpayment of taxes, fliall be brought before the tribunal of the marlhal with his affeffors, in the prefence of the judge or the notary, neither of whom fliall have a vote. In this and fimiiar cafes of appeal, the opinion fliall be given openly, and then finally decided by ballot, a. The committee of the marfhals lhall be compofed of the great and little marfhals (or of their colleagues the marfhals of the crown), of two fenators, and four perfons of the equeftrian order, Thefe fix affeffors fhall be chofen at the ordinary diet, according to the form above preferibed for the election of the members of the permanent council. 3. The marfhals fliall be bound to fix months refi-dencenear his majefty, and each of the afteflbrs to four months, to the end that there may always be the complete number of five perfons, including the marfhals, requifite to form a fitting. 4, No member of this committee can be elected a nuntio for the next diet ; but the nuntios may be appointed members of this committee by ballot, and half of the antient affeffors, both fenators and nobles of the equeftrian order, may be continued in their office for the two following years. 5. Solely in the cafes of denegati judicii et corruptionis judicisy perjurii et oppref-Jionis civis liberie complaints againft the decifions of this committee can be brought before the permanent council; and ** fors fhall be added to the jurifdiction of the * The great marflial ufed before, of his ** great marfhal ! they fliall be elected in each own authority, to impole prices on merchants 11 ordinary diet; they fliall judge all caufes wares, who generally made him great pre- " in conjunction with the great marflial: fents and bribes to augment their profit; 14 and fliall decide by the majority." Connor's Hiftory of Poland, v. II. p. 69. Vol. I. L caufes 3D0K caufes of this nature fliall be tried by the permanent council, —^—i in the manner prefcribed by the law concerning the denegatum judicium, et corruptionem judicis et perjuriunu 6. Each month the great marflial fliall lay before the permanent council the report of his deciflons, made in conjunction with,the aflelfors. 7. In cafe the marflial ihould difobey the laws in any of thefe articles, the permanent council may remonftrate; and if he pcrfitts in infringing them, he fliall be liable to be cited before the diet as guilty of high treafon. 8. In all other points, not contrary to thefe articles, the antient prerogatives of the marfhals lhall continue in force. Department of the Police in the Permanent Council. t . When the great marflial fliall be a member of the permanent council, he fliall prefide in the department of the police ; and in his abfence the firlt fenior in rank, who is member of the faid department. 2. If any complaints fliall be urged againft the great or little marlhals, for non-pei form-ance of the duties Specified in the articles of the " committee u of marlhals and their dependence on the permanent coun-" cil," the plaintiffs, if members of the council, fliall not be prefent at the refolutions paffed under fuch circumilanccs, 3. If this department fliall have occalion for the regifterof the committee of marlhals, it fliall be communicated. Depari ment III. The Great Generals of the Two Nations. 1. Befide the troops, commanded by the marlhals of the two nations, and by the treafurers, ftationed at Warfaw, there may be quartered in that capital 3000 foldiers, namely, 2000 from the army of the crown, and 1000 from that of Lithuania. The difcipline of the Lithuanian corps fliall depend upon the great general of Lithuania ; the chief command fliall devolve upon the great general of the crown. If the king (hall rende in Lithuania, a proportionate number of troops from the army of the crown fliall be ftationed in that duchy, in in the fame manner as the Lithuanian corps is quartered at Warfaw with the crown foldiers. The great generals fhall be obliged to change the garrifon of Warfaw at the requeft of the permanent council. 2. When the great generals fliall find it expedient to raife new fortifications, they fhall prefent the plan to the permanent council, and the latter to the diet. 3. The permanent council (hall make known to the great general, when he fhould order the abfentees to rejoin their regiments. 4. The permanent council, in concert with the great generals, fliall regulate the number of foldiers to be furnifhed by the regiments for the purpofe of making high roads, cleanf-ing rivers, and other public works, a representation being previoufly made, and a plan prefcribed, by the commiflioners of the treafury : it fliall in the fame manner fix the pay of the faid foldiers, to be alfigncd from the public fund deftined for extraordinary cafes, with this exception, that the troops ihall be exempted from fuch fervices, during the months in which they are exercifed or encamped. 5. In cafe the great generals fhould act. counter to_ thefe articles, the permanent council lhall firft remonftrate, and if that fhould have no effect, may accufe them of high treafon before the diet; if, during the intervals of the ordinary diet, it fhould be thought neceflary to call them to account, the permanent council fhall affemble an extraordinary diet for that purpofe. 6. The lilt of extraordinary expences fliall be communicated, by the great generals, to the permanent council, before it is laid before the ordinary diet. 7. The difcipline, Subordination, exercife, and clothing of the troops, the appointment of the fpots for the encampment of the divisions, (with this provifo, that never more than one divifion lhall encamp in the fame place) in a Word, the chief command of the troops fliall be vetted in the great generals. 8. The nomination and creation of the officers and fubalterns, belonging to the committee of war, fliall L 2 re fide book refide in the great generals. 9. In other points, the generals- »—J_.retain all their antient rights and privileges, not contradicted by thefe articles. Explanation and changes of the Conftitution of 1768, relative to the Committee of War of both nations. 1. The committee of |war fliall be compofed of fix commiflioners, as enjoined by the diet of 1768, one half to be taken from perfons in the civil line, and the remainder from officers not employed. Among the three military commiflioners fhall be included of courfe the generals of the artillery, but without receiving the falary of commiflioners. Three commiflioners are fufheicnt to make a board; and if only two fhould meet, then the notaries of the committee of war of the crown fhall a flu me the place of the abfent commiflioner, and have a vote; but when there is a requifite number, then the notaries fhall only have a deliberative voice. 2. This committee of war fliall keep in order, and have the direction of, the military archives. 3. Twice a year it fliall receive the reports of the troops relative to the difcharge of their pay, and fliall fend them to the permanent council. 4. Since the troops cannot fubfift without pay, nor fuffer the leaft delay in that article, it is enacted, once for all, that the committee of the treafury fliall be obliged to employ, for the payment of the faid troops, the firft money which it receives, and which fhall be regularly delivered to the troops every year on the lit of April and the ift of October. If it happens that this payment fliall not be made at thefe fti-pulated times, the great general and the council of war fhall be -bound to acquaint the permanent council with this delay; and the permanent council fliall immediately authorize the great general and the council of war to procure the funis deftined for the pay of the troops, 5. The committee of war fhall have the care of the military cheft, and fliall pay all the troops according to the eftablifhed calculation. The cheft fhall 6 hz be provided with three keys ; one whereof fhall be kept by chap. the great general, or, in his abfence, by the preiident of the v' ...» council of war ; the fecond by one of the commiflioners of war; and the third by the cafhier. 6. The commiflioners of war fliall judge, as well all caufes between foldiers according to the military articles, as all procelfes brought by the citizens againft a foldier in his military capacity : but in cafe a foldier in his military capacity fliould aggrieve a citizen, then the plaintiff fliall apply to the commander for redrefs ; and if he obtains none, he may cite him before the court of juftice of the place where the affault was committed, referving the appeal to the committee of war. 7. No member of the faid committee can be capable of being elected nuntio at the next diet; but the commiflioners may be taken from the nuntios of the diet, or from other nobles, promifcuoufly. A third part of the commiflioners may be continued for the next two years, if they have the plurality of ballots in their favour. The fame holds good in refpect to the fenators : and thofe, who are thus confirmed in their feats for two more years, cannot be elected the third time for the two next years. 8. In other points, not contradictory to thefe articles, the committee of war of both nations are maintained in their antient rights. Eftabliftimcnt of the Military Department in the Permanent Council. i. The military department in the permanent council fliall receive, twice a year, from the great general, the lift of the army, to be examined and inferred in the acts. 2. The great general, having a feat in the council, fliall prefide in the military department, or, in his abfence, the fenior of the laid department. 3. If any complaints fliall be urged againft the great or little generals for not fulfilling the articles prefcrihed under the title of " The great generals of both nations," the ac-cufed, if members of the permanent council, fliall not be prefent book fent at tne tlifcuflion of the faid complaints. »—,—. Department IV. The Great Chancellors of both Nations. i. Each great chancellor, or his colleague the vice-chancellor occupying his place, lhall have a committee compofed of two fenators, and four perfons of the equeftrian order, to be chofen during the fitting of the diet by ballot, according to the form prefcribed in the permanent council, 8cc. a. Each of thofe minifters lhall be bound to at lcaft fix months refidence at Warfaw, upon the aflignment of falaries, and each com-miflioner or affeffor to at leaft four months ; that the requi-lite number of three perfons, including the great chancellor, or vice-chancellor, may be prefent at each meeting. Thefe affeffors fliall receive each 6000 florins per annum, =^166. 4*/. and thefe fabrics fliall be divided between the affeffors who attend. 3. No member of the equeftrian order in this committee can be elected nuntio of the next diet, 8tc. 4. Every month the chancellors fliall fend to the permanent council a lift of all the privileges which have palled the feal. 5. The feals fliall remain in the hands of the great and vice-chancellors. The chancellor and vice-chancellor of the crown fliall feal, as before, the privileges referved to the king, and thofe of Lithuania fliall, ill the fame manner, feal the privileges of that duchy, &c. 6. The great chancellors and vice-chancellors, in cafe of non-compliance with any of thefe articles, fliall be liable to be cited by the permanent council before the diet. 7. In all other points the chancellors are maintained in their antient privileges, not contradictory to thefe articles juft enumerated. Department V. Great Treafurers of both Nations. 1. The department of the trcafury, compofed of members of the permanent council, fliall receive from the committee of the treafury of the crown the lifts of the ordinary expences, &c. and fliall take care that the receipts ami expenditures are 7 authorized authorized by the laws. 2, Every month the great treafurer chap. of the crown, and the great treafurer of Lithuania, fliall fend v,..w' . a report of all the tranfactions of this department to the permanent council, &c. 3. Whenever one or both the great treafurers are elected members of the permanent council, the firft in rank fliall prefide in this department, compofed of the members of the permanent council. 4. The commiflioners of the treafury fliall receive, and, upon proper deliberation, admit or reject, all memorials and plans relative to commerce, the augmentation of the revenues, the eftablifhment of manufactures, cleanfing rivers, cutting canals, forming harbours, making bridges and high roads, erecting buildings, and all other public works, &c. always under the controul of the permanent council. 5. The commiflioners of the two nations lhall pay from the public funds, deftined for that purpofe, the extraordinary expences and gratifications, in compliance with the refolutions of the permanent council in fleno, &x. 6. The clerks in the committees of the treafury of both nations fliall provide for themfelves proper fecurities. The appointment of thefe clerks fhall belong to the great treafurer; but the examination of their qualifications, the approbation or rejection of their fecurities, fliall wholly reft with the committee. The qualifications are, 1. That they are gentlemen. 2. That they find proper fecurities. 3. That their characters are not infamous. 4. That they are able to write. 5. That they are able to caft accounts. In cafe thefe clerks fhould difcover any notorious incapacity, the committee fliall have it in their power to deprive them of their charges. 7. All the writings, decrees, and circular letters, iflued by the committee, fliall be figned by the treafurers alone ; or, in their abfence, by the firft in rank. In cafe the treafurers refufe to put the feal to any refolutions pafled by the committees, it fliall be efteemed valid, if figned by book Dy the firft in rank next to the treafurer, even in the prefence <—v*—-of the latter; and complaints may be urged againft the treafurer, for refilling to iign fuch refolutions. 8. If the great treafurers remove from the place where the committees af-fcmble, they fliall be accompanied in their route by fifteen of the treafury troops, provided that no extraordinary expence on that account be incurred by the treafury, and that no damage be fulfered by the inhabitants. 9. The troops of the committee of the treafury fliall continue in the fame obedience to the great treafurer, and the committee, as enjoined by the diet of 1768 ; and if any of the officers, appointed by the king's patent, fliall deferve puniihment, he fliall be judged by a court martial, compofed of the officers of the fame corps, according to the military articles, and the fentence fliall be fent to the committee of war. The number of this corps fliall not exceed 500 men, and the fum appropriated for their fupport fliall not furpafs that which is fettled by the conftitution of 1768. 1 o. If the treafurers difobcy any of thefe articles, the permanent council is bound to remonftrate, and, in cafe of ftill further difobedien.ee, to cite them before the diet as guilty of high treafon. 1 1. In other points, the great treafurers are maintained in their antient privileges. Changes and Explanation of* the Conftitution of 1768, relative to the eftablifhmcut of the Committee of the Treafury of both Nations. 1. The commiflioners of the treafury of the crown fliall be compofed of the great treafurer of the crown, and of nine commiflioners, three fenators, and fix from the equeftrian order, &c. 2. The great treafurers lhall be bound to at leaft four months refidence, under pain of lofing their falaries proportionable to the time of their abfence, and thefe deductions lhall not be divided among the commiflioners who are prefent, but fliall be left in the cheft. The commiflioners are equally bound bound to four months refidence, in order that there may be always prefent five commiflioners (including one or both Urea-' furers), the requifite number for holding a board. The deductions of the falaries for the abfent commiflioners fliall be divided amongft thofe who are prefent. 3. None of the commiflioners of the equeftrian order can be elected a mintio for the next diet, Sec. 4, From this time there fhall be a regifter apart for thofe decrees of the committee, which relate to foreign affairs, commerce, and notes of exchange. What caufes fhall be brought before the Committees of the Treafury, 1. Thofe relative to the unpacking of merchandize which occafionany delays of tranfport, 1. Imports of all forts payable by the nobility, clergy, and towns. 3. Of contracts of merchants, 4. Of letters of exchange, which fliall be further explained in a law apart. 5. Of debts of merchants and workmen. 6. Of weights and meafures. 7. Of damages caufed to the treafury, or of thefts and negligences of the fubalterns, 8cc. In all other points, the committees of both nations fliall be maintained in all their antient privileges, not contradictory to thefe articles above-mentioned. CHAP* VI. Supreme authority refides in the diet.—Origin of the diet.—* Place and time of ajfembling.—Ordinary and extraordinary. —Convoked by the king.—Conflituent parts.—King, fenate, and nuntios.—Proceedings.—Liberum Veto.—Hiftory and caufes of its introduclion.—Its dreadful eJecls.—How re7ne-Vol. I. M died.— died.—Diet of confederacy.—fhe plain of Vol a where the kings are elecled.—Account of the diets of convocation and eleclion. THE general diet of Poland enjoys, as I have before ob-ferved, the fupreme authority: it: declares war, makes peace, levies foldiers, enters into alliances, impofes taxes, enacts laws, in a word, it exercifes all the rights of abfolute fovereignty. Some hiftorians place the earlieft diet in the reign of Cafimir the Great; but it is very uncertain whether it was firft convened in his time ; and ftill more doubtful, of what members it confided. Thus much is unqueftionable, that it was not until the reign of Cafimir III. that this national aftembly was modelled into its prefent form *. The place of holding the diets depended formerly upon the will of the kings; and Louis even fummoned two in Flungary. In thofe early times Petricau was the town in which they were moft frequently affembled ; but in i 569, at the union of Poland and Lithuania, Warfaw was appointed the place of meeting ; and in 1673, it was enacted, that of three fucceflive diets, two lhould be held in this capital, and one at Grodno f in Lithuania. This regulation has been generally followed, until the reign of his prefent majefty, when the affemblies have been uniformly fummoned to Warfaw J. Diets are ordinary and extraordinary ; the former are convened every two years, the latter as occafion requires. In 1 7 17 the ufual feafon for the meeting of the ordinary diets was fixed for Michaelmas ; but during the prefent reign it has been occafion ally changed to the month of October or November. The king, with the advice of the permanent council, convokes the diet, by means of circular letters iffued to all the Palatines in their refpectivc provinces at leaft fix weeks before the time appointed for its meeting : thefe letters are accom- * See p. 5. f Lengnich, Hid. Pol. p. 262, % See Book II. Chap, VI. Art. Grodno. panied parried with a fhort fketch of the bufinefs to he agitated in the diet. The conftituent parts of the diet are the three eftates of the realm, namely, the king, the fenate, and the nobles or gentry, by their nuntios or reprefentatives. 1. The king, confidered in his capacity of prefident, is only, as it were, the chief of the diet: he fubfcribes all ads; iigns all decrees agreed to by the affembly; iffues out all ordinances in his own name, and that of the republic, without enjoying the right of a negative in any of thofe particulars. In all queftions he has no vote, excepting upon an equality of fuffrages ; but is at liberty to deliver his fentiments upon any queftion. His prefent majefty is efteemed one of the moft eloquent among the Polifh orators; he has an agreeable tone of voice, and much ikill in fuiting and varying his cadence to the fubject.s of his difcourfe ; he harangues with great energy of ftyle and dignity of manner ; and his fpeeches always make a confiderable impreffion upon the members of the diet. When he is diipofed to fpeak, he rifes from his feat, advances a few fteps, and cries out, M I fummon the mi-" nifters of ftate to the throne." Then the great officers of the crown, who are fitting at the lower end of the fenate-houfe, come forward and ftand near the king. The four great marfhals ftrike the ground at the fame time with their ftaffs of office; and the firft in rank fays, " The king is going to " fpeak after which his majefty begins. 2. The fecond eftate, or the fenate, is compofed t>f fpiritual and temporal fenators. i. The biihops or fenators fpiritual have the precedence over the temporal fenators. The archbifhop of Gnefna is primate and chief of the fenate, and is viceroy in cafe of an interregnum. 2. The temporal are Palatines, Caftellans, and the great officers of ftate. The palatines are the governors of the pro- M 2 vinces, book vinces, who hold their offices for life. In time of war, when «—j—t the army of the republic is fummoned, the palatines levy and lead the force of their palatinates into the field, according to the tenure of feudal fervices; in time of peace, they convoke the aflemblies of the palatinates, prefide in the county courts of juftice, and judge the Jews within their refpective jurifdic-tions, &c. The Caftellans are divided into Grand and Petty Caftellans : their office, in time of peace, is merely nominal; but when the military or feudal fervices are required, they are the lieutenants of the palatines, under whom they command the troops of the feveral dift ricts in the palatinates. The great officers of the republic, who fit in the fenate, arc ten in number, namely, the two great marfhals of Poland and Lithuania, the two great chancellors, the two vice-chancellors, the two great treafurers, and the two fub-marfhals. All the fenators were formerly appointed by the king; but by the late change of government, his majeftVs choice is re-ltricfed to one of three candidates prefented by the permanent council*. The fenators, once nominated,cannot be deprived of their charges, excepting by the diet. 3. The third eftate is formed by the nuntios or reprefenta-tives of the equeftrian order. Thefe reprefentatives are chofen in the dietines or aflemblies of each palatinate, in which every noble or gentleman, at the age of eighteen, has a vote, or is capable of being elected. There is no qualification in point of property required, either for the electors, or elected; it is only neceflary that the nuntio fhould be a noble, that is, a perfon not engaged in trade or commerce, poffefling land himfelf, or the fon of a perfon poffefling land, or of an antient family which formerly poffeffed land t. Each nuntio mull be twenty-three years of age, * Sec p. 57. qui ont des terres, lcurs en fans males, leura f Eft autem nobilis qui patre nobili natus i'rcres, et autres qui font reconnus pour avoir in fuis poflfeflionibuB vivens juiibus ndbUititn lcurs poffeflions et etre de race ancienne et no- ftttitr, Vbng, J. P. v. II. p. 8. Les nobles ble, Loix et Conl". de la Dicte de 17O8, p. 62. The The general proceedings of the diet are as follow : The CI™P* king, fenate, and nuntios, firft meet altogether in the cathedral v— of Warfaw, and hear mafs and a fermon. After fervice, the members of the fenate, or upper-houfe, repair to the fenate-houfe; and the nuntios, or lower-houfe, to their chamber, when the latter choofe, by a majority of voices, a marflial, or fpeaker of the equeftrian order: in order to preclude unne-ceffary delays, the election is required to take place within three days after their meeting *. Two days after the choice of their fpeaker, the king, fenate, and nuntios, affemble in the fenate-houfe, which is called the junction of the two houfes. The nuntios then kifs the king's hand, and the members of the diet take their places in the following order. The king is featcd, in regal ftate, upon a raifed throne, tinder a canopy at the upper end of the apartment. At the lower end, oppofite the throne, fit in armed chairs the ten officers of ftate. The bifhops t, palatines, and Caftellans, are ranged in three rows of armed chairs, extending from the throne on each fide ; and behind thefe are placed the nuntios upon benches covered with red cloth. The fenators have the privilege of wearing their caps, but the nuntios remain uncovered. * Formerly, it being fttpulated that the In order to Temcc\ thi* inconvenience, it election of the marlhal fiiould take place as was enacted in 1690, that rhe marflial mult, be foon as poffible, in moll diets much time ohofen on the fir It day of the meeting; but clapfed before a mirflial was chofen; and as in 1768. the time ai owed for the election was "he fitting of the national aftembly is con- extended ro three d iys. See Leng. J. P. II. fi>ed*to fix weeks, it fometimea happened, p. 322. nnd Loix <;t Conft. de 170c!, p. $2. that the nuntios could never agreje in the ■[■ Including the arehbihiops of Gnefna and choice ; and feveral diets broke up without Vilna, each ur the head of his refpeciive fuf-tranlaCting any bufinefs. Connor, who viiiced fragaus. Poland in John SobiclkTs reign, fays upon The re ier will lin.l a print which give; a this head, " He that dehgtis to be elected faithful I eprefentation of the 1. in Connor's ** madhal, miift treat the gentry all •the Hilton oi Poland, v, [I. p. S2. One trifling 11 while, otherwise he would have no vote for error mutt b: corree'ted : the feats -marked *' him ; and commonly they prolong the 11 u are for the minifters of ftate, when not " election, that they may live the longer at Handing near the throne, " the candidates charges." V. II. p. g;. All All the members being feated, the PacJa Convent a are read, '4 when the fpeaker of the equeftrian order, as well as each nuntio, is empowered to interrupt the perufal by remonftrat-ing againft the infringement of any particular article, and demanding at the fame time a redrefs of grievances. Then the great chancellor propofes, in the king's name, the queftions to be taken into consideration ; after which, his majefty nominates three fenators, and the fpeaker fix nuntios, to prepare the bills. The diet, by majority of voices, chufes a committee to examine the accounts of the treafury. The members * of the permanent council are elected in the manner mentioned in the preceding chapter. Thefe preliminary tranfactions muft be difpatched in the fpace of three weeks; at which period the two houfes fepa-rate : the nuntios retire into their own chamber, and all the bills undergo a fe par ate difcuflion in both houfes. Thofe which relate to the treafury are approved or rejected by the fentiments of the majority. But in all itate-matters f of the higheft importance no refolution of the diet is valid, unlefs ratified by the unanimous affent of every nuntio, each of whom is able to fufpend all proceedings by his exertion of the Li-bernm Veto. The diet muft not fit longer than fix weeks: on the firft day, therefore, of the fixth week the fenate and nuntios meet again in the fenate-houfe. The ftate-bills (provided they are * The equeftrian members of the I ail: permanent council arc permitted to be prefent in this affembly, without having any vote, until the refolutions of the council are approved by the diet. The lenators, who have a feat in the council, are preient of courfe. f Matters of ftate are thus defined by the conftitution of 1768. 1. Increafe or alteration of the taxes. 1. Augmentation of the army. 3. Treaties of alliance and peace with the neighbouring powers. 4. Declaration of war, 5. Naturalization and creation of no- 7 bility. 6. Reduction of the coin. 7. Augmentation or diminution in the charges of the tribunals, or in the authority of the minifters of peace and war. 8. Creation of places. 9. Order of holding the diets or dietines. 10. Alterations in the tribunals. 11. Augmentation of the prerogatives of the fenatus-confulta. \2. Permirtion to the king to pur-chafe lands for his fucceffors. 13. Anier-ban, or fummoning the nobles to arms. In all thefe cafes unanimity is requifite. See Loix et Conft. de la Diete de 1768, p. 46. unanimoufly unanimoufly agreed to by the nuntios, an event which feldom happens in a free diet) are pafled into laws ; but if that unanimity be wanting to them, they ftand rejected; and the bu-finefs relating to the treafury, which has been carried by a majority, is read and regiftered. While the bills are debating in the lower-houfe, the king, fenate, and eighteen nuntios, form a fupreme court of judicature, by which all nobles accufed of capital crimes are tried ; and all appeals from inferior courts determined in the laft re-fort. The majority decides, and the king gives fentence. At the conclulion of the fixth week the laws, which have pafled, are figned by the fpeaker and nuntios, and the diet is of courfe diffolved. The extraordinary diets are fubject to the fame regulations as the ordinary diets, with this difference, that they cannot, by the conftitutions of 1768, continue longer than a fortnight. The fame day in which the two houfes affemble in the fenate-houfe, the queftions are to be laid before them ; and the nuntios return immediately to their own chamber. On the thirteenth day from their firft meeting, the two houfes are again united; and on the fifteenth day, after the laws have been read and figned, the diet breaks up as ufual. The moft extraordinary characteristic in the conftitution of Poland, and which feems peculiarly to diftinguifh this government from all others, both in ancient and modern times, is. the Liberum Veto, or the power which each nuntio enjoys in a free diet *, not only like the tribunes of antient Rome, of putting a negative upon any lawr, but even of diffolving the affembly. That every member of a numerous fociety fhould be inverted with fuch a dangerous privilege, in the midft of the moft important national tranfactions, is a circumftance in * A free diet, in which unanimity is re- derar.y, in which all bufinefi is carried by the quifitc, is diilinguiihed from a diet of coafc- majority. itfelf itfelf fo incredible, as to deferve a minute enquiry into the j caufes which introduced a cuftom fo pregnant with anarchy, and fo detrimental to public welfare. The privilege in queftion is not to be found in any period of the Poliih hiftory antecedent to the reign of John Cafimir. It was under his administration, that in the year 1652, when the diet of Warfaw was debating upon transactions of the utmost importance which required a fpeedy determination, that Sicinfki, nuntio of Upita in Lithuania, cried out, " I flop the " proceedings*." Having uttered thefe words, he quitted the affembly, and, repairing immediately to the chancellor, protested ; that as many acts had been propofed and carried contrary to the conftitution of the republic, if the diet continued to fit, he fhould consider it as an infringement of the laws. The members were thunderftruck at a protest of this nature, hitherto unknown. Warm debates took place about the propriety of continuing or diffolving the diet: at length, however, the venal and difcontented faction, who fupported the proteft, obtained the majority ; and the affembly broke up in great confution. This tranfaction changed entirely the conftitution of Poland, and gave an unlimited fcope to mifrule and faction. The caufes which induced the Poles to acquiefce in eftablifhing the Liberum Veto, thus cafually introduced, were probably the following. 1. It was the interest of the great officers of ftate, particularly the great general, the great treafurer, and great marflial, in whofe hands were vefted the administration of the army, the finances, and the police, to abridge the fitting of the diet. Thefe great officers of ftate, being once nominated by the king, enjoyed their appointments for life, totally independent of his authority, and liable to no controul during the intervals of the * Leng. Jus Pub. v. IL p. 215. i diets, diets, to which alone they were refponlible. This powerful body accordingly Strongly efpouled the Liberum Veto, confcious they could eafily, and at all times, fecure a nuntio to proteft; and by that means elude all enquiry into their administration. 2. By a fundamental law of the republic, all nobles accufcd of capital crimes can only be brought to trial before the diet; and as, at the period juit mentioned, many perfons flood under that defcription, all thefe and their adherents naturally favoured an expedient tending to diflblve the only tribunal, by which they could be convicted and punifhed. 3. The exigences of the State, occalioned by the continual wars in which Poland had been engaged, demanded, at this particular crifis, an imposition of feveral heavy taxes : as the fole power of levying all pecuniary aids refided in the diet; all the nuntios, therefore, who oppofed the railing of additional fublidies, feconded the propofal for Shortening the duration of that affembly. 4. But the principal reafon, which carried through, and afterwards fupported the power of diflblving diets, is to be derived from the influence of fome of the great neighbouring powers, interested to foment anarchy and confuiion in the Polifh counfels. Before this period, if they wifhed to form a cabal, and to carry-any point in the national ailembly, they were obliged to Secure a majority of votes: under the new arrangement they were able to attain their end on much caller terms, and to put an end to any diet unfriendly to their views, by the corruption of a Single member. The bad effects of the Liberum Veto were foon felt by the nation to fuch an alarming degree, that ail the members in the diet of 1670 bound themfelves by an oath not to exert it, and even palled a refolution, declaring its exertion entirely void of effect in the courfe of that meeting. Notv/ithftandii>g, however, thefe falntary precautions, one Zabokrzilki, nuntio from the palatinate of Bratlau, interpoling his negative, Vol. 1. N brought brought this very diet to a premature diftolution *. This Liberum Veto, indeed, has been always considered by the moft intelligent Poles as one of the principal caufes, which has contributed to the decline of their country. From the sera of its eftablifhment public bufinefs has continually fuffered the moft fatal interruption ; it abruptly broke tip feven diets in the reign of John Cafimir; four under Michael; feven under John Sobiefki; and thirty during the reigns of the two Augufti: fo that, within the fpace of 112 years, 48 diets have been precipitately diffolved by its operation ; during which period Poland has continued almoft without laws, without juftice, and, excepting the reign of John Sobiefki, with few fymptoms of military vigour. Yet fo Strongly did the motives above displayed attach the Poles to this pernicious privilege, that in the act: of confederacy, framed in 1696 after the de-ceafe of John Sobiefki, the Liberum Veto is called the deareft and moft invaluable palladium of Polifh liberty t. The Poles, however, having fatally experienced the difor-ders ariring from the Liberum Veto, would certainly have abolished it, if they had not been prevented by the partitioning powers : and it ftill exists in its full force \. I ought not to * Zawodchi Hid. Arcana. f Unicum et fpecialilTimum Jus Cardinale. \ It would appear, at fir ft fight, as if, by th.' following regulation, eftablifhed by the diet of 1 ;68, the exertion of the Lilerum Veto w as in fome inftanccs reibaincd. " The ab-41 fence of a nuntio, who has interrupted the " proceedings of the diet, fhall be no hin-44 drance to the tranfaftion of treafury mat-11 tecs." Loix et Conft. de la Dierede Var-fovie, 1768, p. 56, But this reftriction of the Libvum Fcto, in effect, is of no validity^; For among the cardinal !aw6 eftablifhed by the Came diet, it is enacted, " that matters of *• ftate cannot be pafled but by a free diet and " unanimous conient ;" p. 18. And again, 44 that after the treafury bufinefs, matters of " ftate fliall be brought forward, when the *4 oppofition of a (ingle nuntio fiiall ftop all " proceedings} "p. 56. And la another place, it is decreed, 14 that in free diets, the IJhr-44 htm Fefy Mull hold good in all matters of ** ftate;" p. 44. When we recollect the definition of ftate matters (p. 86, note t), we cannot but perceive, that the power of inter* poling a negative ftill effectually ejdfts. To abate its exertion in fmall [joints, and tool!;:, bliflrit in the moft important alfairs, is no real prevention of the evil. In fact, as a proof that it continues in its full force, we may obferve, that lince the year 1768, no free diet ha; been convened; I mean before I vilited l'oland. An account of what has pafled fince I quitted the country, does not fall under my plan. 1 recollect indeed to have feen, in fome foreign Gazette-, that a free diet had been lately aflembled, but that nothing material had been tranlaCted in it. omit omit obfcrving, that neither the king nor the fenate, but only the nuntios, enjoy the power of interpofing this negative upon the proceedings of the diet *. It will naturally ftrike the reader, that if every reprefenta-tive pofTeffes the Liberum Veto, how can any tranfacTion be carried on ? or how is it poilible that any one bill fhould pafs into a law ? for no motion can be conceived which is not liable to be oppofed by the intrigues of party, or the jealoufy of the neighbouring powers. In order, therefore, to avoid the anarchy attendant upon free diets through the operation of the Liberum Veto, the Poles have lately had recourfe to diets by confederacy ; which, though compofed of the fame members, and held under the fame exterior forms as free diets, differ from them in the effential circumftance of allowing bu-finefs to be determined by the plurality of votes. Thefe diets have long been known to the conftitution, and have at times beeu ufed upon extraordinary emergencies ; but within thefe ten years they have been regularly held at the ftated time for fummoning ordinary diets. Indeed, according to the true principles of the Polifh government, no confederacy ought to be entered into excepting upon the following occafions: in defence of the king's perfon, upon any foreign invafion or domestic confpiracy ; and during an interregnum at the diets of convocation and election t. But as no other means have been found to prevent perpetual anarchy, the nation is obliged to fubmit to an infrigement of the conftitution, which operates for the general good * Lengnich fays, that the fenators have ftate matters muft pafs unanimoufly, p. ^B. the power of breaking up the diet ; but he % But as it is enacled by the diet of 1768, adds, that they never make ufe of this privi- that all matters of ftate muft be carried una- lege ; Jus Pub. II. p. 46. which amounts to nimoully in free diets, 1 prefume that the tiie fame as their not having it. diets by confederacy only tranfaft the com- + It is decreed, however, by the code of mon bufinefs, without making any new laws, •?b8, that in every diet of convocation all or repealing old ftatutes, N 2 Diet book Diet of Election. _> During my continuance at Warfaw I vilited the fpot where the kings of Poland are chofen. I was fo fortunate as to be accompanied by a nobleman of the fenate, who obligingly explained all the forms and ceremonies of the election, and anfwered all the queftions which my curioiity fuggefted to me upon the occasion. Immediately upon my return to Warfaw, while my memory was yet warm, I noted down the following account of the place and mode of election : I was more circumftantial than ufual, as well becaufe the fubject. is interesting, as becaufe moft of the defcriptions which I have read of this ceremony abound with errors. The fpot, which is fettled by the conftitution for the place of election, is the plain of Vola, about three miles from the capital. In the midft of this plain are two enclofures of ground, one for the fenate, and the other for the nuntios. The former is of an oblong fhape, furrounded by a kind of rampart or ditch ; in the midft of which is erected, at the time of election, a temporary building of wood, called Jzopa, covered at top and open at the fides. Near it is the other enclofure for the nuntios, of a circular Ihape, from which it derives its name of kola or circle, within which there is no building erected, the nuntios arTembling in the open air. When the two chambers are joined, they meet within the kola, the fenators chairs and the benches for the nuntios being ranged in the fame regular order as in the fenate-houfe at Warfaw, while the feat of the primate is placed in the middle. Thcjzopa is always pulled down at the conclusion of the election ; fo that I could only trace the Site of the inclofures, the ramparts of earth remaining in the fame ftate. I had an opportunity, however, of feeing a painting repn Tenting theJzopa and whole Scene of election, which, as I was informed, was perfectly accurate* But But before I defcribe the election, it may be neceflary to give a fhort detail of the principal occurrences which precede that ceremony. Upon the king's demife the interregnum commences : the regal authority is then veiled in the archbifhop of Gnefna primate of Poland, as interrex or regent. He announces the death of the king by circular letters, convokes the dietines and diets of convocation ; and, in a word, performs all the functions of royalty during the vacancy in the throne. The diet, which is firft convened upon the fovereign's de-ceafe, is called the diet of convocation, and is always held at Warfaw, previous to the diet of election, which aftembles in the plain of Vola. The fovereign authority refides in this aftembly, in the fame manner as in thofe which are fummoned while the throne is filled. The primate preficles like the king, with this difference, that he does not place himfelf upon the throne, but fits in an armed chair ftationed in the middle of the fenate-houfe. The diet iflucs out aits or ordinances, arranges or changes the form of government, fettles the Pafla Conventa, and appoints the meeting of the diet of election. The interval between the death of the king and the nomination of his fucceflbr is uncertain ; its longer or fhorter duration depending upon the intrigues and cabals of the candidates, or the pleafure of thole foreign powers, who give law to Poland, it is always a ftate of turbulence and Iicentiouf-nels; the kingdom is divided into parties and factions; juftice is in a manner fufpended; and the nobles commit every diforder vvith impunity. Unanimity* being requifite in all matters of ftate, it is eafy to conceive the delays and cabals, the influence and cor- * This unanimity, in ficl:, does not exifl: ; for the ffrongeft tide forces the we d<.er to accede or to retire. Yet in the diet o*' 1768 it *as enacted, that in the diets of convocation % ftate queftion. could only be carried unani-moufly. Several diets of convocation have been frequently ain-mbled before all the . f-fairs could be finally arranged. rupdoiTj, book rUption, employed to gain the members in the diet of con* —-vocation. As foon as all the points are adjusted, whether the acts have palled unanimoufly or otherwife, the members, previous to their reparation, enter into a general confederacy to fupport and maintain the refolutions of the diet. At the appointed day the diet of election is aflembled, during which Warfaw and its environs is a fcene of confufion, and frequently of blood ftied. The chief nobility have large bodies of troops in their fervice, and repair to the diet attended by their numerous valfals and a large retinue of domeftics; while each petty baron, who can afford to maintain them, parades about with his retainers and (laves. On the day in which the diet of election is opened, the primate, fenate, and nobility, repair to the cathedral of War-law, to hear mafs and a fermon; from whence they proceed in due order to the plain of Vola. The fenators enter the fzopa, and the nuntios take their places within the kola ; while the other nobles are ftationed in the plain. The fenate and the nuntios, after having pafled their refpective refolutions, as in the ordinary diets, aflemblc together in the kola, when the primate, feated in the middle, lays before them the objects to be taken into consideration; the Pacla Conventa, fettled at the diet of convocation, are read and approved, all neceflary arrangements made, and the day of election appointed. The diet then gives audience to the foreign minifters, who are permitted by recommendation to interfere in the choice of a king, and to the advocates of the feveral candidates. All thefe affairs take up feveral days; and would perhaps never be terminated, as unanimity is requisite, if the aftembly was not overawed by the foreign troops, who are always quartered near the plain of election. Upon the day appointed for the election, the fenate and nuntios affemble, as before, in the kola, while the nobles are ranged i 4 ranged in the open field in feparate bodies, according to their feveral palatinates, with ftandards borne before them, and the principal officers of each diitricr. on horfeback. The primate, having declared the names of the candidates, kneels down and chants a hymn ; after which the fenators and nuntios join the gentry of their refpective palatinates: then the primate, on horfeback, or in a carriage, goes round the plain to the different bodies of the gentry as they are ftationed according to their palatinates ; and, having collected the votes, proclaims the fuccefsful candidate. Each noble does not give his vote feparately, for that would be endlefs; but when the primate goes round, the collected body of each palatinate name the perfon they efpoufe. At the conclufion of this ceremony the affembly breaks up. On the following day the fenate and nuntios return to the plain ; when the fuccefsful candidate is again proclaimed, and a deputy difpatched to acquaint him of his election, as no candidate is allowed to be prefent. After the proclamation, the gentry retire ; and the diet, having appointed the diet of coronation, is diffolved. All elections are contested: but for fome time they have always been unanimous upon the fpot, from the terror of a neighbouring army. In cafe of an oppofition, the party who will not accede retire from the plain, and remonstrate againft the election ; and, if they are fufficiently Strong a civil war enfues. If it were not for the interference of foreign troops, the eonfufion, diforder, and bloodfhed attending fuch a popular election (as was formerly the cafe), would be better conceived than defcribed : and thus the country draws fome advantage from an evil, which is comidered by the Poles as the difgrace and fcandal of every election. 3 CHA P. C 9* 3 C H A P. VIL I. Finances and taxes of Poland.—Revenue of the king. — //. Commerce.—General exports and imports.—Caufes of tbe low ftate of trade.—Failure of the plan of opening the navigation of the Dniejler.—Navigation of the Notez.—III. Military eflabliJJjment.—Corps of Ulans.—State of the army. —Confederacies.—R ufli a n troops. I. Finances and Taxes of Poland. THE following extract from the proceedings of the diet of 1768 will ferve to flu:w the annual receipts and dif-burfements of government before-the difmemberment: " The " annual revenues of the treafury of the crown % amount to " 10,748,245 florins = ^298,562. ys. 2~d. The expences u to 17,050,000 = .£473,6r 1. is. i\d. It would be necef-" fary, therefore, to increafe the revenues, fo as to anfwer the " excefs of the expences above the receipts, namely, 6,30 1,7 55 H florins = ,£175,048. 1 $s. but as a part of the antient reve-" nucs muft be abolifhed, the new taxes muft yield 10,236,737 '« florins c= £284,353. 13s. 4^. " The treafury of Lithuania produces the annual fum of " 3,646,628 35 £101,2g$. 4.S. 6d. t]ie expences amount to u 6,478,142 = £"179,948. ys. 6d. The revenues ought " therefore to be augmented 2,831,514 = £78,653, 3s. 4*/. " But as fome antient impofts muft be abolifhed, the new " taxes muft yield 4,250,481 = /t 18,068. 1 8s. 4^. t" Poland, by the late difmemberment, loft nearly half of her annual income ; namely, that part arising from the ftarofties now occupied by the partitioning powers, from the duties j * Poland, exchi five of Li h-iania. J The greatefr part of thefe duties are now t Lo-ix et Conft. de la Ditte de 1768, p. ;o. paid to ti.e king of Prui$ta. upon upon merchandize fent down the Vistula to Dantzic, and par- c^p' ticularly from the profits of the fait mines in Austrian Poland. 1— Thofe of Wielitfka* alone amounted to 3,500,000 Polifh florins, 0^97,222 Sterling, which was nearly equal to a fourth part of the government revenues before the partition. In order to fupply this deficiency, it became neceflary to new-model and increafe the taxes. Accordingly, in the diet of t775, a few of the old taxes were abolifhed, fome were augmented, and others were added, fo as to make the neat revenues as high as they were before the difmemberment. The principal taxes are as follow : Poll tax of the Jews. Each Jew, both male and female, infants and adults, pays three Polifli florins, or about is. ttd. per anntim; this impofition, which is of very old Handing, was augmented in 1775 a florin per head. A fourth of the ftarofties. Thefe are the great fiefs of the crown, in the king's gift, holden by the poffeflbrs during life. The ftaroft enjoys, befide large eftates in land, territorial jurif-diciion ; the fourth of his revenues arifing from the land is paid into the treafury of the republic. By the late change of government thefe ftarofties, after the demife of the perfons now enjoying them, and of thofe who have the reversion, are to revert to the public, and their whole amount to be appropriated to the expences of government t. Excife of beer, mead, and fpirituous liquors distilled from corn. This article muft not be inconsiderable, considering the quantity of corn grown in Poland, which, for want of external commerce, cannot be exported, and the propensity of the people to fpirituous liquours. Monopoly of Tobacco. Different Duties upon Importation and Exportation. Formerly all the nobles were permitted to • See P>oek II. Chapter II. t Sec the account of the Permanent Council, p, 58. Vol. I. O import import and export foreign goods and merchandize free of 'duty, a privilege which effectually diminished, and almoft abforbed, the profits of the tax in question. In 1775 right was abolifhed; and ail imported and exported commodities now pay duty without any distinction. Considering the great quantity of foreign manufactures introduced into Poland, and chiefly for the ufe of the nobility, this alteration muft make a confiderable addition to the revenues of government. Tax upon Chimnies. Before the partition, this tax existed only in Lithuania; in 1775 it was rendered general and considerably augmented ; it is the moft profitable of all the taxes, but lies very heavy upon the common people and peafants. Each chimney is aneSTed in the following proportion. In palaces, or houfes of the chief nobility, at 16 Polifli florins per ann. = about Ss. %\d. ; houfes of the principal merchants in Warfaw at 15 = ys. yd. ; other brick houfes from 1 o to 14 = from 5J. y\d. to ys. ^d.; wooden houfes from 6 to 8 = from 3-r. \d. to 4JV 6\d.; belt houfes in other large towns t 2 = 6s. Sd.; in the fmall towns and villages from 6 to 8 = 31. Afd. to 4J. 6jd.; peafants cottages from 5 to 7 = 2s. g\d. to ^s. The peafants pay no other tax to government; and indeed, confidering their poverty, and the oppreflion of their lords and great nobility, this addition is more than they can well fupport. All thefe feveral imposts amount to 11,628,461 Polifh florins, 0^323,012 Sterling. The king received before the partition a neat revenue of 7,000,000 Polifli florins, or £194,500, which arofe from the royal demefnes and the profit of the fait-works. In order to imdemnify him for the lofs of the fait-works, and the royal eftates Situated in the difmembered provinces, he draws from the public treafury 2,666,666 florins, or £74,074 lterling ; which, in addition to the remaining royal demefnes, and fome ftarofties granted for his ufe, make his prefent income the fame as as before the difmemberment. Out of this income he only Cy^?' pays his houfhold expences and menial fervants ; the falary of ^—v—' the great officers of ftate, and the other general expences, being fupplied from the public fund. The whole revenue of government, including the royal demefnes and ftarofties lately granted to the king, amount to 151961,795 florins, or £443>938 ; and by extracting the 7,000,000 florins appropriated to the king's privy purfe, there remains for the fup-port of the army, the falaries of the great officers of ftate, and other general charges, only 8,961,795 florins, or £248,938. ix. a fum fo fmall, that it hardly feems in any wife equal to the purpofes for which it is defigned. And yet it is nearly adequate to the ordinary current expences : for the regular army is fmall, the great officers of ftate receive little or nothing from the public treafury, being amply rewarded with the royal fiefs which are fo numerous and pro* fitable; each palatinate pays its own officers from its private treafury ; while the feveral judges, juftices of the peace, and other civil officers who enjoy territorial jurifdiction, may enrich themfelves fufficiently by extortions and oppreflions without any falary. II. Commerce of Poland. Poland contains feveral navigable rivers, which flow through its dominions in all directions, and convey its exports to the havens of the Baltic. By means of the Viftula and the rivers falling into it, the productions of the palatinates of Cracow, Lublin, and Mafovia, are lent to Thorn, and from thence to Dantzic and Konigfburg. By the Niemen the commodities of Lithuania are tranfported to Memmel; and by the Duna thofe of Eaftern Lithuania and White Ruflia to Riga. The chief exports of Poland are all fpecies of grain, hemp, flax, cattle, mafts, planks, timber for ihip-building, pitch and tar, honey, wax, tallow, pot-afh, and leather: its imports are foreign . O 2 wines, wines, cloths, Huffs, manufactured filks and cotton, fine linen,, * hardware, tin, copper, filver and gold, glafs ware, furs, 8cc. From the various productions and great fertility of Poland, its trade might be carried to a confiderable height; but the following caufes tend to fupprefs the fpirit of commerce. l. The nobles are degraded if they engage in any kind of traffic. 2. The burghers of the large towns are not rich enough to eftablim any manufactures; and either through want of induftry, or through dread of excefhve extortions from the principal nobility, leave almoft all the retail-trade in the. hands- of foreigners and Jews. The inhabitants of. the fmall towns, who are expofed to greater oppreflions, arc Hill more difqualified from purfuing any branch of commerce. 3. The peafants being Haves, and the property of their matter, cannot retire from the place of their nativity without his confent. John Albert, obferving that commerce could never flourish while this reHriction fubfifted, enacted, that one peafant in a family mould be permitted to quit his village, either for the purpofe of trade or literature; but the claufe,.which ordered them to requeit and obtain the confent of the lord, frustrated the purpofe of this excellent law, and rendered it absolutely nugatory *. As the Poles are obliged to draw from foreign countries the greateft part of the manufactured goods necelfary for their interior confumption, the fpecie which is exported exceeds the imported more than 20,000,000 Polilh florins, or Poland has been called the granary, of the North, an appellation which it feems to deflrve rather from its former than from its prefent fertility. For its lands not being fufficiently Cultivated, as well on account of the flavery of the peafants,, HS the unequal diflribution of property, the exportation of corn "*• Stat. Reg, Pol, j>, 169. is is by no means anfwerable to the general nature of the foil, or the extent of its provinces, which, if properly improved, woidd be capable of fupplying half Europe with grain. Several palatinates in Poland, and more particularly Podulia and Kiovia, are extremely adapted to the production of grain : though many parts of thefe provinces remain uncultivated, yet the portion which is in tillage yields a greater fupply than is neceflary for the con lump: ion of the inhabitants. The only method of employing the overplus is to extract from it a fpirituous liquor. But an ingenious Polifli author** has fliown, that the provinces in qucftion might undoubtedly fend their grain down the Dniester through Turkifh Moldavia ; and open an intercourse with the ports of the Black Sea. This project was formerly in agitation. During the reign of Sigifmond Augustus, Cardinal Com-mandon, in travelling through Podolia, being much Struck with the fertility of that province, firft fuggefted the meafurc; and Sigifmond, having obtained the concurrence of the grand feignor, actually clifpatched fome Poles down the Dniester, to explore the State of the river. But the perfons employed on this occafion, happening after a few days voyage to meet with fome impediments from rocks and fand banks, declared, without any further examination, that the Dniester was not navigable ; and although Commandon represented to the king, that the obstacles pointed out might, without any great difficulty, be furmounted ; yet the project was poitpoued, and never again revived t. The judicious author above-mentioned J, in touching upon this fubjedt, laments the ignorance of his countrymen ; and ridicules the precipitation with which they abandoned a plan * Mr de Wiebitfki, a Polifli gentleman of called Patriotic Letters, addrefled to the great learning and information. The trcatife Chancellor Zamoifki. alluded to in this and other places of this -|- Vie de Commandon, work, is written in the Polifli language, and % Mr. de Wkbitikt, fo : fo favourable to the improvement of their commerce. Pie -/Shows, that the inattention of the Poles to the natural advantages of their country has been exemplified in another inftance of a Similar kind. By means of the Notcz, a river of Great Poland, which falls into the Oder, the Poles might have conveyed grain into Silefia, and from thence down the Oder into other parts of Germany. But they never attempted the navigation of the Notez, from an ill-founded perfuaiion of its not being practicable. No fooner, however, had the king of Prulha acquired the country through which that river takes its courfe, than it was inftantly, and without undergoing the leaft alteration, covered with ve;lels. 1U. Military Establishment. The king has a corps of 2000 troops in his own pay, and entirely dependent upon himfelf. Thefe troops confift chiefly of Ulans or light horfe, who furniih alternately the efcort which accompanies his majefty. We law a fmall partv, about thirty, who were encamped near his villa, and had afterwards an opportunity of examining them more minutely. The Ulans are chiefly Tartars, many of them Mahometans, and are greatly to be relied on for their fidelity. The corps is compofed of gentlemen and vaftals : they all form in fquadron together, but are differently armed ; they both indifcriminately carry Sabres and piftols, but the gentlemen only bear lances of about ten feet long; inftead of which, the others are armed with carabines. Their drefs is a high fur cap, a green and red jacket, pantaloons of the fame colour, which cover the boots as low as the ankle ; and a petticoat of white cloth defcending to the knee. Their heads are all ihaved after the Polifh manner *• Their lances, at the end of which is fattened a long lwallow-tailed flag of black and red cloth, are Shorter and weaker than thofe of the Auftrian Croats ; but they carry and * Sec Cook ii. Chapter ii. life ARMY OF POLAND. life them much in the fame manner, and with no lefs dexterity. The men were of different fizes, and feemcd fine and 1 well grown, but were greatly disfigured with their petticoats and pantaloons. The horfes on which they were mounted were about fourteen hands high, of remarkable fpirit, with great ftrength of Shoulder. Poland is much clteemed for its breed of horfes; and the king of Pruffia procures his light cavalry from this country. The breed, however, has been almoft ruined during the late civil wars, and the nobility are now chiefly fupplied from Tartar y. The armies of Poland and Lithuania are independent of each other, being feparately commanded, and under the direction of the refpective great generals. In time of war the king in perfon may lead the forces of the republic. Formerly the power of thefe great generals wasuncontrouled, excepting by the diet, to which alone they were amenable for their adminiflration. Their enormous authority, however, underwent fome limitation in r 768, by the appointment of a committee of war, of which they are perpetual presidents ; and was Still further circum-fcribed by the establishment of the military department in the permanent council, whofe office has been already defcribed*. In 1778 the following was the Slate of the Polifh army. Troops of Poland. Complement. Effective men. Wanting. Staff officers 27 27 Cavalry 4997 4708 289 Infantry, including artillery 7286 6703 583 Total of Poland Army c 12310 if Lithuania. II438 872 Staff officers 25 Cavalry 2670 2497 173 Infantry, including artillery 4770 44^5 3°S Total of Lithuania 7465 See p. 74. 6987 478 Total E0°K Total of the Polifh and Lithuanian troops, —v—' 19775 18425 1350 The ftanding army of Poland being fo inconsiderable, the defence of the country, in cafe of invalion, is left to the gentry at large, who are aflembled by regular lummons from the kine with the confent of the diet. Every palatinate is divided into districts, over each of which proper officers are appointed ; and every perfon poflefling free and noble tenures is bound to military fervice, either lingly or at the head of a certain number of his retainers, according to the extent and nature of his poSfeflions. The troops thus aflembled are obliged only to ferve for a limited time, and are not under the neceflity of marching beyond the limits of their country. The mode of levying and maintaining this army is exactly fimilar to that practifed under the feudal fyftem. At prefent, though it is almoft totally unfit for the purpofes of repelling a foreign enemy, it is yet a powerful inftrument in the hancjs of dome die faction : for the expedition with which it is raifed under the feudal regulations, facilitates the formation of thofe dangerous confederacies, which fuddenly ftart up on the contefted election of a fovereign, or whenever the nobles are at variance with each other. There are two forts of confederacies. The firft are thofe formed with the confent of the king, fenate, or equeftrian order, aflembled in the diet; by which the whole nation confederates for the good of the country. The fecond are the confederacies of the feveral palatinates, which unite for the purpofe of rcdrefling any grievances, or remonstrating againft encroachments of the fovereign power. Thefe may he particular, or general, and arc ufually the forerunners of a civil war. The general confederacy, which is always in oppofition to the king, is culled Rokoz, and is formed by the union of the particular confederacies. 5 As ARMY OF POLAND, 105 As every Polifh gentleman has a right to maintain as many CftAP. troops as he chufes, it may eafily be conceived, that each palati- v,..vl^i nate is the fcene of occaiional difputes and petty contentions between the principal nobles, and fometimes even between their refpective retainers. In fuch a dreadful flate of anarchy, it is a wonder that the whole kingdom is not a perpetual fcene of endlefs commotions, and that the nation is compofed of any thing elfe but lawlefs banditti. It redounds, therefore, greatly to the honour of the natural difpolition of the Poles, that amid all thefe incentives to confufion, a much greater degree of tranquillity, than could be well expected, is maintained. As 1 am now delineating the military eftablifhment, I muft not omit the Ruffian troops, which have been fo long quartered in this country, that they may almoft be confidered as forming part of the national army. The whole kingdom is entirely under the protection, or, in other words, under the power of Ruflia, who rules over it with the fame unbounded authority as over one of its own provinces. The king is in effect little more than a viceroy ; while the Ruffian embaflador has the real fove-Teignty, and regulates all the affairs of the kingdom according to the direction of his court. The emprefs maintains within the country about 10,000 foldiers. Every garrifon is compofed of Ruffian and native troops; a thoufand of the former are ftationed at Warfaw ; and each gate of the town is guarded by a Ruffian and Polifli centinel. In a word, the Ruffian troops hold the nobles in fubject ion, and for the prefent keep under internal feuds and commotions. But when Poland (if ever that event fhould happen) is again left to herfelf, the fame fury of contending parties, now fmothcrcd, but not annihilated, will probably break out with redoubled fury; and again generate thofe disturbances which have long con vulfed this unhappy kingdom: and to what a wretched ftate is that country reduced, which owes its tranquillity to the interposition of a foreign army } Vol, L P CHAP, C '06 3 G HA P. VIII. Wretched Jiate of Poland.—Divifion of the inhabitants into~ I. Nobles or gentry ; //. Clergy; HI. Burghers ; IV. Peafants. —State of Vaiffalage.—Its fatal efjetls.—Infiances of a few nobles who have given liberty to their peafants.—Advantages refulting from that praclice.—V. Jews.—Population of Pol and. IConfider Polifli liberty as the fource of Polifh wretchednefs \ and Poland appears to me, as far as 1 can judge by the fpecimens which fell under my obfervation, of all countries the moft diftrefled. Nor indeed do the natives themfelves attempt to palliate or deny this melancholy fact. Upon ex-prefling my furprize at one inftance of the abufe of liberty,, to which I had been myfelf a witnefs, to a perfon well verfed in the laws of the country, he returned for anfwcr, " If you " knew the confufion and anarchy of Our constitution, you* '* would be furprifed at nothing : many grievances neceflarily u exilt even in the heft regulated ftates; what then mult be " the cafe in ours, which of all governments is the moft de-" tellable r" Another lamenting the dreadful lituation of his country, faid to me, " The name of Poland ftill remains, but " the nation no longer exifts : an univerfal corruption and " venality pervades all ranks of people, Many of the firit no-M bility do not blufli to receive pen lions from foreign courts. 11 One profefles himfelf publicly an Auftrian, a fecond a Pruf-1' fian, a third a Frenchman, and a fourth a Ruflian." The prefent lituation of thePolith nation imprefled my mind with the moft pathetic ideas of fallen greatnefs ; and I could not confider, without a mixture of regret and fympathy, a people, who formerly gave law to the North, reduced to fa low low a itate of infignificancc and domestic mifery. The nation has few manufactures, fcarcely any commerce ; a king almoft without authority ; the nobles in a ltate of uncontrouled anarchy ; the peafants groaning under a yoke of feudal defpotifm far worfe than the tyranny of an abfolute monarch. I never before obferved fuch an inequality of fortune, fuch fudden transition from extreme riches to extreme poverty ; wherever I turned my eyes, luxury and wretchednefs were conftant neighbours. In a word, the boafted Polifh liberty is not enjoyed in the fmallelt degree by the bulk of the people, but is confined among the nobles or gentry. The truth of thefe remarks will heft appear from the following account of the inhabitants. The inhabitants of Poland are nobles, clergy, citizens, and peafants, I. The nobles are divided into two clafTes: the members of the fenate, and of the equeftrian order. Having, upon a former occafion *, defcribed the powers which fenators enjoy in their collective capacity, it will be unnecefTary to repeat them in this place. We fhould be greatly deceived if we were to understand the word noble in our fenfe of that term. In the laws of Poland a noble is a perfon who potTeffes a freehold i eftate, or who can prove his defcent from ancestors formerly pofrefiing a freehold, following no trade or commerce, and at liberty to choofe the place of his habitation. This defcription includes all perfons above burghers and peafants. The members of * See p. 83. '* non alii font, quam nobiles; exprimitque f Some citizens have the right of pofTefs- 11 prius vocabulum, polonicum Ziemianin, quo ing lands within a league of the town winch " in agris fibi et fuo jure vivens intelligitur, they inhibit ; but thefe lands are not free 11 quae nobilium in Polonia eft conditio, qui and noble, and are always diftinguiihed from " nun civitates &c oppida, fed fua prcedia bathe freeholds of the nobles ; the latter are " bitantcs, vkam fuo arbitrio difponunt.'* called in the ftattlte law terrigenac, or earth- Leng. Jus Pub. 1. p. 297. a true feudal dif-born, free to live where they pleafe, to diftin- tinction. Tiny are alio ftylcd indigent or guifti them from perfons tieceflarily inhabiting natives, and concives or fellow-citizens of the ■towns, (' Quus leges dominant terrigenas, republic. P 2 this book th^s body below the rank of fenators are called, in a collective <" j .'Hate, the equeftrian order; and in their individual capacities nobles, gentlemen, freemen, or land-holders, which appellations are fynonymous. All the nobles or gentry are, in the ftrict letter of the law, equal by birth; fo that all honours and titles are fuppofed to. add nothing to their real dignity *. By means.of their repre-fentatives in the diet,, they have a ill are in the legiflative authority, and in fome cafes, as in the election of a king, they aftemble in perfon, when each noble is capable of being elected a nuntio, of bearing the office of a fenator, and of prefenting himfelf as a candidate upon a vacancy in the. throne.. No noble can be arretted without being previoufly convicted, except in cafes of high treafon, murder, and robbery on the-highway, and then he muft be flirprifed in the fact; nor can he be capitally punifhed but by order of the diet. The definition of a noble being thus applied not only to perfons*. actually pofTefling land, but even to the defcendants of former landholders, comprehends fuch a large body of men,, that many of them are in a ftate of extreme indigence;, and as,, according to the Polifh law, they lofe their nobility if they follow trade or commerce, the moft needy generally devote-themfelves to the fervice of the richer nobles, who, like the It is particularly ftlpulatccl, that titles " fcripta eft, Inde in conclavi Nunciorum ♦ive no precedence ; which is called in the ** Principum & Comitum. nominibus fulgen-. Pacta Convenia of Auguftus 111. *' Jus a-qua? " tes, ceteris permixtos videmus. Nullum ** litatis inter cives regni,"&c upon which •* ibi inter modici agelii & paucorum juge- Lengnith makes the following remark, " Omr 11 rum, ac aliquot oppidorum multorumquo M tiis huec nobititas natura eft aequalis, quod " vicorum dominum, obfervatur difcrimen,. ** omnes ex ilia, ad eadem jura,, in eandem *' Prrccedunt alii, alii fequuntur non extitulii *' fuem nafcuntur, Tituli Principum, Mar- " familiarum, fed ad palatinatuum terrarum- M chjonum, Comitum, quibus alii prae aliis *'que, ex quibus nuntii mitf!, ordinem. Ea- ♦* infigriuntur, vocabnla funt, qux ftatum ■* dem in fenatu ratio. Alfignat loca, mune- 1* non immutant, & qui iltis gaudent, non *' ris non ftcmmatis dignitas. Et qui fenator ** alio, quam nobilium jure, fua tenent. Ne- 14 non princeps, non comes, praecedit princi- '* que Polonia alias Principum, alias Marchi- " pirn, ac comitem, non fenatocem." Pac, M onum, alias Comitum, alias Equitum leges Con p. 31.. ** novit; fed omnibua una nobilium lex old NOBLES AND CLERGY, old feudal barons, are conftantly attended by a large number of retainers. As all nobles, without any distinction, enjoy the > . v ,T# right of voting, as well for the choice of nuntios, as at the election of a king, their poverty and their number is frequently productive of great inconvenience. Hence the king, who has juftly conceived a great veneration for the Enghth conftitution, wifhed to introduce into- the new code a law fimilar to ours relating to county elections, that no perfon fhould be intitled to a vote in the choice of a nuntio but thofe who pofleiTed a certain qualification in land*. This* propo fit ion, however, has been received with fuch marks of diffatis fact ion, that we may conclude it will never be allowed to pafs into a,law* II. The Clergy. Miciflaus, the firft fovereign of Poland "Who embraced Chriftianity,. granted feveral immunities and eftates to the clergy. His fucceflors and the rich nobles followed his example ; and the riches of this body continued in* creating as well from royal, as private donations, until the diet, apprehenfive left in procefs of time the greateft part of the eftates fhould pafs into the hands of the clergy, forbad by different laws, and particularly in 1669, tne alienation of lands. to the church, under penalty of forfeiture: and under the prefent reign feveral eftates have been confifcated which had been beftowed upon the clergy fince that period. From the time of the firft eftabliihment of the catholic religion by Cardinal ^gidius, nuntio from Pope John XII. the bifhops have been admitted into the fenate as king's counfellors. They were ufually appointed by the king, and confirmed by the pope; but, fince the creation of the perma- * Connor mentions a fimilar attempt of *4 only as had at leaft two hundred crowns a John Calimir, which failed of iuccefs. ** year ; whereupon the palatine of Pofnania, " King Cafimir obferving the great abuses *' offering to put this law in execution in lis 11 that fpting from ev allies of Cafimir the Great, whom 1 consider as one of the greatest princes that ever adorned a throne. It was not, however, the brilliancy and magnificence of his reign, his warlike atchievements, nor even his patronage of the arts and fciences; but his legiflative abilities, and his wonderful beneficence to the inferior clafs of his fubjccts, that infpired me with a reverence for his character. . < Cafimir was born in 1310; and in 1333 afcended the throne of Poland, upon the demife of his father Ladiilaus Loketec. The Polifli hiftorians dwell with lingular complacency upon his reign, as the moft glorious and happy period of their hiftory; and record with peculiar pleafure the virtues and abilities of this great and amiable monarch : nor are their praifes the echoes of flattery, for they were moftly written fubfequent to his death, when another family was featcd upon the throne. In perufing the reign of Cafimir, we can hardly believe that we are reading the hiftory of the fovereign of a barbarous people in the beginning of the fourteenth century ; it feems as if, by the afcendancy of his fuperior genius, he had got the ftart of the age in which he flourifhed, and had anticipated the knowledge and improvements of the fuo 3 / : ceedlng book ceeding and more enlightened periods. ,J ,; From the moment of his acceflion his firft care was to fecnre his kingdom againft foreign enemies; with this view he attacked the knights of the Teutonic order, with whom Poland had long been in an almoft continual ftate of warfare, and obliged them to purchafe a peace by the ceflion of Culm and Cujavia, which they had wrefted from his father; he then reduced Red Ruflia, and annexed the duchy of Mafovia to the dominions of Poland. By thefe acquisitions he not only extended the frontiers of his empire, but rendered his dominions lefs liable to fudden invalions. But thefe great succelies were not able to excite in his breaft the fatal fpirit of military en-terprize ; he. always considered war as a matter of neceflity, not of choice, and as the means of lafety rather than of glory*. Having fecured his frontiers, as wTell by his victories as by treaties with the neighbouring powers, he turned his whole attention to the interior id ministration of his kingdom ; he built feveral towns, enlarged and beautified others: fo that Dlugoflius t, who wrote in the following century, fays of him, " Poland is indebted to Cafimir for the greatest part of her 11 churches, palaces, fortreffes, and towns;" adding metaphorically, " that he found Poland of wood, and left her of mar-" ble." He patronized letters, and founded the academy of Cracow; he promoted industry, and encouraged trade; elegant in his manners and magnificent in his court, he was oeconomical without rneannefs, and liberal without prodigality. He was the great legillator of Poland : finding his country without any written laws, he reviewed all the ufages and cuf- * Mitis ingcnio, et quietis quam armorum quam luteam, ligncam, St fpnlidam rcpere- appctentior. Florus Po!. p. 116. rat, larcritiam, gloriofam, & im.lvram, iicut -j- Tantus enim illi ad magnifiruidum, evenit, reliquerit. Nam quit-quid Polonia in lociiplctandumqiie Regnum Potbnue incrat caftris, ccclefiis, civitatibus, eunis, & domi- amor, ut graviilimos & notabiles fumptus in bus nnuorum conliner, id pro majori pule erigendis ex muro ecclefiis, caf;ric, tjvit.it i - ab ipfo Calimiro nge, & fuis ivgiis lumptibus bus, & curiis, faciendo ad id ouin-m lolieim- eft rci IcVtam, Lib. IX. p. 1164. d nein curamque in tender it, ut Poloniam, 1 toms, toms, and digefted them, with fome additions, into a regular chap. code, which he ordered to be publifhed. He Amplified wl ■ .' improved the courts of juftice ; he was eafy * of accefs to the meaneft as well as the nigheft of his fubjects, and folicitous to relieve the peafants from the opprellions of the nobility; fuch indeed was the tendernefs he lbowed to that injured clafs of men, and fo many were the privileges which he conferred upon them, that the nobles ufed to call him out of deriAon Rex Rujlicorum, the king of the peafants ; perhaps the moft noble appellation that ever was bellowed upon a fovereign, and far to be preferred to the titles of magnificent and great, which have been fo often laviihed rather upon the perfecu-tors than the benefactors of mankind. Human nature is nc-^ ver perfect; Cafimir was not without his failings: voluptuous and fenfual, he pufhed the pleafures of the table to an exccfs of intemperance ; and his inordinate paflion for women led him into fome actions, inconfiftent with the general tenor of honour and integrity which diftinguifbes his character. But thefe defects influenced chiefly his private, and not his public deportment; or, to ufe the expreflion of a Polifh hif-torian,his private failings were redeemed by his public virtues t: and it is allowed by all, that no fovereign more confulted the happinefs of his fubjects, or was more beloved at home and re-fpedted abroad. After a long reign of 40 years he was thrown from his horfe as he was hunting, and died afterafhort illnefs in the 60th year of his age, carrying with him to the grave the regret of his fubjects, and a claim to the veneration of posterity. He is defcribed (for the figure of fo amiable a character cannot fail to be interefting) as. tall in his perfon, and inclined to corpulency, with a majeftic afpect, thick and curling hair* * Adcuntibus facilis, qucrimonias etiam pate-hat acceflus. Dlugoffins. in fun or am audivit, Sec. Sarndki. Cuilibet f R/idimcns vitia vinutibus.• DhigoiTius. condition'], geucji, atl. p. 25. jura majeflatis, cum injuria fuccedentium -j- He is fometimes called Ladiflaus IV. regum, et reipub. decrrmento, fumere et and fometimes Ladidaus V. but reckoning prsevalere coepit, ut fapientes, 8. let Ot 'Ihrfci/Hi'rtt'. ,/,/rf/ "ij#),fiv T./t't,ff/i'.in ffic . 'V/;///,/. C H A P. II. Mode offaluting and drefs of the Poles.—Account of the falt-mines of Wielitlka.—Their extent and profit*—Journey to Warfaw. THE Poles feem a lively people, and ufe much action in their ordinary converfation. Their common mode of falute is to incline their heads, and to mike their breaft with one of their hands, while they flretch the other towards the ground ; but when a common perfon meets a fuperior, he bows his head almoft to the earth, waving at the fame time his hand, with which he touches the bottom of the leg near the heel of the perfon to whom he pays his obeifance. The men of all ranks generally wear whilkers, and (have their heads, leaving only a circle of hair upon the crown. The lummer drefs of the peafants confifts of nothing but a fhirt and drawers of coarfe linen, without fhoes or ftockings, with round caps or hats. The women of the lower clafs wear upon their heads a wrapper of white linen, under which their hair is braided, and hangs down in two plaits. I obferved feveral of them with a long piece of white linen hanging round the fide of their faces, and covering their bodies below their knees: this lingular kind of veil makes them look as if they were doing penance. The drefs of the higher orders, both men and women, is uncommonly elegant. That of the gentlemen is a waiftcoat with ileeves, over which they wear an upper robe of a different colour, which reaches down below the knee, and is faf-tened round the waift with a fafh or girdle ; the fleeves of this upper garment are in warm weather tied behind the fhouklers; 3 a fabre a fabre is a neceflary part of their drefs as a mark of nobility. In rummer, the robe, &c. is of filk ; in winter, of cloth, velvet, or Ruff, edged with fur. They wear fur-caps or bonnets, and bufkins of yellow leather, the heels of which are plaited with iron or Reel. The drefs of the ladies is a simple polonaife9 or long robe, edged with fur. The Poles, in their features, look, customs, drefs, and general appearance, refemble Afiatics rather than Europeans; and they are unquestionably descended from Tartar anceftors. A German historian well verfed in the antiquity of nations, remarks, that the manner in which the Poles wear their hair is, perhaps, one of the most antient tokens of their origin. So early as the fifth century fome nations, who were comprehended under the name of Scythians, had the fame custom. For Prifcus Rhxtor, who accompanied Maximus in his embaffy from Theodofius II. to the court of Attila, defcribes a Scythian lord, whofe head was fhaved in a circular form f, a mode perfectly analogous to the prefent fafhion in Poland. Before we quitted this part of Poland, we vifited the celebrated falt-mines of Wielitfka, which are.situated within eight miles of Cracow. Thefe mines are excavated in a ridge of hills at the Northern extremity of the chain which joins to the Carpathian mountains: they take their appellation from the fmall village of Wielitfka; but are fometimcs called in foreign countries the mines of Cracow, from their vicinity to that city. Upon our arrival at Wielitfka we repaired to the mouth of the mine;[. Having fastened three feparate hammocks in a circle round the great rope that is employed in drawing up the fait, we featecl ourfelves in a commodious manner, and were let down gently without the least apprehension of danger, about 160 yards below the first layer of fait. Quitting our ham- * Mafcow. of which the miners tlcfccnd by flairs, down f Capite in rotnndum rafo. the other by bidders. % There are two other openings, down one 1 mocks, SALT MINES OF \V I E L I T S K A. mocks, we pafled a long and gradual defcent, fometimes through broad paflages or galleries capable of admitting feveral carriages abreaft; fometimes down Heps cut in the folid fait, which had the grandeur and commodioufnefs of the flair-cafe in a palace. We each of us carried a light, and feveral guides preceded us with lamps in their hands : the reflection of thefe lights upon the glittering fides of the mine was extremely beautiful, but did not caff that luminous fplen-donr, which fome writers have compared to the luitre of precious ftones. The fait dug from this mine is called Ziebna or Green Salt, for what reafon I cannot determine; for its colour is an iron grey; when pounded it has a dirty afh colour like what we call brown fait. The quality improves in proportion to the depth of the mine: towards the fides and furface it is mixed with earthy or flony particles; lower down it is faid to be perfectly pure, and requires no other procefs before it is ufed than to be pounded. The nneft of this grey fait, however, is of a weak quality when compared with our common fea-falt: it is therefore undoubtedly by no means perfectly pure, but is blended with extraneous mixtures, though it ferves very well for common purpofes. Being almoft as hard as ftone, the miners hew it with pick-axes and hatchets, by a tedious operation, into large blocks, many of which weigh fix or feven hundred pounds. Thefe large mafles are raifed by a windlas, but the fmaller pieces are carried up by horfes along a winding gallery, which reaches to the furface of the earth. Betide grey fait, the miners fometimes difcover fmall cubes of white fait, as tranfparent as chryftal, but not in any confi-derable quantity ; they find likewife occasionally pieces of coal and petrified wood.buried in the fait. The mine appears to be inexhauitible, as will ealily be conceived from the following account of its dimenfions. Its Vol. L U known known breadth is 1115 feet; its length 6691 feet; and' ' depth 743 ; and the heft judges on the fpot fuppofe, with the greater!: appearance of probability, this folid body of fait to branch into various directions, the extent of which cannot be known : of that part which has been perforated, the depth is only calculated as far as they have hitherto dug ; and who can afcertain how much farther it may defcend ? Our guide did not omit pointing out to us, what he confidered as one of the moft remarkable curiofities of the place, feveral fmall chapels excavated in the fait, in which mafs is faid on certain days of the year ; one of thefe chapels is above 30 feet long and 25 broad; the altar, the crucifix, the ornaments of the church, the ftatues of feveral faints, are all carved out of the fait. Many of the excavations or chambers, from whence the fait has been dug, are of an immenfe fize; fome are fupported with timber, others by vaft pillars of fait, which are left standing for that purpofe: feveral of vaft dimenilons are without any fupport in the middle. I remarked one of this latter fort in particular, which was certainly 80 feet in height, and fo extremely long and broad, as almoft to appear amid the fubterraneous gloom without limits. The roofs of thefe vaults are not arched, but flat. The immenfe fize of thefe chambers, with the fpacious paffages or galleries, together with the chapels above-mentioned, and a few fheds built for the horfes which are foddered below, probably gave rife to the exaggerated accounts of fome travellers, that thefe mines contain feveral villages inhabited by colonies of miners, who never fee the light. It is certain that there is room fufficient for fuch pnrpofes; but the fact: is, that the miners have no dwellings under ground, none of them remaining below more than eight hours at a time, when they are relieved by others from above. In truth, thefe mines are of a moft stupendous extent SALT MINES OP WIELITSKA, 147 ^extent and depth, and are Sufficiently wonderful without the c^ap. leait exaggeration. We found them as dry as a room, without'—*—' the leal! damp or moiiture ; observing only in our whole progrefs one fmall fpring of water, which is impregnated with fait, as it runs through the mine. Such an enormous mafs of fait exhibits a wonderful phenomenon in the natural hiftory of this globe. Moniieur Guetard, who visited thefe mines with great attention, and who has publifhed a treatife upon the fubject, informs us, that the uppermost bed of earth at the furface immediately over the mines is fatld, the fecond clay occafionally mixed with land and gravel and containing petrefactions of marine bodies, the third calcaneus ftonc. From all thefe circumftances he conjectures that this fpot was formerly covered by the fea, and that the fait is a gradual deposit formed by the evaporation •of its waters K Thefe mines have now been worked above 600 years, for they are mentioned in the Polifh annals fo early as 1237, under Boleflaus t the Chaste, and not as a new difcovery : how much earlier they were known cannot now be afcertained. Their profits had long been appropriated to the king's privy purfe : before the partition they furnifhed a considerable part of his prefent majesty's revenue, who drew from them an annual average profit of about 3,500,000 Polifli florins, or ^97,222. 4j\ 6d. sterling. They now belong to the emperor, being situated within the province which he difmembered from Poland; but at the time we visited them they were far from yielding a revenue equal to that which they had afforded to the king of Poland ; for the Auftrian commissioners imprudently raifed the price of fait, from an idea that Poland could not exist: without drawing that commodity as ufual from Wie- * See Memoire fur les Mines de Scl de for 1762. Wielitfka in Hilt, de SAcad. des Sciences f Lengnich, Jus Pub. vol. I. p. 249. U 2 litfka, Titfka, and would therefore be obliged to receive it at any price. This mode of proceeding offending the Poles, the king of Pruffia, with his ufual fagacity, did not neglect this opportunity of extending his commerce ; he immediately imported large quantities of fait, which he procured chiefly from Spain, to Dantzie, Memmel, and Koningfburg, from whence it was conveyed up the Viftula into the interior provinces: by thefe means he furnifhed great part of Poland with fait, at a cheaper rate than the inhabitants could procure it from the houfe of Auftria; and in 1778 the mines of Wielitfka only fupplied the districts which immediately border upon Auftrian Poland. I never faw a road fo barren of interesting fccnes as that from Cracow to Warfaw ; there is not a fingle object throughout the whole tract, which can for a moment draw the attention of the moft inquifttive traveller. The country, for the moft part of the way, was level, with little variation of furface: it was chiefly overfpread with vaft tracts of thick gloomy forest ; and even where the country was more open, the distant horizon was always fkirted with wood. The trees were mostly pines and firs, intermixed with beech, birch, and fmall oaks. The occafional breaks in the forest prefented fome pasture ground, with here and there a few meagre crops of corn. Without having actually traverfed it, I could hardly have conceived fo comfortlefs a region : a forlorn ftillnefs and foli-tude prevailed almoft through the whole extent, with few fymptoms of an inhabited, and still lefs of a civilized country* Though in the high road, which unites Cracow and Warfaw in the courfe of about 358 Englifh miles, we met in our progrefs only two carriages and about a dozen carts. The countrry was equally thin of human habitations : a few straggling villages, all built of wood, fucceeded one another at long intervals, whofe miferable appearance correfponded to the wretched nefs of the country around them. In thefe affemblages of huts, JOURN EY TO WARSAW. 149 huts, the only places of reception for travellers were hovels, ( belonging to Jews, totally destitute of furniture and every fpe-^ cies of accommodation. We could feldom procure any other room but that in which the family lived ; in the article of provision eggs and milk were our greateft luxuries, and could not always be obtained ; our only bed was ft raw thrown upon the ground, and we thought ourfelves happy when we could procure it clean. Even we, who were by no means delicate, and who had long been accuftomed to put up with all inconveniences, found ourfelves diftrefled in this land of defolatiom. Though in moft countries we made a point of fufpending our journey during night, in order that no fcene might efcape our obfervation ; yet we here even preferred continuing our route without intermiflion to the penance we endured in thefe receptacles of filth and penury : and we have reafon to believe that the darknefs of the night deprived us of nothing but the fight of gloomy forests, indifferent crops of corn, and objects of human mifery. The natives were poorer, humbler, and more mi-ferable than any people we had yet obferved in the courfe of our travels: wherever we flopped, they flocked around us in crouds; and, afking for charity, ufed the moft abject geilures. The road bore as few marks of induftry as the country which it interfec~ts. It was heft where it was fandy ; in other parts it was fcarcely paflable; and in the marihy grounds, where fome labour was abfolutely neceflary to make it fupport the carriages, it was railed with flicks and boughs of trees thrown promif-cuoufly upon the furface, or formed by trunks of trees laid crofs ways. After a tedious journey we at length approached Warfaw; but the roads being neither more paflable, nor the country better cultivated, and the fuburbs chiefly con lifting of the fame wooden hovels which compofe the villages, we had no fufpicion of being, near, the capital of Poland until we arrived at its gates. CHAP, C H A P. TIL Arrival at Warfaw.—Defcription of the city .—Journal of occurrences.—Prefent at ion to the king of Poland.—Palace.—■ Portraits of the kings of'Poland. —- Literary facie (y.—Entertainment at the king's villa...—Supper in prince Poniatoulki's garden.—-Defcription of a fete champitre given at Povonfki by the princefsZartorifka, See. 8cc. book r"|^HE lituation of Warfaw is not unpleafant: it is built _A partly in a plain, and partly upon a .gentle afcent riling from the banks of the Viftula, which is about as broad as the Thames at WTeftminfter-Bridge, but very ihallow in fummer. The city and its fuburbs occupy a vaft extent of ground ; and are fuppofed to contain between lixty and feventy thousand inhabitants, among whom are a prodigious number of foreigners. The whole town has a melancholy appearance, exhibiting that ftrong contrail: of wealth and poverty, luxury and diftrefs, which pervades every part of this unhappy country. The ftreets are fpacious, but ill-paved ; the churches and public buildings are large and magnificent; the palaces of the nobility are numerous and fplcndid ; but the greatest: part of the houfes, particularly in the fuburbs, are mean and ill-constructed wooden hovels. August 2. The Englifli miniftcr being abfent in the country, we carried our letters of recommendation to Count Rzewufki great "marfhal of the crown, who received us with much civility, and appointed Sunday morning to prefent us to the king at his levee. At the hour appointed we repaired to court, and were admitted into the audience-chamber, where the principal officers of the crown were waiting for his majesty's » 87 jetty's appearance. In this chamber I obferved four buds, placed by order of his prefent majelfy ; namely, thofe of Elizabeth queen of England ; Henry IV. of France; John Sobiefki; and the prefent emprefs of Ruflia. At length the king made his appearance; and we were prefented. His majefty talked to each of us a considerable time in the moft obliging manner; he faid many handfome things of the Englifh nation, mentioned his residence in London with great appearance of fatisfaclion, and concluded by inviting us to fupper in the evening, of which honour we had before had previous intimation from the great marflial. The king of Poland is handfome in his perfon, with an ex-preflive countenance, a dark complexion, Roman uofc, and penetrating eye : he is uncommonly pleasing in his ad drefs and manner, and poflefles great fweetnefs of condefcenfion, tempered with dignity. He had on a full drefled fuit; which circumstance I mention becaufe he is the first king of this country who has not worn the national habit, or who has not fliaved his head after the Polilh custom; His example has of courfe had many imitators: and I was much furprized to fee fo few of the chief nobility in the national garb. The natives in general are fo attached to this drefs, that in the diet of convocation which aflembled previous to the election of his prefent majesty, it was propofed to infert in the Pada Convent a an article, whereby the king fhould be obliged to wear the Polifli garment : but this motion was over-ruled ; and he was left at liberty to confult his own tafte. At his coronation he laid aside the antient regal habit of ceremony, and appeared in robes of a more modern falhion, with his hair flowing upon his flioulders. The levee being ended, we went over the palace, Which was built by Sigifmond III. and which fince his lime has been the principal residence of the Polifli monarchs. Warfaw is far 6 rn^rrt more commodious for the capital thau Cracow, becaufe it is fituated nearer to the center of the kingdom, and becaufe the diet is afTembled in this city. The palace Rands upon a riling ground at a fmall diftance from the Viftula, and commands a fine view of that river and of the adjacent country. Next to the audience-chamber is an apartment fitted up with marble, which his majefty has dedicated, by the following infcription, to the memory of his predeceftbrs the kings of Poland : Regum MemoricE dicavit Staniflaus Auguftus hocce monumentum, 17 7 r. The portraits of the fovereigns are ranged in chronological order: the feries begins from Boleflaus, and is carried down to his prefent majefty, whofe picture is not yet finifhed. Thefe heads are all painted by Bacciarelli, and well executed : the portraits of the earlier kings are fketched from the painter's imagination ; but that of Ladiflaus II. and moft of his fuccef-fors are copied from real originals. They altogether produce a pleafing effect, and may be confidered as an agreeable fpecies of genealogical table. In this apartment the king gives a dinner every Thurfday to the men of letters who are moft confpicuous for their learning and abilities: his majefty himfelf prefides at table, and takes the lead in the graces of conversation as much as in rank; and, though a fovereign, does not think it beneath him to be a moft entertaining companion. The perfons who are admitted to this fociety read occasionally treatiies upon different topics of hiftory, natural philofophy, and other mifeellaneous fubjects: and as a code of laws was at that time compiling in order to be prefented to the next diet, parts of that code, or obfervations relating to legiflation in general, and the conftitution of Poland in particular, were introduced and perufed. The king ftudioufly encourages all attempts to refine and polifli his native tongue, which had been much neglected during the reigns of his two predecef-fors, who were totally ignorant of the Polifli language. He is 2, fond fond of poetry; accordingly that fpecies of composition is CI*A?' much cultivated at thefe meetings. The next apartment was 1 w' ..f hung with the portraits of the principal members of the fociety. In obedience to the king's condefcending invitation, we fat off about eight in the evening, and drove to one of the royal villas, fituated in the midft of a delightful wood about three miles from Warfaw, The villa is fmall, confiding of a faloon, and four other apartments upon the firft floor, together with a bath, from which it takes its name of la Mat/on de Bain : above ftairs are the fame number of rooms; each of them fitted up in the moft elegant manner. The king received us in the faloon with wonderful affability : his brother and two of his nephews were prefent, and a few of the nobility of both fexes, who generally compofe his private parties. There were two tables for whift, and thofe who were not engaged at cards walked about, or flood at different fides of the room, while the king, who feldom plays, converfed occasionally with every one. At about half an hour after nine, fupper being announced, we followed the king into an adjoining apartment, where was a fmall round table with eight covers : the fupper confuted of one courfe and a desert. His majefty fat down, but eat nothing; he talked a great deal, without wholly engrossing the converfation. After fupper we repaired to the faloon, part of the company returned to their cards, while we, out of refpect to the king, continued Handing, until his majefty was pleafed to propofe fitting down, adding, " we fhall " be more at our eafe chatting round a table." We accordingly feated ourfelves, and the converfation lafted without interruption, and with perfect eafe, till midnight, when the king retired. Before he withdrew, he gave a general order to a nobleman of the party, that we fhould be conducted to fee every object in Warfaw worthy of a stranger's curiosity. This extraordinary degree of attention penetrated us with gratitude, Vol. I. X and book am{ proved a prelude to Hill greater honours. v—Auguft 5. We had the honour of dining with his majefty at the fame villa, and experienced the fame eafe and affability of reception as before. Mis majefty had hitherto talked French,, but he now did me the honour to converfe with me in Eng-li(h, which he fpeaks remarkably well. Me expreffed a great predilection for our nation: he furprized me by his extraordinary knowledge of our conftitution, laws, and hiftory, which was fo circumftantial and exact, that he could not have acquired it without infinite application : all his remarks were pertinent, juft, and rational. He is familiarly acquainted with our belt authors, and his cnthufiaHic admiration of Shakefpeare gave me the moft convincing proofs of his intimate acquaintance with our language, and his tafte for the beauties of genuine poetry. Fie inquired much about the ftate of arts and fciences in England, and fpoke with raptures upon the protection and encouragement which our fovereign gives to the liberal arts, and to every fpecies of literature. After we had taken our leave, we drove round the wood to feveral other villas, in which the king occasionally refides. They are all constructed in different styles with great tafte and elegance. His majefty is very fond of architecture, and draws himfelf all the plans for the buildings, and even the designs for the interior decorations of the feveral apartments. In the evening we had the plcafurc of meeting his majefty at his brother's, prince Poniatoffki, who gave us a moft elegant entertainment at a garden which is situated near his villa, and. is richly ornamented with buildings. The tafte of the Polilh nobility is not to be controuled by want of any materials; for if they cannot procure them from nature, they make a repre-fentation of them by art. In the prefent inftance, as there are no quarries of stone near Warfaw, the prince has fubftitutcd a composition fo nearly refembling ftone, that the moft minute obferver 4. WARSAW. obferver can fcarce difcover the difference. We arrived at the garden about nine ; it was a beautiful evening of one of the moft fultry days we had experienced this fummer. After walking about the grounds, we came to a grotto of artificial rock, where a fpring of water dripped through the fides, and fell into a bafon with a pleafing murmur. We were fcarcely affembled in this delightful fpot, when the king made his appearance : we rofe up to meet him ; the ufual compliments being paffed, we attended his majefty about the grounds, and then returned to the grotto, round which we ranged ourfelves upon a bank covered with mofs. The moon was now rifen, and added greatly to the beauty of the fcene. I happened to be feated next to the king (for all form and ceremony was ba-niflied), who talked with me as ufual, in Englifh, on the arts and fciences, literature, and hiftory. In the courfe of this converfation I ventured to afk whether there was any good poetry in the Polifli language. His majefty told me, " We u have fome lighter pieces of poetry, by no means contcmp-" tible, and an indifferent epic poem ; but the work of chief " poetical excellence in our tongue is a fine tranflation of the u Gerujakmrne Liber at a of Taffo, far fuperior to any tranfla-li tions of that admirable poem in other languages; fome Ita-" lians of tafte and judgement have efteemed it not much in-<£ ferior to the original performance." I then took the liberty of inquiring about the hiftorical productions of Poland ; when the king informed me, that they had no good hiftory of their country in Polifli, which he looked upon as a national reflection, though he flattered himfelf it would foon be removed, as a perfon of genius and erudition, admirably calculated for the undertaking, was now employed in that work. Upon ex-prefling my furprizc at a circumftance almoft peculiar to Poland, that they had no hiftory in their native tongue, his majefty condefcended to acquaint me, that they had feveral excel- X 2 lent book ient hiftorians, all of whom however had written in Latin; -~v --^u the knowledge of this language," his majefty remarked, " is very general among the Poles * ; the earlieft laws are all M drawn up in Latin until the reign of Sigifmond Auguftus, N when they began to be compofed in the vernacular lan-" guage; the old Pacta Conventa are all in Latin; thofe of " Ladiilaus IV. being the firft that appeared in Polifh." This converfation, in which I was at a lofs whether to admire moft the knowledge or condefcenfion of the king, was interrupted by the prince, who propofed a turn in the garden before fupper : his highnefs led the way, and the company followed; we paffed through a fubterraneous paflage, long and winding, with here and there a fingle lamp, which fhed a glimmering light; we came at length to a wooden door, which feemed the entrance into fome hovel; it opened, and we found ourfelves, to our great aftonifhment, in a fuperb faloon, illuminated with innumerable lamps. It was a rotunda, with an elegant dome of the moft beautiful fymmetry ; in the circumference were four open recefles between pillars of artificial marble t: in the recedes were lophas, with paintings in frefco, reprefcnting the triumphs of Bacchus, Silenus, Love, and the victory of the Emprefs of Ruflia over the Turks. As we were all admiring the beauty and elegance of the rotunda, our ears were on a fuddcn regaled with a concert of exquiflte mullc from an invifible, band. While we were liftening to this agreeable performance, and conjecturing from what quarter it came, a magnificent table was fuddenly fpread in the midft of the faloon with fuch expedition-, as to refemble the effects of enchantment. We immediately fat down to fupper with the king, the prince, and a chofen company : our fpirits were elevated by the beauty of * I had feveral opportunities of remarking great fluency, the prevaleocy ofthe Latin tongue in Poland] f Thefe pillars are of th* fume compofi-when 1 vintcd the prifons, 1 couveded in that tion and colour with thofe of the Pantheon the faloon, by the hofpitality of the prince, and by the affability of the king ; who, fo far from being a conftraint to the fociety, greatly enlivened it by his vivacity, and feemed the foul of the party. I never pafled a more agreeable evening ; the converfation was animated and rational, while the focial eafe and freedom, which diffufed itfelf through every part of the company, realized this beautiful convivial picture; La Liberie convive aimable Met les deux coudes fur la table *. Even without the luftre of a crown, which is apt to dazzle our judgements, the king of Poland could not fail of being elteemed one of the moft agreeable and polite gentlemen in Europe : he has a furprizing fund of interefling converfation; and I never had the honour of accefs to his company without being both informed and delighted. I lis majefly did not retire until one o'clock, when the company feparated, and we returned to Warfaw, highly pleafed with our evening's entertainment. I have had frequent occafion to mention the elegance and luxury of the Polifli nobility in their houfes and villas; in their decorations and furniture they feem to have happily blended the Englith and French modes ; in their entertainments they are exquilltely r-jflned ; and as they fpare no expence, and have a natural good tafte, they generally fucceed in creating pleafure and furprize. We every day experienced the agreeable effects of their hofpitality and politenefs; but by none were we fo elegantly regaled as by the princefs Zartorifka in a fete champitre, of which I fliall attempt a defcription. Povonfki, the villa of prince Adam Zartoriiki, is about three miles from Warfaw in the midft of a for eft : the lituation is almoft level, with here and there a gentle (lope, which produces an agreeable variety. A river runs through the grounds, which are laid out in the Englifh tafte, with a beautiful inter- * Voltaire. mixture book mixture of lawn and wood ; walks are cut through the wood, ii. ° 7 <—and carried along the fide of the water. The houfe, which Rands upon a gentle rife, has the appearance of a cottage, constructed like thofe of the peafants, with trunks of trees piled upon each other, and thatched with ftraw: beflde the principal building, inhabited by the prince and princefs, there are feparate cottages for the children and at-* tendants, each of which has its inclofures and fmall garden ; this group of structures bears the refemblance of a village, compofed of huts fcattered at a fmall diftance from each other. Other buildings, fuch as fummer houfes, pavilions, ruftic fheds, and ruins, are difpcrfed throughout the grounds ; the ftables are constructed in the form of an half demolifhed amphitheatre. Several romantic bridges, rudely compofed of the trunks and bent branches of trees, contribute to heighten the rufticity of the fcenery. Upon our arrival we repaired to the principal cottage, where lh.3 princefs was ready to receive us: we expected the inside to be furniflied in the fimple ftyle of a peasant's hovel, but were furprized to find every fpecies of elegant magnificence which riches and tafte could collect. All the apartments are decorated in the moft coftly manner; but "the fplendour of the bath-room was peculiarly finking : the fides are covered from top to bottom, with fmall fquare pieces of the fineft Drefden china, each ornamented with an elegant fprig; and the border and cieling are painted with beautiful feftoons. The expence of fitting up this apartment muft have been prodigious ; as I was informed that there wTere at leaft three thou-fand fquare pieces of china employed, each of which coft at Drefden three ducats *; After we had surveyed all the apartments, we proceeded to an enclofure near the houfe, fur-rounded with large blocks of granite heaped one upon ano- * About it. 76. 6d. ther, and fallen trees placed in the moft natural and picturefque fhapes; here we drank tea upon the lawn. From thence we repaired to the feveral cottages inhabited by the children; which are fitted up in different ftyles, but with equal elegance. Every thing without doors gives one the idea of an happy peasant's family ; within all is coftlinefs and tafte : 1 never faw fuch a contraft of Simplicity and magnificence. We next walked round the grounds, which are prettily laid out in our tafte of gardening ; the company then all adjourned to a Turkifh tent of rich and curious workmanfhip, pitched in a beautiful retired field near the stables, which reprefent a ruined amphitheatre. This tent belonged to the grand-vizier,* and was taken during the late war between the Ruffians and the Turks: under it was a fettce, and a carpet fpread upon the ground. Here we ftaid convening until it was quite duflc ; when the princefs propofed returning; fhe led .us through the houfe to a fmall fpot of riting ground, where we were fuddenly ftruck with a moft beautiful illumination. A ruftic bridge, conflfting of a Single arch over a broad piece of water, was studded with feveral thousand lamps of different colours; while the reflection of this illuminated bridge in the water was fo strong as to deceive the eye, and gave the whole the appearance of a brilliant circle fufpended in the air: the effect was fplendid beyond defcription, and considerably heightened by the gloom of the forest in the back-ground. While we continued admiring this delightful fcene, a band of mufic ftruck up at a little diftance, and amufed us with, an excellent concert. We were then led from this enchanting fpot, acrofs the illuminated bridge, to a thatched pavilion, open at the fides, and fupported by pillars ornamented with garlands and twisted feftoons of flowers: we found within a cold collation, and fat down to a table covered with all kind of delicacies, with the moft costly wines? and every fpecies of fruit which art or na-e ture b^ok rure could furnifli. The evening was delightful, the fcenery w-vl-/picturefque, the fare delicious; the company in good fpirits; for who could be otherwife when every circumstance, which the tafte and ingenuity of our fair hoftefs could invent, con-fpired to heighten the entertainment ? The collation being ended, we rofe from table : which I concluded to be the clofe of the entertainment, but was agreeably difappointed: the gardens were fuddenly illuminated; we all ranged about as fancy dictated ; and were gratified with the found of wind in-ftruments played by perfons difperfed in different parts of the grounds. We repalfed the bridge, and returned into the cottage, when the two eldest daughters of the princefs, who were dreffed in Grecian dreffes of the molt elegant simplicity, performed a Polifh and a CofTac dance; the former ferious and graceful, the latter comic and lively. The eldest fon, a boy about eight years old, next performed an hornpipe with wonderful agility, and afterwards a dance in the style of the Polifh peafants with much humour. It was now paft two in the morning; we feemed as if we could ft ay for ever; but as there muft be an end of all fublunary joys, we took our leave, expressing our thanks and gratitude in language far unequal to our feelings. I can fcarce form to myfelf w fete champetre fo elegant: and I am satisfied, that it will seldom fall to the lot of the fame perfon to partake of fuch a pleating entertainment twice in his life. The day before our departure from this town we dined with the bifiiop of Plotfko, the king's brother, at his palace of Jabloniika about eight miles from Warfaw. The palace is an handfome building, constructed after a design, and at the ex-pencc, of his majefty. One of the apartments, called the Turkish faloon, is remarkable for its elegance and Angularity : it is in the Oriental tafte, of an oblong fhape, very high, with -a fountain in the middle, furrounded with ^parterreof flowers, 7 Between \V A R S A W. 161 Between the parterre and fides of the room are ranges of c*^p" Turkish fophas. The variegated tints and rich fragrance of wyiL* the flowers, joined to the tranfparency and murmurs of the fountain, produce a moft pleating effect, and, together with the coolnefs of the apartment, render it a delicious retreat from the heats of fummer. The Viftula winds along at a fmall diftance from the palace, through a Tandy and almoft level country. In the evening we accompanied prince Staniflaus to his majesty's villa, fecure of pafting an interesting evening, but it was now embittered with the idea that it would never again be repeated, and that this was the laft time of our being admitted to the company of fo amiable a monarch. In the following converfation I had an additional proof of his humanity and condefcenfion : " You have been to the prifons % and I —i cellor Zalufki bifiiop of Plotiko, who was prefent when he expired. Some alarming fymptoms in Sobiefki's diforder having awakened the queen's folicitude about the fucceflion to his fortune, fhe earneftly importuned Zalufki to prefent himfelf before the king, and infinuate fome advice with refpect to the difpofition of his affairs. The bifiiop, when he entered the apartment, finding the king in an agony of excruciating pain % endeavoured to give him comfort and hopes of recovery. But Sobiefki replied, " I forefee my approaching death ; my iitu-" ation will be the fame to-morrow as it is to-day ; all confo-<4 lation is now too late ;" then, fetching a deep figh, his majefty afked him " why he came fo feldom to court, and in " what manner he employed himfelf at his diocefe alone !" Zalufki, after expatiating upon the duties of his epifcopal office and the refources of literature, artfully turned the difcourfe to the bufinefs in queftion. " Lately," faid he, " I have been a employed in no very agreeable, yet neceflary duty : weigh-" ing the frail condition of human nature, remembering, that " as Socrates and Plato, fo all men muft die ; and considering «• the diflenfions which may arife among my relations after M my deceafe, I have taken an inventory of my effects, and " have difpofed of them by will." The king, who faw the purport of his difcourfe, interrupted him with a loud laugh, and exclaimed, in a quotation from Juvenal t, u 0 medici, me- diam contundite venam." " What, my Lord Bifiiop ! you " whofe judgement and good fenfe I have fo long efteemed, ic do you make your will ? What an ufelefs lofs of time !" Sec. Not difcouraged by this fally, the bifiiop perfevered in fug-g.efting, 11 that in juftice to his family and country he ought * Zaluiki Epift. vol. III. p. g—14. In applying this parTage, the king meant to f Juvenal, Sat. VI. 1. 40. M Open a vein." inlinuate that the bifiiop was mad. 3 " without SOB1ESKI. " without delay to regulate the difpolition of his effects, and u to declare his final inclinations." " For God's fake," returned v Sobiefki with a more ferious tone, " do not fuppofe that any " good will arife in this age ! when vice has increafed to fuch *' an enormous degree, as almoft to exclude all hopes of forgive-a nefs from the mercy of the Deity 1 Do you not fee how " great is the public iniquity,- tumult, and violence ? all ftrive " who fliall blend good and evil without diftinction : the mo-" rals of my fubjects are overturned; will you again reftore *< them ? My orders are riot attended to while lam alive; " can I expect to be obeyed when I am dead ? That man is " happy, who with his own hand difpofes of his effects, which u cannot be entrufted with fecurity to his executors; while " they who leave a will act abfurdly, for configning to the '* care of others what is more fecure in the hands of their " neareft relations. Have not the regulations of the kings my " predeceftbrs been defpifed after their deaths ?. Where cor-*•* ruption universally prevails, judgement is obtained by mo-u ney : the voice of confeience is not heard, and reafon and " equity are no more." Then fuddenly giving a ludicrous, turn to the converfation, he exclaimed, " What, can you fay " to this, Jvlr. Will-maker* !" On the 17 th of June, the king growing worfe, the bifiiop was again fummoned to Villanow, when his majefty heard prayers, and was particularly fervent in his devotion.. After dinner, while he was converting with his ufual gaiety in the prefence of Zalufki and the abbe Polignac, he was fuddenly feized with a ftroke of apoplexy ; but recovering a little, he conferred,.and, having received abfolution and extreme unction,, expired almoft without a groan,.in the 66th year of his age,, and the 23d of his reign, on. the fame day in which he was railed to the throne. The name of Sobiefki is now extinct. :i' Quid ad hxc, Dominc. teiUiucntaric I My My veneration for this great man prompted me to inquire into the fortunes of his family. Sobiefki * left behind him his wife Marie de la Grange, three fons, James, Alexander, and Conftantine, and one daughter Therefa Cunigunda. Marie his wife, daughter of Henry de la Grange captain of the guards to Philip duke of Orleans, and of Frances de la Chartre, was maid of honour to ■Louifa queen of Ladiflaus IV. She was firft married to Radzivil prince of Zamofki; within a month after his deceafe (he ■efpoufed John Sobiefki in fecret, and brought him in dower a large portion and the favour of his fovereign. Her influence over her hufhand, and the ill ufe fhe made of her power when he afcended the throne, have been already obferved. James Louis, the eldeft fon of Sobiefki, was born at Paris in 1667. He accompanied his father to the relief of Vienna, in the 16th year of his age, and narrowly efcaped being flam in an action near Banan in Hungary. He afterwards gave fuch fignal proofs of his military talents, that, upon his father's indifpofition in the campaign of 1687 againft the Turks, he was entrusted with the command of the army, although only in the 21ft year of his age; and received from the foldiers all the honours ufually paid only to the kings of Poland : a Angular mark of deference in an elective monarchy, and which gave encouragement to an expectation of the throne at his father's deceafe. His father promoted this view with the utmost exertion of his interest; but this project was entirely difconcerted by the indifcretion of the prince, and the restless intrigues of the queen, who, having conceived the strongest antipathy to her eldeft fon, and a no lefs violent predilection in favour of her fecond fon Alexander, a prince of a more tractable difpofltion, facrificed the dignity of her family to a blind impulfe of parental partiality. Sobi- * The abbe Coyer has written the Life of what is remarkable in a French hiftorian, Sobieflti with great fpirit and fidelity ; and, has cited his authorities. Sobiefki had fcarcely expired, before the cabals, which even C]^?m his authority could hardly fupprefs, broke out with imdiftem-v ' /•* bled violence. The divifion of the king's treafure caufcd the moft indecent difputes and altercations between his widow and children. James, without a moment's delay, endeavoured, though in vain, to feize it by force, being anticipated by the queen *, who, by the afftftance of the abbe Polignac, fent it into France. She had three great objects in view : either to obtain the crown for Alexander, whom (lie was fecure of governing ; to promote the election of Count Jablonoufki, great general of the crown, with an intention of marrying him; or to favour the pretentions of the prince of Conti, warmly fupported by Louis XIV. At all events (lie was firmly re-folved to procure the exclusion of her eldeft fon, and this was the only point (he carried. Had the family of Sobiefki been unanimous, James muft have been elected king ; but no fub-miflion t could foften the implacable refentment of the queen, who, even when fhe found it impracticable to fecure the election of her favourite fon Alexander, or to compafs any of her other defigns, both in fecret and openly fet herfelf in oppofition to the pretenfions of James. When the diet of convocation aflembled at Warfaw, the queen fummoned a meeting of fenators and nuntios in her apartment, whom fhe ad-drefled in regard to her fon with all the virulence which inve- * The queen fent 3,000,000 French livre« ** threats, Mopped the carriage. On ourad- ~ / 12c,000 into France. Larrey, Hill:. " vancing to the queen,ftc received us with ■Louis XIV. v. II. p. 297. *' great marks of dilpleafure ; and although f Zaluiiti has given the following curious " the prince pro ft rated himfelf before her, inftance of the queen's implacability. "I " and embraced her feet with the moil pro- ' and other fenators accompanied prince " found relpecl, he was not able to extort * James to the Queen's at Bieltz, but her 11 from her more than a thort and evalive 1 majefty being informed of our approach, " anfwer. Upon his renting, with his eye* * retired precipitately from the palace in " full of tears, I myfelf ufed lome endeavour's ' order to avoid the interview; wc overtook " to foften her refentment; which, however, 1 her about a mile from Bieltz, and ordered 11 bud no other t:tlecl than to draw fr»;n.hor 'the driver to flop, while In repeatedly " additional exprertion* of difguft and indi^-4 urged him to continue his route: at length 41 nation," Zaluiki-vol. Jli. p. 135. the coachman, alarmed by our number and Vol. I. Z J terate book terate fury could infpire, and all the affected candour towards _JL-j the Poles which the moft consummate hypocrify could fug- geft *• " Although I am not by birth a Pole, I am one by il inclination, and am more attached to this nation than to my own family. Reflect: maturely whom you will nomi-" nate your king in the place of my much-regretted hufband, " and I fincerely recommend to you not to elect one of my " children. I too well know all their difpofitions; and par-*< ticularly caution you not to raife to the throne the eldeft <£ prince James. His inconfiderate rafhncfs will involve the u kingdom in fpeedy and inevitable ruin." The bifiiop of Plotfko, though her creature, difgufted at thefe appearances of unnatural rancour, importuned her to defift ; but fhe exclaimed with greater violence : " Do not interrupt me; I " will never retract what I have faid, as I prefer the fafety of " the republic to my own interefts and the fplendour of my " family. I again exhort the Poles to elect any candidate in u preference to one of my children." This virulent oppofition to the views of her eldeft fon was but too fuccefsful: he was rejected by a great majority, and the choice of the nation fell upon Auguftus elector of Saxony. The fequel of the hiftory of Sobiefki's family, now reduced to a private station, will be comprifed in a lhort compafs. After the defeat of Auguftus II. at the battle of Cliflbw, Charles XII. determined to give a new king to Poland; and his veneration for the memory of John Sobiefki induced him to offer that dignity to his eldeft fon. In confequence of this refolution, Auguftus was declared by the primate unworthy to reign; and a diet of election was convened at Warfaw. James was then at Breflaw, impatiently expecting his nomination to the throne fo worthily silled by his father, and from which he had been deprived by ihe unprecedented malice of * Zalufki, vol. III. p. 102. a mother a mother. But the ulual Angularity of his ill-fortune ftill purfued him : as he was hunting with his brother Conftan-tine, a fmall detachment of Saxon horfcmen furprized and carried him off; and, inftead of receiving a crown, he was confined in the caftle of Pleiifenburgh near Leipfic. Con-ftantine * might have have escaped ; but, from an impulfe of fraternal affection, voluntarily accompanied his brother into confinement, and administered confolation under this grievous reverfe of fortune. This event happened on the 28th of February, 1704. In the month of September, 1706, the two brothers were> removed to the fortrefs of Koningftein, as to a place of ftill greater fecurity; but in December of the fame year fortunately obtained their enlargement, upon the requeft of Charles XII. at the conclufion of the celebrated treaty with Auguftus II. in which the latter was compelled to abdicate the throne of Poland. This abdication, however, did not revive the pretentions of James to the crown, the election having fallen, during his confinement, upon Staniflaus Letzinfld. From this period James pafled a private and retired life, and feems to have entirely renounced all his views upon the crown of Poland. He died in 1737 at Zolkiew in Red Ruflia, in the 70th year of his age; and in him, as the laft male of his family, the name of Sobiefki became extinct. His wife was Iledwige Eleonora t, daughter of Philip William elector palatine ; * Lengnich, Hilt, Pol. p. 34.2, " confent, and the prince himfelf came thi- f Sifter of Eleonora Magdalena wife of " ther in perfon, with a numerous attend-the emperor Leopold. James had been firft " ance, to confummate it. At the fame time ' contracted ill marriage to the widow of the " came to Berlin the elector palatine's bro-eleftor of Mrandenburgh's brother, a rich " ther, prince Charles of Newburg, brother heirefs of the houfe of Radzivil in Lithuania, to the emprefs, to fee the ceremony of the kut upon this occafion he firft experienced " marriage ; but this princefs, taking more that ill fortune which afrerwarils attended " fancy to him than to the prince of Poland, him through life. " An envoy was fent to '* gave him encouragement to make his ad-41 Berlin to negotiate the marriage, which " drefles to her ; which he did with that fuc-M was agreed upon by the electors and her 11 cefs, that he engaged her fo far and fo un- Z 2 " cxpeftedly, I urine ; by her he left two daughters, Mary Charlotte and Clementina Mary. The eldeft, Mary Charlotte, married in 1723 Frederic Maurice de la Tour duke of Bouillon, who dying within a few days after the marriage, fhe cfpoufed, with a difpenfa-tion from the pope, his brother Charles Godfrey the fame year. By him fhe left iflue a fon, the prefent duke of Bouillon, married to a lady of the houfe of Lorraine, and a daughter,, who efpoufed the duke of Rohan-Rohan. In thefe noble perfons and their progeny the female line of Sobiefki ftill exifts. Clementina Mary, the youngeft daughter of prince Jamej,. married at Montefiafcone, in 1719, James Edward Stuart,, commonly known by the name of the Chevalier de St. George, the pretender to the Britifh throne. This princefs, though a woman of great perfonal and mental endowments, could not engage the affection of her hufband ; and fhe was fo offended, at his attachment to a favourite miftrefs, that fhe withdrew-from his houfe, and remained for fome time in a convents near Rome. Afterwards, being reconciled to him, fhe died at Rome on the 18th of June, 1735, aged 33 ; her death, according to the account of a writer* attached to the Stuart family, was occasioned by religious abftinence and too fevere. mortifications: her remains were interred with regal pomp in the church of St. Peter, and a fumptuous monument was erected to her memory. She left two fons by the Chevalier : II expeftedly, that he was privately married 11 juftificd himfelf, and.all animofities were 14 to her the night before flic was to be mar- 44 at laft adjulted by prince James's marrying 41 ried to tlie prince of Poland, fo that prince 44 his rival's filter tlvc princefs of Newburg,. 44 James was forced to return back fhame- '* who was fent into Poland, and has two •* fully : which the king his father relented 44 daughters by him." Connor's Hiftory of 44 fo highly, that he was refolved to have fa- Poland, v. II. p. iS8, i8g. »< tisfadion from the elector of Brandenburg, * Letters from a Painter in Italy, where 44 for flittering his fon to receive fo notorious her funeral and monument is ckferibed v. II.. 44 an affront at his court; but the elector, p. 56. 44 knowing nothing of that private intrigue, 2 Charles, Charles, ufually termed tuunt of Albany, who died lately; CHAP and Henry, cardinal of Yorke, who is ftill alive. Charles <_A- married the princefs of Stolberg, by whom he has no children: a mifunderftanding not long after their marriage taking place between them, fhe quitted her hufband, and took fhelter in a convent in the Tufcan dominions; and, as her quarrel was efpoufed by the cardinal of Yorke, fhe.obtained a feparation for life. We may therefore forefee the extinction of the Sobiefki line in the Stuart branch. The ample patrimony of James Sobiefki was divided equally between his two daughters. Having lent a considerable fum to the houfe of Auftria, he obtained in return a mortgage upon certain eftates in Silefia, which, upon the division of the property after his deceafe, fell to the Stuart family, and were in their pofTeflion when the king of Pruflia fccured Silesia in the year 1740. His Pruflian majefty confifcated thefe lands to himfelf by right of conquest; and the houfe of Auftria never made any further compenfation for the above-mentioned loan. Alexander, fecond fon of John Sobiefki, was born at Dantzic in 1677 ; and as he wras brought into the world after his father had been raifed to the throne, he was ufually ftyled by his mother, who adored him, the fon of the king; while fhe affected to call his brother James, who was born before his father's election, the fon of the great marflial. Excited by his • mother's partiality, and inflamed by an ambition natural to youth, he even afpired to the throne in oppofition to his brother James ; afterwards however, when a more mature age hail corrected his paflions, and his mother's influence had ceafed to miflead him, he declined, from a principal of fraternal affection, the acceptance of that very crown,, which had once been the object of his warmest hopes. When Charles XII, upon the imprifonment of James, offered the crown of Poland to Alexander, the latter, with a diflntereitedneis which reflects ths. book tne higheft honour upon his memory, refuted it with this . .gpnp.rmis declaration, " that no intereft fhould tempt him to « avail himfelf of his brother's misfortunes *;* Alexander pafled his days principally at Rome with the queen his mother. During his refidence in that city, he never made his appearance at the court of Clement XI. becaufe that pontiff had refufed to receive him with the marks of diftinc-tion which he claimed as a king's fon. But the honours which were withheld from him while alive, were granted unto him when dead ; his body being permitted to lie in royal ftate, and to be interred with the fame ceremonies, which attended the funeral of Chriftina queen of Sweden. He expired in June 1714? having aflumed upon his death-bed the habit of a capuchin, from a fuperftitious notion of enfuring his fal-vation t. Conftantine, having regained his liberty at the fame time with his brother James, married a German baronefs, maid of honour to the princefs of Neuburg; a marriage of paflion, foon followed by repentance, and from which he in vain endeavoured to procure a releafe by a divorce. He deceafed in 1726 without children. Therefa Cunigunda, the daughter of John Sobiefki, married in 1696 Maximilian Emanuel elector of Bavaria, and died a widow 1730. Her fon Charles Albert, who fucceeded to the electorate of Bavaria, was the unfortunate emperor Charles VII. and her grandfon Maximilian Jofeph expired in 1778 without iifue. Her grand-daughter Maria Antonietta married Frederic Chriftian elector of Saxony ; and the blood of John Sobiefki ftill flows in the veins of their progeny, the prefent electoral family. Marie de la Grange, the confort of John Sobiefki, pafled the firft part of her widowhood at Rome with her father the * Voltaire's Charles XII, p. o,c. f Vie de Sobiefki, v. III. p. 176. marquis marquis of Arquien, who, from being captain of the Swifs c^p* guards to the duke of Orleans, had been promoted by her 1—*—-* interest to the dignity of cardinal. She continued to refide in that city until the year 1714, when fhe retired into France, her native country. Louis XIV. afligned the caftle of Blois for her residence, where fhe died in 1716*, above 70 years of age. Her remains were tranfported to Warfaw, and from thence conveyed, together with thofe of her hufband in 17 34s to Cracow, and interred in the cathedral of that city t. * Vie Uq Sobielki, v. III. p. 177. + Lengnich, HiiL p. 39.0* Genealogical Genealogical Table of John Sobieski's Family. n os > r John Sobiefki died June 17, 1696 ; married Marie de la Grange, who died at Blois, 1716. a_;___ Jimes Louis b. 1667; d- at Zolkiew in Poland 1737; m. Hedwige Eleonora daughter of Philip William Elector Palatine. __A__ Mary Charlotte b. 5th Nov. 1697 ; m. in 1723, 1. Frederic Maurice de la Tour, duke of Bouillon, who dying, ihe married in the fame year; 2. Charles Godfrey his brother. I- Therefa Cunigunda, b. March 6, 1672; m. in 1695 Maximilian Emanuel Elector of Bavaria j d. 1730. __^ Alexander Benedict, b. 1677 ; d. at Rome 1714 unmarried. Conftantine Ladiflaus, b. 16S0; died 1726 without iffue; m. a Germaa baronefs; died without uTue. Clementina Maryb. 1702 ; m. at Montc-fiafcone in Sept. 1719, James Edward, the pretender to the Bri-tifh throne : fhe died at Rome in 173 5. Godfrev Charles Henry de la Tour duke of Bouillon, rn. Louifa Henrietta daughter of Louis prince of Lorraine, born 1728. Tam«s Leopold, b. 1746; m. the princefs of He fie Rhenfieldt. Louifa Henrietta, m. Jules Hercule duke of Rohan-Rohan 1743. V__ Henry Louis b. 1745. Charles VII. Albert, b. 1697; Emp. 1742; d. 1741; ; married Maria Amalia daughter of the Emperor Jofeph 1. . -- Maria Antonietta, b. July, 1724; m. 1747 Frederic Chriftian Eleftor of Saxony; died 1783. V__ Frederic Auguftus, the prefent Ele&or of Saxony, b. 1750; married Maria Amalia princefs of Deuxponts. Charles, the late pretender, b. at Rome 1720; mar. a princefs of Stolbergj d, 1783. Ferdinand Maria, b. 1699 ; d. 17385 m. Anne daughter of Philip William Eleftor F'alatine. Maximilian Jofeph, Eleftor of Bavaria, b. 1734; d. Jan. 1, 1778, without iffue; m. Anne Sophia da. of Auguftus III. King of Poland. Henry, Cardinal of Yorke, L»rn 1725. Clement Francis de Paula, marr. Anne, daughter of Jofeph Charles Prince Palatine; Ii without iifje. > < CO 1—1 H O O r1 > C 177 3 G H A P. V. Coins of Poland.—Public library*—State of learning. Literature encouraged by the king.—Wretched adminijlration of juftice.—Prifons of Warfaw.—Puni/hments for criminal offences.—Torture abolifljed.—Laws relating to debtors. BEFORE our departure from Warfaw we vifited fome objects chap. of literary curiofity ufually feen by foreigners. We firft v* adjourned to the palace to examine fome coins and medals relative to the hiftory of Poland. The count of Mazinfki, natural fon of Auguftus III. purchafed the greateft part of this collection, and prefented it to his prefent majefty. I fliall not enter upon any account of the foreign coins and medals, but content myfelf with mentioning a few which relate to Poland. The earlieft coin is that of Boleflaus I. fon of Miciflaus, the firft Polifli prince converted to Chriftianity : this piece of money was ftruck in 999, probably foon after the introduction of coiriig into Poland. There was no head of the fovereign upon it, only the Polifli eagle on one fide, and a crown on the reverie, < The feries of coins is broken until Sigifmond I. from whofe acccflion it is continued in an uninterrupted line, Henry of Valois excepted ; during whofe fliort reign no money was ftruck in Poland, 1 noticed a curious piece of Albert ot Bran-denburgh as duke of Pruflia, after he had wrefted that country from the Teutonic knights. The Pruflian eagle is marked with an S, to fhew that Albert held his lands as feudal and tributary to Sigifmond I. There was a fine medal in honour of John Sobielki's raifiug the ficge of Vienna, with the following punning infcription : Urbem fcrvaftis et orbem. I like-wife obferved a medal of his prefent majefty, call: in the late Vol. I. A a turbulent turbulent times; it had a well-executed likcncfs of the king i on one fide, and on the reverfe an emblem of civil commotions, a fhip in a ftorm with the claffical allulion, Ne cedetnalis. The public library next engaged our attention. The collection owes its beginning to the private bounty of two bifhops of the family of Zalufki; the following infcription is over the door ; " Civium ufui perpetuo Zaluficorum par illujlre dicavit " 1714." It has fince received feveral large additions from various benefactors; and, as the librarian informed me, contains above 100,000 volumes. It is very rich in books and manufcripts relating to the Polifh hiftory. I have only a few obfervations to make upon the general ftate of literature in Poland, my ftay in this country not being-long enough to collect a more circumftantial account. There are two univerfities, one at Cracow, and the other at Vilna ; the former was under the direction of priefts, called Academicians; and the latter was fuperintended by the Jc-fuits ; but in both, the courfe of ftudies was chiefly confined to theology. Since the fuppreflion of the Jcfuits, the king has eftablifhed a committee of education, compofed of members diftinguifhed either by high ftation, or enlightened un-dcrftandings. The committee has an abfolute power in matters of education ; appoints profeftors; regulates their falary ; and directs their ftudies. The advantages of this regulation have already been experienced. Although from the nature of the government learning has never been widely diffufed in Poland, yet there never have been wanting men of genius and literature, who have been an ornament to their country : and perhaps no nation can boaft a more regular fucceflion of excellent hiftorians *; or a greater variety of writers deeply converfant in the laws, ftatutes, and conftitution. Under Sigifmond I. and his fon Sigifmond Au- * Sec p. 15^. 6 gu'ftus, guftus, the arts and fciences began to be greatly diftinguilhed by royal patronage ; they were cherished by Tome of the fuc-cecding monarchs, particularly John Sobiefki; but no prince has paid them more attention than the prefent king Staniflaus Auguftus. His munificence in this particular has been attended with the happiest effects. The Polifli literati have, within a few years, given to the public a much greater variety of elegant performances than ever appeared in any former period of the fame length. What is more material, a tafte for fcience has fpread itfelf among the nobles, and begins to be regarded as an accomplilliment. The enlargement of mind, derived by thefe licentious fpirits from this new purfuit, has already weaned feveral of them from their habits of barbarous turbulence, and greatly humanized their civil deportment. It may in time teach them thoroughly to comprehend the true intercft of their country, and the expedience of due subordination, hitherto deemed incompatible with liberty : thefe petty defpots will, perhaps, be induced to lay afide that contempt for their vaflals; they will perceive that the burghers and peafants are the true supports of their country ; and that Poland wants nothing but juftice and order to become as flourifhing as the neighbouring ftatcs. During my ftay at Warfaw I visited the feveral prifons; and made inquiries into the nature of the various tribunals, and into the different modes of punifhment for criminal offences : my engaging in this employment was principally owing to a cafual meeting I had at Vienna with the benevolent Mr. Howard, whofe humane attention to the outcasts of foci-ety has reflected fo much honour on himfelf and his country. Informing him that I was proceeding to the Northern kingdoms, I intimated an intention to examine the ftate of the prifons and penal laws in thofe countries; and profefled a readi-nefs to lay before him the refult of my obfervations. Mr. A a 2 Howard Howard approved my design, fuggefted feveral ufeful hints, and even dictated fome fpecific queftions tending greatly to facilitate my inquiries, I fhall not enter upon a defcription of the prifons in Warfaw, as they afforded fcarcely any thing worthy of particular ■ observation ; I lhall therefore confine myfelf to the general adminiftration of juftice. Atrocious crimes, fuch as murder, Sec. are punifhed by beheading or hanging; lefTer delinquencies by whipping, hard labour, and imprifonment: the nobles never fuffer any corporal pvinilhment; but arc liable only to imprifonment and death. Torture was abolifhed in 1776, by an edict of the diet, introduced by the influence of the king ; a regulation as expreflive of his majesty's judgement as of his benevolence. It is an infinite fatisfaction to fee the rights of humanity extending themfelves in countries, where they had been but little known ; a circumstance that muft caft a great reflection on thofe nations which, like France, have attained the highest pitch of civilization, and yet retain the ufelefs and barbarous cuftom of torture The defects of the police in this country are by no circum-ftances fo ft rongly evinced, as by the frequent impunity of the molt atrocious crimes: this abufe may be traced from the following caufes, 1. The greateft criminals find at times little difficulty in engaging the protection of fome of the principal nobles, who occasionally aftemble their vaffals and retainers in arms, and drive the officers of juftice from their lands. This anarchy refembles the ftate of Europe in the 14th century, during the prevalence of the feudal laws, when every great baron pollened territorial jurifdiction, and was almoft equal in * Z.a queftion freparaioke, or the infllftion lately abolifhed in France ; but the torture of torture, for forcing the conleffion of a ufed for the difcovery of accomplices is Rill crime from an accv.fecl petfoo, has indeed been retained* authority ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. i&i authority to the king. 2. The law, efteemed by the Polifli chap. gentry the great bulwark of their liberty, which enacts *, that <—I—1 no gentleman can be arretted for mifdemeanors until he is convicted of them, notwithstanding the strongest degree of prefumptive proof: the offender, of courfe, if likely to be found guilty, takes care to withdraw himfelf before the completion of the procefs. Murder indeed, and robbery on the highway, and a few other capital crimes, are excluded from this privilege : but even in thofe flagrant enormities no gentleman can be taken into cuftody, unlefs actually apprehended : in the commiflion of the offence ; and when the crime is thus pofitively afcertained, which in the nature of things can feldom occur, the culprit cannot be fentenced to capital punifli-ment by any other tribunal than a diet. 3. The right which every town pofTelTes of having its own criminal courts of juftice, with judges felected folely from the inhabitants. Many of thefe towns are at prefent reduced to fuch a low ftate, as fcarcely to defcrve the name of villages: in thefe places, of courfe, the judges are neceflarily perfons of the lowe ft defcription, and totally unqualified for the discharge of their high office. Innocence and guilt, by this means, are often not distinguished, and as often wantonly confounded. Not only the power of levying difcretionary fines, but the infliction of corporal punifliment, and even of death itfclf, is entruffed to thefe contemptible tribunals. The chancellor Zamoifki has, in the new code of laws which he is preparing for the inflection of the diet, defcribed the abufes of thefe petty courts of juftice in the moft forcible language; and propofes, as the only adequate remedy of the evil, to annihilate this right of penal jurifdiction in all but nine of the principal towns. 4. There are no public officers whofe province it is to profecute the offenders in the king's name. Hence, even in cafe ot o * Neminera oaptivabimus nifi jurc'Viflum. murder., book murder, robbery upon the highway, and the moft atrocious *—,_/crimes, the delinquent generally eicapes, unlets ibme individual indicts and brings him to trial: this feldom happens, as the procefs is attended with no fmall lhare of expence. The jurifdiction of the great marflial is almoft the only exception to this flagrant defect of common juitice. His juriidiction is in force in the place where the king refides, and to the diftance of three Polifli miles. Within that district the great marflial can arreft and profecute for crimes of felony without any plaintiff. In cafes alfo of high treafon, certain officers of the crown, called injligatores, are impowered of their own motion to cite fufpicious perfons before the diet. 5. The power which every plaintiff poffeftes of withdrawing his profecution, even in cafes of the greateft enormity: this cuftom fcreens all but the indigent from the purfuit of juftice ; as perfons of mode-• rate property are generally able to bribe the neceflity or avarice of their profecutor. This practice, founded on a narrow principle, that outrages againft individuals are merely private, not public offences, is an inftance of the grofteft barbarifm, which all civilized nations have renounced; for it requires a very fmall degree of legislative improvement to perceive, that private wrongs, when unchaftized, become highly injurious to the community at large, by affording encouragement to fimilar offences. In visiting the prifons I faw the bad effects of this ufage exemplified in a ftriking inftance. Two perfons, indicted for the affaflination of a Jew, had been permitted to remain in prifon upwards of a twelvemonth, without being brought to a triak The widow of the deceafed, upon whofe accufation they were imprifoned, having agreed, on the payment of a stipulated fum, to drop the fuit and grant them a releafe, their inability to Satisfy her demand had been the only rcafon for detaining them fo long in confinement; and as when I faw them ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. them they had juft raifed the money, they were upon the point of obtaining a final difcharge. From this fketch of the administration of juftice in this country, the expediency of a thorough reformation is very apparent. That able legislator count Zamoifki, in the new code of laws which I have frequently bad occafion to mention, has paid particular attention to the amendment of the criminal laws. But as any innovations in the courts of juftice, calculated to produce any eftential benefit,.muft materially infringe the privileges of the nobles, and counteract the national prejudices, the moft ufeful code can fcarcely expect to receive the Sanction of the diet. The laws relating to debtors are as follow. The creditor proceeds againft the debtor at his own expence ; and, until the trial is finished, allows him eight, grofchens, or three halfpence, a day for his maintenance; when the debt is proved, the creditor is releafed from the above-mentioned contribution : the debtor continues in prifon, at the difcretion of his creditor, until the debt is difcharged ; and, if he has no means of fubfiftence, is obliged to maintain himfelf by working with the other delinquents in cutting wood, fawing stone, or cleaning the ftreets. In cafe a gentleman contracts a debt, an action lies againft his lands and goods, and not againft his perfon, unlefs he gives a note of hand with a double signature, one intended as an afcertainment of the debt, the other as a renunciation of his exemption from arrefts; but a perfon of high distinction, even though he ihould"bind himfelf by this engagement,, cars bid defiance to all danger of imprifonment. chap C *34 ] CHAP. VI. Departure from Warfaw.—Bialliftock.—Entertainment at the countefs of Branifki's palace.—Dutchy of Lithuania.—Its union with Poland.—Defcription of Grodno.—Diets.—Pby-fic garden.—General productions of Lithuania,—Account of the JFild-ox.—Of the Remiz and its pendent nejl.—Manufactures. —E ntertainmen ts.—Hofpitality of the Poles.—EletVo n-dinner, and ball. BEFORE we quitted Warfaw we received another inftance of his majesty's wonderful condefcenlion^a letter written with his own hand to the post-master at Grodno, ordering that we fhould receive every accommodation which could be procured, and that we fhould be permitted to vifit the manufactures and every object of curiofity. We quitted the capital on the ioth of Auguft, crofted the Viftula, and pafled through the fuburbs of Praga. About an English mile from Warfaw a foreft begins, and continues, with little interruption, to the diftance of eighteen miles. At Wen-grow we obferved a fine corps of Ruffian troops quartered in the village. Some of the places in our route, though extremely wretched, enjoyed their own police and courts of juftice : they confifted of wooden huts, moftly thatched, fome roofed with wood, and a few with tiles. The country was chiefly fandy and level until we arrived at the Bog, which we crofled at Gran: the river was broad and Shallow. We afcended from its banks a Small riSe, and found a better foil, and the country more diversified. The road was not unpleafant, running through fields fown with different fpecies of corn, hemp, and flax ; but we never loft fight of the foreft, and always ways faw it fkirting the horizon. In many places I obferved the wood encroaching upon the fields, and young trees mooting up in great numbers wherever cultivation had been neglected. I was informed that this is the cafe in moft parts of Poland, many traces of former enclofures, and even the vef-tiges of paved ftreets, being difcernible in the center of the forefts. The largeft place we pafled through was Bielflc, capital of the palatinate of Podalachia, where the dietine for the district is held: it is little better than a miferable village, though called, in the geographical defcriptions of Poland, a large town. Between Bielflc and Woytfzi, our wheel was nearly taking fire, and while we flopped at a fmall village to have it greafed, I entered feveral cottages, which I found infinitely worfe even than thofe wretched dwellings which I had before examined in the towns where the inhabitants were more free; in the latter we obferved furniture and fome conveniences; in thefe nothing but the bare walls. The peafants were perfect Haves, and their habitations and appearance correfponded with their miferable Situation : I could fcarcely have figured to myfelf fuch objects of poverty and mifery. The country we traverfed from Warfaw to Bialliftock was in general fandy; but in fome places the foil was very rich. All parts were fit for cultivation, and many fpots had the appearance of great fertility. We remarked, however, that the harveft, even in the moft fruitful tracts, was but indifferent; a circumftance evidently owing to the defect in hufbandry. We arrived late in the evening at Bialliftock, a very neat and well-built town. The ftreets were broad, and the houfes, which were in general plaftered, flood detached from each other at uniform distances. The fuperior neatnefs of Bialliftock is owing to the illuftrious family of Bramfki, whofe palace Stands clofe to the town, and who have contributed to ornament their place of residence. It belongs to the countefs Vol. I. B b Branifki, Branifki, filter of the prefent king, and widow of the late great general Rranilki; who, notwithstanding this alliance, warmly protested againlt the election of his prefent majesty. The morning after our arrival, the countefs, to whom we had a letter from prince Staniflaus Poniatowiki, honoured us with a molt polite invitation to dinner, and fent her carriage to convey us to the palace. We were molt politely received by our noble hostess, and were convinced from her amiable manners, condefcending behaviour, and lively flow of converfation, that affability and good fenfe are natural to the family of Poniatowiki. We found a large company aflembled at table, whom the countefs had invited to partake of her hofpitable board, which was elegantly fupplied with every delicacy. Among other topics, the converfation turned upon our mode of travelling through a country fo poor and wretched, and fo deficient in comfortable accommodations. " I fuppofe," faid a Polifli gentleman, " you carry your beds with you;" to which we replied in the negative. " How do you fleep then ?"—" Upon " straw, when we can get it; and, when we are not fo for-u tunate, upon the floor, upon a bench, or upon a table.''— ** You take your provifions," returned the Pole.—" Very fel-" dom."—" How do you live then ?"— in cafe Ladiflaus died without iffue, the Poles fhould elect no king without the confent of Vitoldus and the Lithuanians ; and that a diet, compofed of reprefentatives from both nations, mould meet whenever it was thought neceflary, at Lublin or * 44 JKgrh gens barbara majorum fuorum M Seel aim tmmenfi- laboris effet fingulos religiones relinquebat. Sed -cum juffu regis 9 facro fonte tingere, nobiljoribus tanrurn hie *4 facer ignis extinclus, templuro araque ejus " honor habitus : reliquum vero vulgns tnr- 4\diruta & adytum, umkioracula afacerciote 44 matim diuributum, aqua luftrali five facrA 44 erlab.:i>tur, everfum Vilnse effet, necatique 11 a facerdoubus confperfum eft, ummique *4 fcrpentes, & fuccifi- luci nulla tujufquara ** nomen cuique turmie tam virorum quam M laeliojie," Sec. Set, 44 mulierum inditum." Cromer, p 368. c Par- book pavzow *. From the demife of Vitoldus, who expired in 1439 —,—-in the 80th year of his age, the great-dukes were fometimes, in conformity to this compact, nominated by the kings of Poland ; at other times, in violation of it, by the Lithuanians. At length Sigifmond I. fortunately united in his perfon the two fovereignties, and was fucceeded in both by his fon Sigifmond Auguftus. Hitherto the connection between the two nations had been more an alliance than an union ; but Sigifmond Auguftus having no children, and being the only Surviving male heir of the Jaghellon family, planned the union of Poland and Lithuania, left upon his deceafe the connection {hould be dif-folved, and the two nations be again governed by different princes. After fome difficulties, and being once fruftrated in his attempt, he obtained, from a general diet held at Lublin in 1569, that Poland and Lithuania fhould from henceforth be united and confidered as one nation ; that one fovereign fhould be chofen conjointly by both people; that the Lithuanians fhould fend nuntios to the general diet, be admitted into the fenate, and have an equal fhare in the public honours and employments; that no alliance fhould be made with fo-! reign power?, and no embafladors difpatched without the confent of both parties; that the fame money {hould pafs current in both countries; in fhort, that they fhould have no diftinc-tion of privilege or intereft. Upon the ratification of this union, Sigifmond Auguftus renounced all hereditary right to Lithuania. From this period the fame perfon has been uniformly elected king of Poland and great-duke of Lithuania; and the two nations have been incorporated into one republic t. Grodno is a large and ftraggling place, but contains no more, than 3000 Chriftians, excluding the perfons employed in the manufactures, and 1000 Jews. It has greatly the appearance ■ ■ Dlugofliiu & Cromer. ■]• Lengnich, Jus Pub. v. L p. 30 to 33. 7 or of a town in decline; containing a mixture of wretched hovels, falling houfes, and ruined palaces, with magnificent gateways, remains of its ancient Splendour. A few habitations in good repair make the contraft more linking. The old palace, in which the kings ufed to refide during the diets, flood upon an hill of fand riling abruptly from the river, and forming part of its bank: fome remains of the ancient walls ftill exift. Oppofite to this hill is the new palace, built, but never inhabited, by Auguftus III. as it was not fi-niihed at the time of his death. In this palace are the apartments wherein the diets are held, or rather will be held if they are ever again fummoned to Grodno. According to the treaty of Hrodlo, Lublin, or Parzow, or any other more commodious town, was appointed for the meeting of the Polifli and Lithuanian deputies; but in the articles of union it was Stipulated, that Warfaw fhould be the place where the representatives of the two nations were to aftemble In 1673, as I have already obferved, it was enacted, that every third diet fhould be held at Grodno ; and, in conformity to this law, the firft national aftembly was convened here in 1 678 under John Sobiefki. But when the next turn of Grodno arrived, that monarch fummoned the diet to Warfaw : the Lithuanians Strongly oppofed this infringement of their rights; and their deputies, inftead of proceeding to Warfaw, where the king, fenate, and nuntios of Poland were met, repaired to this town, and formed a feparate diet. In order to prevent a civil war, which this divilion might occafion, a negotiation took place, and it was at length Settled, that the diet of 1673 mould af-femble at Warfaw, but be called the diet of Grodno, and that the marlhal fhould be chofen from the Lithuanian nuntios t. From that time the diets have been occasionally fummoned to Grodno; until the reign of Ins prefent majefty, when they * Lengnich, Jus Pub. v. II. p. 315, &c. f Vie dc Sobiefki, p. 19. have have been uniformly held at Warfaw; and this innovation has > been tacitly agreed to by the Lithuanians, on account of the diftance of this town from the royal refidence, as well as in consideration of the troubles which convulfed the country. We carried a letter of recommendation to Mr. Gillibert, a French naturalift of great learning and abilities, who has the Superintendence of the college and phyfic garden. The king ,of Poland has eftablifhed in this place a Royal Academy of Phyfick for Lithuania, in which ten ftudents are instructed in phyfick, and twenty in furgery. They are all lodged, boarded, .and taught at his majefty's expence: an inftitution that reflects the higheft honour upon the king, and which has greatly flou-riflied under the royal patronage and protection. The phyfic garden, which did not exift in 1776, made, when I pafled .through the town in 1778, a very refpectable appearance ; which was entirely owing to Mr. Gillibert's attention and care. It contained 1500 exotics, amongft which were feveral delicate American plants fown in the open air, and which thrived remarkably well in this climate. Mr. Gillibert told me, that he had difcovered 200 fpecies of plants in Lithuania, which were only thought indigenous in Siberia, Tartary, and Sweden ; and that in the whole duchy he had obferved 980 fpecies, exclusive of the forts common to moft countries in Europe. Mr. Gillibert had lately formed a fmall collection, chiefly consisting of the productions of Lithuania ; and was employed in arranging materials for a natural hiftory of this duchy: he propofes to begin his publications upon that fubject with' a Flora Litbuaniea; which will be fucceflively followed by an account of the mineralogy, infects, quadrupeds, and birds. Considering the infant ftate of natural knowledge in this .country, the defign will require great length of time and per-feverance before it is completed; but there is nothing which ^fliduity and attention will not effect. The The animals roving in the boundlefs forefts of Lithuania are the bear, the wolf, the elk, the wild-ox, the lynx, the beaver, the glouton, the wild-cat, Sec. At Grodno I had an opportunity of feeing a female of the wild-ox, probably the lame quadruped which is defcribed by Ariilotle under the name of Bonafus, fly led Urns in the Commentaries of Coefar, and called Bifon by fome naturalifts. That which fell under my obfervation was not full grown, about the fize of a common Englilh cow, fhaped like a buffalo, but without the protuberance over its fhoulders : its neck was high and thick, and covered with long hair, or mane, which fringed down the throat and breaft, and hung almoft to the ground, fome what refembling that of an old lion : the forehead was narrow, with two horns turning inwards *, and the tongue of a bluifli colour. The male, as we were informed, is fometimes fix feet in height, and is more fierce and fhaggy than the female. Linnaeus has claffed the Bonafus, the Urus, and the Bifon (probably the fame animal with different names) under three fpecies; Buffon reduces them to two, the Urus and the Bifon ; and Pennant has comprised them all under one fpecies t. His opinion has been lately adopted by Pallas, in a very curious dif-fertation publifhed in the Acts of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of St. Peterfburgh. That celebrated naturalift informs us, that this fpecies of the wild-ox, which was formerly very common in Europe, exifls no where in that continent, but in thefe Lithuanian forefts, in fome parts of the Carpathian mountains, and perhaps in the Caucafus. He agrees alfo with * Ariftotlc deforibes the horns of the Bo* fpecies, in a wild or tame ftate, and cannot *afus as yxp-^a, x.at mxa^jutu* «?AnX», be admitted as forming a fpecific difference. ** crooked and lending towards each othtr" A See Aiift. Hift. Anim, L. [X. c. 45. alfo Car circumftance which feems to have puzzled mus Hift. des Animaux, cited irx Maty's Re- fome naturalifts who have commented upon view for April, 1783, p, 3 13., he, Ariftotle, who did not confider that the figure f Syftcma Nature. Button1! Hid. Nat, °f the horns varies exceedingly in the fame Pennant** Hift, of Quad, p, tc. Vol. I, C c Buffon, Buffon, in holding the bifon or wild-ox of America to be only > a variety of the urus changed by the climate*. Lithuania is very rich in ornithology : among the birds of prey the eagle and vulture are very common. The Remiz f or little fpecies of titmoufe, called Parus Pendulinus, is not unfre-quently found in thefe parts. The wondrous Structure of,its pendent neft induced me to give "an engraving of both that and the birds themfelves. They are of the fmalleft fpecies of titmice. The head is of a very pale bluiih afh colour ; the forepart of the neck and the breaft tinged with red ; the belly white ; wings black ; back and rump of a yellowifh ruff colour ; quill feathers cinereous, with the exterior fides white;, the tail ruff-coloured. The male is Singularly diftinguifhed from the Semale by a pair of black-pointed whiikers* Its neft is in the fhape of a long purfe, which it forms with, amazing art, by interweaving down, gofs-a-mer, and minute fibres, in a clofe and compact manner, and then lining the in-fide with down alone, fo as to make a fnug and warm lodge for its young brood. The entrance is at the fide, fmall and round, with its edge more Strongly marked than the reft of this curious fabrick : the bird, attentive to the prefervation of its eggs or little ones from noxious animals, fufpcnds it at the lefter end to the extremity of the {lender twigs of a willow,, or fome other tree, over a river. Contrary to the cuftom of titmice, it lays only four or five eggs: poShbly Providence hatl> ordained this fcantinefs of eggs to the Remiz, becaufe by the lingular inftinct imparted to it, it is enabled to fecure its young much more effectually from destruction, than the other fpecies, which are very prolific. Mr. Gillibert acquainted me that a great quantity of yel- * Stir le Bufflc a Queue de cheval in Nov. f lam indebted to that able nattualift, A£h Pet. 177 i. Part II. p. 232, &c. Alfo in Mr. Pennant, for this defcription of the Re-his Neue Nord. Beytrage, p. 2. buz, and for the annexed plate. low MATLTE and FEMALE or PEFB¥L1SE TlTMOUSI J'nMi>-/nit,nwn/i'/it/tt>.-litivient *' d'un refte de piincipe bitumeneux. D'Ail-" leurs touted lei petrifications d'origine ma-14 rinc fe trouvent agatifees dans ce pays cou-" vert d'un fable fin, dont les eaux peuvent " extraire uu priucipe petri riant dc cette na-" turc." Nov. hi\. Acad. Pet. for 1777, p. 4j. G c 2 the the Corallmum Gothlandicum is not uncommon ; which is defer ibed in the firSt volume of the Amoenitates Academic &* as extremely rare. The next morning we vifited the manufactures eftablifhed by the king in 1776. They were carrying on in wooden fheds„ built by Auguftus III. for (tables, which had been converted into temporary working looms, and dwelling houfes for the accommodation of the manufacturers ; the whole eftablifh-ment was expected to be foon removed to Lofton a, a village-near Grodno, where convenient buildings, constructing at his majefty's expence, were nearly finished for that purpofe. The principal manufactures are cloth and camlets, linen and cottons, lilk Stuffs, embroidery, Silk Stockings, hats, lace, Sire arms, needles, cards, bleaching wax, and carriages. The country furnifhes Sufficient wool, flax, hemp, beavers hair, and wax for the fupply of the manufactures which employ thofe commodities; but the llllc, cotton, iron, colours, gold and Silver for the embroidery, and fine thread from Brulfels for the lace, are imported. The manufactures employ 3000 perfons, including thofe difperfed in the contiguous villages, who Spin linen and worsted thread. There are Seventy foreigners, who direft the different* branches; the reft are natives belonging to the king's demefnes. The apprentices are boys and girls, all children of Polifli peafants, who are clothed and fed, and have befides a fmall allowance in money. The directors complain that there is no. emulation among them ; and that, although they are better fed and clothed than the other peafants, yet they cannot excite them to industry by any other means than force. Nor is this a matter of wonder ; for as they ftill continue in a ftate of Servitude, if they acquire any unufual profit, and carry it to their parents, they are apprehenfive left it fhould be taken away ; it * P. SIS, 3 having having frequently happened, that any little pittance, they had gained by their labour, has been wrefted from them, in order to pay the quit-rents which their parents owed to their lords. One of thefe apprentices, more fhrewd than the reft, faid to the director, who was trying to Stimulate her induftry, " What ad-" vantage lhall I obtain if I follow your advice ? let me be-11 come ever fo Skilful in my trade, I fliall always continue M fubject to my mailer : the labour will be mine, and the pro-" fits his.'* To which observation no anfwer could be given. Moft of them appeared with fuch a fettled melancholy in their countenances, as made my heart ache to fee them ; and it was eafy to perceive that they worked from compulsion, and not from inclination. As Some remedy to this evil, it has been propofed, after a certain term of years, to give liberty to thofe who particularly excel, and diftinguilh themfelves by any extraordinary exertions. But this humane proposal has been rejected, from a notion that fuch perfons, when once made free, would no longer continue to work; and that by thefe means the manufactures would be deprived of their heft hands. Though this inconvenience, however, might occafionally take place, yet the encouragement of fuch a regulation would beget alacrity and excite induftry, and would therefore create a greater number of artifts than it would emancipate. It would now and then occafion the lofs of a manufacturer ; but would dif-fufe fuch a knowledge of the manufacture, as to render the lofs immaterial. Thefe manufactures are ftill in their infancy, but their institution reflects a considerable luftre upon his majefty's reign ; and more particularly as his attention was not withdrawn from them during the civil convulsions which fo lately fliook his throne. On the firft evening of our arrival at Grodno, a Polifli nobleman, to whom we were introduced by Mr. Gillibert, invited US us to fupper with fuch franknefs and cordiality, that it would have been rudencfs not to have accepted the invitation. After an hour's converfation, he con figned us to the care of his wife, and retired ; nor did he again make his appearance the whole evening. This feeming inattention, fo contrary to the polite-ncfs of the invitation, occalioned at firft fome furprize; but we afterwards found that good manners equally directed his behaviour in both thefe inftances. Having before our arrival invited fome Polifli gentlemen to fup with him who could not converfe in French, and who drank freely, he thought juftly enough that we mould pafs a more agreeable evening with the ladies. We had a fmall party at fupper, which was cheerful and agreeable, for the Poles are a very lively people, and the women in general amiable and well-bred. We dined the following day with count Tyfenhaufen vice-chancellor of Lithuania: it was an election-dinner previous to the dietine, which was to affemble at Grodno, in order to chufe the reprefentatives of this district for the approaching diet. There were eighty nobles at table, all, a few excepted, in their national drefs, and with their heads fliaved in the Polifli fafhion. Before dinner they faluted the count with great refpect, fome killing the hem of his garment, others Stooping down and embracing his legs. Two ladies were at table, and, as Strangers, we had the poftof honour afiigned to us, and were feated by them. It was my good fortune to fit next to one who was uncommonly entertaining and agreeable, and never foffered the converfation to flag. After dinner feveral toafts went round :—the king of Poland—the diet—the ladies who were prefent—a good journey to us, &c. The matter of the feaft named the toaft, filled a large glafs, drank it, turned it down to fhew that it was empty, and then pafled it to his next neighbour; from whom it was circulated in fucceflion and with the fame ceremonies through the whole company- 2 The The wine was champagne, the glafs large, and the toads nu- c^p' merous: but there was no obligation, after the firft round, to i_„—* fill the glafs ; it was only neceflary to pour in a fmall quantity and pafs the toaft. As it is efteemed a kind of hofpitality in Poland to circulate the wine freely among the guefts, my fair neighbour, when it was my turn to drink her health,, propofed that I fhould fill a bumper. Though I had already drank one in honour of his majefty, and would willingly have declined another, I could not difobey the orders of an agreeable woman, and did the fame homage to beauty that I had before paid to royalty. The next turn was the health of the other lady, which my fair neighbour urged me to do juftice to in: the fame manner; but I excufed myfelf by intimating, that* fhe alone was deferving of fuch a tribute. In the evening the count gave us a ball concluded by an elegant fupper, The ball was lively and agreeable. The company amufed themfelves with Polifli and Englifh country-dances: the former was limple, but not deficient in grace, and accompanied by a moft pleafmg air; the company flood in-' pairs; the firft man led his partner round the room in a kind of ftep not much unlike that of a minuet, he then quitted her hand, made a fmall circle, joined hands again, and repeated the fame movements until, the conclufion. The fecond couple began as foon as the firft had advanced a few* fteps, and was quickly followed by the remainder, fo that all the parties glided after one another at the. fame time. The. Poles are very fond of this dance: although it has little variety, they continued it for half an hour without intermifiion, and frequently renewed it during the courfe of the evening. The intervals between this national dance were filled with Engliili country dances, which they performed with equal cxper.tncfs, and with no lefs delight. An elegant fupper, to which book which only a felect party was invited, agreeably concluded the * / i entertainment of the day. The count politely preffed us to continue fome time at Grodno, and to take up our abode in his houfe; but as we were deiirous of arriving at Peterfburgh before the commencement of the winter, we declined the invitation, which we fhould otherwife have accepted with the greatest pleafure. Some of the company, however, had kindly endeavoured to detain us by the following lfratagem : they privately defired the coach-maker employed in mending our carriage to execute the commiflion in a dilatory manner; and although we had accidentally difcovered this project, yet it was not without the moft urgent remonftrances that we obtained the necefTary repairs. In order to fpare our acquaintance the trouble of making, and ourfelves the pain of rejecting, any further foli-citations, we thought it moft expedient to Steal away in the night without apprising any one of our defign. It was our intention to have proceeded to Vilna ; but as this was the time of electing nuntios, the poftmafter informed us, that for want of horfes we fhould be delayed upon the road at fome wretched village without a poffibility of proceeding; we therefore, very unwillingly, altered our route, to our great difappointment, as we wiihed much to have viuted the capital of Lithuania, CHAP. CHAP. VI{. Continuation of the tour through the duchy of Lithuania,—* Number of Jews.—Badnefs of the roads and want of ac-commodations.—Clofe of the die tine at Minfk.—Poverty and wretcbednefs of the natives.—Comparative view of ■the Swifs and Polifh, peafants.—Remarks on ihe Plica Polo nica. IN our route through Lithuania we could not avoid being ciur. > vii ftruck with the fwarms ot Jews, who, though very nu- . w merous in every part of Poland, feem to have fixed their head-quarters in this duchy. If you afk. for an interpreter, they bring you a Jew ; if you come to an inn, the landlord is a Jew; if you want poft-horfes, a Jew procures them, and a Jew drives them; if you wifli to purchafe, a Jew is your agent: and this perhaps is the only country in Europe where Jews cultivate the ground : in palling through Lithuania, we frequently faw them engaged in fowing, reaping, mowing, and other works of hufbandry. The roads in this country are quite neglected, being fcarcely fuperior to by-paths winding through the thick foreft without the leaf! degree of artificial direction : they are frequently fo narrow as fcarcely to admit a carriage; and are continually fo obstructed by ftumps and roots of trees, and in many parts fo exceedingly fandy, that eight fmall horfes could fcarcely drag us along. The poftilions were frequently boys of ten or twelve years of age, hardy lads, who rode pofts of twenty and even thirty Engiifh miles without a faddle, and with, fcarcely any covering except a fhirt and a pair of linen drawers. The bridges acrofs the rivulets were fo weakly conftructed and fo old, that they feemed ready to crack with the weight Vol. I. D d of book Gf tne carriage, and we thought ourfelves fortunate in getting —^I_jover them without an accident. Some travellers have remarked, that the forefts, through which our route lay, are fet on lire by lightning or other natural caufes, and blaze for a considerable time. At firft we conceived this reprefentation to be well-founded, as we difco-vered in many parts evident traces of extenfive conflagrations. Upon inquiry, however, we were informed, that the peafants, being obliged annually to furnifh their landlords with a certain quantity of turpentine, fet fire to the trunks of the pines while Standing, and catch it as it oozes from the items. We could obferve few trees without marks of fire upon them : fome were quite black, and nearly charred to cinder; fome half-burnt; others confiderably fcorched, but continuing to vegetate. Auguft 15. After twenty hours inceffant travelling we arrived late in the evening at Bielitza, which is diftant about ninety Engiim miles from Grodno; and fet out before the break of day, anxious to reach Minfk on the morning of the 17th, when a dietiue for the election of nuntios was to be af-fembled. We flopped a fhort time at Novogrodec, which is. all built of wood, except two or three ruinous brick-houfes, a convent that belonged to thejefuits, and fome mouldering ftone-walls furrounding a fmall eminence, upon which are the remains of an old citadel. Near Novogrodec we pafled a large number of barrows, which the peafants call Swedifh burying-places. In this part the country was lefs fandy, of a richer foil, and fomewhat diversified with hill and dale : the Solitary extent of the forefts was more than ufual interfperfed with villages and dotted with fields of paftnre, in which we obferved numerous herds of cattle. Upon our arrival at the fmall village of Mir, we found that our original intention of reaching Minfk by the next morning 7 was was fcarcely practicable, even if we continued our journey during the night. The diftance was between fixty and feventy miles; the night extremely dark ; the roads bad, and, we were informed, that in fome places we fhould be obliged to crofs feveral bridges not very paffable even in the day without the utmoft circumfpection. Our deft re therefore of being prefent at the election of nuntios gave way to thefe fuggeftions; and we facrificed the gratification of our curiofity to the considerations of perfonal fafety. The pleafurcs of Mir certainly offered no inducement for delay : the poverty of the inhabitants denied a fcanty fupply of the moft ordinary refrefhnients; the higheft entertainment which the place afforded being a fuf-peniion of the dangers of travelling, and the fum of our comforts an intermiffion of fatigue. The badnefs of our accommodations at Mir led us to confi-der Minfk (where we arrived on the evening of the 17th) as the feat of tafte and luxury. We there experienced comforts to which we had lately been ftrangers, a neat white-wafhed room with a brick floor, no fleas or flies, plenty of clean ftraw, good bread, and frelh meat. After a rcfrelhing night's reft, we fallied forth the next morning to the refectory of the Je-iuits monastery, the place where the nuntios had been chofen the preceding day. We had fome difficulty in gaining admittance ; at length a perfon, who appeared to be a man of con* fequence, came out and inquired in the German language our country and our bufincf. Upon our anfwering that we were three Engl illi gentlemen, defirous of feeing every thing worthy of obfervation, he expreffed much Surprize at theplainnefs of our dreifes, particularly at our want of fwords. " In Po-" land," he laid, " every gentleman wears his fabre as a badge 11 of his rank, never appearing in public without it; and I u advife you to observe this cufto'm as long as you continue " in this country, if you with to be confidered as gentlemen." D d 2, Thanking Thanking him for his advice, we accompanied him into the refectory, where we found the majority of the dietine itill af-fembled, though not upon national bufinefs ; in plain Engiim, they were engaged in drinking, a no lefs effential appendage of a Polifh than a Britifh election. One perfon, whom they jfeemed to treat with deference, was constantly employed in delivering drams to the electors, who were Standing in different parts of the room : many ceremonies paSTed at every circulation of the glafs; they touched their breaSts, Stooped towards the ground, and drank the nuntios' and each other's-health with great Solemnity. Several of the Polillr gentlemen, converfed with me in the Latin tongue : they informed me,, that every palatinate is divided into a certain number of districts, and that each district chufes two nuntios. I afked them whether the election of the district of Minfk had been contested ; they told me, that three candidates had offered themfelves. I then demanded whether the elected nuntios were of the king's party ; and they anfwered,. "We have in this " instance complied with his majesty's recommendation."— " You have acted," I replied, u with great propriety : is he not " a good prince ?"—" A good prince !" returned the Poles, " yes, the molt excellent that ever filled a throne." Minfk is a large place : two churches and the monastery which belonged to the Jefuits are constructed of brick ; and-the remaining buildings, though formed of wood, have a neater look than the generality of dwellings in this country. On returning to our inn, we received an invitation to dinner from a Polifli count; but as the weather appeared line, as our carriage was at the door, and ail things prepared for our immediate departure, wc determined to give up an opportunity of fecial enjoyment to the expediency of purfui'ng our journey. Augutt 18. We were considerably fatigued with our journey from Minfk to Smolewitzo, which, though fcarcely thirty thirty miles, employed us, on account of the badnefs of the c**jJ** roads and other unexpected delays, near twelve hours. The*_,_» weather was cold and rainy, the wind high, the roads worfe than ufual; and the evening, when it fet in, extremely dark. We were almoft beginning to defpair of reaching our deftined ftation, when a noife of folding-doors thrown open, and the rattling of our carriage upon a wooden floor, announced our actual arrival. The leathern blinds of our carriage having, been clofely fattened down, in order to exclude the wind and rain, we were for a few moments held in fufpenfe into what kind of place we were admitted. Upon alighting, we found ourfelves in the middle of a large barn or fhed, at the further end of which we defcried two large pines, branches and all, in full blaze upon an hearth without a chimney : round it feveral figures, in full black robes and with long beards, were employed in ftirring a large cauldron fufpended over the flame. A belief in witchcraft, or a little fuperftition, might eaiily have reprefented this party as a group of magicians engaged in celebrating fome myftic rites; but, upon nearer in-fpection, we recognized in them our old friends the Jews, preparing their and our evening repaft. We fet out the next morning before day-break, as was our ufual cuftom, having no inducement to remain any longer than was abfolutely neceflary in thefe hovels, abounding in vermin, and in which filth and wretcbednefs are united. Near Bori-fow we crofted the Berezyna, which has been erroneoully laid down by fome modern geographers, as forming the new boundary between Ruflia and Poland ; and on the other fide of the town pafled a camp of 1000Ruffian troops, who were marching to Warfaw. At Borifow the Jews procured us ten horfes, and placed! them all in two rows, fix next the carriage, and four in front %. '* The ufual method of harnclUng was by placing four a-breaft, and two in the foremoft row; There. There was indeed much ingenuity in contriving this arrange-j ment, which was effected in the following manner. The two middle horfes in the hinder row were harnefTed as ufual to the fplinter-bars, their two neareft neighbours were fattened to the extremities of the axle-tree, which projected considerably on each fide beyond the boxes of the fore-wheels, and the two outermost were tied in the fame manner, by means of long ropes, to the axle-tree of the hind-wheels : the four horfes in front were harneffed to the pole and to the fplinter-bars of the pole. Well alfured that horfes, ranged in this primitive manner, would require more room than the narrow roads of Poland generally afforded, we endeavoured to per-fuade the drivers to place them two by two; but fuch was their obstinacy or want of comprehension, we could not prevail upon them to make any alteration. We therefore un-loofed two horfes from the hindermolt row, and for that per-miSTion were obliged to compound for leaving the remaining eight in their original poiition. In this manner we proceeded ; and Still found great difficulty in forcing our way through the wildernefs, which was fo overgrown with thick underwood, as in many parts fcarcely to admit the breadth of an ordinary carriage. In fome places we were obliged to take off two, in others four of the horfes ; and not uncommonly alighted, in order to aflift the drivers and Servants in removing fallen trees which obstructed the way, in directing the horfes through the winding paths, and in finding a new track along the almoft impenetrable foreft. We thought ourfelves exceedingly fortunate, that our carriage was not Shaken to pieces, and that we were not frequently overturned. In various parts of the foreft, we obferved a circular range of boards fixed to feveral trees about twelve feet from the ground, and projecting three in breadth from the trunk. Upon inquiry we were informed, that upon any great hunt- ing ing party, ladders were placed againft thefe fcaffbldings; and Cy_^% that when any perfon is clofely prefted by a bear, he runs up'—j the ladder, and draws it up after him : the bear, although an excellent climber, is flopped in his afcent by the projection of the boards. We were very happy at length to reach Naitza, although we took up our ftation in one of the moft wretched of all the wretched cottages we had yet entered. The only article of furniture it afforded was a fmall table, and the only utenlil a broken earthen pot, in which our repaft was prepared, and which ferved us alfo for difhes and plates. We ate our meagre fare by the light of a thin lath of deal, about five feet in length, which was ftuck into a crevice of the wainfcot, and hung over the table: this lath, thanks to the turpentine contained in it, ferved us inftead of a candle, of which there was not one to be found in the whole village of Naitza. It is furprizing, that the carelefs method of tiling thefe lights is not oftcner attended with more dreadful effects; for the cottagers carry them about the houfe with fuch little caution, that we frequently obferved fparks to drop from them upon the ftraw which was prepared for our beds : nor were we able> by the ftrongeft ex pre Mi on s of fear, to awaken in them the ftighteft degree of circumfpection. For fome time after coming into this country, we ufed to ftart up with no fmall emotion in order to extinguilh the fparks; but, fuch is the irrefiftible influence of cuftom, we became at laft ourfelves perfectly infen-lible to the danger of this practice, and caught all the indifference of the natives. I once even fo far forgot myfelf as to hold a lighted flick for a considerable time over an heap of ftraw, while I was negligently fearching for fome trifle. This fupinenefs, which I fo eafily acquired in this particular, convinced me (if I may compare fmall things with great), that I could live with the inhabitants at the foot of Mount Vefuvius book without dread of an eruption ; or fit unconcerned with the na-- -/ /tivrs of Constantinople amid the devastations of the plague. It is inconceivable how few are the wants of rhe Lithuanian peafants ! Their carts are put together without iron ; their bridles and traces are generally plaited from the bark of trees, or compofed merely of twirled branches. They have no other inftrument but a hatchet, to construct their huts, cut out their furniture, and make their carts. Their drefs is a thick linen fhirt and drawers, a long coarfe drugget coat, or a fheepfkin cloak, a round black felt cap lined with wool, and fhoes made from the bark of trees. Their huts are built of trunks of trees heaped on each other, and look like piles of wood in wharfs with penthoufe roofs. How very unlike the Swifs cottages, though constructed of the fame materials ! Nor are their houfes more difhmilar than their manners. The Striking difference between the Swifs and Polifh peafants, in their very air and deportment, Strongly marks the contrast of their respective governments. The Swifs are open, frank, rough, but ready to ferve you; they nod their heads, or Slightly pull off their hats as you pafs by, but expect a return of civility : they are roufed by the leart rudenefs, and are not to be infulted with impunity. On the contrary, the Polifh peafants are cringing and fervile in their expressions of re-fpect; they bowed down to the ground; took off their hats or caps/and held them in their hands till we were out of light; Stopped their carts on the firft glimpfe of our carriage; in Short, their whole behaviour gave evident Symptoms of the abject fervitude under which they groaned. Yet liberty is as often the fubject of encomium in Poland as in SwifTerland : how different, however, are its operations in the two countries! In the one it is equally cliffufed, and Spreads comfort and hap-pinefs through the whole community : in the other it centers in a few, and is in reality the worit fpecies of dcfpotifm. Before THE PLICA POLO NIC A. Before I clofe my account of Poland, I fliall juft curforily mention, that in our progrefs through this country we could not fail obferving feveral perfons with matted or clotted hair, which conflitutes a dilbrder called Plica Polonica: it receives that denomination becaufe it is confidered as peculiar to Poland ; although it is not unfrequent in Hungary, Tartary, and feveral adjacent nations, and inftances of it are occasionally to be found in other countries. According to the obfervations of Dr. Vicat, an ingenious Swifs phyfician long refident in Poland, and who has publifhed a Satisfactory treatife * upon this Subject; the Plica Polonica is fuppofed to proceed from an acrid vifcous humour penetrating into the hair, which is tubular t: it then exudes either from its fides or extremities, and clots the whole together, either in Separate folds, or in one undiftinguilhed mafs. Its fymptoms, more or lefs violent, according to the conftitution of the patient, or malignity of the difeafe, are itchings, Swellings, eruptions, ulcers, intermitting fevers, pains in the head, languor, lownefs of Spirits, rheumatifm, gout, and Sometimes even convulsions, pally, and madnefs. Thefe Symptoms gradually dccreaSe as the hair becomes affected. If the patient is thaved in the head, he relapfes into all the dreadful complaints which preceded the eruption of the Plica ; and he continues to labour under them, until a frelh growth of hair absorbs the acrid humour. This diforder is thought hereditary ; and is proved to be Contagious when in a virulent ftate. Many phy Ileal caufes have been fuppofed to concur in rendering the Plica more frequent in thefe regions than in other parts; it would be an cndlefs work to enumerate the various conjectures with which each perfon has Supported his favourite * Me moire fur la PTique Polonoife. very rarely happens, 1ms probably given rife f The dilatation of the hair is fometimes to the no ."ii, that the patient, if his hair is Co con fide rable as to admit fmall globules of cut olF} bketls to death. blood ; this circumstance, which however Vol. I. £ e hypo- s hypothefis: the moft probable are thofe afligned by Dr. Vicat, The firft caufe is the nature of the Polifli air, which is rendered infalubrious by numerous woods and moraffes; and ocean-onally derives an uncommon keennefs even in the midft of fummer from the pofltion of the Carpathian mountains ; for the fouthern and fouth-eafterly winds, which ufually convey warmth in other regions, are in this chilled in their paflage over their fnowy fummits. The fecond is unwholefome water; for although Poland is not deficient in good fprings, yet the common people ufually drink that which is neareft at hand, taken indifcriminately from rivers, lakes, and even Stagnant pools. The third caufe is the grofs inattention of the natives to cleanlinefs ; for experience fhews, that thofe who are not negligent in their perfons and habitations, are lefs liable to be afflicted with the plica, than others who are deficient in that particular. Thus perfons of higher rank are lefs fubject: to this diforder than thofe of inferior Stations: the inhabitants of large towns than thofe of fmall villages; the free peafants than thofe in an abfolute ftate of vaffalage; the natives of Poland Proper than thofe of Lithuania. Whatever we may determine as to the poflibility that all, or any of thefe caufes, by themfelves, or in conjunction with others, originally produced the diforder; we may venture to aflert, that they all,, and particularly the laft, aflift its propagation, inflame its fymptoms, and protract its cure. In a word, the Plica Polonica appears to be a contagious distemper; which, like the leprofy, ftill prevails among a people ignorant in medicine, and inattentive to check its progrefs ; but is rarely known in thofe countries, where proper precautions are taken to prevent its fpreading. TRAVELS / 0 2(1 2> 1 6 1 K a r \ ) IB?* a '435*' tw,-" , V;.-, ' ~WT MX T JE "Y . , cr^^.^^ cH ■1 s ft "r 0 \ V ■ 5 ■) y^Y^, , Ov/ /C /--^ . },. ,, )■■•/ r ^ >5> till r 3 s 1 a . I /? r / 7/^'' /1 >/> ///// - 5 > /' "j, ;> a r R *v 71 f——.1.1.1 Ti-r • -fm—tm—i nmr — MCMgj ^/v ;/f -JA. I i'.lC. , Vy fi t* / Tkt&tuA 1 a /, 4. /M^'- Sakmam «9 ^/'it/him . 1{ . -1 fPLtfi EUffllDip ~imilTnilL~r.Z^lllllll'B^.- niimni| "imnlnir~- "Wrffmm nimnn^ - |im/u'H t,,-|iriffii)iii( ~"TCgmi A / v/y 11 ,y « 3\S BlUllUIL 4? TRAVELS INTO RUSSIA. B O o K CHAP. I. Entrance into Ruffta.—Limits and account of the province difmembered from Poland.—Cbeapnefs of thepojl.—Journey to Smolenfko.—Hijlory and defcription of Smolenfko.—Divine fervice in the cathedral.—Vifit to the bi/hop.—Dinner with a judge.—Journey to Mofcow.—-Peafants.—Their drefs, cottages* food, 8cc. A UGUST 20. We came into Ruflia at the fmall village chap. now comprifed in the portion of country ceded to the emprefs by the late partition treaty. The province allotted to Ruffia comprifes Polifli Livonia, that part of the palatinate of Polotflc which lies to the eafl of the Duna ; the palatinates of Vitepfk, Miciflaw, and two fmall portions to the north-eaft. and fouth- belonged to Poland, but is E e 2 eaft book ea{i of die palatinate of Minfk: this tract of land (Polifh Li-—.Livonia excepted) is Situated in White-Ruftia, and includes at lealt one third of Lithuania, The Ruffian limits of the new province are formed by the Dana, from its mouth to above Vitepfk, from thence by a Straight line running directly fouth to the fource of the Drug near Tolitzin, by the Drug to its junction with the Dnieper, and lately, by the Dnieper to the point where it receives the Sotz. This territory is now divided into the two governments of PolotSk and Mohilef; its population amounts to about 1,600,000 fouls; its productions are chiefly grain in large quantities, hemp, flax, and pafture ; its forefts furnifh great abundance of mails, planks, alfo oak for fhip-building, pitch and tar, &c. which are chiefly fent down the Duna to Riga. Upon entering Ruflia at Tolitzin we were greatly aftonifhed at the cheapnefs of the poft-horfes: and when our fervant had difcharged the firft account, which amounted to only two co-pecs, or about a penny, a verft * for each horfe, we fhould have concluded, that he had cheated the poft-mafter in our favour, if we had not been well convinced, from the general character of the Ruffians, that they were not likely to be duped by Strangers. Indeed we foon afterwards difcovered, that even half of the charge, which we thought fo extremely moderate, might have been Saved, if we had taken the preeaution of obtaining an order from the Ruffian embaflador at Warfaw. From Tolitzin, through the new government of Mohilef, the road was excellent, and of confklerable breadth, with a double row of trees planted on each fide, and ditches to drain off the water. We pafled through feveral wretched villages, ferried at Orfa over the Dnieper, there only a fmall river, went through Dubroflha, and arrived in the evening at Lady. The country from Tolitzin to Lady is waving and Somewhat hilly, * Three quarters of a mile. abounds JOURNEY TO SMOLENSK O. zi: abounds in foreft, and produces corn, millet, hemp, and flax. CHAP-In the largeft villages we obferved fchools and other buildings, * conftructing at the expence of the emprefs, and alfo churches with domes, intended for the Polifli diffidents of the Greek feci:, and the Ruffians who chufe to fettle in the country. Lady is fituated in the government of Smolenlko, and, before the late difmemberment, was one of the Ruffian frontier towns : we took up our quarters at the poft-houfe, where we procured a very comfortable apartment, Thefe po ft-houfes, which frequently occur in the principal high-roads of Ruffia, are moftly constructed upon the fame plan, and are very convenient for the accommodation of travellers: they are large fquare wooden buildings, enclosing a Spacious court-yard ; in the center of the front is a range of apartments intended for the reception of travellers, with a gate-way on eaeh fide leading into the court-yard ; the remainder of the front is appropriated to the ufe of the poft-mafter and his Servants; the other three fides of the quadrangle are divided into Stables and Sheds for carriages, and large barns for hay and corn. We were agreeably Surprized to meet with, in this remote place, fome Englilh Strong beer; and no lefs pleafed to fee our fupper ferved up in dilhes of our countryman Wedge wood's cream-coloured ware. The luxury of clean ftraw for our beds was no fmall addition to thefe comforts. Upon calling for our bill in the morning, we found our charge as reafonable as the entertainment was good. The fat is faction we exprefled at our reception, perhaps, induced the fecretary (as the poft-mafter himfelf was abfent) to think us proper fubjects of impofition. The diftance to the next ftation was about ten miles, and the fecretary demanded three times the fum allowed by the public regulations, under pretence of our not being provided with an order for poft-horfes. We hinted fome furprize at this charge : this intimation, 7 though though conveyed in the mildeft terms, the fecretary thought %—'proper to anfwer with expretTions of contempt and defiance; he ordered the horfes again into the liable, and declared we fhould not Stir from the place until we difcharged the full fum. Though we might eafily have been prevailed upon by the flightelf apology to have fubmitted to the fraud, we determined to chaftife his infolence. We repaired to the director of the cuftom-houfe, and were immediately admitted : to our great Satisfaction he fpoke German; and after we had laid our cafe before him, he told us, that the Ruffian had demanded treble the fum he was intitled to; he affured us, that we fhould receive inftant redrefs, and that the offender fhould be punifhed for his impofition. Having difpatched a meffenger, to whom he whifpered a private order, he defired us to wait his return, and offered us coffee. While we were drinking it, he gave us various information relative to the Ruffian pofts; added feveral hints, which afterwards proved Angularly ufe-ful ; and he particularly cautioned us to procure an order for horfes from the governor of Smolenfko. In the midft of this converfation we heard a carriage drive to the door, which we perceived to be our own, with all things ready for our immediate departure : our old friend, the poft-mafter's fecretary, made at the fame time his appearance in a very fubmiffive attitude; we interceded with the director for his back, and obtained a promife that he fhould not be beat, but only reprimanded. After making thofe acknowledgements to our friendly director which were due to his politenefs, we took our leave, and proceeded on our journey. We were much chagrined at finding that the excellent new road lately defcribed terminated at Lady : it was fome fatis-fact ion, however, that the remaining parts from thence to Smolenfko proved far fuperior to thofe we had encountered in the Lithuanian forefts. The villages were an exact counterpart S M O JL E N S K O. in ferpart to thofe we had left behind, and exhibited fcarcely any chap. thing more than a repetition of fcenes already detailed. * * , The Ruffians differ widely in their appearance and drefs from the Polifli peafants..^ The molt Striking contrast arifes from their method of wearing their hair : the Poles fhave their heads, leaving only a fmall tuft upon the crown ; while the others fuffer their hair to hang quite down to the eye-brows and over the ears, and cut it fhort round the neck* The country was undulating and hilly, and more open than ufual until we arrived within a few miles of Smolenfko,. when we plunged into a thick foreft, which continued almoft to the gates of that town without the intervention of a Single village, or fcarcely of a Single cottage. In 1403 the town of Smolenfko, which belonged to the Ruffians, was befleged and taken by Vitoldus, and, together with the whole province, united to the duchy of Lithuania *. During the constant and inveterate enmities which fubfifled between the Ruffians and Poles, Smolenfko was a place of great importance ; though only fortified according to the cuf-tom of the time, partly with ramparts of earth and ditches, and partly with pallifadoes, and a wooden citadel f ; thefe fortifications were, however, fufficiently Strong to refift the deful-tory attacks of undifciplined troopSj and it was at different intervals ineffectually befieged until the beginning of the 16th century, when Vaflili Ivanovitch great-duke of Mofcovy got poffeflion of it, by corrupting the garrifon. It continued in the hands of the Ruflians for above a century, in the fame Simple ftyle of defence. At length the importance of its Situation near the frontiers of Poland, and the improvements in the art of war, induced Boris Godunof, prime minister, and brother-in-law of the tzar Feodor Ivanovitch, to furround it * Dlugoffius, Lib. X. p. 104, ct feq. •f Rerum Mofc. Au£t. p. 53. Mayerberg Iter Mofc. p. 74, with with a wall: he came in perfon to Smolenfko, and himfelf a flitted in tracing out the fite of the fortifications, which he lived to fee completed in his own reign *, and which are the fame that fublift at prefent. Thefe additional fortifications, however, did not prevent Sigifmond III, king of Poland, from befieging and taking the town in 1611 ; and by the truce of Develina in 1618, the pofTefhon was confirmed to Poland. In 1 654 it was again reduced by Alexey Michaelovitch ; and in 1686 finally ceded to Ruflia at the peace of Mofcow f. Smolenfko, though by no means the moft magnificent, is by far the moft lingular town I have ever feen. it is lituated upon the river Dnieper, and ftands upon two hills, and upon the valley which lies between them. It is furrounded by walls thirty feet high and fifteen thick, with the lower part of ftone, and the upper of brick : thefe walls, which follow the fhape of the hills, andenclofe a circumference of feven verftsj, have, at every angle, round or fquare towers of two or three ftories, much broader at top than at bottom, and covered with circular roofs of wood. The intervals are ftudded with fmaller turrets ; on the outride of the wall is a broad deep ditch, regular covered way with traverfes, glacis, &c. and where the ground is higheft there are redoubts of earth according to the modern ftyle of fortification. In the middle of the town is an eminence, upon which ftands the cathedral; from whence I had a moft picturefque view of the town, in-tcrfperfed within the circuit of the walls with gardens, groves, copies, fields of pafture, and corn. The buildings arc moftly wooden, of one ftory (many of them no better than cottages) excepting here and there a gentleman's houfe, which is called a palace, and feveral churches, conftriivSled of brick and ftuc-■coed. One long broad ftreet, which is paved, interfects the ; S. R. O. vol. V. p. 04. Lengnich, Jns Pub. v, L p. 46. f LuLiguich, vol. .1. p. 4;. i Four miles aod three quarters. whole SMOLENSK O. 217 whole length of the town in a Straight line ; the other Streets chap. generally wind in circular directions, and are floored with *—^—> planks. The walls, flxetching over the uneven fides of the hills till they reach the banks of the Dnieper, their antient Style of architecture, their grotefque towers, the fpires of churches fhooting above the trees, which are fo numerous as almpft to conceal the buildings from view, the appearance of meadows and arable ground, all thefe objects blended together exhibit a fcene of the »nott Singular and contrasted kind. On the further Side of the Dnieper are a number of Straggling wooden houfes that form the fuburbs of the town, and are joined to it by a wooden bridge. As far as I could collect from vague information, this town contains about 4,000 inhabitants : it has no manufactures ; but carries on fome commerce with the Ukraine, Dantzic, and Riga. The principal articles of its trade are flax, hemp, honey, wax, hides, hogs briftles, malts, planks, and Siberian furs. The Dnieper riles in the foreft of Volkonfki, near the fource of the Volga, about 100 miles from Smolenfko. It pafles by Smolenfko and Mobilef, feparates the Ukraine from Poland, flows by Kiof, and falls into the black-fea between Otzakof and Kinburn. By the acquilition of the province of Mohilef, its whole courfe is now included within the Ruffian territories. It begins to be navigable at a little distance above Smolenfko, though in fome feafons of the year it is fo fhallow near the town, that the goods mult be traufported upon rafts and fmall flat-bottomed boats. Having occafion for a new paffport and an order for horfes, we called upon the governor, accompanied by a Ruffian Student, who Spoke Latin, for our interpreter. The governor being at church, we repaired to the cathedral, where we waited until divine fervice was concluded. The cathedral is a Stately building, erected upon the fpot where formerly Stood the pa- Vol. I. F f lac.Q lace of the antient dukes of Smolenfko. The infide walls arc covered with coarfe paintings reprcfenting our Saviour, the Virgin, and a variety of Saints, which are very abundant in the Greek religion. The ihrine, or Sanctuary, into which only the priefts arc admitted, is feparated from the body of the church by a fkreen with large folding doors, and is ornamented with twilled pillars of the Corinthian order richly carved and gilded. The worfhip feemed to confift of innumerable ceremonies : the people croffed themfelves without ceafing; bowed towards the Ihrine and to each other, and even touched the ground with their heads. The bifhop of Smolenfko performed the fervice ; a venerable figure, with white flowing hair and long beard ; he had a crown upon his head, and was dreffed in rich er>ifcopal robes. The folding doors were occasionally opened and clofed with great pomp and folemnity wenever the bifhop retired within, or came forth to blefs the people: at the conclusion of the fervice, the doors being thrown open, the bifiiop advanced forward with a candlestick in each hand, one containing three, and the other two lighted candles; which he repeatedly croffed over each other in different directions; then waving them towards the audience, he concluded with a final benediction. Thefe candlesticks, as I am informed, are fymbolical ; one alludes to the Trinity, and the other to the two natures of Chrift. The fervice being finilhed, we prefented ourfelves to the governor, who, to our furprize, received us with an air of coldnefs, which made fuch an impreflion on our interpreter^ that he could not be perfuaded to utter a Single word. At length a gentleman in the governor's train accGited us in French, and inquired our bufinefs. Upon our informing him, that we were Engiim gentlemen who de fired a paffport, and an order for horfes, he told us with a fmile, that the plain-nefs of our dreffes had railed a fufpicion of our being tradef- men S M O L E N S K O. men ; but he was not ignorant that Englifh gentlemen feldom wore lace on their clothes, or fwords in a journey ; an intimation which recalled to our memory the advice of our Polifh friend at Minlk *. He then whifpered the governor, who inftantly afTumed an appearance of complacency, and testified by his gefture an intention of complying with our request. This matter was fcarcely adjulted, when the bifhop joined the company ; he had laid afide the coftly garments, in which he performed the fervice, and was drefTcd in a long black rohc, a round black cap, and veil of the fame colour. He add re fled us in Latin, and invited us to his houfe. He led the way, and we followed with the reft of the company to a compiodious wooden building adjoining to the cathedral. Upon entering the apartment the governor and Ruffian gentlemen killed his hand with great marks of refpe£t. After defiring all the company to fit, he diftinguifhed us by particular attention, and obferved, with much politcnefs, that our company gave him greater pleafure, as he had never, fince his residence at Smolenfko, received a vifit from any Englifliman, for whofe nation he had the higheft refpect, During this converfation a Servant fpread a cloth upon a fmall table, and placed upon it a plate of bread, fome fait, and fome flowers : another followed with a falver of fmall glaSTes full of a tranfparent liquor; the bifhop blefTed the bread and the falver with great Solemnity, and then took a glafs : we thought it at firft a religious ceremony ; but were undeceived by the fervants offering the bread and falver to us as well as the other perfons prefent. , Every one being ferved, the bifiiop drank all our healths, a compliment which the company returned with a bow, and inftantly emptied their glaffes; we followed this example, and found the draught to be a dram of cherry-water. This preliminary being fettled, we refumed our converfation with the bifhop, * p. toy 1 F f i and book an*^ allied him feveral queftions relative to the antient Rate of ill. Smolenfko. He anfwered every enquiry with great readinefs; gave us a concife account of the ftate of the town under its antient dukes, and informed us that their palace was fituated on the fpot now occupied by the cathedral, which was built by Feodor Michaelovitch brother of Peter the Great, and had been lately repaired and beautified. After about half an hour's agreeable converfation, we rofe up and took our leave, greatly pleafed with the politenefs and affability of the bilhop. Our interpreter, who was one of the fftidents, conducted us to the feminary, which is appropriated for the education of the clergy, in which the Latin, Greek, German, and Polifli languages are taught: the prieft who fhewed us the library talked Latin ; he introduced us into his chamber, and, according to the hofpitable cuftom of this country, offered us fome refrefhment, which confifted of cakes and mead. In the afternoon the Ruffian gentleman, who fo obligingly relieved ns from our embarrafsment before the governor, kindly paid us a vifit, and invited us to dine with him the following day. We accepted his invitation, and waited upon him at two, the ufual hour of dining: he was a judge, and lived in a wooden houfe provided by the court; the rooms were fmall, but neatly fumifhed. The company confifted of that gentleman, his wife and fifrer, all of whom talked French : the ladies were dreffed in the French fafhion, and had on a good deal of rouge; they do not curtfy; but their mode of falute is to bow their heads very low. Before dinner liqueurs were handed about; the ladies each took a fmall glafs, and recommended the fame to us as favourable to digeffion. The tabic was neatly fet out, the dinner excellent, and ferved up in Englifh cream-coloured ware : befide plain roaft and boiled meats, feveral Ruffian dilhes were introduced; one of thefe wvas a kind of fallad compofed of mufhrooms and onions; and SMOLENSK O. 221 and another the grain of green corn, baked and moiftened with chap. fweet oil. Before we rofe from table our hoif called for a large -J— glafs; he filled a bumper of champagne, drank it off to our health, and then handed the glafs round. M This is an old " cuftom," faid the judge, €1 and was meant as an expreftion of 4i regard; the age is now grown delicate, and the free effu-" fions of hofpitality muft be fuppreffed in ceremony : but I am an old-fafhioned man, and cannot eafily rclinquifh the *' habits of my youth." After dinner we adjourned to another room, and played two or three rubbers of whift. Coffee and tea were brought in, and a plate of fweet-meats was handed round to the company. About fix we took leave of our friendly, hoft, and returned to our inn, if it may be called by that honourable appellation. This inn, which was the beft, for it was the only one in the town, was a wooden building, in a very ruinous ftate, formerly painted on the out fide. The apartment which we occupied had once been hung with paper, as appeared from fome torn fragments that here and there covered a fmall portion of the wainfcot, which was a patch-work of old and new planks. Its furniture was two benches and as many chairs ; of the latter, one was without a bottom, and the other without a back; the only table was an old deal box. We were inclined to conjecture that there was a heavy tax upon air and light in this country ; for all the windows were clofed with planks, except one, which could not be opened,., and it could fcarcely be feen through, on account of the dirt, with which it was incrulfcd. In the inventory of thefe valuables 1 fhould not omit a couch upon which I flept: it had: been fo often mended, that, like Sir John Cutler's ftockings, immortalized in Martinus Scribkrus, we could not diftinguiftT .any part of the original materials. It may perhaps appear furprizing, that in a town like Smoleniko there fhould be no tolerable inn ; but the furprize will ceafe, when we reflecl; that* i few. book fevv UTiingers pafs this way ; and that the Ruffians themfelves —v—'carry their provisions with them, and either continue their journey through the night, or are received in private houfes. AuguSt.25. We quitted Smoleniko, croffed the Dnieper over a wooden bridge into the Suburbs, and purfued our journey for fome way through a valley of fine paflure watered by the Dnieper, fpotted with underwood, and terminating on each fide in gentle eminences clothed with trees. As we advanced, the country became more abrupt and uneven, but no where rofe into any confiderable hill. Near Slovoda a large Straggling village, where we flopped for a few hours during the darknefs of the night, we again croffed the Dnieper upon a raft formed of trunks of trees tied together with cords, and fcarcely large enough to receive the carriage, which funk it fome inches under water; this machine was then puflied from the banks until it met another of the fame kind, to which the horfes Stepped with great difficulty ; and the distance of the two rafts from each other was fo confiderable, that the carriage could fcarcely be prevented from Hipping between them and finking into the river. The fecond pofl from this primitive ferry was Dogorobufh, built upon a riling hill, and exhibiting, like Smolenfko, though upon a leffer Scale, an intermixture of churches, houfes, cottages, corn-fields, and meadows; fome of the houfes, which had been lately constructed at the empreSfes expence, were of brick covered with Stucco, and had the appearance of fo many palaces when contrasted with the meannefs of the Surrounding hovels. This place was formerly a Strong fortrefs, and frequently befieged during the wars between Ruflia and Poland : the ramparts and ditches of the antient citadel Still remain ; Srom them we commanded an extensive view of the adjacent country, which was a large plain watered by the winding Dnieper, and bounded by distant hills. From Dogorobufh we 2 pro- proceeded about 24 miles.to a fmall village called Zaratefli, c where we thought ourfelves very fortunate in being ho ufed for «-the night iff a tolerable hut, which afforded us a rare inftance of accommodation in thefe parts, a room feparate from that ufed by the family. Our hoftefs was a true Afiatic figure: ihe had on a blue garment without fleeves, which defcended to the ankles, and was tied round the waift with a red fafh ; Hie wore a white piece of linen wrapped round her head like a turban, ear-rings, and necklace of variegated beads; her fhoes were fattened with blue Strings, which were alfo bound round the ankles, in order to keep up the coarfe linen wrappers which ferved for ftockings. Auguft 27. Our route the next morning, from Zaratefli to Vialfna, lay through a continuity of foreft, occafionally relieved by the intervention of pastures and corn-fields. When we reflected that we were in the 55th degree of northern latitude, we were furprized at the forwardnefs of the harveft : the wheat and barley were already carried in, and the peafants were employed in cutting the oats and millet. Since our departure from Smolenfko the weather had proved remarkably cold, and the wind had the keennefs of a November blalt v the peafants were all cloathed in their fheepfkins, or winter dreifes. At a fmall diftance from Viafma we pafled the rivulet of the fame name, navigable only for rafts, which defcend its Stream into the Dnieper : we then mounted a fmall eminence, on the top whereof ftands the town, making a magnificent appearance with the domes and fpires of feveral churches-rifing above the trees. Viafma Spreads, in a broken disjointed manner, over a large extent of ground: its buildings are moftly of wood, a few houfes of brick excepted, which had lately been erected by the munificence of the emprefs. Pait of the principal Street is formed, like the Ruffian roads, of the trunks trunks of trees laid crofs-ways, and part is boarded with planks like the floor of a room. It contains above twenty churches, an aftoniihing number for a place but thinly inhabited. The churches in thefe fmall towns and villages are mofily ornamented with a cupola and feveral domes : the outfide walls are either white-walhed or painted red, and the cupolas or domes are generally of a different colour from the other parts. At fome diftance the number of Spires and domes rifing above the trees, which conceal the contiguous hovels from view, would lead a traveller unacquainted with the country to expect a large city in a place, where perhaps, upon nearer inspection, he will only find a collection of wooden huts. At Viafma was concluded, in 1634, the treaty of perpetual peace between Ladiflaus IV. king of Poland, and Michael Feo-uorovitch: by this treaty Michael confirmed the ceflion of Smolenfko, Severia, and Tchernichef, which had been yielded to the Poles at the truce of Develina; while Ladiflaus renounced the title of Tzar, and acknowledged Michael as the rightful fovereign of Ruflia *. On this occafion both mo-narchs relinquiihed what they did not poffefs; and wifely Sacrificed imaginary pretenfions to the attainment of a fubftan-tial peace. 'The Ruffian peafants appeared in general a large coarfc hardy race, and of great bodily ftrength. Their drefs is a round hat or cap with a very high crown, a coarfe robe of drugget (or in winter of fheep-fkin with the wool turned inwards) reaching below the knee, and bound round the waift by a fafh, trowfers of lin&n almoft as thick as fack-cloth, a woollen or flannel cloth wrapped round the leg inftead of Stockings; fandals woven from Strips of a pliant bark, and fastened by firings of the fame materials, which are afterwards ♦wined round the leg, and ferve as garters to the woollen or * JUngnich, Hift. Tol. p. 167. flannel flannel wrappers. In warm weather the peafants frequently chat. wear only a fhort coarfe ftiirt and trowfers. Their cottages are constructed in the fame manner as thofe of Lithuania, but they are larger, and fomewhat better provided with furniture and domestic utenfils: they are of a fquare fhape, and are formed of whole trees, piled upon one another, and fecured at the four corners where their extremities meet, with mortaifes and tenons. The interftices between thefe piles are filled up with mofs. Within the houfe the timbers are Smoothed with the axe, fo as to form the appearance of wainfcot; but without are left with the bark in their rude Slate. The roofs are in the penthoufe form, generally compofed of the bark of trees or ihingles, which are fometimes covered with mould or turf. The peafants ufually construct the whole houfe folely with the afliftance of the hatchet, and cut the planks of the floor with the fame instrument, in many parts being unacquainted with the ufe of the faw : they finifh the fliell of the houfe and the roof, before they begin to cut the windows and doors. The windows are openings of a few inches fquare, clofed with Hiding frames ; and the doors are fo low as not to admit a middle-sized man without Hooping. Thefe cottages fometimes, though very rarely, conflft of two Stories; in which cafe the lower apartment is a kind of Store-room for their provisions, quafs, See. and the upper room is the habitable part of the houfe; the flair-cafe is moll commonly a kind of ladder on the outride; moft of thefe huts are, however, only one Story in height; a Sew of them contain two rooms, the generality only one. In fome of this latter fort I was frequently awakened by the chickens picking the grains of corn in the ftraw upon which 1 lay, and more than once by a lefs inoffensive animal. At Tabluka, a village, where we pafled the night of the 27th, a party of hogs gained admittance into the room at four in the Vol. I. G g morning, morning, and roufed me by grunting clofe to my ear. Not much pleafed either with the earlinefs of the visit, or the Salutation of my vifjtors, I called out to my fervant, f* Jofeph,, " drive thefe gentry out of the room, and Shut the door." ** There- is no door that will Shut," replied Jofeph with great compofure, " we have tried every expedient to fallen it with-u out fuccefs; the hogs have more than once been excluded,, u but have as often returned." This converfation fo effectually roufed me, that I determined to refign to my unwelcome, guerts that litter which 1 could no longer enjoy my Self: I accordingly railed myfelf from the draw, and, Sitting down, contemplated by the light of a Slip of deal the fcene around me. My two companions were Stretched upon the fame parcel of ftraw from which I had juft emerged; a little beyond them our fervants occupied a feparate heap; at a fmall diftance three Ruffians, with long beards, and coarfe Sackcloth Hurts and trowfers, lay extended upon their backs on the bare floor; on the oppofite fide of the room three women in their clothes numbered on a long bench ; white the top of the Stove afforded a couch to a woman drelied like the others, and four Sprawling children almoft naked. The furniture in thefe cottages coniilts chiefly of a wooden table or droller, and benches fattened to the fides of the room: the utenlils are platters, bowls, fpoons, &c. all made of wood, with perhaps one large earthen pan, in which the family cook their victuals. The food of the peafants is black-rye-bread, fometimes white, eggs, falt-fifh, bacon, mufhrooms -r their favourite difh is a kind of hodge-podge made of fait, or fometimes frefh meat, groats, rye-flour, highly feafoned with onions and garliek, which latter ingredients are much ufed by the Ruflians. The peafants feemed greedy of money, and almoft always demanded previous payment for every trifle we bought or bargained bargained for. They feemed alfo in general much inclined to thieving. In Poland it was not neceflary to be always upon the watch; and we frequently left the equipage during the whole night without any guard : but in this country, without the precaution of regularly Rationing a fervant in the carriage, every article would foon have difappeared ; and even with this expedient, the watchfulnefs of our Argus was continually baffled by the fuperior vigilance of the natives; and the morning generally announced fome petty lofs, to which the night had given birth. The peafants at every poft were obliged to furnifh us with horfes at a fixed and very reafonable rate, which had one ill effect of rendering them extremely dilatory in their motions; and as our only interpreter was a Bohemian * fervant, not perfectly acquainted with the Ruffian language, his difficulty in explaining, joined to their backwardnefs in executing our orders, occasioned our frequently waiting feveral hours for a change of horfes. The peafants acted in the capacity of coachmen and pofhlions: they always harneflcd four horfes a-breaft, and commonly put eight, and fometimes even ten horfes to our carriage, as the Rages were for the moll part twenty, and fometimes even thirty miles in length, and the roads extremely bad. They feldom ufed either boots or faddles, and had no fort of Stirrup, except a rope doubled and thrown acrofs the horfe's back. Each horfe was equipped with a fn a file-bridle, which however was feldom inferted into the mouth, but was generally fuffered to hang loofe under his jaw. The general method of driving was not in a Ready pace, but by Starts and bounds, with little attention to the nature of the ground : the peafants feldom trotted their horfes; they would fuddenly pufh them forwards into a gallop through the worff roads, and Sometimes as fuddenly check their fpeed upon the molt level * The Bohemian and Ruffian languages are both diale&i of the Selavonian tongue. G g i furface. furface. A common piece of ro\rc ferved them for a whip, which they feldom had any occafion to ule, as they urged their horfes forwards by hooting and whittling like cat-calls. 1 he intervals of thefe noifes were filled with ringing, which is a favourite practice among the Ruffians ; and has been mentioned by moll travellers who, for thefe two or three laft centuries, have vifited this country, and which I fhall enlarge upon on a future occafion. From the wretched harnefs, which was continually breaking, and required to be repeatedly adjlifted, the badnefs of the roads, the length of time we were always detained at the pofts before we could procure horfes, and other neceflary impediments, we were feldom able to travel more than forty or fifty miles a day, although we commenced our journey before fun-rife, and purfued it till it was quite dark. Auguft 27. Near Viafma we entered the vaft foreft of Volkonfki, through which we continued for 150 miles without interruption almoft to the gates of Mofcow. This lore ft, which Stretches on all fides to an immenfe extent, gives rife to the principal rivers of European Ruflia, the Duna, the Dnieper, and the Volga. The fources of the Duna were at fome diftance from our route; but thofe of the Dnieper and the Volga rofe at fmall intervals from each other, not far from Viafma. The country in this part was more than ufual broken into hill and dale ; though ftill it exhibited rather a fucceflion of Waving furface, than any confiderable elevations. On the 28th we arrived at the village of Gretkeva towards the clofe of the evening, and imprudently proceeded on our journey another ft age of eighteen miles : the evening fet in exceedingly dark, cold, and rainy ; the road was uncommonly had, and we were in continual apprehensions of being overturned. The greatest danger, however, which we encountered, was unknown to us until we arrived at the end of the Station: ftation : we were then informed by our Servants, that we had chap* actually croffed a broad piece of water upon a wooden bridge u~j— without railing, fo infirm that it almoft cracked under the carriage, and fo narrow that one of the hind-wheels was for an inflant abfolutely fufpended over the precipice beneath. Our ufual good fortune brought us fafe between twelve and one to a cottage at Mofhaifk, where we found an excellent ragout of beef and onions prepared for us by the trufty fervant, who always preceded us, and provided our lodging and fupper. I have little to fay of Mofhaifk, as we entered it at fo late an hour, and departed the next morning by day-break. We changed horfes at the village of Selo-Naro, and arrived early in the evening at Malo-a-Viafma, embofomed in the foreft, and pleafantly fituated at the edge of a fmall lake. This place was distant only 24 miles from Mofcow, where we were impatient to arrive; but we prudently deferred our journey until the next morning, as we did not chufe to tempt fortune again by expoling ourfelves a fecond time to dangers in a dark night and i:i an unknown country. The road for fome way before we came to Malo-a-Viafma, and from thence to Mofcow, was for the whole fpace a broad Straight avenue cut through the foreit. The trees, which compofed thefe vail plantations, Set by the hand of Nature, were oaks, beech, mountain-afh, poplar, pines and firs, mingled together in the moSfc wanton variety. The different Shades of green, and the rich tints of the autumnal colours, were inexpreSTibly beautiful; while the Sublime, but uniform expanfe of foreft was occasionally relieved by receffes of pastures and corn-fields. CHAP. C H A P. II. Arrival at Mofcow.—Hiftory of its origin and progrefs.'—Re-?noval of the feat of empire to Peterfburgh.—General and particular defcription of Mofcow.—Its divifions.—Kremlin. —Khitaigorod. — Bielgorod.— Semlainigorod. — The Slobodan or fuburbs.—New palace-gardens.'—Old ftyle.—Hofpitality of the Ruffian nobles.—Polite attentions of Prince Vol-konfki.—Account of Mr. Muller the celebrated hiftorian.—— Anniverfary of St. Alexander Nevfki.—Ceremonies of the day.—Entertainments at Count Alexey Orlof's—his fud.-— Boxing matches.—Vauxhajl, £f C, UGUST 30. Our approach to Mofcow was SirSt an- nounced about the distance of fix miles by fome Spires, which over-topped an eminence at the end of the broad avenue cut through the foreit: about two or three miles further we afcended an height, from whence a molt Superb proSpect of the vaft city buril upon our light. It lay in the form of a crefcent, and ftretched to a prodigious extent, while innumerable churches, towers, gilded Spires and domes, white, red, and green buildings glittering in the fun, formed a moil fplendid appearance, yet ftrangely contrasted by an intermixture of numberlefs wooden hovels. The neighbouring country was undulating; the foreft reached to within a mile of the ramparts, when it was fucceeded by an open range of pastures without enclofurcs. We croffed the river Mofkva over a raft floating upon the water, and fattened to each bank, which the Ruffians call a living-bridge, from its bending under the carriage. After a Strict examination of our pafsport, being permitted to enter the gates, we drove through the 3 fuburbs fuburbs for a confiderable way along a wooden road, entered one of the interior circles of the town, called Bielgorod, and took up our quarters at an inn kept by a Frenchman, at which fome of the nobility hold alfemblies. Our apartments were convenient and fpacious ; we alfo found every accommodation in abundance, except beds and fheets; for as no one thinks of travelling in this country without thofe articles, inns are feldom provided with them. With much trouble, however, we were able to obtain from our landlord two bedsteads with bedding, and one matrafs to place upon the floor ; but we could not procure more than three iheets, one whereof fell to my lhare : we had been fo long accustomed to fleep in our clothes upon ltraw, that we thought ourfelves in a ftate of unheard-of luxury, and bleffed ourfelves for our good fortune. Mofcow, called by the natives Mofkva, is not fo antient as Novogorod, Kiof, Vladimir, and Tver, which towns had been the rendence of the Ruffian fovereigns before this city exilted. The antiquaries of this country differ considerably in their opinions concerning the firft foundation of Mofcow ; the follow ing relation is generally efteemcd by the belt authors the moft probable account*. Kiof was tire metropolis, when George fon of Vladimir Mo-nomaka afcended in 11 54 the Ruffian throne. That monarch, being infulted in a progrefs through his dominions by a rich and powerful nobleman named Stephen Kutchko, put him to death, and con (Heated his domains, which confided of the lands now occupied by the city of Mofcow, and the adjacent territory. Pleated with the lituation of the ground lying at the conflux of the Mofkva and Neglina, he laid the foundation of a new town, which he called Mofkva from the river of that name. Upon the dernife of George, the new town was not neglected * See Sumorokof's K!cinc Chronik Von Mofcau in St. fet. Journal for 1776; and Scherdiator* Ruff. Gef. p- 75°- by by bis fon Andrew, who transferred the feat of empire from Kiof to Vladimir; but it fell into fuch decay under his immediate fucceffors, that when Daniel, fon of Alexander NevSki, received, in the division of the empire, the duchy of Mufcovy as his portion, and fixed his refidence upon the conflux of the Mofkva and Neglina, he may be faid to have new founded the town. The fpot now occupied by the Kremlin, was at that time overfprcad with a thick wood and a morafs ; in the midft whereof was a fmall ifland, containing a (Ingle wooden hut. Upon this part Daniel conftrudted churches and monasteries, and various buildings, and encloSed it with wooden fortifications ; he firft affumed the title of duke of Mofcow ; and was fo attached to this lituation, that when, in 1304, he fucceeded his brother Andrew Alexandrovitch in the great duchy of Vladimir, he did not remove his court to Vladimir, but continued his refidence at Mofcow, which then became the capital of the Ruflian dominions. His fucceffors followed his example ; among whom his fon Ivan confiderably enlarged the new metropolis; and in 1367 his grand fon Demetrius Ivanovitch Donlki Surrounded the Kremlin with a brick-wall. Thefe new fortifications, however, were not Strong enough to prevent Tamerlane, in 1382, from taking the town after a fhort fiege Being foon evacuated by that defultory conqueror, it again came into the pofieflion of the Ruffians; but was frequently invaded and occupied by the Tartars, who in the 14th and 1 5th centuries over-ran the greatest part of Ruflia ; and who even maintained a garrifon in Mofcow, until they were finally expelled by Ivan Vafiilievitch I. To him Mofcow is indebted for its principal fplendour; and under him it became the principal and moft confiderable city of the Ruflian empire. The Baron of Herberftein, who in the beginning of the Sixteenth century was embaffador from the emperor Maximilian * S. R. O. vol. II. p. 93. 7 to to the great-duke Vaflili, fori of the above-mentioned Ivan Vaflilievitch, is the firft foreign writer who has given a defcription of Mofcow, which he accompanied with a coarfe engraving of the town in wood *. In this curious, but rude plan, we may diftinguifh the walls of the Kremlin, or citadel, in their prefent ftate, and we may recognize feveral of the public buildings, which even now contribute to its ornament. From this period we are able to trace its fubfequent progrefs and gradual increafe under the fucceeding fovereigns in the accounts of feveral Englifh f and foreign $ writers, who, fince Herber-ftein, have publilhed their travels into thefe parts. Mofcow continued the metropolis of Ruflia until the beginning of the prefent century ; when, to the great diflatis faction of the nobility, but with great advantage, probably, to the ftate, the feat of empire was transferred to Peterfburgh. Not with Standing the predilection which Peter conceived for Peterfburgh, in which all the fucceeding fovereigns, excepting Peter II. have fixed their refidence, Mofcow is ftill the moft populous city of the Ruflian empire. Here the chief nobles who do not belong to the court of the emprefs refide; they here fupport a larger number of retainers; they love to gratify their tafte for a ruder and more expensive magnificence in the antient Style of feudal grandeur.; and are not, as at Peterfburgh, eclifped by the fuperior fplendour of the court. Mofcow is fituated in the longitude of 37 degrees 31 minutes from the firft meridian of Greenwich, and in 550 45' 45" of northern latitude. It is certainly the largeft town in Europe.; its circumference within the rampart, which enclofes the fuburbs, being exactly * See Rer. Mof. Com, in Rec. Mof. Auft. .Bruce, &c. f Chiefly Chancellor Fletcher, Smith, the % Pofievinua, Margaret, Petrcius, Olea-author of Lord Carlifle's Embafly, Perry, riue, Mayerberg, Le Bruyn, &c. Vol. I. II h 39 B^r0K 39 verfts, or 26 miles*; but it is built in fo Straggling and disjointed a manner, that its population in no degree corresponds to its extent. Some Ruffian authors Rate its inhabitants at 500,000 fouls; a number evidently exaggerated. Bufching, who refided fome years in Ruffia, fays that in 1770 Mofcow contained 708 brick-houfes, and 11,840 wooden habitations; 85,731 males and 67,059 females, in all only 152,790 fouls; a computation which feems to err in the other extreme t. According to an account publifhed in the Journal of St. Peterfburgh J, the clittticft of Mofcow contained, in the beginning of 1780, 2178 hearths ; and the number of inhabitants were 137,698 males, and 134,918 females, in all 272,616 fouls. In the courfe of that fame year the deaths amounted to 3702, and the births to 8621 ; and in the end, the population of the diftricr. was found to be 140,143 males, and 137,392 females, in all 277,535 fouls. This computation is certainly more to be depended upon than either of the others; and its truth has been recently confirmed to me by an Englifh gentleman lately returned from Mofcow, who made this topic the Subject of his inquiries. According to his account, which he received from the lieutenant of the police ||, Mofcow contains within the ramparts 250,000 fouls. And in the adjacent villages 50,000 If I was ftruck with the fingularity of Smoleniko, I was all aftonilhment at the immeniity and variety of Mofcow. Something fo irregular, fo uncommon, fo extraordinary, and fo contrafted, never before fell under my obfervation. The * Its circumference is nearly equal to that (| This computation may be relied upon, of Pekin, which, including rt3 fuburbs, mea- For as a new aqueduct near Mofcow was juft lures 40 verfts, or z6 miles and three-quar- finiflied, it was neceflary to rorm as e>a£t an tcrs. Journal of St. Pet. April, 1775, p. 243. efiimaie as poflible of the number of inhabi- •| Bufcliing^Ncue Erdbefchmbung, V. I. tanrs, in order to regulate the neceflary fup- p. 841. Edit. 1777. ply of water for each family. I I-or 1781, p, 200. Streets 1/,//r/i•><}./ V./ a&wrdifa? fo. tr/ tality ; kept an open table, provided with a great variety of Greek wines, which he brought with him from his expedition into the Archipelago. One difh, ferved on his plentiful board, muft be mentioned as the moft delicious of the kind I ever tafted, and which I think only inferior to our beft venifon ; it was a quarter of an Aftracan lheep, remarkable for the quantity and flavour of the fat *, We had mufic during dinner, which indeed generally made a part of the entertainment at the tables of the nobility. We obferved alfo another very ufual inftance of parade ; namely, a great number of retainers and dependents, mixed with fer-vants, but feldom aflifting in any menial oflice : they occasionally flood round their lord's chair, and feemed infinitely pleafed whenever they were diftinguilhed by a nod or a fmile. In this train there was an Armenian not long arrived from Mount Gaucafus, who, agreeably to the cuftom of his country, inhabited a tent pitched in the garden, and covered with a thick kind of felt. His drefs confifted of a long loofe robe tied with a fafli, large breeches, and boots : his hair was cut, in the manner of the Tartars, in a circular form; his arms were a poignard, and a bow of buff do's horn ft'rung with the finews of the fame animal. He was extremely attached to his mafter: when he was firft prefented, he voluntarily took an oath of fealty, and fworc, in the true language of Eaftern hyperbole, to attack all the count's enemies, offering, as a proof of the fincerity of this declaration, to cut off his own ears; he alfo wilhed that all the ficknefs, which at any time threatened his mafter, might be transferred to himfelf. He * In the court-yard I obferved feveral inftead of tails, a large bunch of fat, fomc- flieep of this fpecies ranging about the fta- times weighing thii ty pounds. Mr. Pennant bles, fo perfectly tame that they fullered us has given an engraving of thefe fheep in hi» to ftrokc them. They are almoft as large as Hiftory of Quadrupeds, which ht has accorn- fallow deer, but with much fhortcr legs: panicd with au accurate defcription. they have no horns, long flowing Ctrl, and, 3 examined examined our clothes, and feemed delighted with pointing out the fuperiority of his own drefs in the article of convenience ; he threw himfelf into different attitudes with uncommon agility, and defied us to follow his example ; he danced a Galmuc dance, which confifted in ftraining every mufcle, and writhing his body into various contortions without ftirring from the fpot: he beckoned us into the garden, took great pleafure in fhowing us his tent and his arms ; and ihot feveral arrows to an amazing height. We were ftruck with the unar-tificial character of this Armenian, who feemed like a wild-man juft beginning to be civilized. Count Orlof, who is very fond of the manage, is efteemed to have, though not the largeft, yet the fineft ftud in Ruflia: and he was fo obliging as to gratify our curiofity by carrying us to fee it near his country-houfe, at the diftance of about fifteen miles from Mofcow. He conveyed us in his own carriage drawn by fix horfes, harneffed with ropes, and placed two in front, and four a-breaft in the hinder row : an empty coach, with fix horfes, ranged two by two, followed for parade. He was attended by four huflars, and the above-mentioned Armenian accoutred with his bow and quiver: the latter continually fhouted and waved his hand with the ftrongeft exprefhons of tranfport; he occafionally galloped his horfe clofe to the carriage, then fuddenly flopped, and wheeled round to the right or left with inconceivable rapidity. In our route we pafled feveral large convents, furrounded, like many of the monafteries in this country, with ftrong walls and battlements of brick, fo as to have the appearance of fmall fortrefles; crofled the Mofkva twice, and came in about two hours into a fpacious circular plain of luxuriant patlure, in the midft of which rifes an infulated hill, with the count's houfe on the top. This feat commands a beautiful view of the circular plain, watered by the Mofkva, and K k a fkirted fkirted by gentle hills, whofe fides prefent a rich variety of wood, corn, and paftures. The greatelt part of the ftud was grazing in the plain : it confifted of a large number of the fineft ftallions, and above lixty brood-mares, moft of whom had foals. The collection was gleaned from the moft diftant quarters of the globe, from Arabia, Turkey, Tartary, Perfia, and England. He obtained the Arabians during his expedition in the Archipelago, fome as prefents from Ali-Bey, others by purchafe or by conqueft from the Turks : amongft thefe he chiefly prized four horfes (two of which we had noticed in the manage at Mofcow) of the true Cochkan breed, fo much efteemed in Arabia, and fo feldom feen out of their native country. The count, after having politely attended us himfelf to the ftud and about the grounds, regaled us with a moft elegant entertainment, at which his vivacity lent charms to his fplen-dour and hofpitality. In our return to Mofcow, we made a circuit to a fmall village about fix miles from the capital, where a villa was erecting for the emprefs, called Tzaricino: it confifted, belide the principal building, of eight or ten detached ftructures in the Gothic tafte, which were prettily dif-pcrfed among the plantations. The lituation is romantic, a riling ground backed with wood, and a large piece of water embracing the foot of the hill. I cannot forbear to mention in this place an act of almoft Eaftern magnificence, which this vifit fome time afterwards occalioned. One morning in the enfuing winter, at Peterfburgh, one of the fineft among the Arabian horfes, which Lord Herbert had greatly admired at Mofcow, was fent to him, accompanied with the following note. " My Lord, I obferved that this horfe pleafed you, and " therefore defire your acceptance of him. I received him as <« a prefent from Ali-Bey. He is a true Arabian of the Coch- a lean " lean race, and in the late war was brought by the Ruflian ¥ Ships from Arabia to me while I was in the Archipelago. I ^ t£ wifh he may be as ferviceable to you as he has been to me; ci and I remain, with efteem, your obedient fervant, " Count Alexey Orlof Tchesminski." This valuable horfe was fent from Peterfburgh by fea to England, and is now in the Earl of Pembroke's polfeflion. At the clofe of an entertainment, which the count one day gave us at Mofcow, he introduced us to the fight of a Ruffian boxing-match, which is a favourite diverfion among the common people. We repaired to the manage, where we found about three hundred peafants aflembled. They divided themfelves into two parties, each of which chofe a chief, who called out the combatants, and pitted them againft each other : only a Angle pair was allowed to engage at the fame time. They did not ftrip as with us, and had on thick leathern gloves with thumb pieces, but with no Reparations for the fingers. From the ftifthefs of the leather they could fcarcely double their Sifts ; and many of them ftruck open-handed. Their attitudes were very different from thofe ufed by boxers in England: they advanced the left foot and fide ; Stretched the left arm towards the adverfary in order to repel his blows ; and kept the right arm Swinging at Some diftance from the other. They generally ftruck in a circular direction at the face and head, never attacked the breaft or Sides, and Seemed to have no notion of aiming a blow directly forwards. When any combatant felled his antagonist to the ground, he was declared victor, and the conteft between that pair immediately ceafed. During our Stay we were witnefs to about twenty fucccflive combats. Some of the men were of vaft ftrength ; but their mode of fighting prevented any mifchief from its exertion; nor did we perceive any of thofe fractures and contuiions in which boxing-matches in England fo frequently terminate. Both Bn?K ^ot^ Part*es were highly interested in favour of their rc-«—;—• fpective champions; and feemed at times inclined to enter the lifis in their fupport; but the firft appearance of diSpute, or growing heat, was humanely checked by the count, who acted as mediator : a kind word, or even a nod from him, inftantly compofed all differences. When he appeared defirous to put an end to the combats, they humbly requested his permiflion to honour them with his prefence a little longer; upon his aftent, they bowed their heads to the ground, and feemed as pleafed as if they had received the higheft favour. The count is greatly beloved by his peafants, and their Stern countenances would melt into the moft affectionate Softnefs at his approach. We made one day an agreeable excursion to Mikaulka, the villa of count Peter Panin, a Ruflian nobleman of the firft distinction, who fignalized himfelf in the late war againft the Turks, by the taking of Bender ; and more recently by the defeat and capture of the rebel Pugatchef. This villa is Situated at the diftance of fix miles from Mofcow, in the midft of a large foreft. The count originally purpofed to have raifed a very grand Structure of brick, after a defign of his late wife; but upon her death he abandoned this project, and contented himfelf with a comfortable wooden houfe at the extremity of his grounds, which he at firft erected only as a temporary habitation. His offices, ftables, coach-houSes, dog-kennels, lodgings for his huntfmen and other menial fervants, form two long rows of feparate wooden buildings, all with uniform fronts and neatly painted. The grounds are prettily laid out in the ftyle of our parks, with gentle Hopes, fpacious lawns of the fineft verdure, fcattered plantations, and a large piece of water fringed with wood. We could not avoid feeling extreme Satisfaction at obferving, that the Englifh ftyle of gardening had penetrated even into thefe diftant regions. The Englifh Englifh tafte, indeed, can certainly difplay itfelf in this country to great advantage, where the parks are extenfive, and the verdure, during their fhort fummer, uncommonly beautiful. Moft of the Ruflian nobles have gardeners of our nation, and refign themfelves implicitly to their direction. The count, who is fond of country diver lions, had a pack of hounds chiefly of the Englifh breed, confuting of an indifcriminate mixture of harriers, (tag and fox-hounds felecled without any regard to their fizes or forts. With this fame pack he hunted wolves, deer, foxes, and hares. He poflefled likewife a fine breed of Ruflian greyhounds, in high eftimation for their fwiftnefs: they are fhaggy and wire-haired, and fome of them are taller than the largeft Newfoundland dog I ever faw. The count entertained us with a moft fumptuous dinner: we were particularly ftruck with the quantity and quality of the fruit which made its appearance in the defert: pines, peaches, apricots, grapes, pears, cherries, none of which can in this country be obtained without the afliftance of hot-houfes, were ferved in the greateft profufion. There was a delicious fpecies of fmall melon, which had been fent by land-carriage from Aftracan to Mofcow, though at the diftance of a thoufand miles *. One inftance of elegance which diftin-guilhed the defert, and which had the prcttieft effect imaginable, muft not be omitted: at the upper and low7er end of the table were placed two china vafes containing cherry-trees in full leaf, and fruit hanging on the boughs, which was gathered by the company. We obferved alfo in the defert a curious fpecies of apple, which is not uncommon in the neighbourhood of Mofcow : it is fomewhat larger than a golden-pippin, is of the colour and tranfparency of pale amber, and has an exquifite flavour; the Ruffians call it Navl- * Thefe melons fometimes coft five pounds apiece, and at other times they may be pur-chafed in the markets of Mofcow for lefs than half a crown apiece. nich. book nich. The tree thrives here in the open air without any »—v—j particular attention to its culture, but degenerates in other countries; its flips and feed, when planted in a foreign foil, have hitherto produced only a common fort of apple, but never the transparent fpecies. In returning from Mikaulka we pafled clofe to the villa of count Rofomoufki Hetman of the Ukraine, and it refembled more a little town than a country houfe. It confifted of forty or fifty buildings of different Sizes ; fome of brick ; others of wood; fome painted, and others plain. He maintains his guard, a numerous train of retainers, and a large band of musicians. The Ruflian nobles difplay a great degree of grandeur and magnificence in their houfes, domeftics, and way of living. Their palaces at and near Mofcow are Stupendous piles of buildings; and I am informed that their manfions, at a diftance from Mofcow and Peterfburgh, are upon a ftill greater fcale, where they refide as independent princes, like the feudal barons in early times; have their Separate courts of juftice, and govern their vaflals with an almoft unlimited Sway. I did not expect to have found in this northern climate a kind of Vauxhall, which our curiofity led us to vifit. It is fituated at the furthest extremity of the fuburbs in a fequef-tered fpot, which has more the appearance of the country than of a town. We entered by a covered way, fimilar to that at our Vauxhall, into the gardens, which were Splendidly illuminated. There was an elegant rotunda for the company to walk in, either in cold or rainy weather, and feveral apartments for tea or fupper. The entrance money was four lhillings. The proprietor is an Englishman, whofe name is Mattocks. The encouragement he met with from the natives on this occafion had enabled him to engage in conftructing, at a very confiderable expencc, a fpacious theatre of brick ; and, as an indemnification, lie had obtained from the emprefs. 7 an an exclufive patent for all plays, and public mafquerades, during ten years from the time of its completion. The fineft view of Mofcow is to be feen from an eminence about four or five miles from the town, of which 1 have forgotten the Ruffian name, but its Signification in English is Sparrow-hill: upon this eminence were the ruins of a large palace built by Alexey Michaelevitch. Upon our return we flopped at Vafilioffki, the villa of prince Dolgorucki, which Stands upon the brow of the fame hill. The Mofkva, broader than ufual, runs at its foot in a femi-circle ; and the vaft city of Mofcow lies open before it: the houfe is a large wooden building, to which we afcended by mounting three terraffes. The prefent poSfeffor of this villa is prince Dolgorucki Crimfki, who diftinguifhed himfelf by his repeated victories over the Turks in the Crimea, and by the conqueft of that peninfula. The models of feveral fortreffes, which he befieged and took, are placed in the gardens; I particularly remarked thofe of Yenikale, Kerfch, and Precop. In going over the houfe, the various reverfes of fortune which have befallen the family of Dolgorucki, occurred forcibly to my recollection, efpecially when I Surveyed the portrait of the princefs Catharine Dolgorucki, whofe adventures, fo pathetically defcribed by Mrs. Vigor #, afford one of the moft affecting Stories in the annals of hiftory. That unfortunate princefs, after having been torn from the perfon fhe loved, was betrothed againft her inclination to the emperor Peter II. On his deceafe fhe became a momentary fovereign; but was almoft as inftantly hurried from the palace to a dungeon, where She languifhed during the whole reign of the emprefs Anne. Being at length releafed upon the acceflion of Elizabeth, fhe married count Bruce, and died without leaving any iffue. * See Letters from Ruflia, by a Lady. Vol. C GHA P. C *58 3 chap, nr. Number of churches in Mofcow.—Defcription of the mojl antient.—Their outward ftruSlure.—Interior divifons.—Wor-fhip of painted images.—Defcription of an enormous bell.— Principal buildings in the Kremlin.—Antient palace.—Convent of Tchudof.—Nunnery of Viefnovitfkoi.—Cathedral of St. Michael.—Tombs and characters of the Tzars.—Genealogical tables of the fovereigns of Mofcow of the houfe o/Ruric —Of different families.— Of the line of Romanof. book t I ^HE places of divine worfhip at Mofcow are exceedingly ■ A numerous; including chapels, they amount to above a thoufand : there are 484 public churches, of which 199 are of brick, and the others of wood ; the former are commonly Ruccoed or white-wafhed, the latter painted of a red colour. The moft antient churches of Mofcow are generally fquare buildings, with a cupola and four fmall domes % fome whereof are of copper or iron gilt; others of tin, either plain or painted green. Thefe cupolas and domes are for the moft part ornamented with croffes entwined with thin chains or wires; each crofs has two tranfverfe bars t, the upper horizontal, the lower inclining; which, according to the fuppo-fttion of many Ruffians, is fuppofed to have been the form of the real crofs, and that our Saviour was nailed to it with his arms in an horizontal pofition, and one of the legs higher * The church of the Holy Trinity, fome- graving of that, as well as of fome of the times called the Church of Jerufalem, which more antient churches, may be feen in Olea- itands in the Khitaigorod, clofe to the gate rius and Le Brim's Travels, leading into the Kremlin, has a kind of high f I am here describing the moft antient iiceple and nine or ten domes: it was built churches; the modern crofles over thofe of ki the rei^n of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. An en- St. Peterfburgh are moflly fingle. than than the other. I frequently obferved a crefcent under the chap-lower bar, the meaning of which no one could explain*. 1 /_.j The infide of the church is moftly compofed of three parts ; that called by the Greeks Tffgowocy by the Ruffians Trapcza; the body; and the Sanctuary or fhrine. In the body of the church there are frequently four fquare pillars, very thick and heavy, for the purpofe of fupporting the cupola : thefe pillars, as well as the walls and cielings, are painted with innumerable reprefentations of our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and of different faints. Many of the figures are enormoufly large, and are executed in the rudeft manner; fome are daubed upon the bare walls; others upon large maflive plates of Silver or brafs, or enclofed in frames of thofe metals. The head of each figure is invariably decked with a glory; which is a maffy femicircle, greatly refembling an horfe-fhoe, of brafs, Silver, or gold, and fometimes compofed almoft entirely of pearls and precious Stones, Some of the favourite faints are adorned with Silken drapery faliened to the walls, and Studded with jewels; fome are painted upon a gold ground, and others are gilded in all parts but their face and hands. Towards the extremity of the body of the church is a flight of fteps leading to the ihrine; and between thefe Steps and the fhrine is ufually a platform, upon which the officiating minister ftands and performs part of the fervice. The fhrine or Sanctuary is divided from the body of the church by the Iconajlus, or fkreen, generally the part the moft richly ornamented, and on which the moft holy pictures are * Dr. King accounts for the crefcent in " them: and when the grand-duke Ivan Ba* the following ingenious manner. *' Some " fdevitch had delivered his country from *' churches have a crefcent under the crofs; *.« the Tartar yoke, and reftorcd thofe edi- 11 for when the Tartars, to whom Muicovy •« fices to the Chriftian worfhip, he left the 4t was fubje&ed two hundred years, converted "crefcent remaining, and planted a crof3 M any of the churches into mofques for the H upon it as a mark of its victory over its *' ufe of their own religion, they fixed the ** enemy." Rites and Ceremonies of the , crefcent, the badge of Mahomet anifm, upon Greek Church, p. 23. L 1 a painted book painted or hung *• In its centre are the folding, called the * holy, royal, or beautiful doors, which lead to the fhrine, within which is the holy table, as Dr. King well defcribes it, " with four fmall columns to fuppoit a canopy over it; from " which a perijlerion, or dove, is fufpended, as a Symbol of w the Holy Ghoft; upon the holy table the crofs is always " laid, and the Gofpel, and the pyxis, or box, in which a part " of the confecrated elements is preferved, for vifrting the lick " or other purpofes t." It is contrary to the tenets of the Greek religion to admit a carved image within the churches, in conformity to the prohibition in Scripture, " Thou lhalt not make to thyfelf a *< graven image," &c. By not considering, however, the prohibition as extending to reprefentations by painting, the Greek canonists, while they have followed the letter, have departed from the fpirit of the commandment, which positively forbids us to worfhip the likenefs of any thing under whatever form, or in whatever manner it may be delineated : for if we transfer our adoration from the Creator to any object of his creation, it is of little confequence whether we bow down to the productions of the painter, or to thofe of the fculptor. Over the door of each church is the portrait of the faint to whom it is dedicated, to which the common people pay their homage as they pafs along, by taking off their hats, crofting themfelves, and occasionally touching the ground with their heads, a ceremony which I often faw them repeat nine or ten times in fucceffion. Before I clofe the general defcription of the Ruflian churches, * 11 On the north fide of the royal doors " Jefus and the Virgin, and feveral others, " the pi&ure of the Virgin is always placed, •* and fometimes kept perpetually burning,'* " and that of Jefus on the fouth j next to Dr. King on the Greek Church,'p. 29 ; to ** which is that of the faint to whom the which book I would refer the reader who de- " church is dedicated ; the fituaticn of the fires further information on the fubject. *' reft is indifferent. Candles or lamps are f Ibid, p, 26. ufually fufpended before the image* of I muft r~ I muft not forget their bells, which form, I may almoft fay, no inconfiderable part of divine wodhip in this country, as the length or fhortnefs of their peals afcertains the greater or leffer Sanctity of the day. They are hung in belfreys detached from the church: they do not fwing like our bells, but are fixed immoveably to the beams, are rung by a rope tied to the clapper, and pulled fideways. Some of thefe bells are of a Stupendous Size: one in the tower of St. Ivan's church weighs 355 1 Ruflian poods, or 127,836 English pounds. It has always been efteemed a meritorious act of religion to prefent a church with bells; and the piety of the donor has been mea-fured by their magnitude. According to this mode of estimation, Boris Godunof, who gave a bell of 288,000 pounds to the cathedral of Mofcow, was the moft pious fovereign of Ruflia, until he was furpafled by the emprefs Anne, at whofe expence a bell was eaft weighing 432,000 pounds, and which exceeds in bignefs every bell in the known-world. Its fize is fo enormous, that I could fcarcely have given credit to the account of its magnitude if I had not examined it myfclf, and afcertained its dimensions with great exactness. Its height is nineteen feet, its circumference at the bottom twenty-one yards eleven inches, its greateft thicknefs twenty-three inches *• The beam to which this vaft machine was fattened being accidentally burnt, the bell fell down, and a fragment was broken off towards the bottom, which left an aperture large enough to admit two perfons a-breaft without Stooping. Our inn being clofe to the walls of Kremlin, I had frequent opportunities of examining its principal buildings. The palace, inhabited by the antient tzars, ftands at the extremity of the Kremlin. Part of this palace is old, and remains in the fame ftate in which it was built under Ivan Vaflilie-vitch I. The remainder has been fucceflively added at different * Mr. Hanway, in his Travels, has given an accurate defcription and engraving of this bell. intervals book intervals without any plan, and in various ltyles of architec-*—vl—(ture ; which has produced a motley pile of building, remarkable for nothing but the incongruity of the feveral Structures. The top is thickly fet, with numerous little gilded fpires and globes ; and a large portion of the front is decorated with the arms of all the provinces, which compofe the Ruflian empire. The apartments are in general exceedingly fmall, excepting one Single room, called the council-chamber, in which the antient tzars ufed to give audience to foreign embafTadors; and which has been repeatedly defcribed by feveral Englifh travellers, who visited Mofcow before the Imperial refidence was transferred to Peterlhurgh. The room is large and vaulted, and has in the centre an enormous pillar of Rone, which fup-ports the cicling *« This palace, which, prior to the sera of Peter the Great, was efteemed by the natives as an edifice of unparalleled magnificence, in which the tzars held their courts in all the fplen-dour of Eaftern pomp f, is now, fince the late improvements in * 11 The roof of the audience-chamber ** was arched and fupported by a great pillar " in the middle," Lord Carliflc's Embail'y, p. 149. in the fea ft which Alexey Michaelovitch gave to the Earl of Carlifle, this great pillar was adorned with a wonderful variety of gold and filver veffels, p. 292. f The author of Lord Carlifle's Embnffy defcribes, in the following hyperbolical ex-preflions, the Afiatic magnificence of the court of Alexey Michaelovitch, at the fh-ft audience of the embafladors. " And here *' (in the audience chamber) it was we were " like thofe who coming fuddenly out of the *' dark are dazzled with the brightnefs of *'the fun: the fplendour of their jewels •* feeming to contend for priority with that *• of the day; fo that we were loft as it were " in this confufion of glory. The tzar, like «* a fparkliug fun, (to fpeak in the Ruffian ** dialect) darted forth moft fumptuous rays, M being moft magnificently placed upon his 11 throne, with his fceptre in his hand, and " having his crown on his head. His throne " was of maffive filver gilt, wrought curioufly ct on the top with feveral works and pyra-M mids j and being feven or eight fteps higher *' than the floor, it rendered the perfon of *' the prince tranfeendently majeftic. The M fceptre glittered all over with jewe!s, his " veft was let with the like from top to the bot-" torn down the opening before, and his col* " lar was anfwerable to the fame. By hia " fide he had four of the tailed lords ftand-*' ing below his throne, each of them with •* a battle-ax upon his |(houlder, and with a " profound gravity calling their eyes now " and then upon the tzar, as inviting us to " an admiration of his grandeur. .Their ha* bits were no lefs remarkable than their *' countenances, being all four of them, from ** the top of their head to the fole of their ** foot, clothed in white vefts of ermine, and ** having chains of gold. But that which *' waj in architecture, far furpaffed by the ordinary mannons of the chap» nobility, and by no means calculated even for the temporary * / ^ refidence of the fovereign. In this palace Peter the Great came into the world, in the year 1672 ; an event here mentioned, not only becaufe it is remarkable in the annals of this country, but becaufe the Ruffians themfelves were, till very lately, ignorant of the place in which their favourite hero was born. That honour was ufually afcribed to Columna, which,, on that fuppofition, has been profanely ftyled the Bethlehem of Ruflia; but the judicious Muller has unqueftionabiy proved, that the Imperial palace of Mofcow was the place of Peter's nativity *• I was greatly difappointed that we could not view that part of the palace called the treafury. The keeper being lately dead, the door was fealed up, and could not be opened, until a fuc-ceffor was appointed. Befide the crown, jewels, and royal robes, ufed at the coronation of the fovereign, this repofitory, as we were informed, contains feveral curiofities, which relate to and illuftrate the hiftory of this country. There are two convents in the Kremlin; one is a nunnery, and the other a monaftery for men, called Tfchudof. The latter does not merit any particular defcription ; I entered it merely becaufe it is well known in the Ruflian hiftory as the place wherein the tzar Vaflili Shuifki was confined after his A;D#, deposition, and from whence he was taken in order to be carried into Poland: where he only exchanged one prifon for another ftill more difmal; and where he fell a victim to his own disappointment and chagrin, as well as to the ill-treatment 14 was farther admirable was the glorious "fet with jewels, all placed in order upon *' equipage of the Boyars prefent at this an- " benches covered with tapeftry," &c. p. r47■ *.* dience, who were as fi-many beams of the to 140, The reader will find many defciip- «'fun elevated in his triumphant car, and tions of the tzar's magnificence and court, in *' feemed to have no luilre but to do homage the feveral accounts of the different embaflie* *' withal to their great monarch. They were in Hackluyt's Collection of Voyager. 14 about two hundred, clothed all with vefts * See Journ. St. Pet. 4i of cloth and gold, cloth of filver or velvet I of of the Poles. We are naturally led to companionate the fate of an exiled and dcpofed monarch, who dragged on a miferable existence amidll the horrors of perpetual imprifonment: but the black ingratitude of Vaflili Shuifki towards Demetrius, his fovereign and benefactor, almoft extinguiihes our fenfe of his calamities. For even if the perfon who aftumed the name of Demetrius was an importer, Shuifki, when condemned for high-treafon to an ignominious death, was indebted to him for his pardon ; an act of clemency ill requited by the depolition and murder of his benefactor #. The nunnery, called Viefnovitfkoi, was founded in 1393 by Eudoxia, wife of the great-duke Dmitri Ivanovitch Donfki. The abbefs politely accompanied us over the convent herfelf, and pointed out to us every object in the leaft degree worthy of attention. She firft conducted us to the principal chapel, which contained the tombs of feveral tzarinas and princeffes of the Imperial family. The tombs are a kind of ftone coffins laid on the floor, and ranged in rows very near each other; fome were inclofed with brafs, and others with iron balluftrades, but the greatest number had no distinction of this fort. Each fepulchre was covered with a pall of crimfon or black velvet, ornamented with an embroidered crofs in the middle, and edged with a border of gold and Silver lace. Over thefe, on great feftivals, are laid other coverings of gold and filver tiflue, richly Studded with pearls and precious ftones. The foundrefs of the convent is a faint, and is buried under the altar. The abbefs very obligingly prefented me with a MS. Ruflian account of the princeffes, who are interred in the church. After we had fully examined thefe repositories of the dead, and Surveyed the rich veftments of the priefts, and the figures of various faints painted on the walls, the abbefs invited its into her apartments. She led the way, and at the top of the flairs, * See Chap, VII, as as we entered the anti-chamber, ftruck the floor two or three blows with her ivory-handled cane, when inftantaneoully a chorus of about twenty nuns received us with hymns, which they continued ringing as long as we ftaid: the melody was not unpleafing. In an adjoining room tea was ferved to the company, and a table was plentifully fpread with pickled herrings, flices of fait fifh, cheefe, bread, butter, and cakes ; champaigne and liqueurs were tendered by the abbefs herfelf. After we had partaken of thefe refrelhments, we attended the abbefs through the apartments of the nuns, many of whom were employed in embroidering facerdotal habits for the archbifhop of Mofcow, and we took our leave. The nuns wore a long robe of black fluff, black veils, black forehead-cloth, and black wrappers under the chin, which made them look very difhial and pale. The abbefs was distinguished by a robe of black filk. The nuns are totally prohibited from meat, living chiefly upon fifh, eggs, and vegetables. In other refpects the order is not rigid, and they are allowed to pay occasional visits in the town. I have already had occafion to mention the great number of churches contained in this city. The Kremlin is not without its fhare ; in a fmall compafs I counted eight almoft contiguous to each other. Two of thefe churches, namely that of St. Michael, and that of the Affumptiou of the Virgin Mary, are remarkable ; the one for being the place where the fovereigns of Ruflia were formerly interred; and the other where they are crowned. Thefe edifices are both in the Same ftyle of architecture, and were probably constructed by Solarius of Milan, who built the walls of the Kremlin. Though the architect was obliged to conform his tafte to the models of ecclefiaftical buildings at that time ufed in Ruflia, yet their exterior form is not abfolutely inelegant, although it is an oblong fquare, and much too high in proportion to the breadth. Vol. I. Mm In In the cathedral of St. Michael I viewed the tombs of the Ruflian fovereigns. The bodies are not, as with us, depofited in vaults, or beneath the pavement, but are entombed in raifed Sepulchres, moftly of brick, in the Shape of a coffin, and about two feet in height. When I vifited the cathedral, the moll antient were covered with palls of red cloth, others of red velvet, and that of Peter IL with gold tiffue *, bordered with filver fringe and ermine. Each tomb has at its lower extremity a fmall filver plate, upon which is engraved, the name of the deceafed fovereign, and the sera of his death. From the time that Mofcow has been the Imperial refidence to the clofe of the lad century, all the tzars have been interred in this cathedral, excepting Boris Godunof, whofe remains are depofited in the convent of the Holy Trinity t, the tzar under the name of Demetrius J, who was destroyed in a tumult, and Vaflili Shuifki, who died in captivity at WarSaw. The tomb of Ivan VafSUievitch I. who may juftly be eSteemed the founder of the Ruflian greatnefs, claimed my principal attention. At his acceflion to the throne in 1462, Ruflia formed a collection of petty principalities engaged in perpetual wars with each other, fome of them nominally fubject to the great-duke of Mofcow, and all of them, together with that monarch himfelf, tributary to the Tartars §. Ivan, in the courfe of a profperous reign of above forty years, gave a new afpect to the Ruflian affairs : he annexed to his dominions the duchies of Tver and other neighbouring principali- * Upon great fcftivals all the fepulchres 11 meet them, and offer, as a mark of his re-arc covered with rich palls of gold or filver M fpecl, a cup of mare's milk ; and if a drop brocade, ftudded with pearls and jewels. " chanced to fall upon the mane of the horfe, f See Chap. VI. " on which the Tartar embaflador was fitting, X See Chap. VII. " he would himfelf lick it up. When they § The fervitude of the great-duke will beft " reached the hall of audience, the embaf-appcar from the following circumftances, re- *' fadors read the khan's letter feated upon corded by Cromer the Polifli hiftorian. " a carpet of the choiceft furs, while the *■ Whenever the Tartar embafTadors were " great-duke with his nobles knelt, and ** fent to Mofcow in order to colled the ac- " listened in refpedlful filence." Cromer, cnftomed tribute, the great-duke ufed to L. 29. p. 647, ties, ties, fubdued Novogorod, and, what was ftill more glorious and beneficial, he refcued this country from the Tartar yoke, and refufed the payment of the ignominious tribute, which for above a century had been exacted from his predeceffors. He had no fooner delivered Ruflia from this dependence, than his alliance was courted by many European fovereigns; and during his reign Mofcow faw, for the firft time, embafTadors from the emperor of Germany, from the pope, the grand-fignor, from the kings of Poland and Denmark, and from the republic of Venice. The talents of this able monarch were not confined to military atchievements: Ruflia was indebted to him for the improvement of her commerce, and for opening a more ready communication with the European nations. Under his aufpices, the knowledge of gunpowder and the art of calling cannon was firft brought into Ruflia by Ariftotle of Bologna * : he employed the fame artiftt, as well as other foreigners, to ftrike anew the Ruflian coins, which had hitherto been dif-figured by Tartar infcriptions; he engaged, at a vaft expence, Italian artifts to enclofe the Kremlins of Mofcow and Novogorod with walls of brick, and to construct feveral churches and other public Structures with the fame materials {. For his various civil and military fervices he defervedly acquired the name of the Great. He is defcribed as a perfon of gigantic Stature and ferocious afpect. His manners and deportment, Strongly infected with the barbarifm of his age and country, were fomewhat Softened and polifhed by the example of his fecond wife Sophia §, a Grecian princefs of confummate beauty and * Bachmeifter's Effai fur la Bib. de Pe- at his acccflion to the throne almoft all the terf. p. 28. buildings of Mofcow were of wood. f Poifevinus. § Sophia was daughter of Thomas Palieo- % A vaft effort in thofe barbarous times, golus, brother of Conftautine the laft Ore-and which deferves to be mentioned, becaufe cian emperor, who loft his life when Con- M no x ftanjinoplg book and winning addrefs; who to all the fofter graces of her fex added a vigorous and manly fpirit; and who, while Ihe in-fufed into her hufband a tafte for the arts of peace, animated him to thofe glorious enterprizes which tended to the aggrandizement of his country. Ivan the Great died in 1505, in the 67th year of his age : on each fide of his remains are depofited thofe of his father Vaflili Vaflilievitch, furnamed The Blind*; and of his fon Vailili Ivanovitch, who fucceeded him in the throne, and expired in 1533. In a fmall chapel adjoining to thefe tombs is the fepulchre of Ivan Vaftilievitch II. t fon and fucceffor of Vaflili Ivanovitch. This fovereign is branded by many writers with the name of tyrant, and reprefented as the moft odious monfter that ever difgraced human nature. In delineating, however, his general character, they are fometimes guilty of falfehoodj, fhntinople was taken by the Turks in 1453. Soon after that event Sophia repaired to Rome with her father, where they lived untie r the protection of the pope. The latter is faid to have negotiated her marriage with the great-duke, and even to have bellowed her portion, in hopes of procuring, through her uifliunce, great advantages to the Roman catholic religion in Ruflia. But thefe hopes were fruftrated; for Sophia, immediately upon her marriage in 1482, embraced the Greek religion. She encouraged her hufband in fhaking off the Tartar yoke; and probably nflifted him in procuring the ableft architects from Italy, See Herberftein, in Rer. Mof. Comm. p. 7. alfo Pan. Jovii De* Leg. Mof.—Ibid. p. 129. * He received the appellation of the Blind, becsufe his eyes had been put out by order ol his uncle, who, having formerly depofed him, pra£tifed this cruel expedient in order to diiqualify him from re-afcending the throne. He was afterwards, however, re-inftated in the fovereignty by the affection of his fubjects* f Called, by the Englifh writers, John Bafilovitz. J Thus fome writers affcrt, that when he walked out, or made a progrefs through his dominions, if he met any one whofe mien difpleafed him, he would order his head to be ftruck off, or do it himfelf. Others as abfurdly relate, that he would order bears to be let loofe upon a crowd of people aflembled in the ftreets of Mofcow, and diverted himfelf with the cries and agonies of the perfons devoured by thofe ferocious animals. Olearius informs us, that Ivan wantonly commanded the eyes of the architect, who built the church of the Holy Trinity at Mofcow, to be put out, that he might never con-itruct any building of fuperior beauty. Thefe idle tales confute themfelves; but the following report we are able to contradict from our own hiftory. Ivan is faid to have ordered the hat of the Englifh embaffador, Sir Jerome Bowes, to be nailed to his head, becaufe he refufed to take it off in the tzar's prefence. This report was occafioned by the cxag» geratcd account of a mifunder {landing between the tzar and Sir Jerome Bowes, which is related in the embaflador's difpatches. Hackluyt's Collection of Voyages, v. I. p. 460, &c, and and often of exaggeration, and feem totally to forget many c^p" great qualities which he certainly poffeffed. Though we fhould 1 .* ' not give implicit credit to many idle reports which are related of his favagenefs and inhumanity ; yet it would be equally as abfurd, and contrary to historical evidence, to deny or attempt to apologife for many cruelties # actually committed by this monarch, who, no more than Peter the Great, reckoned clemency among the number of his virtues. But while we regard the ferocity and implacability of his temper with abhorrence, we cannot refufe the tribute of admiration to his political character. He raifed the Superstructure of the Ruflian grandeur, of which his grandfather had laid the foundation. Inftead of a defultory militia, collected in hafte, and always impatient to dilband, he inftituted a Standing army; he aboliftied the ufe of the bow, hitherto the principal weapon among the Ruffians; he trained them to frre-arms, and ac-cuftomed them to a more regular difcipline. By means of this formidable body, he extended his dominions on all fides, conquered the kingdoms of Cafan and Aftracan, and rendered the Ruffian name refpectable to the distant powers of Europe* He gave to his fubjects the firft cone of written laws; he invited foreign artifts t to MoScow ; he introduced printing into Ruflia; he promoted commerce, and regulated the duties of export and import; he permitted Englifh merchants to efta-blifli factories within his dominions, and, with a liberality not always practifed by more enlightened fovereigns, granted to them the free exercife of their religion ; be had even formed the defign, which death alone prevented, of instituting various feminaries for the cultivation of tbe Latin and German * Inftances of whifh the reader will find armourers, fta^tloaers, mafons, &c. have al- in fhe 6th Chap, of this Bnok, and the :d of ready arrived at l.ubec in their way to Mof- Book IV. cow, but weie prevented from proceeding by f Above three hundred artifts of all pro- the intrigues of the inhabitants of Lubec, feflions, namely, painters, fculptnrs, arch)- and the natives of Livonia. .See Bachmeiftcr's tecls, watch-makers, carters of beiU, miner?, I.ffai fur la Bib. it'C, p. it. languages. languages. In a word, he may fairly be efteemed one of m—thofe fovereigns, who have contributed to improve and civilize their fubjects. Ivan Vaflilievitch II. died in 1584, in an agony of grief at the death of his eldeft fon Ivan, whofe remains are placed contiguous to thofe of his father. Hiftorians have recorded, that this prince received his death, from the perfon to whom he was indebted for his life, by an unfortunate blow upon his temple. The enemies of the tzar have not failed to impute this melancholy cataftrophe to defign; while his apologifts have no lefs ftrenuoufly laboured to reprefent it as merely accidental. Upon weighing thefe difcordant accounts with impartiality, it appears, that the blow was either cafual, or, if defigned to chaftife, certainly not intended to be fatal. Feodor, the fecond fon and fucceffor of Ivan Vaflilievitch IL is interred in the fame chapel; a prince of fuch weak intellects and notorious incapacity, as to be a mere phantom of fo-vereignty, and entirely under the direction of his brother-in-law Boris Godunof. Feodor afcended the throne in 1584, and expired in 1598: in him ended the male line of the fovereigns of the houfe of Ruric *, a family who had reigned over Ruflia for a period of more than feven centuries. Among the tombs in this church, the moft remarkable is that which contains the body of a child, fuppofed by the Ruffians to have been the third fon of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. who is faid to have been affafiinated at Vglitz, in the ninth year of his age, by order of Boris Godunof. This tomb, which is more diftinguifhed than thofe of the Ruflian fovereigns, is of brafs and highly ornamented. The child is claffed among the faints of the Ruffian calendar, and, according to the legends of the church, his body is faid to have performed miracles, and is believed by the credulous to remain uncorrupted. The top * Unlefs Demetrius was the real fon of Ivan VaiTilievitch II. Of of the fepulchre is frequently uncovered, and, during divine fervice on the feftival of St. Alexander Nevfki, I obferved fe- * veral Ruffians kifling the infide with great marks of devotion. The hiftory of the affaflinadon at Vglitz, and the adventures of the real or pretended Demetrius, who filled the throne for a ihort time, require a feparate narrative. The fovereigns of the houfe of Romanof are interred in the body of the church : their tombs arc placed on each fide between the maffy pillars, which fupport the roof. The firft of this illuftrious line is Michael Feodorovitch, whofe election in 1613 put a final period to a long fcene of civil bloodfhed, and reftored tranquillity to his diffracted country. He owed his elevation to his high rank and princely defcent; but more particularly to the virtues, abilities, and popularity of his father Philaretes. A body of Ruflian nobles having tendered the crown to Ladiflaus prince of Poland, that prince had actually affumed the title of tzar, and eftablifhed a garrifon at Mofcow: foon afterwards a powerful party, averfe to the government of a foreigner, expelled the Poles from the capital, and unanimoufly advanced Michael to the throne/ though at that time fcarcely feventecn years of age. It is lingular, that he was raifed to this high Ration, not only without his knowledge, but even in repugnance to his own inclination. When the deputies from Mofcow arrived at Coftroma, where he at that time redded with his mother, and acquainted him with his election; Michael, recollecting the dreadful cataftrophes which had befallen all the tzars fince the demife of Feodor Ivanovitch, and reflecting on the prefent diffracted ftate of Ruflia, burft into tears; and for a while declined the proffered crown, which feemed to entail destruction upon thofe who had ventured to wear it*. Overcome, however, by the importunities of the deputies, and * See Bufching'* Account of the Election of Michru.l. Hi ft. V. I:. . - partly partly dazzled with the fplendour of royalty, Michael at length yielded to the willies of his country ; and repairing without delay to Mofcow, was crowned with the ufual folemnities. Though he afcended the throne with reluctance, he filled it with dignity : and found a protection from thofe diftafters which overwhelmed his immediate predeceffbrs, in his own difcretion, in the wife counfels of his father, and in the affection of his fubjects. Michael died in 1648, after a prof-perous reign of 28 years. Alexey Michaelovitch his fon, whofe allies lie contiguous to his remains, is chiefly known by foreigners as the father of Peter the Great; but he deferves likewife our attention for his own public virtues, and for a variety of falutary institutions. He revifed, amended, and new-modelled the code of laws compiled by Ivan Vaffilievitch II.; he introduced a more regular difcipline into the army; and invited * foreign officers into his fervice; he procured from Amfterdam feveral Ship-builders, whom he employed in constructing veffels for the navigation of the Cafpian Sea; in a word, he traced the great outlines of many of thofe regulations which were afterwards improved and enlarged by the vaft genius of his fon Peter the Great. Alexey deceafed in 1676, in the 32d year of his reign, and the 49th of his age. Opposite to the fepulchre of Alexey are thofe of his fons Feodor and Ivan : Feodor, who fucceeded his father in the throne, has been defcribed by Voltaire and others as a prince who poffeffed a vigorous mind in a weak frame, and whofe administration was dignified with many ufeful and glorious regulations. The truth is, however, that incapacity, no lefs than ill-health, difqualified him from conducting the affairs * Mayerberg fays, among the foreign offi- than an hundred colonels, majors, captains, cers in the fervice of Alexey Michaelovitch, lieutenants, and enligns in proportion, were two generals, two field marfhals, more Of of government; that he actually resigned himfclf to the direction of his filter Sophia: and that all the beneficial acts of his adminiftration mult be afcribed to her influence, and to the abilities of his prime minister the great Galitzin. Feodor, after a Short reign of fix years, funk in 1682 under the difor-ders which had long preyed upon his frame. Ivan, fecond brother of Feodor, and rightful heir of the throne, was fo debilitated by epileptic fits, both in body and mind-, that he was at firft excluded from the fucceflion as incapable of difcharging the functions of government, but was afterwards recognized as joint-fove reign with his half-brother Peter the Great; he was confidered merely as a puppet, held up to Satisfy the multitude, and to Secure to bis adherents a (hare in the adminiftration of affairs. He was allowed to continue this ftate-pagcant during the remainder of his life; and his death, which happened in 1698, was fcarcely perceived by his fubjects, and not known to the reft of Europe, except by the omillion of his name in the public acts. The fovereigns fubfequent to Ivan are interred at Peterfburgh, excepting Peter II. whofe allies repofe in this cathedral. This monarch, the fon of the unfortunate Tzarovitch Alexey, was born in 17 15, Succeeded in 1727 Catharine 1. and died in 1730 of the fmall-pox in this city, on the very day which had been appointed for his marriage with the princefs Dolgorucki. His death was occasioned by the ignorance of the phyficians, who treated his diforder as a malig- * Schleiffing, who was at Mofcow during " being feen on Recount of its deformity, the adminiftration of Sophia, thus defcribes " But he is very pious and devout ; and aet the perfon of Ivan. " Ivan Alexey, the " oh account of his weak conftitution, lie " eldeft tzar, is ill-formed by nature, info* " cannot hunt, or take any violent exercile, " much that he can neither rightly fee, " he is the more eonftant in his attend nice «' read, or fpeak. He always wears a piece *• at church, and never muTes a proceftion. " of green hlk before his eyes, in order to «' He is fhort in his perfon, very thin, and *' prevent the upper part ol his face from ii is now 30 years of age." Vol. I, N n nant book nant fever, Peter II. acquired great popularity by fixing,. «—w—-during the latter part of his fhort reign, his imperial refidence at Mofcow. He was greatly regretted as the grandfon of Peter the Great, and as the perfon in whom the male line, of the Houfe of Romanof became extinct. Sovereigns Tzars of different Families. 13. Bnris Godunof, elcttcd Tzar 1598; died in 1&05 His fon Feodor, proclaimed Tzar in April by his father's party, and put to death in June,can fcarcely be claiTcd among the Ruffian fovereigns. Dmkri, or Demetrius, the Falfe Demetrius of the Ruffians ; by others called the fon of Ivan Vaffilievitch II. af-cended the throne in June, 1605; auaifinatcd May, 160&. Vaflili Ivanovitch Shuifki, elecTed Tzar upon the aflalhnation of Demetrius in 1606 ; depofed in 1610; died ia captivity at Warfaw. N n 2 Sovereigns Sovereigns of Russia of the Houfe of RomanOF. o ON o I. Michael Fcodorovitch, elected Tzar 1613 ; died 1633. _y r II. Alexey Michaelovitch, died 1676, married 1. Maria Ilifhna Miloflafflty; 2. Natalia Kirilofna Narifkin. ___'V____-,---,__ III. Feodor Alexievitch, bom 1651; died 160;. IV. Ivan Alcxicvitch, born 1666; died 1695; married Proikovia Solrikof. _A--—, Sophia, died 1704. Alexey had many other daughters, who all died unmarried. Catharine Ivanofna, died 1733 ; married Charles Leopuiel duke of Mecklenbui ;rh. v__ VII. Anne Ivanofna, born 1694; Emprefs 1730; died 1-40; married Frederick William duke of Couiiand. IV. Peter the Great, by Natalia, born 1672 } died 1725: mar. 1. Eudo-kia Lapukin ; 2. V. Catharine, who was born about 16S9; Emprefs 172;; died 1727. __/V_,___ Anne, Regent of Ruflia, 1740; died in prifon at Kolmogori 1746; married Anthony Ulnc brother to the duke of Biunl-wick. Anthony died 1782, Alexev Petrovitch, bv Eudokia, born 169 1 ; died 171S ; married Charlotte princefs of Brunf-wick. >--- Anne Petrofni, by Catharine, b. 1707 ; died 1 730 ; mai 1 led Charles Frederhk duke of Hoi lie in Gottorp. VIII. Ivan, born and Emperor 1740; depoftd 1741; put to denth at Schlufiel-buigh 1764. VI. Peter II. Alexicvitch, born 1715; Em pet or 1727 ; died 1730. IX. Elizabeth, by Catharine, bo. 1709 ■, Em -profs 1741 j d. 1761. X. Peter III. born 1-2S ; Emperor 1761 ; depofed and died 1762; manied XI. Catharine II. princefs of Anhalt-Zcibzt the prefent Emprefs, born 1729. V__ > r Paul Petrovitch, born i7;4; married 1. Natalia princefs of flilfe Darin-ftadt; 2. Maria princefs of Wurtcn-burgh Stugard. Alexander, born 1777. Conftaiume, born 1779, > < w I-•—« O C zn C II A 1\ IV. Cathedral of the Affumption of the Virgin Mary in the Kremlin. •—Tombs of the Ruflian patriarchs.—Origin and abolition of the patriarchal dignity.—Account of the patriarchal Phila-retes father of the houfe of Romanof.—Biographical anecdotes of the patriarch Nicon. NOT HER church in the Kremlin, namely, the cathe- chap. ~L dral of the Affumption of the Virgin Mary, which has , long been appropriated to the coronation of the Ruflian fovereigns, remains to be defcribed. This church is the moft fplcndid and magnificent in Mofcow. The fcreen is in many parts covered with plates of folid iilvcr and gold richly worked. From the centre of the roof hangs an enormous chandelier of marly Silver, weighing 2940 pounds: it was made in England, and was a prefent from Morofof, prime- minifter and favourite of Alexey Michaelovitch. The facred uteniils and epifcopal veftments are extraordinarily rich, but the tafte of the workmanlhip is in general rude, and by no means equal to the materials. Many of the paintings which cover the infide walls are of a Coloifal fize : fome are very antient, and were executed lb early as in the latter end of the fifteenth century. It contains, amongft the reft, a head of the Virgin, fuppofed to have been delineated by St. Luke, and greatly celebrated in this country for its fanctity and the power of Working miracles. Its face is almoft black ; its head is ornamented with a glory of precious ftones, and its hands and body are gilded, which gives it a moft grotefque appearance. It is placed in the lkreen, and enclofed bi°ii)K enclofed within a large filver covering, which is only taken off on great feftivals, or for the curiofity of ftrangers. This picture is more antient than the other paintings: according to the tradition of the church, it was brought from Greece to Kiof when that city was the refidence of the Ruffian fovereigns ; from thence it was conveyed to Volodimir, and afterwards transferred to Mofcow. It feems a Grecian painting, and was probably anterior to the revival of that art in Italy *. In this cathedral are depofited the remains of the Ruffian patriarchs. The firft of thefe was Job, before whofe time the primate of the Ruflian church was fuffragan to the patriarch of Con-ftantinople. Job, being metropolitan archbifhop of Mofcow, was, in the year 1588, inftalled in this cathedral patriarch of * 1 faw feveral paintings of the Virgin in ihe north of Italy fimilar to this t a few were faid to be the productions of St, Luke, others of Cimabue, or his fcholars. The complexion in thefe was likewife of a dufky hue, and plainly from the fancy of the painters. This leads me to imagine that the Grecian painters originally reprcfenfcd the Virgin of a dark complexion, which was copied by the earlieft Italian artifts, Cimabue and his immediate fcholars, who received the art from the Greeks. Le Bruyn, fpeaking of this picture of St. Luke at Mofcow, fays, *' It is very gloomy and almoft black ; but ** whether this proceeds from the effects of *•* time, or the fmoke of tapers, or the fancy ** of the painter; certain it is, there is no i( great matter in it," &c. Travels, vol, I. p. 70. An ingenious author, in a late publication, mentions in the monaftery of Monte-Virgine, n Col offal portrait of the Virgin Mary, which pafies for the work of St. Luke the Evangelift, and adds, l* There are in ** Italy and elfcwhere fome dozens of black, ** ugly Madonnas, which all pafs lor the ii work of his hands, and as fuch are re-f4 vered." To which paffage he fubjoins the following note, but without citing his autho- rity! "The origin of this fable, or rather *' miftake, appears to be, that about the " time that paintings of holy fubjects. came " into falhion, there lived at Conftantinoplc ** a pointer called Luke, who, by many re-M pre leu tat ion s of the Virgin, acquired a " very tranfeendent reputation. He was a " man of exemplary life, and on account of " his piety, and the edifying ufe he made " of his talents, was generally known by the " name of the Holy Luke. In procels of 44 time, when the epochs and circumftances " of his life were forgotten by the vulgar, *• and his performances had acquired by age " a fmoky, dtifky call, fufficient to perplex " the fhort-fighted connohTeurs of thofe " days, devotees afcribed his pictures to the " Evangelift, who was pronounced a painter, *•! becaufe they knew of no other faint of ** the name, and becaufe if he had been a ,l painter, no one could have had fuch op-'* portunities of examining and delineating 44 the features of the holy model." Swinburne's Travels in the Two Sicilies, p. 123, For proof of the introduction of painting into Ruffia and Italy by the Greeks, fee the Defcription of the Cathedral of St, Sophia at Novogorod. Ruflia, M O S CO W. Ruflia, by Jercmias patriarch of Conftantinopie, with all due c folemnitics. The ceremony of translating the fee from the capital of Turkey to this city is thus defcribed by an author, who was himfelf prefent *. "On the 25th of January, 1588, the Greek patriarch, M accompanied with the Ruffe cleargie, went to the great 11 church of Prechefte, or our Ladie, within the Emperour's cc cattle, where he made an oration, and delivered his refig-'* nation in an inflrument of writing, and fo laid down his u patriarchal ftaffe ; which was prefently received by the me-" tropolite of Mofko, and divers other ceremonies ufed about u the inauguration of the new patriarch." The molf. venerable of Job's fucceffors in the patriarchal fee was Philaretes, who, though no fovereign himfelf, is celebrated as being father to that line of Ruflian monarchs, dillinguilhed by the name of the Houfe of Romanof t. His fecular name was Feodor: he drew his lineage from Andrew, a Pruflian prince, who came into Ruflia about the middle of the fourteenth century, and whofe immediate descendants enjoyed the moft confiderable honours and the higheft offices under the fovereigns of this country. Feodor was fon of Nikita Romanovitch, great grandfon of Andrew, and nephew of Anaftafia firrt wife of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. By the will of that monarch he was, in conjunction with two other noble- * Fletcher's Ruffia, Chap, »i, This author adds, that Jeremias, whom he calls Hi>-eronimo, had been either banilhed from Conftantinopie by the Turks, or depofed by the Greek clergy, that he came to Mofcow without any invitation from the Ruffians,, in order to obtain money from the tzar Feodor Ivanovitch, and that with this view he pro-pofed the tranil.nion of the patriarchal fee from Conftantinopie to Mofcow. Others deny that he was either depofed or banifhed ; and relate, that the tzar having formally demanded the coufcnt of the four patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Conftantinopie, and Jerufalem, to the eftablifbnient of a new patriarch in Ruffia, they acceded to the requeft, and folemnly deputed fere-mias to Mofcow, who inverted the metropolitan Job with the new dignity. King on the Greek Church1, p. 496. t In confequence of a cuftom prevalent among the Ruffians to adopt the appellation of the grandfather for a family name, th«j new royal line was called Romaoof, in honour of Roman, Feodor's grandfather. men,, men, appointed to Superintend the adminiftration of government under Feodor Ivanovitch, who was extremely deficient in his underftanding; but fupplanted by the arts of Boris Godunof, whole lifter had efpoufcd the young tzar, he was excluded from all lhare in the direction of affairs during the whole reign of that weak prince. When Boris himfelf was elevated to the throne, the high birth, great abilities, and popularity of Feodor Romanof rendered him fo obnoxious to the new monarch, that he was compelled to affumc the priefthood, and was confined in a monaltery ; when, according to the Ruflian cuftom, he changed his name to Philarctcs. Upon the acceflion of the fovereign, whom the Ruffians call the Falfe Demetrius, he was rcleafcd from his confinement, and appointed to the archbiflioprick of Roftof; but in this period of his life he feemed doomed to a fucceflion of im-prifonmcnts. Soon after the deposition of Vaflili Shuhki, when a ftrong party among the nobles had agreed to elect. Ladillaus, fon of Sigifmond III. king of Poland, tzar of Ruflia, Philarctcs was, in 1610, difpatched at the head 6t an cmbafly to Sigifmond, in order to fettle the conditions of his fon's election. He found the Polilh monarch engaged in the liege of Smolenfko; and when the king demanded the immediate ceflion of that town, Philaretes warmly returned, " When " your fon has afcended our throne, he will poffefs not only " Smolenfko, but all Ruflia; and it ill becomes you to dif-" member his territories." Sigifmond, exafperated at this fpirited reply, and ftill farther inflamed by the remonftrances which Philaretes and the embafTadors urged againft his conduct towards Ruflia, arrefted and threw them into prifon. Philaretes languished nine years in the cattle of Marienburgh *, in Pruflia, under a moft rigorous confinement, during which even many of the common neceffaries were frequently with- * Bufching. Hill. Mag. v. II p. 403. 2 held held from him. His abfence, however, did not diminifli the chap. IV refpect and veneration which the Ruffians entertained for his * -w!ri, character : the whole nation unanimoufly conferred the crown upon his fon Michael, a youth only in the feventeenth year of his age, in hopes that a peace with Poland would reftore Philaretes to his country, and render him the director of that power with which they had inverted his fon. This expectation was gratified at the peace of Viafma, concluded in 1619, between Ruflia and Poland, which gave Philaretes to the wifhes of the people. Immediately upon his arrival at Mofcow he was confecrated patriarch, and became the real, though not the oftenfible, fovereign of this country, as his fon may be faid to have held the reins of government under his abfolute direction. He was inverted with the adminiftration of affairs; his name was frequently affociated in the public acts with that of the tzar * ; he gave audience to embafTadors t ; and upon many public occafions wras permitted to take precedence of his fon];. His experience, moderation, and abilities, rendered him worthy of thefe high honours, and this unbounded authority ; and the profperity of Michael's reign proclaimed the wifdom of his fage monitor. Philaretes died in 1633 m an advanced age, regretted by his fon and the whole kingdom. The laft of thefe patriarchs was Adrian, at whofe demife, in 1690, Peter, attentive to the true interefts of his crown, could never be prevailed upon to nominate a fucceffor; and in 1721 the patriarchal dignity was formally abolifhed. In a former chapter I obferved, thai there are no feats in the 'Ruflian churches, the ceremonial of the Greek worfhip requiring all perfons to ftand during the performance of divine fervice. In this cathedral, facred to the Affumption of the Virgin Mary, I obferved two elevated places near the fkrecu, * Schmid. Ruff. Gef. v. II. p. 13. f Bufching. Hift. Mag. v. VII. p. 329. J Olearius. Vol. I. O o enclofed B?nK enc^°^e(^ w*tu rails without feats : one of them is appropriated c—v—. to the fovereign, the other was formerly deftined for the patriarch, whofe ftate and grandeur were in fome inftances not inferior to thofe of the tzar himfelf. Upon fome public occafion the archbiftiop of Novogorod, who afpired to have the patriarchal dignity revived in his perfon, pointing to the place formerly occupied by the patriarch, remarked to Peter, " Sire, " that ftructure is now ufelefs ; will not your majefty order • it to be removed ?" Peter was lilent; but, upon the arch-bifhop's repeating the queftion, turned to him and faid, " That " place fliall not be removed, nor fhall you fill it." The Ruffians reckon eleven patriarchs from the firft efta-blifhment of the dignity in the perfon of Job, to its final abolition after the death of Adrian. Of thefe the greater!: and moft confpic nous was the celebrated Nicon, whom, as he is the only patriarch not interred in this cathedral, I could not mention upon contemplating their tombs. It is hoped that no apology needs be offered for the following account of a man, whom fome Ruffians ftill abhor as Antichrift, and others adore as a faint; and whofe extraordinary character has never been faithfully reprefented to the Englifh reader. Nicon was born in 1613, in a village of the government of Nifhnei Novogorod, of fuch obfcure parents, that their names and (ration are not tranfmitted to pofterity. He received, at the baptifmal font, the name of Nikita, which afterwards, when he became monk, he changed to Nicon, the appellation by which he is more generally known. He was educated in the convent of St. Macarius, under the care of a monk. From the courfe of his ftudies, which were almoft folely directed to the Holy Scriptures, and the exhortations of his preceptor, he imbibed at a very early period, the ftrongelft attachment to a monaftick life; and was only prevented from following the bent of his mind by the perfuafions and authority of his father. ther. In conformity, however, to the withes of his family, though contrary to his own inclination, he entered into matrimony ; and, as that ftate precluded him from being admitted into a convent, he was ordained a fecular prieft. With his wife he paffed ten years; firft as a parifh-prieft in fome country village, and afterwards at Mofcow in the fame capacity ; but lofing three children, whom he tenderly loved, his difguft for the world and his propenllty to folitude returned with redoubled violence; and, having perfuaded his wife to take the veil, he entered into the monaftick order. He chofe for his own retreat a fmall ifland of the White-Sea, inhabited only by a few perfons, who formed a kind of ecclefiaftical eftablifhment, as remarkable for the aufterity of their rules as for the folitude of their lituation : about twelve monks dwelled in feparate cells fcattered at equal diftances from each other *, and from the church which flood in the center of the ifland. Thefe lonely cenobites affembled regularly on Saturday evening in the church, where they aflifted in the performance of divine fervice during the whole night, and the next day until noon, when they retired to their refpective habitations. This practice was repeated on certain fcftivals; while at other times each reclufe occupied his cell undilturbed by any mutual intercourfe. Their food was bread, and fifh which they caught themfelves, or procured from parts of the contiguous continent. Such was the fituation which Nicon adopted as congenial to the gloomy ftate of his own mind ; where, brooding in folitude upon the uncertainty of human life, he was unhappily led to conlider the moft debating aufterities as acceptable to the Supreme Being; and neceffanly contracted that cloiftered pride, which gave an alloy to his fubiime virtues, and which proved the greateft defect in his character, * Two verfts, or a mile arid an half. O O 2 when book when afterwards called upon to fulfil the duties of a publick ^ „ * > and exalted Ration. After a fhort refidence in this ifland, Nicon was chofen to accompany the chief of the ecclefiaftical eftablifhment to Mofcow, in order to raife a collection for the building of a new church. He was fcarcely returned from this expedition, when, at the inftigation of the chief, whom he had offended during his journey, he was compelled by the oilier monks to retire from the ifland; he embarked in an open boat, with only a fingle perfon to afTift him, in an high ft a; being overtaken by a violent ftorm, he was toffed about and in continual danger of perifhing, but was at length driven upon an ifland near the mouth of the Onega. From this ifland he repaired to a monaftery upon the contiguous continent; and being admitted into the fociety, inftead of inhabiting an apartment in the convent, he, in imitation of his former folitude, conftructed a feparate cell on an adjacent ifland, where he lived upon the fifh that he caught with his own hands, and never vifited the monaftery but during the time of divine fervice. By this reclufe and rigid way of life he was held in fuch high efteem by the brethren, that upon the death of their fuperior they unanimoufly raifed him to the vacant dignity. He continued in this capacity for three years, when, being drawn by fome family affairs to Mofcow, he was cafually prefented to the tzar Alexey Michaelovitch ; that monarch was fo captivated with his various talents, extenfive learning, and natural eloquence, that he detained him at Mofcow, and took him under his immediate protection. Within lefs than the fpace of five years he was fucceflively created archimandrite or abbot of the Novofpatfkoi convent, archbifhop of Novogorod, and patriarch of Ruflia. He deferved thefe rapid promotions by a rare affemblage of extraordinary qualities, which even his enemies allow him to have poffeffed, undaunted undaunted courage, irreproachable morals, exalted chanty, comprehenlive learning, and commanding eloquence. While archbifhop of Novogorod, to which dignity he was raifed in 1649, he gave a memorable inftance of his firmnefs and difcretion. During a tumult in that city, the Imperial governor, prince Feodor Kilkof, took refuge in the archie-pifcopal palace againft the fury of the infurgents; who, burfting open the gates, threatened inftant pillage if the governor was not delivered to them without delay. Nicon, inftead of acceding to their demand, boldly advanced into the midft of them, and exhorted them to peace. The populace, inflamed to madnefs by the prelate's appearance, transferred their rage from the governor to him; alfaulted him with ftones, dragged him by the hair, and offered every fpecies of violence and indignity to his perfon. Being conveyed to the palace in a ftate of infenfibility, he was recovered by immediate affiftance ; but, regardlefs of the imminent danger from which he hadjull cfcaped, he per filled'in his refolutiou, either to appeafe the tumult, or perifli in the attempt. With this defign, as if devoting himfelf to certain death, he confeffed and received the facrament, and repaired to the town-houfe, where the infurgents were affembled. He confounded them by his prefence ; foftened them into repentance by a firm, but pathetic, addrefs; and, perfuading them to difperfe, , tranquillity was inltantly reftored to the town, which the moment before had exhibited a fcene of confufion and uproar. This calm, however, was of no long duration : the fedition, which had been thus allayed by the fpirit and eloquence of Nicon, being fomented by the ringleaders of the tumult, broke into open rebellion; many of the inhabitants renounced their allegiance to the tzar, and propofed to deliver the town into the hands of the king of Poland. The prelate, however, not daunted by this change in their fentinlents, did not difcon- tinue book tinue his efforts to bring them back to their duty: his re-i—n— monftrances and exhortations were gradually attended with fuccefs; many flocked to his palace, deliring his interceffion with their enraged fovereign ; and though the remainder of the infurgents blocked up all the avenues to the town, yet he contrived, at the peril of his life, to fend information to the tzar. Being armed, by a commifRon from Mofcow, with full authority, he, with a proper degree of vigour, yet without the effufion of blood, finally quelled the rebellion. To him was remitted the trial of the rebels, and the abfolute dif-pofal of life and death; an office which he executed with as much judgement as lenity. Only the leader of the fedition was punifhed with death ; ten of his moft mutinous adherents were knooted and banifhed; and a few others were condemned to a lhort imprifonment. Nicon nobly overlooked and forgave the outrage committed againft his own perfon; and in chaftizing the public offence tempered the feverity of juftice with the feelings of humanity. He obtained the refpect of the inhabitants by the unwearied affuluity with which he performed the functions of his archiepifcopal office ; and conciliated their affection by acts of unbounded charity. During a dreadful famine he appropriated the revenues of his fee to the relief of the poor; he conftructed alms-houfes for widows, old men, and orphans: he was the great patron of the indigent; and the zealous protector of the lower clafs of men againft the oppreflions of the great. He was no lefs confpicuous in the vigilant difcharge of the high duties of his patriarchal office, to which he was appointed in 1652, only in the 39th year of his age. He in-ftituted feminaries for the inftruction of priefts in the Greek and Latin languages ; he enriched the patriarchal library with many rare ecclefiaftical and claflical manufcripts drawn from 4 a a convent at Mount Athos: by a diligent revifal of the Holy Scriptures, and a collation of the various editions of the Old and New Teffament, perceiving that many errors had crept into the printed copies of the Bible and Liturgy ufed for divine fervice ; he prevailed upon the tzar to fummon a general council of the Greek church at Mofcow, in which he pre-fided. By his arguments, authority, and influence, it was determined that the molt antient Sclavonian verfion of the Bible was exact, and that the errors with which the later copies abounded fhould be corrected, tie infpected and fu-perintended the printing of a new edition of the Sclavonian Bible, which was become fo rare as not to be purchafed at any price. He removed from the churches the pictures of deceafed perfons, to which many of the Ruffians offered the moft blind adoration; he abolifhed a few ceremonies which had been carried to a moft fnperftitious excefs : in a word, his labours tended more to the reformation of the church, than the united efforts of all his predeceffors in the patriarchal fee. Nor did he folely diltinguifh himfelf in his profeflional duties ; but fhewed himfelf no lefs qualified in a civil capacity. Notwithstanding the courfe of his ftudies hitherto folely confined to ecclefiaftical fubjects, and the reclufenefs of his former life which feemed to have impeded the attainment of political knowledge, yet he was no fooner called to a public Ration, than his abilities expanded in proportion as the objects which they embraced became more numerous and important: his fagacity, Sharpened by continual application, foon rendered him mafter of the moft intricate affairs of government; taught him to comprehend and difcriminate a variety of the moft oppofite interefts; and to adopt that decifive line of conduct which marks the great and enlightened ftatefman. Being confulted by the tzar upon all occafions, he foon became the jiooK tnc fom 0f councils and gained the afcendancy in the —„—i cabinet by the Splendour of his reafoning, and by a vaft fuperiority of genius, ever fertile in expedients, and prone to recommend the moft vigorous and Spirited meafures. When he feemed thus to have attained the higheft fummit of human grandeur to which a fubject can arrive, he fell a victim to popular difcontents, and to the cabals of a court. His fall, no lefs fudden than his rife, muft be traced from the following caufes. The removal of the painted images from the churches difgufted a large party among the Ruffians fu-perititioutly addicted to the adoration of their anceftors; the correction of the errors in the Liturgy and Bible, the abolition of fome ceremonies, and the admiflion of a few others (introduced, perhaps, with too much hafte, and without paying a due deference to the prejudices of his countrymen), occafioned a fchifm in the church; many perfons averfe to all innovations, and adhering to the old tenets and ceremonies, formed a very confiderable feet under the appellation of Old Believers, and, rifing in feveral parts, created much disturbance to the ftate, circumstances naturally imputed to Nicon by his enemies: he attracted the hatred of an ignorant and indolent clergy by the appointment of Greek and Latin feminaries; he raifed the envy and jealoufy of the prime-minifter and courtiers by his predominance in the cabinet, and by the haughtinefs of his deportment; and by the fame means he offended the tza-rina and her father, who were implacable in their refentmcnt* All thefe various parties uniting in one great combination againft him, Nicon hastened his fall by a fupcrcihuus de- * The influence which Nicon, from the " cote du czar, mais il preteruhiif, qu'on ne fuperiority of his genius, obtained in the " pouvait faire ni la guerre ni ia paix fans tzar's councils, perhaps induced Voltaire, in 11 fon confenteinent," &c. Hid. de Pierre his erroneous account of this patriarch, to le Grand, p. 74. From Voltaire the corn-declare, that he " voulut elever fa chaire piler of the article of Ruffia, in the Univerfal 11 au-defiut du trone ; non feulement il ufur- Hiitory, has adopted this idle aflertion. pan le droit de s'afleoir dans le feoat a V. XXXVIII. p. 140, meanour, meanour, which occafion ally bordered upon arrogance; by trusting folely for his fupport to the rectitude of his conduct and the favour of his fovereign; and by difdaining to guard againft, what he confidered, as the petty intrigues of a court. The only circumstance which feemed wanting to complete his difgrace was the lofs of Alcxey's protection; and this wras at length effected by the gradual, but fecret, insinuations of the tzarina and her party, who finally availed themfelves of an unfuccefsful war with Poland, of which the patriarch is faid to have been the principal advifer, to excite the tzar's difplea-fure againft him. Nicon, finding himfelf excluded from the prefence of a fovereign accuftomed to confult him upon every emergency, and difdaining to hold the highest office in the kingdom, when he had loft the confidence of his mafter, afto-nifhed the public by a voluntary abdication of his patriarchal dignity. This meafure, cenfured by many as hafty and imprudent, and as highly expreflive of that pride which Strongly marked his character, muft yet be efteemed manly and reSo-lute ; which even thoSe who condemn cannot but admire. It may alSo admit of great palliation, if we consider, what is moft probable, that the popular odium was rifing againft him ; that a powerful party had abfolutely, though fecretly, effectuated his difgrace; and that, as he forefaw his fall, he preferred a voluntary abdication of his dignity to a forcible deposition, chufing to relign with Spirit what he thought he could not retain without meanneSs #. This abdication took place on the 21SH of July, 1658, only fix years after he had been created patriarch; when he * This is the opinion, of Mayerberg, who 11 cxpetitus patrocinium nullum invenerit in came to Mofcow fix years after his abdica- " favore Alexii, cujus animum fenfim abalie- cation : After enumerating the caufes of " naverant ja&is in longum odiis uxor et focer his fall, he adds, " Propter quae omnia om- " illi ob privatas caufas infenfi," p, 87. *' nibus exo/usy et ad exilhun communibui votis f The 10th, o. S, Vol. 1. P p quitted quitted that exalted Ration with the fame greatnefs of foul with which lie had afcendcd it. He was permitted to retain the title of patriarch, while the'functions of his office were performed by the archbifhop of Novogorod. He chofe for the place of his refidence the convent of Jerufalem, built and endowed by himfelf, which is fituated about the diftance of thirty miles from the city of Mofcow. Upon his arrival at the convent he immediately re-affumed his former reclufe way of life, and practifed the moft rigid mortifications. His hermitage, which he inhabited, lay about a mile from the monaftery, and is thus defcribed by an author % who viiited the fpot in the beginning of this century : " A winding ftair-cafe, fo narrow that one *( man could hardly pafs, leads to the little chapel of about a " fathom in the fquare, in which the patriarch ufed to per-" form his folitary worfhip. The room in which he lived *: was not much larger; in it hung a broad iron-plate, with a crofs of brafs fixed to a heavy chain, weighing above a twenty pounds, all which the laid patriarch wore about his " neck for twenty years together. His bed was a fquare u ftone two ells in length, and fcarcely one in breadth, over 11 which was fpread nothing but a cover of rufhes. Below in *' the houfe was a fmall chimney, in which the patriarch ** ufed to drefs his own victuals." While we admire the firmnefs with which he fupported this reverfe of fortune, we cannot without regret obferve a perfon of his enlightened understanding fubmitting to thefe mortifying penances, which the moft ignorant and fuperfti-tious Anchorite was no lefs capable of performing: he did not* however* wade his whole time in the performance of frivolous austerities ; but employed great part of his retirement in compiling a regular Series of Ruffian annalists from Neftor, the earlieft historian of this country, to the reign of Peny-3 State of RiuTia, v. 1. p. 140* 5 Alexey Alexey Michaelovitch. He purfued this plan with the lame zeal which had diftinguifhed all his other purfuits. He compared and collated the numerous manufcripts, and, after the moft diligent examination, he digefted the whole collection in chronological order into a work, which is called fometimes, from its author, the Chronicle of Nicon; and fometimes, from the place where it was begun and depofited, the Chronicle of the Convent of Jerufalem. This compilation, the labour of twenty years, is juftly efteemed, by the beft Ruffian hiftorians, a work of the greatest ufe and authority; and was confidered, by its venerable author, of fuch importance to the hiftory of his country, that, in the true fpirit of enthufiafm, he begins the performance by anathematizing all thofe who fhould attempt to alter the minuteft expreflion. The innocent manner, however, in which he feems to have palfed his time could not protect him from the further perfections of his enemies, who were apprehenfive, that while he retained the name of patriarch he might be reinftated in his former dignity. Repeated complaints were lodged againft him ; every disturbance, occasioned by the old believers, was made a matter of ferious accufation ; not only his former conduct was difcuffed and arraigned, but new crimes were invented to render him ftill more obnoxious. He was accufed of writing to the patriarch of Conftantinopie in a difrefpectful manner againft the tzar, of holding a treafonable correfpon-dtnee with the king of Poland, and of receiving bribes from the fame monarch. The tzar, continually befet by the patriarch's enemies, was prevailed upon to proceed to the moft violent extremities againft him. With this view he convened, in 1666, a general council of the Greek and Ruflian clergy at Mofcow, who, after a (hort deliberation, formally depofed Nicon from the patriarchal fee, and banifhed him to a distant convent. The prin- P p i cipal cipal caufe affigncd for this deposition was, that Nicon, having by his voluntary abdication meanly deferted his flock, was unworthy to fill the patriarchal Seat; a Sufficient proof that the other crimes were malicioully imputed to him, circulated merely to prejudice the tzar, and to influence the judges againft him : for if he had been found guilty of a treafonable corre-fpondence, that alone would have been a much better plea for his deposition and imprifonment, than a trifling charge drawn from his voluntary abdication. In conformity to his fentence, Nicon was degraded to the condition of a common monk, and imprifoned in the convent of Therapont, in the government of Bielozero. His confinement was Sor Some time extremely rigorous, becauSe, conScious of his own integrity, he perfifted in a denial of guilt, and refufed to accept a pardon for crimes which he had never committed. Upon the death of Alexey in 1676, Feodor, probably at the inftigation of his prime-minister prince Galitzin, the patron and friend of genius, permitted Nicon to remove to the convent of St. Cyril in the fame government, where he enjoyed the moft perfect liberty. Nicon furvived his deposition fifteen years. In 1681 he requested and obtained permission to return to the convent of Jerufalem, that he might end his days in that favourite fpot j but he expired upon the road near Yaroflaf, in the f>6thyear of his age. His remains were transported to that convent, and buried with all the ceremonies ufed at the interment of patriarchs *• * For the Hiftory of Nicon, I have fol- a Spirited and candid account of this great lowed Muller in his Nachricht von Novogo- patriarch, to which I hold myfclf indebted rod in S. R. G. vol. V. p. 541 to 559. for a few reflections. Hift.de Ruffle, v. 111. L'Evefque has drawn from this fame fource p> 391 to 394; alfo 417 to 43a. C II A P, C £93 J chap. V. Ruffian archives.—Englifh Jlate-papers.—Commencement of the connection between the courts of London and Mofcow.— Correfpondence between queen Elizabeth and the tzar Ivan Vaflilievitch II.—His- demand of the lady Anne Haitings in marriage.—Account of that negotiation.—Other difpatcbes* —A letter from the emperor Maximilian I. to ValTili Ivanovitch.—Rife of the title of tzar.—Negotiation between Peter the Great and the European courts relative to the titte of emperor.—Univerjity.—Syllabus of the leclures.—Account of Matthaei's Catalogue of the Greek manufcripts in the library of - the Holy Synod.—Hymn to Ceres attributed to R. Muller obligingly accompanied us to the place in IT A the Khitaigorod, where the public archives are depofited ; which is a ftrong brick building, containing feveral vaulted apartments with iron floors. Thefe archives, confift-ing of a numerous collection of Rate-papers, were crouded into boxes, and thrown afide like common lumber, until the prefent emprefs ordered them to be revifed and arranged. In conformity to this mandate, Mr. Muller has difpofed them in chronological order with fuch perfect: regularity, that any fingle document may be infpected with little trouble. They are enclofed in feparate cabinets with glafs doors : thofe relative to Ruffia are all claffed according to the feveral provinces which they concern; and over each cabinet is infcribcd the name of the province to which it is appropriated. In the fame manner, the manufcripts relative to foreign kingdoms Homer, &*c. are- are placed in Separate divisions under the refpecTive titles of Poland, Sweden, England, France, Germany, Jkc. The papers which concerned my native country firft engaged my attention. The earlieft correspondence between the Sovereigns of England and Ruflia commenced about the middle of the 16th century, foon after the difcovery of Archangel, and chiefly relates to the permiffion of trade granted exclufively to the Englifh company of merchants fettled in this country. The firft record is an original letter of Philip and Mary to Ivan Vaflilievitch II. acknowledging the receipt of a difpatch transmitted to England by his embaffador Ofef Niphea, and returning thanks for the liberty of opening a free trade throughout the Ruflian dominions. The charter of privileges granted by the fame tzar to the Englifh merchants, and the numerous letters which he received from Elizabeth, are all preferved in this collection ; and are for the moft part printed in Hackluyt's Voyages : I obServed one, however, not to be found in that work ; it is dated the 18th of May, 1570, and Elizabeth, among other expressions of friendfhip, offers to Ivan Vaflilievitch, in cafe he fhould be compelled by an infurrection to quit his country, an afylum for himfelf and family in England. This letter was figned by Elizabeth in the prefence of her fecret council: among ft the Signatures I noticed the names of Bacon, Ley-cefter, and Cecil. As fome hiftorians have afferted that the tzar Ivan Vaflilievitch II. carried his perfonal refpect for queen Elizabeth fo far as to be one of her fuitors, while Camden only relates that he propofed to marry lady Anne Hastings, daughter of the earl of Huntingdon, my curiofity led me to make inquiries into this tranfaclion. With refpect to any treaty of marriage between the tzar and Elizabeth, the archives are entirely filent; but in regard to the intended cfpoufal of lady Anne Hastings, they furnifhed me with the following curious particulars. The The firft hint of this match feems to have been fuggefted 1 by Dr. Robert Jacob a phyfician, whom Elizabeth in 1581,^ at the tzar's defire, fent to Mofcow. Dr. Jacob, not unacquainted with the ficklcnefs of Ivan in his amours, and his defire of contracting an alliance with a foreign princefs, extolled, in the moft extravagant terms, the beauty, accomplishments, and rank of lady Anne Haftings, and actually inspired the tzar with a Strong inclination to eSpouSe her, although he had jull married his fifth wife Maria Feoderofna, Dr. Jacob reprefented this lady as a niece of the queen, and daughter of an independent prince ; both which circumftances being falfe fufficiently feem to prove that he acted from his own Suggestions, without the leaft authority from Elizabeth. The tzar, fired by his defcription, difpatched Gregory PirSem-fkoi, a Ruffian nobleman of the firft distinction, to England, to make a formal demand of the lady for his wife : according to his instructions, he was ordered, after a conference with the queen, to procure an interview with the lady, obtain her portrait, and inform himfelf of the rank and Situation of her family : he was then to requeft that an Englifh embaffador might return with him to Mofcow, with full powers to adjuft the conditions of the marriage. If an objection fhould be railed, that Ivan was already married, he fhould anfwer, that the tzar, having efpoufed a fubject, was at liberty to divorce her; and if it was afked, what provision fhould be made for the children by lady Anne Haftings, he fhould reply, that Feodor the eldeft prince was undoubtedly heir to the throne, but that her children fhould be amply endowed. Pirfemfkoi, in confequence of thefe orders, repaired to London, had an audience of Elizabeth, faw lady Haftings, who had juft recovered from the fmall-pox, procured her portrait, and returned to Mofcow in 1583, accompanied with an Englifh embaffador, Sir Jerome Bowes. The latter, who was was a perfon of a capricious difpofition, at his firft interview ' greatly offended the tzar by his freedom of fpeech, and more particularly as he was not commissioned to give a final aSTent to the marriage, but only to receive a more explicit offer, and tranfmit it to the queen. The tzar, little accuftomed to brook delay, declared, " that no obstacle Should prevent him Srom " marrying Some kinSwoman of her majesty's ; that he Should " fend again into England to have Some one of them to wife; " adding, that if her majefty would not, upon his next em-M baffy, fend him fuch an one as he delired, himfelf would u then go into England, and carry his treafure with him, and xt marry one of them there." Sir Jerome Bowes, probably in conformity to his instructions, threw every obstacle in the way of the marriage : inftead of fpeaking handfomely of lady Hastings, he mentioned her perfon with indifference, and denied that flie was any relation eau titre que le czar demandc, et un parfait concert a faire efperer a ce prince une telle co;„.nlaifancc pour fervir a le gagncr, et a nous faire tirer fruits de fon ambition. Jan. 30, 1721-2. And in a difpatch to Sir Luke Schaube, he thus exprefies himfelf; La coutumc icy a'toujours cte d'e'erire aux czars de Mofcovie fur du velin enlumino pcint et dore, comme on fait aux cmpercurs de Maroc et Eez, et it plulieurs au-tres princes non-Europcens lef- quels M O S C O W,, 301 iials, notes, and other manufcripts, of Peter the Greaty written CI^AP-with his own hand : thefe papers Sufficiently fhow the ^nd?-* / * fatigable pains, with which that great monarch noted down the minuteft circumltances, that might prove ufeful in his ex-tenfive plans for the civilization and aggrandifement of his country. Mr. Muller has lately given to the public feveral letters and other pieces of this kind, which throw a considerable light upon the transactions of Peter's reign, and afford Striking inftances of his perfevering genius. From the archives we repaired to the university, alSo Situated in the Khitaigorod : it was Sounded, at the inftance of count Shuvalof, by the empreSs Elizabeth, for fix hundred ftudeuts, who are clothed, boarded, and inftrudted at the ex-pence of the crown. We were received, with great civility, hy the director of the univerfity and profeffors, who conducted us firft to the printing-office belonging to their Society. One of the preSTes being at work, feveral Sheets were Struck off and, prefented to us as Specimens of the Ruflian printing: upon looking at them we were Surprized to find a complimentary addrcfs to ourSelves in the Englifh and Ruffian languages, of which the following is a fac-JImi/e. quels felon cette coutume feroient de s'eclaircir trop forgneufement cgalemeut fondez d'indfter fur le fur quel pied on lcur donnoit ce titre d'empereur. On n'a jamais titre. Le3 Mofcovites crurent fon voulu changer l'ufage otably, quoi- avis bon pour. lors. Qj^and my que !e? Mofcovites l'aycnt fort lord Whttworth 'et Mf.' J'amiral folicite durant Earnbaffade de my Norris f 11 rent chirgczd'une corn-lord Whit worth a M;>fcow, Ce million a uprez du czar a Amfter-minithe s'excufa toujours d'en dam, ils ncurent que des lettres faire la proportion. II leur dit,. de cachet, dont le ftile etoit votre qu'il lcUr doniiejolf le titre, fans majefte \ les miniure3 Ruffiens en difliciilre, tel qu'ille trouvoit eta- firent d'abord quelque fciupule, bli; inais qu'il ne tew conieilloit pas de rcmueVce-fte matiere, ni dmu n'y infiflerenf. pas. Thefe extracts are drawn from Sir Luke Schaubc's State Papers, in the rare and ample collection of the carl of Hardwickc, a-nobleman aa diitinguiflitd for the extent,; as the liberal communication of his knowledge. 2 This his Specimen of the Ruffian print was prefented to the Right honourable LORD HERBERT on his Travels thro' Ruffia, accompany'd by Captain Floyd & Mr. Coxe, on their honouring the Imperial Univerfity of Mofco with a friendly vifit this* i Day of September 1778. ie RiMCHeme neiamw Poccipickom no4He-ceHo BLicoKono^raeHH^Knieivry A0P4Y TEPEEPTy bb ero nymenreciiiBOBaHiif ype3-b Poc-ciio cb KannmaHoivrB iML nocBnjeHieMB Mivmepamopciaft Mo-crobckM yHMBepcMmeiiiT) Ctnms&fR 1 4HH 1778 ro4a. * o. s* We We next proceeded to the university library, which contains a fmall collection of books, and a moderate apparatus of\ experimental philofophy. Upon taking leave of the director, he obligingly prefented me with a Tartar Grammar, which language is taught in this fociety, a Syllabus of a year's lectures, and a Catalogue of the Greek Manufcripts in the library of the Holy Synod. The following extract from the Syllabus f will difplay to - the reader the general ftudies, and the principal books ufed in this univerllty for the inftruction of the Students, i. A courfe of Lectures on the Hiftory of the Ruflian Law, on Nettelbadianus, Syjlema univerfa Jurijprudentic?, and on the Jus Cambiale; eight hours in the week. 2* On Cicero's Orations againft Catiline, the fixth book of Virgil's Eneid, plays of Plautus and Terence, instructions on the manner of writing Latin and Ruflian verfes from the examples of Lomonofof and Horace ; an exposition of the panegyrical orations of Lomonofof, together with tranRations and exercifes in Latin and Ruflian profe : eight hours in the week. 3. On arithmetic, trigonometry, and optics, from Wcidlcr's Mathematics Injli-tutiones; and experimental philofophy from Kruger's Compendium. 4. On ancient and modern hiftory. 5. Introduction to the knowledge of moral philofophy, from Bielfiekrs Institutes. 6. On clinic medicine, or the remedies ufed by antient and modern phyfkians, Srom Vogefs Compendium. 7. On the pandects Srom the Compendium oS Heineccius, and a comparison between the Roman and Ruffian law : eight hours in the week. Profeffor DeSaitfky, who reads this lecture, teaches alSo the Engiim language from a Grammar compiled by himfelf: four hours in the week. 8. Logic and meta-phyfics from Baumeifter's logic, eight hours in the week ; * It is entitled Catalogas prsclcclionum pubiicamui in Univei fitate Cafarea Mofquenfi *' habendarum." 7 and B ant^ ^our nours geometry and trigonometry from Weidler* —^~>g. On phyfic, under the following heads, pathology, dietetics, and therapeutics, from Ludwig's Compendium. ] o. On Botany, after the fyftem of Linnaeus. 11. Anatomy from Lud-wrig\ 12. On the etymology, fyntax, and ftyle of the French tongue; eight hours in the week. 13. Etymology, fyntax, and ftyle of the German. Befide the Yiniverfity, there are two gymnafia, or feminaries, for the education of youth, endowed alfo by Elizabeth, in which are taught divinity, claflics, philofophy, the Greek, Latin, Ruflian, German, French, Italian, and Tartar languages; hiftory, geography, mathematics, architecture, fortification, artillery, algebra, drawing and painting, muilc, fencing, dancing, reading and writing. There are twenty-three pro-feffors: amongft thefe, the Syllabus informed me, that Mr. Alexief teaches divinity two hours in the week. Mr. Mat-thaei, profeffor and rector of both feminaries, explains fome of Cicero's Orations and felect Epiftles, Libanius's Letters, Ernefti's Oratorical Effays, Xenopbon's Anabajis, teaches the Roman antiquities from Burman's Compendium, and continues his ufual Latin exercifes upon oratory. Mr. Sinkovfki, every morning from feven to nine, treats of the principles of rhetoric, particularly concerning the Periodologia, both as to theory and practice, from Burgius^s Elementa Oratoria; explains Caefar's Commentaries and Juftin ; employs his fcholai s in Latin and Ruffian tranflations, and in the etymology and fyntax of the Greek tongue : reads Plutarch Txregt Ifct^W? and, from nine to twelve on Mondays, Wed ne (days, and Saturdays, Ovid's Met amorphous, and connects mythology with antient hiftory and geography. Mr. Tflierbotaref, extraordinary profeffor of logic and morality, and under-librarian to the urii-veriity, four hours in the week, comments upon Heincccii elementa philofophia rationalis et moralis, as well in the original Latin, Latin, as in the Ruflian* tranflation, for the benefit of thofe who are unacquainted with the Latin tongue. Mr. Urbanfki gives instructions in rhetoric from the Compendium of Bur-gius, both in theory and practice, Mr. Holberftof explains Count TeSfm's Letters to a young prince f. The account of the Greek manufcripts in the library of the Holy Synod at Mofcow, prefented to me by the director, bore the following title : " Notitta codicum manufcriptorum Grae-u corum Bibliothecarum Mofquenfium fancJiffimae fynodi Eccle-" fiae orthodox a e Graeco-Rufflcae, cum varus anecdotis, tabulls " aneis et indicibus locupletiffimis. Edidit Chriftianus Frede-" ricus Mattbaei, Gymnaftorum Univerfitatis Mofquenfa Reclor. 11 Mofquae, typis Univerfitatis, Anno 1776," folio. The author is Chriftian Frederick Matthsei, a learned German, who was educated at Leipfic under the celebrated Ernefti, and being drawn to Mofcow by the liberality of the emprefs, was appointed a profeffor of this univerfity. Soon after his arrival in this city, he turned his firft attention to the ftate of Greek learning in this country ; and being informed that the library of the Holy Synod contained a large and curious collection of Greek manufcripts, the greatcft part of which had, at the fuggeftion of the patriarch Nicon, and at the expence of Alexey Michaelovitch, been collected by the monk Arfenius from the monaftery of Mount Athos, he immediately explored this literary treafure. And as a catalogue of thefe manufcripts, publifhed by Atha* nafius Schiada, by order of Peter the Great, was exceedingly inaccurate, Matthaei, who had difplayed his erudition by feveral excellent editions J of the Claflic% was encouraged, by Prince Potemkin the great patron of antient literature who * lis priecipuc, qui lingux Lattfl* funt J The late in«< n'io is Mr. Harris h.is enn-ignari, nec fua ftudia academics in univerfi- merated the cditif n=i miMifhed by Mr. Mat-tate ulterius profequi pollunt, thari. Philof. Inquiries, p. 564. t The pfefent king of Sweden when prince royal. Vol. I, R r defrayed B?nK c^e^ayec^ trje cxpence of the publication, to undertake this «—M—»work upon a more extenfive plan. Accordingly, in 1776, the learned editor gave to the public this firft part of the performance, in which he has laid down a very accurate and circum-ftantial detail of fifty-one manufcripts, accompanied with many judicious remarks and critical inquiries; he de-fcribes the materials upon which each manufcript is written; he mentions the number of pages, the age, the writer, the former pofTefTors; the contents, the firft and laft word. The author propofes to continue the publication at different intervals until he has finilhed the account. But as it would require many years thus minutely to detail and defcribe all the manufcripts, whofe number amounts to 502 ; the learned author has, in the mean while, favoured the publick with a complete catalogue, in a lefs circumftantial manner, under the following title : " Index codicum manufcriptorum Grciecorum Biblio-** thee arum Mofquenjium JandiiJJimae Synodi ecclefiae ortbodoxae u Gneco-Rujfwae : edidit Cbrijlianus Fridericus Matthaei. Pe-n the contrary, u ho was probably the archives of Tflierdin. S. R. G. 347. 364. prefent at this interview, fays cxprefsly, 366. " aprcs conferences d'un quart d'he-ur, en f Habc mit irh geredet ohnc dafs jemand *' prefence tfe tout let nolles et de ceux de la viiiet' von den Boiaren, oder andern Lenten, dabey &c. p. t:.;. feyn doerfen. S. R. G. vol. V. p. 367. X x 2 All book j\u thefe allegations, however, thus urged againft the pre-_tenfions of Demetrius, could not efface the prepoffeffions entertained by the generality of the Ruffians in favour of his imperial defcent. A freih infurrection was hourly expected'; and fome transient tumults took place, in which Vaflili Shuifki narrowly efcaped destruction. In this critical (fate of affairs he had recourfe to the following expedient, for the purpofe of appeafing the public fufpicions. A rumour being fpread, that the body of the young prince, formerly murdered at Uglitz, had performed miracles; a deputation of feveral bifhops and nobles was fent to that town, to take up the hallowed corpfe from the Sepulchre, and to tranfport it to Mofcow. " Upon opening the tomb," relates Mr. Muller from the Ruffian archives, " an agreeable odour filled the whole church : w the body was uncorrupted, and the very clothes entire ; one w of his hands grafped fome nuts that were fprinkled with " blood, and which the young prince had been eating at the u initant of his affafiination. His relics were carried in great " ftate to Mofcow: on their approach to the city they were a met by Vaflili Shuifki, the widow of Ivan Vaffilievitch Ik " and a large concourfe of people, and depofited with much " folemnity in the cathedral of St. Michael. During the pro-" ceflion many troubled with various diforders were miracu-" louily restored to health : after the body had been placed in " the cathedral, thirteen fick perfons declared themfelves to '* have been relieved of their complaints by the interpofition " of the faint; and the fame number were healed on the " en Suing day Let us contrast this account with the relation of the opposite party. u On the 4th of June a difpute concerning Deme-" trius arofe between the Strelitz and the people, who afferted 41 that he was not an impoftor. The tzar and the boyars cry • S. R. G. vol. V. p. 371. " out, * out, The people fliall have ocular conviction that the true u Demetrius was killed at Uglitz; his body is now removing " to Mofcow, and has performed many ftupendous miracles. The boyars procured a poor man's child, about thirteen years of age, cut its throat, and having committed it for a few days " to the ground, conveyed it to Mofcow, (ho wed it to the peo-" pie, and declared this was the true Demetrius, whofe body, " although fo long interred, was ftill uncorrupted, which the —v— gave rife to the report that Grilka had perfonated Demetrius. As a proof that they were two distinct perfons, he informs us, that Boris Godunof fent repeated exprefTes to his guards upon the frontiers, to prevent all travellers from quitting the country, even fhould they he provided with paffports, for there were two traitors who were endeavouring to efcape into Poland. Margaret adds, Grifka was thirty-five years of age, and Demetrius fcarcely twenty-four; he accompanied the new tzar to Mofcow, and was feen by many in that city, being a perfon well known, and having a brother who pofTefTed an eftate near Galitz: he was notorious before his flight into Poland for his infolence and drunkennefs, and, on account of his mifconduct, was banifhed by Demetrius to Yaroflaf. Margaret, moreover, was informed by an Englifh merchant of Yaroflaf, well acquainted with Grifka, that the latter, upon the news of the tzar's death, and even after the election of Vaflili Shuifki, folemnly protested that the faid Demetrius was the real fon of Ivan Vaflilievitch ; and that he himfelf was Grifka Otrepief, who had conducted the prince into Poland. Soon afterwards Grifka was conveyed to Mofcow by order of Vaflili Shuifki, and totally disappeared % If this narrative is authentic, according to the confeflion of Mr. Muller, it completely refutes the reprefentation of the opposite party. In what manner then does this ingenious 44 on ce qu'ont vu ces deux 6muTaifea de Be- 44 qu'ils avoient ete des fourbes vendus k un " lis, ee qu'ils lui ont rapporte en fecret ? 44 fcelerat," &c. Vol. Ill, p. 227.—In a word, 11 Le corps meme qu'ils examinerent, defigure the belief that a child was ftibftituted in the u par des blellurcs, et garde long-temps fans place of Demetrius, though liable to many " ctre embaume, devait ctre mcconnaiffable. objections, is yet attended with much fewer 44 On ignore abfolumcnt ce qu'ils ont decou- difficulties, than the notion that the tzar who 44 vert, et ce qu'ils ont penle. S'ils ont dc- reigned under the name of Demetrius was an M bite a leur retour une fable concertee en- impoftor. 44 tr'eux et le miniftrc, ils n'ont pu dans le * Margaret, 15,2 to 157. ** fuite faire connaitre la verite, fans avouen author 1 author attempt to difcredit the pofltive testimony of Margaret; 'for upon this the whole queftion feems to turn ? " But how," fays he, " can we imagine, that any one could ever hold two " perfons to be the fame individual, at a time when the con-*£ trary could be fo eafily proved r" The contrary indeed could be eafily proved during the reign of Demetrius, when Grifka was at Mofcow or at Yaroflaf, and at a time when few Ruffians doubted the fact; but the aflertion was not fo eafy to be refuted when Grilka was fent no one knows where, and when no perfon durft contradict the manifesto of Vaflili Shuifki. ** Let us fuppofe," adds Mr. Muller, " that the op polite party, " in defiance of all truth, had firft invented fo groundlefs a a fable; let us fuppofe that Grifka was immediately banifhed, u as foon as the enemies of Demetrius had made the latter " pafs for that monk; how does it happen that no writer, " befide Margaret % has taken notice of fo remarkable a cir-(i cumftance It is generally allowed that one good evidence ought to outweigh a croud of prejudiced witnefles, fo that if Margaret's credibility is fuperior to that of his opponents, we muft, though he ftands fingle, aflent to the truth of his account. And who are the writers whofe authority is preferred to that of Margaret ? The native hiftorians, who wrote after the acceflion of Vaflili Shuifki.—But their testimony cannot be admitted in this cafe; for could any Ruflian venture to contradict the manifesto of the fovereign, or call in queftion the fanctity of the relics eftablifhed by a decree of tlie church i ? It * Margaret, however, does not ftand fingle f It may perhaps he thought by many toe* in fuppofing Grilka and him who pafled for bold to fet alide the authority of all theRuf-Demetrius to be diftincl perfons. For, among fian hiftorians, who may be fuppofed to have others, Conrad Buffau, who was prefent at obtained better intelligence than foreigners. Mofcow during the troubles, afferts, that But Mr. Muller calls in queftion the tefti-Demetrius was the natural fon of Stephen mony of a Ruffian embaffador in favour of Bathori king of Poland, which is fuflicicut to Demetrius, becaufe he wrote at a time when (how that the repost was rife at that time of the latter was upon the throne, and acknow-Grilka and the other being different perfons. ledged by the whole nation : for the faint 5. R. G. vol. V. p. 191. retdcti, DEMETRIU S. 345 It muft be conferTed, however, that there is one author who chap. vii is not liable to thefe fufpicions. " Petreius," continues Mr.»__ Muller, " has given, in many in ft ances, the moft exact intcl-« ligence ; and he has demonstrated the impolture of the falfe I* Demetrius with many proofs. Is it polfible, therefore, to " fuppofe him ignorant that Demetrius and Grilka were two " different perfons, if that fact had been well grounded ?" Here then the testimony of Petreius is put in the fcale with that of Margaret, both foreigners, both prefent at Mofcow at the time of the infurrection, and both fuppofed to be unbiaSTed by the civil and religious prejudices of the RulFians, and yet both of different fentiments. Let us therefore examine their character and fituation, and confider whether there are any circumftances which render one writer more worthy of credit than the other. Margaret was a Frenchman, who entered the Ruflian fervice in the reign of Boris Godunof, was prefent in the army which was fent out againft Demetrius, and always acted with approved bravery and fidelity. Afterwards, when Demetrius afcended the throne, he was continued in his fervice as captain of the guards. He poflerTed, therefore, many opportunities of investigating his real hiftory ; and he has recorded it in a work which, upon his return to France, he publifhed at the command of Henry IV. * Mr. Muller, however, objects to the authenticity of Mar- reafon, therefore, we muft fet afide the cvi- by order of the tzar Michael, and fent to the dence of the Ruffians who wrote after his king of France as a juftification of the war ati'affmation, and at a time when his being an entered into againft Sweden. But fuch do-impoftor was made an article of the public cumcnts iffuing from government muft in this faith, inftance be allowed to be very exceptfonaldo And, indeed, if it is confidered from what records,—In ail affairs, wherein the national ftrfpicious memorials the Ruffian authors muff prejudices are not concerned, the evidence have drawn their materials, this mode of of a native is to be preferred to that of fo.-proceeding will not appear unjuftifiable. Of reigners; but the teftimony of the latter be-all the Ruffian writings relating to the hiftory comes fuperior, when the former are warped of Demetrius, cited by Mr. Muller, the prin- by fear or prejudice. cipal are the manifestos of Shuifki, and a * Eftat de l'Empirc de Ruffic, Sec. Par le manufcript account of the troubles, compiled Capitaine Margaret, Vol. I. Y y garet's garet's narrative in the following words. " A witnefs of this " fort Would not he admitted in any court of juftice, and can-u not, in this inftance, merit our belief* His judgement might •« be warped, partly from considering it as a difgrace to have " engaged in the fervice of an impoftor, and partly from not " being well ufed by the oppofite party after the death of the " falfe Demetrius. Hence he might be enticed, from motives 44 of refentment, to brand with infamy the enemies of Deme-" trius, and to treat as mere falfehoods all the reports of ihe u importer's real origin. We muft, therefore, accufe Margaret i6 either of having advanced a falfehood, or fuppofe that he 44 had heard of another Otrepief, who was at that time prefent c( at Mofcow, and whom he Strangely confounds with Grilka*." This is the only objection which even the ingenuity of Mr. Muller can urge againft Margaret. Petreius, whofe authority is fo fondly preferred to that of Margaret, was minister t from Charles IX. king of Sweden to the court of Mofcow in the reigns of Boris Godunof, Demetrius, and Vaflili ShuiSki. The clofe connection of Demetrius with Sigifmond king of Poland, the inveterate enemy of Charles IX. induced the latter to tender his afliStance to Boris Godunof, upon the firft entrance of the new claimant into RuSTia. Charles is alfo reprefented as greatly alarmed at the fuccefs of Demetrius, and immediately after his airafTination entered into a treaty of the Strict eft amity with Vallili ShuiSki. It was therefore the interest of the SwediSh court to reprefent Demetrius as an impoftor, and Petreius, as SwediSh minister, was obliged to countenance the report patronized by his mafter. But if we Should even allow that Petreius was not influenced in his judgement by the politics of his own court, yet as an author, he is liable to great exception; for the numberlefe * S. R. G, vol. V. p. 182 and 193. ■|> Dalin's Geichichtc von Schweden, vol. IV. p. 475* 4 fictions fictions and grofs mifreprefentations, which he retails in his CHA?-Chronicle, prove his extreme pronenefs to credulity *. Whereas, on the contrary, the credibility of Margaret ftands unimpeached, and even the penetrating fagacity of Mr. Muller himfelf can only difcover in his work a few trifling errors which are of no moment. It appears then, that both as to character and htuation, the testimony of Margaret is preferable to that of Petreius; and if the queftion is to be ultimately decided by one of thefe two writers, whofe authority is the moft unquestionable, the tzar who reigned under the name of Demetrius was no impoftor, but the real fon of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. I fhall now throw together a number of particulars, which, in addition to thofe already enumerated, induce me to efpoufe the opinion that the tzar was no impoftor. i. The conduct of Boris Godunof. 2. Suppofed refem-blance between the real Demetrius and the perfon who reigned in his name. 3. His fuccefs and conduct upon the throne. 4. Testimony of Maria Feodorofna. 5. Arguments ufed by the Ruffians to prove the imposture. 1. The conduct of Boris Godunof plainly demonstrates that he thought him the real Demetrius. For othcrwife, why did he not produce Maria Feodorofna, the mother of Demetrius, and obtain her public avowal that her Son was not * Mr. Muller has noticed and corrected " his brother Alexander, who gave it to a innumerable errors relative to the moft im- " third called John, who prefented it to a portant tranfactions in the Chronicle of Pe- " fourth called Michael. The latter pafled treius. It would be end lefs to mention them. *' it to another nobleman : at laft the tzar I fhall therefore only relate one, which will " threw the fceptre from him, crying out in unqueftionably prove the credulity of Pe- " a paflion, ' Take it who willupon which treius. 11 Feodor Ivanovitch," fays that au- *' Boris took it up, and the tzar died imme-thor, " upon his death-bed, being requeued " diately." This idle fable is contradicted u by the nobility to name a fucceffor, an- by the molt authentick records, by the whole ** fwered, * That perfon to whom i fhall de- hiftory of the fubfequcnt election of Boris liver my fceptre fliall be tzar after me.' Godunof; and yet this is the writer whofe II Soon afterwards he offered it to Feodor authority is oppofed to Margaret. See " Nikititch Roru..nof; but he delivered it to S. R. G. vol. V. p, 64, &c. Y y a alive ! alive ! Her testimony at that time would have unqueftion-ably aicertaincd the import ure of the perfon, who claimed the throne as her offspring. Probably Boris Godunof examined her privately ; and, finding her to perfiit in her afTertion, that Demetrius had efcaped from Uglitz, he removed her to a convent at a confiderable distance from Mofcow, that flic miirht not give a fanction to the pretentions of his rival. 2. The fuppofed refemblance between the prince Demetrius, who was educated at Uglitz, and the perfon who reigned under his name, comes next under confideration. This re-femblance conlifted in a wart under the right eye, and in one arm Shorter than the other. u But how is it known," fays Mr. Muller upon this head, " that the prince had thefe de-*l fects ? for they are not mentioned in the Ruffian narratives, " but are only related by foreigners, who had never feen him. *' May we not therefore fuppofe them mere inventions, cal-" culated to difplay fome refemblance between the true and 41 falfe Demetrius i r" In anfwer to this we may reply, that the Ruffian accounts, evidently compiled long after the period in question, and chiefly taken from the manifestos of government, would never record any circumstance which might tend, in the Slightest degree, to favour any likenefs between a perfon whom they Styled an impoStor, and the young prince. And it may be added, that if the tzar alledged the wart under his right eye, and the fhortnefs of his arm, as proofs of his being the real Demetrius, who can fuppofe that the prince had not thefe defects, when there were fo many perfons of the firft distinction who could contradict the truth of the report ? " But <( even allowing the fact," continues Mr. Muller, " the conclu-" lion by no means follows, as the Itrongelt refemblance has n d« Chouitfqui. 11 pardonna aufli this public confeflion ? Its truth entirely " a plufieurs autres; car il eftoit fans foup- refts upon the Ruffian papers, which cannot, «' £on," p. 171. in this inftance, be efteemed authentic re- " Si il fe fut fenfe coupable en aucune cords. But why was her public recantation " chofe, il euft. eu juite fujet de croire les ma- poftponed to fo late a period ? and why was *' chinations et trahifons complottces et tram- Ihe not confronted with the tzar, when he fo " mees contre fa pcrlbnnc, des quellcs il etoit repeatedly appealed to her teftimony as the " afl'ez adverty, ct y euft pu remedicr avee ftrongeft proof of his being the real Deme- *' grande facilite," p. 174. trius ? Havewe not every reafon to conclude, * Mr. Muller fays, VafTili Shuilki took the either that fhe did not publicly retract her trouble of repairing himfelf to the convent, former affeverations in his favour ; or that, Cr.lb ftch felbft die muehe. being in VafTili Shuifki's power, flie had been f The RulTian authors aflert, that at the finally compelled to act in fubferviency to his time when the relics were conveying to Mof- mandate ? cow, the publickly rett'acted the former teih- his hh being a forcerer, an heretic, or a mufician, by his predilection to the Poles, not bowing to the image of St. Nicholas, not bathing, eating veal, and fuch frivolous accusations Does not the adoption of thefe nugatory insinuations befpeak a great deficiency of fatisfadtory arguments ? they may incline,, indeed, the Ruffians to believe him an ufurper, but do not prove him one in the eyes of difpaffionate judges. The truth feems to be, that as he began to lofe the affection of his fubjects by his inconfiderate contempt of their cuftoms. and religion ; thefe, and many other unfavourable reports,.calculated to raife and increale the popular odium, werexirculated by the intrigues of Vaffili Shuifki, who, upon his affafiination, was raifed to the throne. The fame remarks extend, with ftill greater force, to the affertion, that the body interred at Uglitz was that of the real Demetrius from its uncorrupted ftate, and the miracles it performed. For the uncorrupted ftate of that body, when it was firft conveyed to Mofcow, evidently prove it to have been fup-pofititious; and the miracles it is faid to have performed will convert no profelytes without the pale of the Ruffian church. When every other expedient failed of convincing the generality of the Ruffians, that the late tzar was an impoftor, re-courfe was finally had to pretended miracles and facred relics. And it muft be allowed, that this method of convincing an ignorant and fuperftitious people who doubted (and there were many who doubted) was a Stroke of the moft confummate policy; as by thefe means the affertions of Vaffili Shuifki were fanc-tified by an ecclefiaftical decree; and the impofture of his rival became an article of public faith. Indeed, fuch is the fuperftition with which the ufurpation of Grifka is ftill.main- * Many Ruffians, while they confeffed that ther being the feventh wife of that tzar, he be was the real fon of Ivan Vaffilievuch, de- was illegitimate. Margaret, p. 171. nied his tight to the throne, becaufe his mo. tained- tained, that even at this diftance of time no Ruflian hiftorian could venture to hint that Demetrius was not afTaflinated at Uglitz, and that the perfon who aflumed his name was not Grilka : for it would be contradicting a fundamental principle of belief, and rejecting the relics of a faint much revered in this country. But it is time to finifh this inquiry, which is already too long. I fliall, therefore, conclude in a few words, that having endeavoured to examine the hiftory of the tzar Demetrius without prejudice or partiality, I am ftrongly inclined to believe that he was not an impoftor, but the real perfonage whofe name he aflumed *« * For the hiftory of Demetrius, fee Pe- conciled, as much as poflible, the contradic- t reins Moicov. Chron. Margaret's Eftat de tory accounts of the different writers : and la Ruffte, p. 18 and 19.—111—175. Pay- though he has entirely adopted the Ruffian em in Schmidt. Ruff. Gef. vol. II. and par- prejudices, yet he has given the arguments ticularly Muller's S. R. G. vol. V. p. 181 to of the oppofite party with as much candour • 380. That ingenious author has drawn to- as could be expected from an author who gether, in one point of view, the principal wrote in Ruflia, events of this troublefome acra, and has re- CHAP. I 35$ 3 CHAP. VIII. Of the princefs Sophia Alexiefna.—Her character inifreprefented—and from what caufes.—Her power and influence during the reign of Feodor Alexievitch.—Upon his demife excluded from all Jhare in the adminiftration of affairs.— Peter appointed tzar to the prejudice of his brother Ivan.— Proofs that be was not raifed to the throne by the nomination of Feodor, and that his election was not unanimous.—Infur* reclion of the Strelitz.—Tumult and majfacre.—Ivan and Peter declaredjoint fovereigns, and Sophia regent.—Probable caufes of that revolution.—The conduct of Sophia jujlifiedfrom various afperfons.—Her fall and imprifonment,—Unjuflly accufed of attempting to affaffinate Peter.'—Rebellion of the Strelitz.—Defeated.—Fruitlefs attempts to convict Sophia of a correfpondence with the rebels.—She affiwies the veil.— Her death. THERE is fcarcely any portion in the annals of this country more important than the minority of Peter the Great, and no character more grofsly mifreprefented than that of his filter Sophia Alexiefna, who governed Ruflia during that period. This illuttrious princefs united, in a very extraordinary degree, a variety of perfonal and mental accomplifh-ments; but as (lie headed a party in oppofition to Peter, the idolatry, which has been univerfally paid to his extenfive genius, has greatly contributed towards diminilhing the luitre of her adminiilratioh. I was led into thefe reflections from a vifit which I paid to the nunnery of Devitz, in the fuburbs of Mofcow, where Vol. I. Z z Sophia B?i?K S0Driia was confined during the laft feventeen years of her life ; and as we have fcarcely any knowledge of her character but through the medium of her adverfaries, I fliall throw together a few particulars, which induce me to fee her conduct in a favourable light; and fliall endeavour to refcue her name from that obloquy, which has fo unjuftly perfecuted her memory *• Sophia * Three foreign writers have principally contributed to render the character of Sophia extremely odious. i. The firft of thefe writers is Gordon, in his Life of Peter the Great. But his tefti many is in this inftance extremely exceptionable, as well on account of his notorious partiality to Peter, as becaufe he was particularly prejudiced againft prince Vafuli Galitzin, Sophia's prime minifter, for having degraded his relation and patron general Patrick Gordon. Sec Kerb Diarium, p. 216. 2. The fecond author is La Neuville, in his Relation de la Mofcovie, who dignifies himfelf with the title of envoy from the king of Poland to the court of Mofcow ; and is generally fuppofed to have been refident in that city at the time of Sophia's fall. His authority, therefore, is deemed unquestionable; and the enemies of this princefs have not failed to cite it in proof of their affertions. Any perfon, however, in the leaft converfant with the hiftory of Ruilia, will perceive in this work the groffeft contradictions, and the moft ablurd tales. The author, after loading the portrait of Sophia with more deceit and cruelty than «vcr difgraced aTiberTus, or a C-tfar Borgia, affects the moft perfect knowledge of all the fecret cabals between her and prince Galitzin : he declares their intention of marrying; of re-uniting the ■Greek and Latin churches ; of compelling Peter to aflume the monadic habit, or, if that tailed, of afl.iffiuating him ; of declaring ihe children of Ivan illegitimate; and of fe-curing the throne to themfelves And their heirs. And as if this chimerical project had been thought fure of fuccefs, be adds, that prince Galitzin had ftill further views : he hoptd, that by re-uniting Ruflia to the Ro- man catholic church, he fhould be able to obtain the pope's permiffion (if, as he flattered himfelf, he fhould furvive Sophia) to appoint his own legitimate fon his fucceffor to the throne, in preference to thofe whom he fhould have by tlie princefs, while his wife was alive. But fuch abfurd accounts carry their own refutation, and the writer who retails them muft furcly deferve no degree of credit, even fhouiJ he be " 1c temoin ocu-M laire," as Voltaire fly les him, " de ce qui " fepafia." But the truth is, that this envoy to Mofcow is a fuppofititious perfon : the author was one Adrien Baillet, who ftyled himfelf de la Neuville, from a^t village of that name, in which he was born, and was never in Ruffia, The Relation de la Mofcovie was publifhed at the Hague in 1699 ; and was probably compiled by the author from the vague accounts of fome of Peter's adherent?, who accompanied that monarch into Holland ID the year 1697. I fhall have occafion to mention further proofs againft the authenticity of this perfon umce. See Menkeni Bibliotheca, where La Rela«-tion de la Mofcovie is mentioned among the works of Adrien Baillet. For an account of that author, fee Niceron Hommes Uluftres; article Ad. Baillet. 3. Voltaire has contributed more than any other writer to fpread reports injurious to Sophia ; but the truth of hi: narrative of her rife, adminiftr a tion, and fall, is liable to the ftrongeft objections : he draws many facts, urged a gain It Sophia, from tlie work of the fuppofed Polifli envoy, La Neuville, which has been jutl fhovni 10 be of no authority; and extracts the remainder almoft folely from certain memoirs, which being trantlnitted to him by order of the emprefs Eliiabeth, Pen 1 's daughter, Sophia was born in the month of October, 1658. Herc*W** father, Alexey Michaelovitch, the fecond fovereign of the houfe «—j~ of Romanof, was twice married ; firft to Maria Ilinitchna of the family of Milolaffki; fecondly, to Natalia Kiriiofna, of that of Narifkin : by the former he had Feodor, Ivan, and feveral princeffes, among whom was Sophia ; by the latter, Peter the Great. During Maria's life, her family was diftin-guifTied by^Alexey, and enjoyed a confiderable influence; but after her deceafe, and upon his marriage with Natalia, their power was eclipfed by the fuperior afcendancy of the Narifkins, who fucceeded to the confidence and favour of their fovereign. Hence two parties were formed in the court; and perpetual quarrels took place between the children of Alexey by his firft wife, and their flep-mothcr Natalia. During this period, Ivan Michaelovitch Milolaffki, the head of that family, endeavoured fecretly to undermine the Narifkins: he attributed to their influence that the taxes were increafed ; that the pay was with-held from the foldiery; and, in a word, reproached them as the authors of all the grievances which were urged againft the government of Alexey. By thefe and other artifices he laboured to render them unpopular ; and having gained over to his party a large body of Strelitz *, waited for a favourable opportunity of executing his defigns t. daughter, would naturally throw the fevereft of the reproaches which have been eaft upon cenfures upon Sophia, and adopt all the mif- her conduct. 1 had already finifhed thi* rcprefentations of her adverfaries. chapter, as well as the laft, before his hiftory But the violent prepoffeffions conceived made its appearance; and though the argu-againft the memory of this unfortunate pi in- ments of that judicious hiftorian had no fhare cefs begin to fubfide. Muller has ventured in forming, they certainly confirmed my opi-to juftify her character in fome inftances; nion in favour of Sophia, the author of the Antidote to the Abbe de * The Ruffian regiment of guards were Chappe's Journey into Siberia, fpeaks of her called Strelitz, or Streltii, until they were in a favourable manner ; and l'Evefque has fuppreffed, and the name abolifhed, by Peter evidently fhown, that her character has been the Great. grofsly mifreprefented, that fhe was a princefs f Sumorokofs Aufruehr der Strelitzen, of great merit, and by no means deferving p. 4. Z z 2 Upon Upon the acceflion of Feodor to the throne, his relations, the family of Milolaffki, re-afTumed their former importance, and the Narilkins were excluded from all fhare in the adminiftration of affairs. Sophia had gained the efteem and affection of her brother Feodor, by the fuperiority of her underftanding, her iniinu-ating addrefs, and unwearied attention during the long illnefs which at length brought him prematurely to the grave. To her that weak prince, whofe infirmities rendered him unlit to govern, re figned the abfolute direction of affairs; and, at her fuggeftion, placed his fole confidence in prince VafTili Galitzin, a nobleman who had greatly diftinguifhed himfelf, under the reign of Alexey Michaelovitch, for his political abilities. Upon the demife of Feodor without iffue, on the 27th of April, 1682, Ivan his brother, and rightful heir of the throne, was excluded from the fucceflion on account of his incapacity, and his half-brother Peter was declared tzar. In regard to this event, the partizans of Peter endeavour to eftablifli two pofitions : 1. That he was raifed to this dignity in confequence of Feodor's exprefs appointment; and, 2. By the unanimous voice of the nation. 1. With refpect to the firft pofition, that Peter was nominated tzar in confequence of Feodor's * exprefs appointment, when we confider, that Feodor was entirely governed by Sophia and his own family, it is not probable, that he fhould act in direct oppofition to their interefts, and enfure, by the nomination of Peter, the adminiftration of affairs to the Narifkins ; and this ftate of the cafe has been lately eftablifhed by an hiftorian f of unqueftionable authority, who informs us, after the moft authentic records, that Peter did not owe his * Feodor avant d'expirer, voyant que fon Ruffes fon fecond frere Pierre, &c. Voltaire, frcrelvan, trop difgracie de la nature,. etait f Prince Sherebatof. See Bach. Ruff. Bib, inc apable de regner, nomma pour herjtier des vol. V. p. 502. 7 elevation SOPHIA ALEXIEFNA. 355 elevation to any declaration of Feodor in his favour, but merely chap. VIII to the fuffrages of thofe perfons in whom the right of nn-1 f f minating the fucceffor was vefted. 2. In regard to the fecond pofition, the unanimity of Peter's election, Muller, who has explored the Ruflian archives with a view of afcertaining this point, can fupply us with no better proofs than the following information*. '* Soon after the death of Feodor, all the fervants of the M court, the officers, and ecclefiaftics, who were then at Mof-" cow, affembled in the palace and the court-yard to kifs the " hand of the deceafed monarch ; after which ceremony they '* alfo kiffed the hands of the two princes Ivan and Peter, the 41 former of whom was fixteen, and the latter ten years of " age. The ill health of Ivan, the hopeful appearance of tl Peter, and the well-known prudence and virtue of his mo-" therf, induced all who were prefent to prefer the younger gfofletir monftrcueufe, avec une-tete larve- *' befats groflch verfland und groffc fchoen. " comme un I/vfeau, dup„il au •vfagc, des li>,—'markable for his fobriety as the favourites of Peter, Le Fort, and Boris Galitzin, were notorious for their intemperance. " Le Fort," fays a writer, who was in Livonia when the tzar and his fuite palTed through that country in his firft journey to Holland, " is a man of a good underftanding; very per-" fonable, engaging, and entertaining; a true Swifs for pro-11 bity and bravery, but chiefly for drinking. Open tables are 11 kept every where with trumpets and mufick, attended with u feafting and exceffive drinking, as if his tzarifh majefty had *' been another Bacchus. I have not yet feen fuch hard " drinkers; it is not poflible to exprefs it, and they boafl of <* it as a mighty qualification f .* Thus then it appears that Peter had examples of intemperance in his own houlhold, and it will hardly be fuppofed that Le Fort was the creature of Sophia. The evident falfehood of fuch virulent accufations fhould induce us not to give credit to other calumnies, and particularly to the charge that flie attempted to deftroy Peter by poifon, which, though it failed of its intended effecl:, difordered his conftitut ion, and occafionally produced a fpecies of melancholy and defpair that bordered upon madnefs. This report took its rife from his pronenefs to epileptic fits, a diforder common in his family, to which he was fubjecT from his infancy, which gradually diminilhed as he grew ftronger, but never entirely forfook him. Previous to an attack, the natural vehemence and favagenefs of his temper broke out with redoubled violence, and rendered him the terror of all who approached him. The rancour with which the enemies of Sophia have calumniated her memory, is from # '« Galitzin was the only man of quality *' never drank any himfelf, but took much *' in Rulfia who could entertain, without ** delight in rational and ingenious conver-V forcing his company to drink to excefs. 11 fation." Mottley's Life of Peter. *' Brandy, the liquor which flowed at every f Account of Livonia, p, 293. other tabic, was feldom feen at his, who no SOPHIA ALEXIEFNA. 367 no inftance more evident than from this abfurd imputation, chap. VIII that the brutal ferocity and fanguinary difpolition of Peter was owing to the effects of poifon adminiftered by her*. But it is time to trace the principal caufes which contributed to the fall and imprifonment of Sophia. That princefs, to whom Ivan had furrendered the abfolute direction of affairs, affumed fome exterior marks of homage, which feem to have been hitherto appropriated only to the fovereigns of RufTia. While the heads of her two brothers were impreffed on one fide of the coins, her image, arrayed with the crown, fceptre, and imperial robes, was ftamped upon the reverfe ; in all the public acts her name was added to the fignature of the two tzars t, and fhe appeared in proceflions decorated with all the enfigns of royalty J : circumftances which naturally gave umbrage to the rival family, and afforded a fpecious pretence for inveighing againft her ambitious defigns. Peter, as he advanced in years and felt himfelf born for empire, could not, without great diffatisfaction, behold all the power lodged in the hands of a rival party ; ftill further en- * ««II prenoit quelque fois des acces d'hu- " terreur de ceux qui I'approchaient, a rant 11 incur chagrinc, ou il femblait frappe dc *4 caufe dit On quelqucs malhcurs, et etant *' l'idee noire qu'on voulait attenter a ia per- " fuivi dc maux de tete affrettx^ qui duraient des 41 fonne, et ou fes amis les plus familiers " jo/tmees entieres" Bafl'evitz in 13uf. H. M. " craignaient fes emportemens. Ces acces IX. p. 294.. " r.TAiENT UN reste FATAL du poison, Strange effects of poifon given in his in- *' ojt*\h recut de son ambitieuse soeur fancy. Thofe who have been ufed to fee per- '* Sophie. On en connaiffait l'approche a fons in epileptic (its, will eafily difcoyer all M certains mouvemens convuljifs de fa louche, the effects of that diforder from the words ** L'Imperatricc etait avertie, Elle venait in Italics. Bifiiop Burnet fays, " that he *' lui parler; 1c fon de cette voix le calmait " was fubject. to convullive motions all over •f a I'inftant. Elle le faifait afieoir, et s'em- " his body, and that his head feemed to be " parait en le cajolaut de fa tete, quVlle " afFefted with thefe." " grattait doucement. C'etait comme un f She did not fign her name in the pub- " charme, qni i'ajjbupijfait en pen de minutes, lie decrees until 1687. Buf, Hilt. Mag. v. I, " Pour ne pas troubler fon fommeil, elle fou- p. 9, " tenait fa tete fur fon ft'ui, fans fe remuer % Thefe circumftances cannot imply a dc- M pendant deux ou trois heures. Alors il fe re- fign of ufurping the fovereign authority ; for *' veillait, entierement raffis et remis au lieu flie was only accufed even by her enemies of 41 qu'avatit qu'elle eut etudie cette rr.aniere fecretly confpring againft Peter, and not of 11 li fimple de le foulager, ces acces etaient la an open attempt to feize the crown. couraged couragetl by his mother and her adherents, he claimed a fhare in the adminiftration of affairs; and took his feat, for the firft time, in the privy council, on the 25th of January, 1688, and in the eighteenth year of his age. Sophia, though unwilling to rciign any part of her authority, could not withhold her confent; but as Peter's fpirit was above controul, fire availed herfelf of fome violent altercations which paffed between them, and contrived to exclude him, for the future, from a feat in the council. From this period the diffentions between them arofe to fo great an height, as to threaten an open rupture; and the fall of one feemed neceffary to the fecurity of the other*. Things remained in this ftate of jealoufy and variance, until the month of September, 1689 ; when the afpiring genius of Peter acquired the afcendancy, and fecured his undivided authority by the fall and imprifonment of Sophia. By the advice of Boris Galitzin and the Narifkins, Peter refolved to arreft his filter, and to feize the reins of government: and it is afferted by his adherents 4, that Sophia and prince Vaffili Galitzin, apprized of his intentions, determined to prevent their own ruin by his affafiination ; that they had gained over the chief of the Strelitz and a corps of 600 men, and had actually commiflioned them to perpetrate that infamous deed. Peter had retired to fleep at his palace of Preobafhenfki near Mofcow, when two J of the confpirators, it is faid, ftruck with horror at their crime, quitted their companions, and haftened to the young tzar with the information that a body of Strelitz were upon their march to afiaflinate him. The fame accounts add, that Peter refufed to give credit to their report, until it was confirmed by Boris Galitzin and one of his uncles, whom * Journ.of St. Pet. for 1778, p. 175, 176. finate Peter, but, repenting, difcovered the -j- Gordon. p'°tj is again related as happening in 1697, I It is remarkable, that this fame ftory of Schmidt. Rulf, Gef, v. II. p. 90. ftvo confpirators who were engaged to aflaf- i he he immediately difpatched to reconnoitre; and that the con- CyT^p* fpirators were already fo near, that he had fcarcely time to ■ . ' ■ make his efcape *. He inftantly proceeded to the convent of the Holy Trinity ; where his danger being fpread abroad; troops flocked to him from all quarters, and in fuch numbers, that in the fpace of three days he had an army of 60,000 men under his command, and found himfelf in a lituation to give law to the oppolite party. In the mean time Sophia, in a ftate of the utmoft confter-nation, denied all intercourfe with the confpirators, expreffed the utmoft horror at their attempt; difpatched repeated mef-fages to her brother to juftify her conduct:; and even fet off in perfon to affert her innocence; but was ordered to return without delay to Mofcow, and to deliver the ringleaders of the mutiny. Soon afterwards Peter himfelf repaired to the capital : the principal confpirators, being tortured in his prefence, confeffed a defign againft his life, and fuffered the fevereft pu-niftiment. Vaflili Galitzin t was baniflied into Siberia ; and Sophia was imprifoned for life in the Devitza nunnery : Peter alone affumed the reins of government, and found fufficient fcope for his vaft and enterprizing genius; while the name of Ivan was ftill inferted, as a matter of formality, in the public acts until his death, which happened in 1696. Such are the principal circumftances of this extraordinary revolution ; but we muft con fide r, that this is the account given by the victorious party ; and that the caufe of Sophia * Voltaire, though convinced of Sophia's " s'emparer de fa peiTonne. Les mernoircs intention to affafiinate Peter, and notwith- 44 fecretres que la com ch; R«llie m'a confics, ftahdiog the intelligence he received from the ,l affurent (pie le parti etoit pris de tuer court of Peterfburgh, can only give us the " Pierre Premier: le coup allait ctre porte, following fcanty information : 44 La Neuville " ct la Ruflie etait privo a jamais de la nou- *' rcfidcnt alors a Mo/lvzv, et temoin oculaire de 44 velle exiftence, qu'elle," &c. ** ce quife fajfa, pntend que Sophie et Galitzin f 'Phis able minifter furvived his fall 24 " engagerent le nbuveau chef des Strelitz a years j he died in prifon at Pooftozerk in 41 leur iacrifier leur jeune czar: il parait au 1713. L'Evei'que, vol. IV. p. 107. 44 moms an officer of the Strelitz, who declared, that letters enclofed in; loaves of bread had paffed between Sophia and his mafter J.. " tormentorum vicifikudo unit & altera vice * " Quorundam pcrtinaciii. demum vicla."? " rcpetebatur. Horrenda vim, & auditu Korb. u tragacdia. Ultra triginta in aperti campi f M Ad monafferium Neo-virginum dif* M planitie funeftifiimi collucebant igpes, ubi " cefli't tz>arus, ut fororem fuam Sophiam,, M miferrimi inquifiti cum ejulatu terribili 41 dicto monafterio inclufam examinaret kt torrebantur; parte ex alia rcibnabant cru- " publice enim nuperi tumultus vulgo rea ha-*' delirTimi flagrorum ictus, ut ex jucundiifima\ bebatur : primus* utrmfoue introitus uber- n terra: vicinia faeviflima hominum carnificina 11 rimas amborum lacrymas exciviffe dicitur.'*' " facta fit."' Diarhun Itincris in Mofcoviam, Korb. ice.p. 162. I Gordon, vol, I, p. 159r-13P. 7 The The latter, however, peremptorily denied the fact even upon * the rack; and he was led to execution perfifting to the laft moment in this affeveration. The cafe feems to be, that the innovations of Peter created a large number of malcontents; that the introduction of the European difcipline, and the partiality which he fhowed to the foreign regiments, inflamed the difaffection of the Strelitz to fuch a degree as to account for their rebellion, without the fuppofition of any cabals on the part of Sophia; that this princefs had long been the object of affection to all the enemies of Peter, and was naturally the perfon to whom they would have con figned the adminiftration of affairs, if the revolt had been attended with fuccefs. Peter was fo greatly exafperated againft Sophia, that he had once determined to put her to death; but, having changed his refolution, he compelled her to affume the veil. In order to ftrike her with terror, and to announce to the public that he thought her privy to the rebellion, two hundred and thirty Strelitz were hanged within light of the nunnery in which ihe was confined ; and three of the ringleaders were fufpended upon a gibbet erected clofe • to the window of her apartment : they held in their hands petitions fimilar to that which, according to the confeflion juft mentioned, was to have been prefented to Sophia, From this period hiftory is filent in relation to Sophia : fhe was confined under a ftrict guard in the monaftery until her death, which happened in the mouth of July, 1704. She was interred in the church of the convent; the tomb is covered with a black cloth, and contains the following inferp-tion : M A. M. 7212 (or 1704 of the Chriftian sera) on the * Gordon, p. 05.—130. On this occafion a hove 2,000 Strelitz fuf- Korb, who faw them hanging, fays, fcred capital punifhment. Peter broke at 11 Tam piope ad ipfas Sophiani cubiculi the fame time the whole body of Strelitz, " feneftras, ut Sophia eofdem manu facile and abolifhed their name. M poflct attingere." 11 third u third of July * died Sophia Alexiefna, aged 46 years, nine " months and fix days : her monaftick name was Sufanna. «< She had been a nun five years, eight months and twelve " days: fhe was buried the 4th in this church, called the " Image of Smolenfko. She was daughter of Alexey Mi-« chaelovitch, and of Maria llinitchna," Sec. Although Peter always fufpected the intrigues of his fifter, yet he never failed paying a juft tribute to her genius and abilities. " What a pity," he was frequently heard to fay, " that ihe perfecuted me in my minority, and that I cannot " repofe any confidence in her : otherwife, when I am em-11 ployed abroad, fhe might govern at hornet." One flriking feature in Sophia's character, which I had no opportunity of mentioning, while my inquiry was chiefly confined to her political conduct, mult not be omitted in this place. She deferves the veneration of pofterity for the patronage which Ihe afforded to perfons of genius and learning, and for encouraging, by her own example, the introduction of polite literature into Ruflia, then plunged in the deepeft ignorance. At a period, when there was no national theatre, and when the loweft buffooneries, under the name of moralities, were the fole dramatick reprefentations even at court; this elegant princefs tranflated the Medecin malgre lui of Moliere into her native tongue, and performed one of the characters herfelf. She alfo compofed a tragedy, probably the firft extant in the Ruflian language; and fhe compofed it at a time, when the moft violent cabals were excited againft her miniftry, and when the moil weighty affairs feemed to engrofs her fole attention. * O. S. the 14th, N. S. " her this character, that flie was a princeJj t This anecdote, which I received from a " endowed with air the aceomplifliments of Ruffian nobleman of great diftinction, is con- M body and mind to perfection, had it not firmed by the following paffage in Perry's «4 been for her boundlefs ambition and in-State of Ruffia. " I remember, that upon a " fatiabh? defire of governing." Vol, I. p. *' certain occafion, when mention was made 138. 41 of her [i. e. Sophia], the czar himfelf gave TRAVELS TRAVELS INTO RUSSIA. BOOK IV, CHAP. I. Departure from Mofcow.—Arrival at Tver.—Hiftory and defcription of that town*—Productions of the neighbouring country.—Quadrupeds.—Birds.— Fi/h.—Defcription of the Sterlet.—Continuation of the journey.—Torfhok.—Viihnei-Volofhok.—Valdai bills and lake.—Bronitza.—Wooden road, bow formed.—Further account of the peafants.—"Their cottages, manners and cuftoms.—Of the Yamfhics, who furnijb pqft horfes*—Singing extremely common among the Ruffians. —On the fubjecl of their Jongs, &c, &c. book \T TE quitted Mofcow on the 14th of September, and tra-, ▼ ▼ verfed a gently riling country, fome part of it open, and the reft overfpread with forefts. We paffed the night at the fmall village of Parfki, as ufual, in a peafant's cottage, and changed IV. TVER, 3r changed horfes the next morning at Klin, fituated upon the CHAP* Seftra, a broad rivulet; this village had been lately burnt, and «J*_ the peafants were engaged in rebuilding their huts : near it we obferved a faw pit, which, in this country, was too curious an object not to attract: our notice. Beyond Savidof we crofted a fmall river, and foon afterwards reached the banks of the Volga, which we coafted to Gorodna. The next morning the fprings of our carriage being ready to flart, and one of the wheels being in a crazy ftate, we fent it on flowly, under the care of our fervants, and hired for ourfelves the carts of the country, called kibitkh, which we filled with hay, and arrived, after a confiderable degree of jolting, at Tver, which is magnificently fituated upon the elevated banks of the Volga. Tver * owes its origin to Vlodimir Georgivitch great-duke of Volodimir, who in 1182 raifed a fmall fortrefs upon the point where the Tvertza falls into the Volga, in order to protect his territories againft the incurfions of the inhabitants of Novogorod. Afterwards, in 1240, the great-duke Yaroflaf II. built another citadel upon the fpot now occupied by the prefent fortrefs, and laid the foundation of a new town, which foon en-creafed in population and wealth to fo great a degree, as to become the metropolis of an independent fovereignty, called from the town the duchy of Tver. Yaroflaf III. fon of Yaroflaf II. and brother of Alexander Nevfki, received this duchy as his inheritance, and tranfmitted the fucceflion to a long train of defcendants. The laft fovereign of this hereditary line was Michael Borifovitch, whofe filter Maria was married to the great-duke Ivan Vaffilievitch I. The harmony which had for fome time fubfifted between thefe two neighbouring princes was at firft ftrengthened by this alliance ; but in the courfe of a few years, either mutual jealoufies, or the ambitious views of Ivan, produced an open rupture; and in i486 the latter * See Hift. Geog. Bcfdueibiing der Stadt Twer, &c. Journ, Pet. for November, 17S0. Vol. I. G c c befiegeci befieged Tver with a large army. Michael, unable to refill: fo »formidable an antagonist, abandoned the town, and fled into Lithuania, where he died in extreme indigence. Upon his retreat the inhabitants furrendered Tver to Ivan Vaflilievitch, who bellowed it and the duchy as a fief upon his eldeft fon Ivan ; that prince dying in 1490, the great-duke annexed the duchy to his other dominions in the form of a province, and it has never been again difmembered. Tver is divided into the old and new town : the former, fituated on the oppofite fide of the Volga, confifts almoft entirely of wooden cottages; the latter, about fifteen years ago, was, a few buildings excepted, fcarcely fuperior; but being, in 1763, fortunately deflroyed by a dreadful conflagration, it has rifen with luitre from its allies. The emprefs was no fooner informed of this calamity, than flie ordered a regular and beautiful plan of a new town to be fketched by an eminent architect, and enjoined, that all the houfes fhould be re-con-ftructed in conformity to this model. She raifed, at her own expence, the governor's houfe, the bifhop's palace, tlie courts of juftice, the new-exchange, the prifon, and feveral other publick edifices : and offered to every perfon, who would engage to build an houfe with brick, a loan of ^300. for twelve years without intereft. The money advanced by her majefty upon this occafion amounted to ^60,000 ; and flie has fince remitted one third of this fum. The ftreets, which are broad and long, iffue in a frraight line from a fquare, or rather an octagon, in the center : the houfes of this octagon and of the principal ftreets are of brick ftuccoed white, and form a very magnificent appearance. Part only of the new town, when we pafled through it, was finifhed; when it is completed, it will confift of two octagons, with feveral ftreets leading to them, and interfering each other at right angles, and would be be no inconfiderable ornament to the moft opulent and civilized country. There is an ecclefiaftical feminary at Tver, which is under the iufpection of the bifiiop, and admits 600 ftudents. In 1776 the emprefs inftituted a fchool for the inftruifion of 200 burghers' children : they are taught to read, write, and eaft accounts, and a few of them are trained to handicraft trades. In June, 1779, an academy was alfo opened in this town, for the education of the young nobility of the province, at the charge of the fame imperial patronefs. It admits 120 ftudents ; who are inftructed in foreign languages, arithmetick, geography, fortification, tadticks, natural philofophy, mufiek, riding, dancing *, &c. Tver is a place of confiderable commerce; and both the Volga and the Tvertza were covered with boats. It owes its principal trade to its advantageous lituation, being near the conflux of thofe two rivers, along which are conveyed all the goods and merchandize fent by water from Siberia and the fouthern provinces towards Peterfburgh. The Volga, the largeft river in Europe, rifes in the foreft of Volkonfki, about the diftance of eighty miles from Tver, and begins to be navigable a few miles above the town. It is there about the breadth of the Thames at Henley, but exceedingly (hallow; it is, however, confiderably increafed by the junction of the Tverza, which is broader, deeper, and more rapid. By means of the Tverza, a communication is made between the Volga and the Neva, or, in other words, between the Cafpian and the Baltic, as will be explained in a future chapter. The number of barges which pafled by the town in 1776 amounted to 2537; in 1777 to 2641; and the average number is generally computed at about 2550. The boats are flat-bottomed on account of the frequent fhoals * Ibiil. C c c 2 in book {n the Volga, and other rivers which compofe this long inland <—f—> navigation. They are conftructed with new planks, which fhrink and leave wide intervals, that are fometimes filled up with thin flips of wood cramped with iron, and not unfre-quently itopped with tow. The rudders of thefe vefTels have a very fingular appearance : the handle is a tree about 50 feet long; at the further end whereof is a pole which defcends perpendicularly to the water, where it is fixed to a broad piece of timber, which floats upon the furface. The pilot Hands upon a kind of fcaffold at the diftance of about 30 or 40 feet from the ftern, and turns the rudder by means of its long handle. Thefe boats are only built for one voyage ; for, upon their arrival at Peterfburgh, they are taken to pieces and fold for fuel. I have already had occafion to mention the prodigious wafte of wood arifing from the prevailing cuftom of forming planks with the axe. This practice, extremely detrimental to the forefts of the empire, was no lefs ufual among the fhip-wrights than among the peafants; and the former, either from ignorance, or prejudice, could only be reconciled to the nfe of the faw by the following expedient. Orders were ifTued from government, that each veffel, palling by Tver, in which there was one plank fafhioncd with the hatchet, fhould pay a line of £6. In confequence of this decree the officer, who was fent to levy the fine, collected the firft year ^6000 ; the fecond £1500 ; the third £1 00; and the fourth nothing. By this judicious regulation the ufe of the faw has been introduced among the Ruffian lhipwrights, and will probably in time recommend itfelf to the carpenters and peafants. The riling fpirit of commerce has added greatly within thefe few years to the wealth and population of the town. It contains at prefent at leaft ic,ooo fouls; and the number of inhabitants in the government of Tver has increafed in a very very furprifing degree; a circumftance which fhews the advantages arifing from her prefent majefty's new code of laws. Tver was the firft province of this empire which was newly modelled according to that code; and rrhas already experienced the beneficial effects of thefe excellent regulations. Tver being a large town, we concluded that we mould find bo difficulty in obtaining the neceflary repairs for our carriage, fo as to enable it to carry ns two or three days at leaft without requiring any further afliftance. Trufting, therefore, to the workmanfhip of a Ruffian fmith, we fet off about fix in the evening with the expectation of reaching the next poft, where we purpofed to pafs the night, in about four hours; but we had fcarcely proceeded ten miles, before we perceived that the wheel, inftead of being ftrengthened, had been weakened by the fmith's unfkilfulnefs, and feemed every inftant in danger of coming to pieces. In this lituation we flopped at a fmall village, where it was not poflible to procure any accommodation, not even a candle to linear the wheel, which required a eonftant fuppl-y of greafe to prevent it from taking fire ; and as the next place in our route, likely to afford a new wheel,, was above fixty miles diftant, we thought it moft prudent to-return to Tver. I confoled myfelf readily for this delay, as it gave us an opportunity to pay more attention to the town and its environs than our tranfient ftay had hitherto permitted lis* We took up our abode at the fame houfe we had juft quitted t it was an inn kept by a German, and was one of the new magnificent brick edifices lately conftructed, but almoft totally without furniture or beds. On the following day we made an agreeable excurfion into the adjacent country : we firft croifed the Volga over a bridge of boats, and the Tvertza over a raft, and rode between the banks of thofe two beautiful rivers. We then left the Volga to- purfue its courfe towards the Cafpian Sea, watering, as it paffcspj ♦ book pafTeS, fome of the moft fertile provinces of Ruffia, and bath-,„ / ■> ing the walls of Cafan and Aftracan; and we made a circuit in the environs of Tver: we frequently flopped to admire feveral delightful views of the new town magnificently feated upon the fteep bank of the Volga, the country gently Hoping towards the river. Tver lies in the midft of a large plain, interfpered here and there with gentle acclivities, which can hardly be called hills; the country produces in great abundance wheat, rye, barley, oats, buck-wheat, hemp and flax, and all forts of vegetables. Its forefts yield oak, birch, alder, poplar, mountain-afh, pines and firs, junipers, See. The quadrupeds, which rove in the neighbouring country, are elks, bears, wolves, and foxes; wild-goats, hares, and rabbits; alfo badgers, martens, weafels, ermines, ferrets, fquirrels, and marmottes, 8cc. The principal birds obferved in this diftrict are eagles and falcons, cranes, herons, fwans, wild geefe and ducks, partridges, quails, woodcocks and fnipes, black-game, alfo crows and ravens, magpies and black-birds, fparrows and ftarlings, together with nightingales, linnets, larks and yellow-hammers. The fifli which are caught in the Volga are falmon, fterlet, tench, pike, perch, groundlings, gudgeons, and fometimes, but rarely, fturgeon and beluga. The fterlet being a very uncommon fifth, and probably peculiar to the northern parts of the globe, I am induced to give a defcription of it, and to enumerate the principal rivers of Ruflia in which it is found. The fterlet, the acipenfer ruthe-nus of Linnaeus, is a fpecies of fturgeon, and is highly efteemed for the flavour and delicacy of its flefh, and for its row, from which the fineft caviare is made. It is diftinguifhed from the other fturgeon* by its inferior fize *, being feldom * This defcription is chiefly taken from Lepekin's Reife, in his account of the fifhery «f Sinbirfk upon the Volga, vol. II, p. 154. 4 more more than three * feet in length, and by its colour. The top of the head and the back are of a yellowifh grey ; the fides of the body whitifh, and the belly white mixed with rofe-colour, efpecially towards the mouth and vent. The eyes are of a fky-blue, encircled with white. The fnout is long and pointed, compreffed and fluited. The mouth is tranfverfe with thick prominent lips, which it has the power of drawing-inwards, with a beard, con lifting of four fmall and foft cirrbi, or wattles. It has five rows of pointed bony imbricated fcales, one upon its back, two along its fides, and two under its belly. The row upon its back begins from the neck and reaches to the dorfal fin. Their number t, by which Linuanis afcertains-the fpecies, and fixes at 15, varies from 14 to 17. The two fide rows begin from the upper angle of the gill-covers, and reach to the middle of the tail: their form is flat in the middle, with dentated margins turning towards the tail; their number varies from 60 to 70. The two rows, which lie under the belly, begin from the pectoral and reach towards the ventral fins : they are four-fided, much fmaller than thofe upon the back, and thicker than thofe on the fides. Befide thefe five rows, there are alfo fome adipous bony-fcales between the tail and the vent; their number is invariably five. The reft of the fkin is totally without fcales, but is extremely rough to the touch. It has, like moft other fhh, two pectoral fins, two ventral, one anal, one dorfal, and its tail is forked \. Many-authors have erred in fuppofing this fifii to be peculiar to the. * Mr. Pallas fays, that the fterlets of the f Aclpenfcr Ruthenus cirris 4. fqnamis Irtifh are, next to thofe of the Oby, the dorfalibus 15.. Muf. Fred, I. p. 54, and Faun, largeft in Ruiua, being frequently " ueber Sue. 272.—In the Syft. Mat. p. 403, he de- *'antlerthalb ellen long," or an ell and an fines it, Acipenfer orclinibuii 5. iqiiamarum half long. By an ell, 1 fuppofe, is meant an oll'earunv, iutermcdio oificulis 15, arfhime ~ 26 inches, and then the length of | The reader will find an engraving of the thefe will be 3 feet 1 inch. See Pallas' Reii'e. fterlet in the Mufeum Fred. I. of Linmeus, Part II, p. 446. Lepekin fays, that the tier- in Le Bruyn's Travels, vol. I. p. 89; and in lets of the Volga are feldom more than two Lepekin's Rcife, Tab, 9, feet in length. Volga i book Volga and the Cafpian fea; for they frequent many other — v".. > rivers, lakes, and feas, of the Ruflian empire. Muller informs us, that they are caught in the Dnieper, and feveral rivers falling into the Frozen Ocean, particularly the Lena *; Lange afferts, that they are found in the Yenifei; Pallas defcribes them as inhabiting the Irtifh, Oby, and Yaik; Georgi mentions them among the fifh of the lake Baikal, and fometimes in the Angara.—We learn from Linnaeus, that by order of Frederic I. king of Sweden, fome live iferlets, procured from k\if-fia, were thrown into the lake Mseler, where they propagated t. They have been fometimes caught in the Gulf of Finland, and even in the Baltick ; yet they are fuppofed not to have been natives of thofe feas, but flray fifh, which efcaped from fome veffels that were beat to pieces in pairing the falls of the river MaftaJ. Sept. 19. Having obtained the valuable acquifition of a new wheel, we proceeded on our journey in the afternoon, and were enabled to reach, before the clofe of the evening, Tor-fhok, which is fituated upon the banks of the Tvertza. It is a large draggling place, confiding chiefly of wooden buildings, intermixed with a few publick itructures and houfes of brick, lately erected at the emprefs's expence. Although Torfhok was only forty miles diftant from Tver, we efteemed it a fortunate circumftance that, during that fpace, no accident had happened to our carriage. But we were not fo fuccefsful on the enfuing day; for the axle-tree breaking about fix miles from Vidropufk, we walked to that village; * S.R.G.TX. p. 4. Haygold'sRufslaml, " fifh, called Sterlit, in pafling the falls of vol. II. p. 416. Pallas Reife, P. I. p. 284. " Ladoga were beat to pieces, by which ac- f, II. p. 446. Georgi Reife, vol. I. p. 177. " cident the fifh regained their liberty; and f Habitat in lacu Mxlcro, quern potentif- " fome of them were afterwards taken at fimus Rex Sueciae Fredericus I. ex RulTia " Cronftadt, and one catched at Stockholm, allatnm in hoc lacu pUmtari curavit. Faun. " which were confidered as great curiofiries, Sue. No. 2-ji. " as none of them had ever been feen in thofe t Bruce relates, in his Memoirs, that " feas before." p. 112. fome veffels going for Peterfburgh with live 3 and and having procured a temporary axle-tree to fupport our infirm vehicle, we again proceeded in kibitkis as far as Vifhnei-Volofhok, a place remarkable for the canal, which, by uniting the Tvertza and the Mafta, connects the inland navigation between the Cafpian and the Baltick. Vifhnei-Volofhok, one of the imperial villages enfranchifed by the emprefs, and endowed with confiderable privileges, has already reaped many benefits from its new immunities. The inhabitants, raifed from the lituation of Haves to that of freemen, feem to have fhaken off their former indolence, and to have caught a new fpirit of emulation and induftry : they have turned their attention to trade; and are awakened to a fenfe of the commercial advantages poffeffed by the place of their abode. The town is divided into regular ftreets, and is already provided with a large range of fhox>s and warehoufes, which line each fide of the canal. All the buildings are of wood, excepting the court of juftice erected at the charge of the emprefs, and four brick houfes belonging to a rich burgher. During our flay at Viftinei-Volofhock, we did not fail to examine, with great attention, every part of the celebrated canal, of which an account will be given in a future chapter Having procured a new axle tree, we quitted on the 2ift Villinei-Voloihok, croffed the river Shlina, and continued along a timber road, carried over extcnfive moraffes, and abounding with innumerable fmall' bridges, without railing, and moftly in a lhattered ftate. I obferved feveral villages, as well as fields and gardens, furrounded with wooden palifadoes, about twelve feet in height, which prefented a picturefque appearance. This cuftom of encircling villages in this country with ftakes is very antient: for among the earlieft laws of Ruflia we find one which enjoins t the peafants, under pain » On the inland navigation of Ruffia in the next volume, f HaygoM, vol. 1. p. 357, Vol, I. D d d of of the knoot, to furround the towns and villages with pali->fadoes. Thefe enclofures were probably intended as a kind: of defence againft the defultory incurfions of the Tartar hordes before the invention of gunpowder; and the practice has been preferved, though no longer of ufe, among a people remarkably tenacious of old ufages. The country continued for fome way a bog, covered with foreft, and the villages were built upon eminences of fand rifing out of the morafs. We paffed the night at Kholiloff, a fmall village, which had alfo lately been confumed by fire. We need not wonder at thefe repeated inftances of conflagration which fo frequently occur in this country, when we con-fider that the cottages are built with wood, and that the greateft part of the peafants, like thofe in Poland, ufe, inftead of candles, long Hips of lighted deal, which they carry about the houfe, and even into hay-lofts, without the leaft precaution. The next morning, the bad roads having fhattered our new wheel, which was aukwardly put together, and began already to difplay fymptoms of premature decay, we flopped to repair: but the repairs were as treacherous as the original fabrick ; for, before the end of the ftage, it again came to pieces, and we were again delayed fome hours at Yedrovo before we could venture to continue our journey, when we thought ourfelves bleffed with the afliftancc of a very mafterly mechanick, as his workmanfhip lafted to Zimagor, a fmall village, prettily fituated upon the borders of the lake Valdai. The country around Valdai is the moft agreeable and diverfified we tra-vcrfed fince our departure from Mofcow. It rifes agreeably into a variety of gentle eminences, and abounds with beautiful lakes, prettily fprinkled with woody iflands, and Ikirted with foreft, corn-fields, and pailures. The largeft of thefe lakes is called Valdai, and feemed to be about twenty-miles in circumference : in the middle is an ifland containing a convent, which which rifes with its numerous fpires among chillers of fur- chap. rounding trees. Valdai, which gives its name to the lake/ [ ' and to the range of hills in the midft of which it is fituated, contains feveral new brick-buildings; and even the wooden houfes are more decorated than the generality of Ruffian cottages : it lies upon an agreeable Hope, and commands a plea-fant view of the lake. The Valdai hills, though of no confiderable elevation, are the higheft in this part of the country ; and feparate the waters which flow towards the Cafpian from thofe which make towards the Baltick. From their foot, there was no longer a beautiful diverfity of hills and dales, enlivened with lakes; but the country prefented, for a confiderable way, an uniform flat, with a vaft extent of morafs. On the 24th, in the afternoon, we arrived in good time at Bronitza, a village upon the Mafta, within twenty miles of Novogorod, We took up our abode for the night in the houfe of a Ruflian prieft, which in no wife differed from the other buildings either in fize or goodnefs. It was very clean, however, and comfortable, having a chimney and being provided with a large plenty of wooden and earthen utenfils. The prieft, not being attired in his clerical habits, was dreffed?v like the peafants, and was only diftinguifhed from them by his hair, which hung loofe over his fhoulders to a confiderable length. He, his wife, and the reft of the family, were bufily employed in extracting the row from large quantities of fifh, which are caught in the Mafta, and with which an excellent caviare is prepared. Having procured from our landlady fome of the choice!! of thefe fifh, and having purveyed in the village, by means of our fervant, a brace of ptarmigans, a bird of the partridge fpecies, we fauntered out, while fupper was preparing, towards a neighbouring hill, which ftrongly attracted our attention. About two miles from the village, in the middle of a vaft: D d d 1 plain, book plain, rifes an infulated hill of a circular form, a compound >••• >n¥ farici and clay; the lower part, and upwards, to about half its height, is thickly ftrewed with detached pieces of red and grey granite, fimilar to many others which make their appearance about the adjacent country. I meafured one of thefe maffes, and found it to be twelve feet broad, eight thick, and five above the furface of the ground, but how deep it was buried I could not afcertain. Naturalifts greatly differ concerning the origin of thefe granitical maffes, and by what means they were thus diffufed about the face of the earth. Some conjecture, that they were brought and left there by the waters ; others fuppofe them to have originally made parts of the primitive rocks which exifted in many places of the globe, and which by lapfe of time, or by violent convullions, have crumbled or been broken to pieces, and have left every where thefe vaft fragments as monuments of their prior exiftence *. Upon the fummit of this hill is a brick white-wafhed church, which is a pleafing object from the adjacent grounds. From its top we had a very lingular and extenfive profpect. Immediately at its foot the country, for three or four miles, is fomewhat open, and divided into large enclofures of pafture and corn. Towards the fouth rife the Valdai hills, fkirting an immenfe plain, which ftretches towards the north, eaft, and weft, as far as the eye can reach; a vaft expanfe without a fingle hillock to obftruct the view : it feemed little more than an endlefs foreft, dotted with a few folitary wooden villages, which appeared fo many points in a boundlefs defert. Beyond, at a great diftance, we obferved the fpires of Novogorod, and the lake llmcn fcarcely difcernible through the thick gloom of the trees. * See fome curious conjectures upon thefe dans pluficurs contrees de la Ruflie, &c. granite floncs of Bronitza, in Pallas's Tra- Vol. I. p. 42, &c. ve4s; and alfo in Hiftohe des Decouvertes The Tlie forwardnels of the harveft in this northern climate has been already mentioned * : it had been fome time taken in, and the new corn was already fpringing up in many places: that vegetable remains, during winter, buried under the mow; at the melting of which, in fpring, it Ihoots up fpeedily in thefe countries, where vegetation, upon the returning warmth of the feafon, is very quick in all its operations. But as the ihortnefs of the fummer does not always allow the grain time to ripen, the peafants ufe the following method of drying it. They conftrucr. a wooden building, fomewhat fimilar to the ihell of their common cottages, without windows, and with only a fmall door : under this ftruc~ture is a large cavity, in which, a fire being made, the new-cut corn, in the ear, is laid upon the floor and dried ; it is then hung upon frames in the open air, and afterwards threfhed* In this part of our journey we palled by numberlefs herds of oxen, moving towards Peterfburgh for the fupply of that capital. Moft of them had been brought from the Ukraine,, the neareft part of which country is diftant 800 miles from the metropolis. During this long progrefs the drivers feldom enter any houfe ; they ftop to feed their cattle upon the flips, of pafture which lie on each iideof the road ; and they themfelves have no other covering in bad weather but what is afforded by the foliage of the trees. In the evening the ftill filence of the country was interrupted by the occafional lowing of the oxen, and the carols of the drivers, while the foli-tary gloom of the foreft was enlivened by the glare of numerous lires, furrounded by different groups of herdfmen in various attitudes; fome were fitting round the flame, fome employed in drefling their provilions, and others lleeping upon the bare ground. They refembled, in their drefs and manners, a rambling horde of Tartars. * p. 21T>, Tive book The route from Mofcow to Peterfburgh is continued dur-i—^-L^ing a fpace of 500 miles, almoft in a ftraight line cut through the foreft, and is extremely tedious : on each fide the trees are cleared away to the breadth of forty or fifty paces; and the whole way lies chiefly through endlefs tracts of wood, only broken by villages, round which, to a fmall diftance, the grounds are open and cultivated. The road is of an uniform breadth, and is formed in the following manner: trunks * of trees are laid tranfverfely in rows parallel to each other, and are bound down in the center, and at each extremity, by long poles, or beams, fattened into the ground with wooden pegs ; thefe trunks are covered with layers of boughs, and the whole is ftrewed over with fand or earth. When the road is new, it is remarkably good ; but as the trunks decay or fink into the ground, and as the fand or earth is worn away or walhed off by the rain, as is frequently the cafe for feveral miles together, it is broken into innumerable holes, and the jolting of the carriage over the bare timber can better be conceived than defcribed. In many places the road may be confidered as little elfe than a perpetual fucceflion of ridges; and the motion of the carriage a continual concuffion, and much greater than I ever experienced over the rougher!: pavement. The villages which occafionally line this route are extremely fimilar to each other; they ufually eonfift of a fingle ftreet, with wooden cottages ; a few only being diftinguithed by brick houfes. The cottages in thefe parts are far fuperior to thofe * Mr. Hanway makes the following cu- 11 wide, here is an expence of 2,100,000 rious calculation of the number of trees em- '* trees." Hanway's Travels, vol. I, p. 92. ployed to make a road of 150 verfls, or 100 If we extend this calculation over the miles. " Allowing one tree with another to whole extent of the Ruffian empire, reaching ** be 9 inches diameter, and the length 23 4000 miles in length, and take in the different *' feet, and luppofing the foundation and fides crofs-roads, the expence of wood muft be " to be only half lb many more as the bridge amazing ; but the forefts are alfo boundlefs 11 is computed of, and the road to be 46 feet and inexhanftible. we we obferved between Tolitzin and Mofcow : they feemed, indeed, well fuited to a rigorous climate; and although constructed in the rudeft and moft artlefs manner, are very comfortable habitations. The lite of each building is an oblong fquare, which furrounds an open area, and, being enclofed within an high wooden wall with a penthoufe roof, looks on the outride like a large barn. In one angle of this enclofure ftands the houfe fronting the ftreet of the village, with the ftair-cafe on the outride, and the door opening underneath the penthoufe roof. In contains one, or at moft two rooms, one whereof is occupied by the whole family. I have frequently had occafion to obferve, that beds are by no means ufual in this country ; infomuch, that in all the cottages I entered in Ruffia, I only obferved two, each of which contained two women at different ends with their clothes on. The family flept generally upon the benches, on the ground, or over the ftove*; occafionaHy men, women, and children, promifcuoufly, without any difcrimination of fex or condition, and frequently almoft in a ftate of nature. In fome cottages 1 obferved a kind of fhelf, about fix or feven feet from the ground, carried from one end of the room to the other; to which were fattened feveral tranfverfe planks, and upon thefe fome of the family flept with their heads and feet occafionally hanging down, and appearing to us, who were not accuftomed to fuch places of repofe, as if they were upon the point of falling to the ground. The number of perfons thus crouded into a fmall fpace, and which fometimes amounted to twenty, added to the heat of the ftove, rendered the room intolerably warm, and produced a fuffocating fmell,. which nothing but ufe enabled us to fupport. This inconvenience was ftill more difagrceable in thole cottages which were not pro- * The (love is a kind of brick oven ; it occupies alrr.ofl a quarter of the room, and is. flat at top. 7 videci vidcd with chimniec, when the fmoke, being confined in the room, loaded the atmofphere with additional impurities. If we opened the lattices during the night, in order to relieve us from this oppreilion by the admifiion of frefh air, fuch an in-ilux of cold wind rufhed into the room, that we preferred the heat and effluvia to the keennefs of thefe northern blafts. in the midft of every room hangs from the cieling a velfel of holy water, and a lamp, which is lighted only on particular occafions. Every houfe is provided with a picture of fome faint coarfely daubed upon wood, which frequently refembles more a Calmuc idol, than the reprefentation of a human head : to this the people pay the higher!: marks of veneration. All the members of the family the moment they rofe in the morning, and before they retired to fleep in the evening, never omitted ftanding before the faint; they croffed themfelves during feveral minutes upon the fides and on the forehead; bowed very low, and fometimes even prolfrated themfelves on the ground. Every peafant alfo, upon entering the room, always paid his obeifance to this object: of worfhip before he ad-d re fled himfelf to the family. The peafants, in their common intercourfe, are remarkably polite to^each other : they take off their cap at meeting ; bow ceremonioufly and frequently, and ufually exchange a falute. They accompany their ordinary difcourfe with much action and innumerable geitures, and are exceedingly fervile in their expreflions of deference to their fuperiors : in accofting a perfon of confequence, they proflrate themfelves, and even touch the ground with their heads. We were often ftruck at receiving this kind of eaftern homage, not only from beggars, but frequently from children, and occafionally from fome of the peafants themfelves. In the appearance of the common people, nothing furprized us more than the enormous thicknefs of their legs, which 4 we we at firft conceived to be their real dimensions, until we were undeceived by the frequent exhibition of their bare feet, and by being admitted to their toilets without the lea it, ceremony. The bulk, which created our aftonifhment, proceeded from the vaft quantity of coverings with which they fwaddle their legs in fummer, as well as in winter. Befide one or two pair of thick worfted ftockings, they envelop their legs with wrappers of coarfe flannel or cloth feveral feet in length; and over thefe they frequently draw a pair of boots, fo large as to receive their bulky contents with the utmoft facility. The peafants are well clothed, comfortably lodged, and feem to enjoy plenty of wholefome food. Their rye-bread, whofe blacknefs at firft difgufts the eye, and whofe fournefs the tafte of a delicate traveller, agrees very well with the appetite; as I became reconciled to it from ufe, I found it at all times no nnpleafant morfel, and, when feafoned with hunger, it was quite delicious : they render this bread more palatable by fluffing it with onions and groats, carrots or green corn, and feafoning it with fweet oil. The other articles of their food I have enumerated on a former occafion f ; in this place I fhall only obferve that mufhrooms are fo exceedingly common in thefe regions, as to form a very effential part of their provifion, I feldom entered a cottage without feeing great abundance of them, and in pafling through the markets, I was often aftonifhed at the prodigious quantity expofed for fale : their variety was no lefs remarkable than their number ; they were of many colours, amongft which I particularly noticed white, black, brown, yellow, green, and pink. The common drink of the peafants is quafs, a fermented liquor, fomewhat like fweet-wort, made by pouring warm water on rye or barley-meal; and deemed an excellent antifcorbutick. They are extremely fond of whifky, a fpirituous liquor * p. 226. Vol. I. E e e diftilled book diftilled from malt, which the pooreft can occafionally com-» . > mand, and which their inclination often leads them to ufe to great excefs. The backwardnefs of the Ruflian peafants in all the mechanical arts, when compared with thofe of the other nations of Europe, is vilible to the moft fuperficial obferver. As we approached, indeed, towards Peterfhurgh, and nearer the civilized parts of Europe, we could not fail to remark, that the villagers were fomewhat more furniihed with the conveniences of life, and fomewhat further advanced in the knowledge of the neceflary arts, than thofe who fell under our notice between Tolitzin and Mofcow. The planks were lefs frequently hewn with the axe, and faw-pits, which we had long confidered as objects of curiofity, oftener occurred : the cottages were more fpacious and convenient, provided with larger windows, and generally had chimnies; they wTere alfo more amply ftored with houftiold furniture, and with wooden, and fometimes even earthen uteniils. Still, however, their progrefs towards civilization is very i neon fide r able ; and many inftances of the groffeft barbarifm fell under our obfervation, during the daily intercourfe we neceffarily maintained with the peafants. One inftance I fliall mention, becaufe it will ferve to fhow into what a wretched ftate of ignorance the common people are ftill plunged, when even the fmalleft trace of fuch immoral practices ftill fubfifts amongft them. In many families the father marries his fon, while a boy of feven, eight, or nine years old, to a girl of a more advanced age, in order, as it is faid, to procure an able-bodied woman for the domeftick fervice: he cohabits with this perfon, now become his daughter-in-law, and frequently has feveral children by her. In my progrefs through Ruflia, I obferved in fome cottages, as it were, two miftreffes of a family, one the peafant's real wife, who was old enough to be his mother, and the other, 5 who who was nominally the fon's wife, but, in reality, the father's concubine. Thefe inceftuous marriages, fancTified by inveterate cuftom, and permitted by the parifh-priefts, were formerly more common than they are at prefent; but as the nation becomes more refined, and the priefts fomewhat more enlightened, and as they have lately been difcountenanced by government, they are daily falling into difufe ; and it is to be hoped, will be no longer tolerated *. Thofe peafants who furnifh poll: horfes are calledyamJJSics, and enjoy fome peculiar privileges. They are obliged to fup-ply all courtiers and travellers at a moft moderate price, namely, in the deareft parts at i\d, and in many other parts at \d. per verft f for each horfe; and, in compenfation, they are exempted from the payment of the poll-tax, and from being enlifted as foldiers ; notwithftanding thefe immunities, the price they receive for their horfes is fo inconfiderable that they always produce them frith the greater!: reluctance. The in-ftant a traveller demands afupply of frefh horfes, the yamfhics affemble in crouds, and frequently wrangle and quarrel to fuch a degree, as to afford amufement to a perfon who is not impatient to depart. Their fquabbles and difputes upon this occafion are fo remarkable as to have ftruck all travellers who have given any account of this country. Ghanccler, the firft Eng- * The truth of this fact, which fell under " becaufe they don't chufe to Iofc a work- my own obfervation, and which I authenti- " woman. Thefe premature marriages are cated by repeated inquiries from all ranks of '* of very little ufe to the ilate ; for which people, is ftill further confirmed by the fol- M reafon, methods rc* get the better of this lowing paffage in the Antidote to the Journey " cuftom have been fought for, and I hope into Siberia, although the author gives an. " will foon take place : the biftiops are at- other reafon for thofe early marriages. " The " tetitivc to prevent thefe marriages as much " peafants and common people not only M as poflible, and have of late fucceeded " marry their fons at fourteen and fifteen ** greatly in their endeavours. It is only the 41 years of age, but even at eight or nine, " inhabitants of fome of the provinces in " and that for the fake of hating a work- Ruffia that ftill retain this bad cuftom," *' woman the more in the perfon of the fon's P. 323. Antidote. tl wife : ,by the fame rule, they try to keep -j- Three quarters of a mile. *' liieir daughters liugle as long as poflible, E e e 2 liftman book lifhman who landed at Archangel, and went from thence to '—i—'Mofcow, could not fail to obferve this circcumftance, which equally prevailed at that period as at prefent*. " Expreffe " commandement was given, that poft-horfes fhould bee gotten " for him, and the reft of his company, without any money. " Which thing was, of all the Ruffes in the reft of their 11 journey, fo willingly done, that they began to quarrel, yea, " and to fight alfo, in ftriving and contending which of them " fhould put their poft-horfes to the fledde." In this defcription, however, Chanceler has made a ludicrous miftake; for the object of their fquabbles was not to obtain, but to decline, the honour of furnilhing him with horfes. The fame fcene is frequently renewed at prefent; as I have occafionaliy obferved that an hour's unremitted altercation produced no effect, and that the poft-mafter at length obliged the yamfhics to fettle the intricate conteft: by drawing lots. Indeed, as I have before remarked +, it is ahfolutely neceflary for any foreigner, who willies to travel with expedition, not only to be provided wTith a paffport, but alfo to be accompanied with a Ruflian foldier. The latter, immediately upon his arrival at the poft-houfe, inftead of attending to the arguments of the peafants, or waiting for the flow mediation of the poft-mafter, fummarily decides the hufinefs by the powerful inter-pofition of his cudgel. The boors, quickly filenced by this dumb mode of argumentation J, find no difficulty in adjufting their pretenfions, and the horfes almoft inftantly make their appearance. In our route through Ruflia I was greatly furprized at the propenlity of the natives to ringing. Even the peafants, who acted in the capacity of coachmen and poftilions, were no fooner mounted than they began to warble an air, and continued it, without the leaft intermiffion, for feveral hours. But * ilackhtyt's Voyages, vol, I, p. 247. •}- P. 317. * Argumentimi Bacminmn. 2. what what ftill more aftonifhed me was, that they performed occa-fionally in parts; and 1 have frequently obferved them engaged in a kind of mufical dialogue, making reciprocal queftions and refponfes, as if they were chanting (if I may fo exprefs myfelf) their ordinary converfation. The poftilions ftng, as I have juft obferved, from the beginning to the end of a ftage ; the foldiers fmg continually during their march ; the countrymen Jing during the moft laborious occupations; the public-houfes re-echo with their carols; and in a ftill evening I have frequently heard the air vibrate with the notes from the furrounding villages. An ingenious author *, long refident in Ruffia, and who has turned his attention to the ftudy of the national mufick, gives us the following information upon this curious fubject. The general mufick that prevails among the common people in Ruflia, from the Duna to the Amoor and the Frozen Ocean, confifts in one fpecies of Ample melody, which admits of infinite variation, according to the ability of the finger, or the cuftom of the feveral provinces in this extenfive empire. The words of the fongs are moftly in profe, and often extempore, according to the immediate invention or recollection of the finger; perhaps an antient legend, the hiftory of an enormous giant, a declaration of love, a dialogue between a lover and his miftrefs, a murder, or the defcription of a beautiful girl : fometimes they are merely letters and fy.llables taken from fome old accidence, metrically arranged, but feldom in rhyme, and adapted to this general air. Thefe latter words are chiefly ufed by mothers in finging to their children, while boors, at the fame time, perform their national dance to the fame tune, accompanied with inftrumental mufick. I have been alfo informed, that the fubject of thefong. frequently alludes to the * Staehlin. See his Nachrickhten von lagen, v. II. p. 60 to 65 ; where fpecimeus-tier Muiik in Rufsland,.in Haygold's Bey. of this, air are gjven. former book former adventures of the finger, or to his prefent lituation ; v—v—-and that the peafants adapt the topicks of their common difcourfe, and their difputcs with each other, to this general air ; which, altogether, forms an extraordinary effect; and led me to conjecture, as I have before expreffed myfelf, that they chanted their ordinary converfation. CHAP. II. Novogorod. —Its antiquity, power, grandeur, independence, de-dine, fubjeSlion, and downfaL—Its prefent fate.—Cathedral of St. Sophia.—Early introduction of painting into Ruflia.— Price of provifons at Novogorod.—Incidents of the Journey to Peterfburgh. AT Bronitza we croffed the Mafia upon a raft compofed of feven or eight trees rudely joined together, and which fcarcely afforded room for the carriage and two horfes. We then continued our route, through a level country, to the banks of the Volkovetz or Little Volkof, which we paffed in a ferry ; and, after mounting a gentle rife, defccnded into the open marfhy plain of pafture, which reaches, without interruption, to the walls of Novogorod : that place, at a fmall diftance, exhibited a moft magnificent appearance; and if we might judge from the great number of churches and convents, which on every fide prefented themfelves to our view, announced our approach to a confiderable city ; but upon our entrance our expectations were by no means realized. No place ever filled me with more melancholy ideas of fallen grandeur than the town of Novogorod. It is one of the molt moft antient cities in Ruflia; and was formerly called Great Novogorod, to diftinguifh it from other Ruflian towns of a iimilar appellation *. According to Neftor, the earlier! of the Ruflian hiftorians, it was built at the fame time with Kiof, namely, in the middle of the fifth century, by a Sclavonian horde, who, according to Procopius, iffued from the banks of the Volga. Its antiquity is clearly proved by a paffage in the Gothick hiftorian, Jornandcs, in which it is called Civitas Nova, or New Town f. We have little in fight into its hiftory before the ninth century, when Ruric the firft great-duke of Ruflia reduced it, and made it the metropolis of his vaft dominions. The year fubfequent to his death, which happened in 879, the feat of government was removed, under his fon Igor then an infant, to Kiof; and Novogorod continued, for above a century, under the jurifdiction of governors nominated by the great-dukes, until, in 970, Svatoilaf, the fon of Igor, created his third fon Vladimir duke of Novogorod : the latter, fucceeding his father in the throne of Ruffia, ceded the town to his fon Yaroflaf, who, in 1036, granted to the inhabitants very confiderable privileges, that laid the foundation of that extraordinary degree of liberty which they afterwards gradually obtained. From this period Novogorod was for a long time governed by its own dukes: thefe fovereigns were at firft fub-ordinate to the great-dukes, who refieled at Kiof and Volo-dimir; but afterwards, as the town increafed in population and wealth, they gradually ufurped an abfolute independency]:. But while they thus fhook off the yoke of a diftant lord, they were unable to maintain their authority over their own fubjects. Although the fucceflion was allowed to continue in the fame family ; yet, as the dukes were elected by the in- * Nifhnei Novogorod and Novogorod Se- &c. This lake is the Ilmen, and the verflcoi. Civitas Nova, Novogorod. S. R. G. vol. V. f Sclavini a Civitate Nova et Sclavino p. 383. ILumunenfe et lacu qui appellatur Mufianus, \ S. R. G. vol. V. p. 397. habitants, TRAV E L S INTO RUSSIA. habitants, they gradually bartered away, as the price of their nomination, all their moil valuable prerogatives. They were too fo frequently depofed, that, for near two centuries, the lilt of the dukes refembles more a calendar of annual magiftrates, than a regular line of hereditary princes : and, in effect, Novogorod was a republick under the jurifdidtion of a nominal fovereign. The privileges enjoyed by the inhabitants, however unfavourable to the power of the dukes, greatly befriended the real interefts of the town: it became the great mart of trade between Ruflia and the Hanfeatick cities; and made the moft rapid advances in opulence and population. At this period its dominions were fo extenfive*, its power fo great, and its fituation fo impregnable, as to give rife to a proverb, $gte contra Deos et Magaam Novogardiam $ Who can refift the Gods and Great Novogorod ? It continued in this flourifhing ftate until the middle of the 15th century, when the great-dukes of Ruflia, whofe anceftors had reigned over this town, and who ftill retained the title of dukes of Novogorod, having tranferred their refidence from Kiof to Volodimir and afterwards to Mofcow, laid claim to its feudal fovereignty, a demand which the inhabitants fometimes put off by compofition, fometimes by reliftance, but were fometimes compelled to acknowledge. At length, in 1471, Ivan Vaflilievitch I. having feenred his dominions againft the inroads of the Tartars, and having extended his empire by the conqueft of the neighbouring principalities, ventured to affert his right to the fovereignty of Novogorod, and enforced his pretentions by a formidable army : he vanquifhed the troops of the republick oppofed to him in the field ; and, having forced the citizens to acknowledge his claims, appointed a governor, who was permitted to refide in the town, and to * Its territory extended to the North as Archangel, and a large diftricl beyond the far as the frontiers of Livonia and Finland, uorih-weficrn limits of Siberia, and compriild great part of the province of exercife -exercife the authority formerly verted in their own dukes *, chap. This power, however, being exceedingly limited, left them in. _ */ the entire poffeflion of their molt valuable immunities: they retained their own laws; chofe their own magiftrates; and the governor never interfered in publick affairs except by appeal. Ivan, however, by no means contented with this limited fpecies of government, watched a favourable opportunity of-extending his authority ; and, as a pretence is never wanting to a powerful aggreifur, he, in 1477, laid liege to the town. His defigns being abetted by the internal feuds and diftentions which had long prevailed in this independent republick, the inhabitants were conltrained to fubferibe to all the conditions impofed by the haughty conqueror. The gates were thrown open; the great-duke entered the place in the character of fovereign ; and the whole body of people, tendering the oath of allegiance, delivered into his hands the charter of their liberties, which unanimity would ftill have preferved inviolate. One circumftance, recorded by hiftorians as a proof of the unconditional fubjection of the town, was the removal of an enormous bell from Novogorod to Mofcow, denominated by the inhabitants eternal, and revered as the fymbol of their liberty and the palladium of their privileges. It was fufpended in the market-place ; its facred found drew the people inftantly from the molt remote parts, and tolled the ftgnal of foreign danger or inteitinc tumult. The great-duke peremptoiily demanded this object of publick veneration, which he called " The larum of /edition? and the inhabitants confidered its furrender as the fure prelude of departing liberty t. * Its government was fimilar to that of the " fon domaine, de fi population, de fsn com. Cerman repuhlicks, who acknowledge the [* mercc, des fea richeffes, 6V, dans ;n >ins emperor as their liege-lord, but are under the "d'un IL'cie, a peine feri-t-eiie inu viUo jurifdiclion of their own magiftrates. 11 importance : tant le fouffle du pouvoir nr. f " Dcvenue fiijette/'faysL'Lvcfquc with " bitraire eft bruLm & deu-orteur.-' Hif- great fpirit, M elle va chacpicjour per.Ire de toire dcRuflie, Turn. II, p. 3-'7. Vol. I. F f f From 4o* TRAVELS INTO RUSS I A. From this period the great-duke became in effect abfolurs fovereign of Novogorod, although the oftenfible forms of its-government were ftill preferved ; in order to enfure the obedience of his new fubjects, he tranfplanted at once above a thoufand of the-principal citizens to Mofcow and other towns,, and feeured the Kremlin, in which he generally refided when he came to Novogorod, with ftrong walls of brick. Not-withftanding the delpotifm to which.the inhabitants were fubject, and the oppreffion which they experienced from Ivan and his fucceffors, yet Novogorod ftill. continued the largeft and moft commercial city in all Ruflia, as will evidently appear from the following defcription of Richard Chanceler,,. who-pafled through it in i 554 in his way to Mofcow. " Next. a unto Mofcow, the city of Novogorodeis reputed"the chiefeft' of Ruflia; for although it be in majeftie inferior to it, yet " in greatneffe it goeth beyond it. It is the, chiefeft and "greater!: marte towne of all Mofcovie; and albeit the em-** peror's feate is not there, but at Mofco, yet the commodi-M oufneffe of the river, falling into that gulfe which is called <4 Sinus Finnicus, whereby it is well frequented by merchants*. *' makes it more famous than Mofco itfelf An idea of its< populoufncfs, during this- period, when compared with its prefent declined ftate, is manifeft from the fact,.that in 1508 above 15,000, perfons died of an epidemical diforder t; more than double the number of its prefent inhabitants. In its moft flourifhing condition it contained at leaft: 400,00.0 fouls]:. Under the reign of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. the profperity of Novogorod experienced a moft fatal down-? fal, from which it never recovered : that monarch having, in. 1570, difcovered a fecret correfpondence between fome of the principal inhabitants and Sigifmond Auguftus king of. Poland,. ♦ Hacklnyt, vol. I. p. 251. f S. K. G. vol, V. p. 49+. + it now contains fcarcely 7000, relative relative to a furrender of the city into his hands, inflicted the C*J moft exemplary and inhuman vengeance upon them. He ■repaired in perfon to Novogorod, and appointed a court of inquiry, juftly denominated the tribunal of blood. Contemporary hiftorians relate, that its proceedings continued during the fpace of five weeks; and that on each day of this fatal period more than 500 inhabitants fell victims to the vengeance •of incenfed defpotifm. According to fome authors, 25,000, according to others, -more than 30,000 perfons porifhed in this dreadful carnage. Thofe writers, who were the tzar's enemies, have probably exaggerated the number of thefe executions ; and it is but juftice to add, that fome * crrcumltances in their relations are proved to be unqueftionably falfe; but though we ought not to give implicit credit to all the accounts recorded by his adverfaries, yet, even by the confeffron of his apologifts, there ftill remains fufheient evidence of his favage ferocity in this barbarous tranfaction, which equals, if not fur-;paifes, in cruelty, the maffacre at Stockholm under Chriftian II. This horrid cataftrophe and the fubfequent oppreflions which the town experienced from that great though fan-guinary prince, fo impaired its ftrength, fhat it is described as a place of ruin and defolation by Uhlfield, the Danilh embaffador, who foon afterwards paffed through it. But although the fplendour of this once flouriihing town received a very confiderable diminution, yet it was not totally ebfeured until the foundation of Peterfhurgh, to which favourite capital Peter * Both foreign and Ruffian authors relate " taines." Hift. de Rnffie II. p. 483. that many of the condemned were thrown Other hiftorians relate, that he aflembled from the bridge into the river, and that in one fpot the principal inhabitants of the perfons were placed in boats, who prevented town, that he rode amongft them, accom- them from efcaping by rwimming, but they panied by hie fon, and pierced the unfortu-- do not confider that this fadt is faid to have nate victims of his fury with his own hands, paffed in winter, when the rivers in Ruflia until, fatigued with the maffacre, he ordered are all frozen. L'Kvefque foftens this ac- his guards to complete the butchery. l>ut count, but without fufficient authority, by fuch exaggerated accounts du not dekrve faying, " 11 lit ouvrir les glaccs du Volkhof, much credit. *' Ik l'on y precipitait les citoyens par ecu- F f f a %hfe ; the Great transferred all the commerce of the Baltick, which before centered in Novogorod. The prefent town is furrounded by a rampart of earth, with a range of old towers at regular diflances, forming a circumference of fcarcely a mile and an half; and even this inconfi-derable circle includes much open fpace, and many houfes which are not inhabited. As Novogorod was built after the manner of the antient towns of this country in the Aiiatick ftyle, this rampart, like that of the Semlainogorod at Mofcow, probably enclofed feveral interior circles: without it was a vaft extenfive fuburb, which reached to the diftance of fix miles, and included within its circuit all the convents and churches, the antient ducal palace and other ftructures, that now make a fplendid, but folitary appearance, as they lie fcattered in the adjacent plain. Novogorod ftretches on both fides of the Volkof, a beautiful river of confiderable depth and rapidity, and fomewhat broader than the Thames at Windfor. This river feparates the town into two divirions, the Trading Part, and the Quarter of St. Sophia, which are united by means of a bridge, partly wooden, and partly brick. The firft divifion, or the Trading Part, is, excepting the governor's houfe, only a rude clufter of wooden habitations, and in no other refpect diftinguilhed from the common villages, than by a vaft number of brick churches and convents, which (fand melancholy monuments of its former magnificence. In all parts 1 was ftruck with thefe remains of ruined grandeur ; While half-cultivated fields enclofed within high palifadoes, and large fpaces covered with nettles, attefted its prefent defo-late condition. Towards its extremity a brick edifice, and feveral detached ftructures of the fame materials, erected at the empreffes expence, for a manufacture of ropes and fails, exhi- fare//?. C Taj//r7\f ofV,r.n>/7/'<>,> JO. S///w/',i (>/rZ7iwt/ti. — ^'XNeivlti_____________ 7\...A<7»tzra77y.-- b. I//t/!f/v/'. 1(7,1. — e. Civyid <7s ((T(7i'7o------ \J\7*7'7m.____________ iierexices j;. Catkedrtrt. _ i fflarrwk i -fir ''7/t! gjft v/' k'\<>/Y<:>,>7ow,?>■/>. \. i. Church . 6*2 'A- *f$Prfi._____ q .7L'/; Pttfc&y S. 7',\<}7/.>7i C7/<77>\V,7\/. *^£>/i*&fl6sjjK. _,---- f&37V&»*&7 /A' Corp* ^\.________ ftantaneoufly brightened : the woods gave way to cultivation ; the country began to be enlivened with houfes; the inequalities of the timber road were fucceeded by the level of a fpa-cious caufeway equal to the fineft turnpikes of England ; the end of each verft * was marked with fuperb mile-ftones of granite and marble ; and a long avenue of trees was tlofed at the diftance of a few miles with a view of Peterfhurgh, the object; of our willies, and the termination of our labours. * Throughout all the high roads of Ruflia, each verft (or three quarters of a mile) is marked by a wooden poft, about twelve feet in height, painted red. CHAP. III. Juflification of Peter the Great for transferring the feat of empire from Mofcow to St. Peterfburgh.—Defcription of the new metropolis.—Its foundation and progrefs.—Circumference and population.—Inundations of the Neva.—Remarkable food in the year 1777.—Bridge of pontoons.—Plan for a bridge of a Jingle arch acrofs the Neva.—Coloffal Jlatue of Peter the Great.—Account of the pedeflal, and of its conveyance to Peterfburgh.—General obfervations on the weather at St. Peterfburgh during the winter of 1778.—Precautions againft the cold.—Dive?fons and winter fcenes upon the Neva.—Ice-hills.—Annual fair upon its frozen furface. OAINT Peterfburgh is fituated in the latitude of 590 26' 23" O north, and longitude 300 25' eaft, from the firft meridian of Greenwich. It ftands upon the Neva, near the Gulf of Finland, and is built partly upon fome iflands in the mouth of that river, and partly upon the continent. Its principal G g g 2 divirions divifions are as follow: i. The Admiralty quarter; 2. The Vaflili Oftrof * ; 3. The fortrefs ; 4. The Ifland of St. Peterfburgh ; and 5. The various fuburbs, called the fuburbs of Livonia, of Mofcow, of Alexander Neviki, and of Wiburgh. Their peculiar lituation, with refpedt to each other,, will be better explained by the annexed plan of the town, than by the moft elaborate defcription. Peter the Great has incurred confiderable cenfure for transferring the feat of empire from Mofcow to Peterfburgh : it has been urged, with fome degree of plaufibility, that he was in effect more an Afiatick than an European fovereign ; that Mofcow, lying nearer to the center of his dominions, was better calculated for the imperial refidence ; and that, by removing his capital, he neglected the interior provinces, and facrificed every other confideration to his predilection for the fettlements upon the Baltick. But it by no means appears, that although Peterfburgh was thus fituated at the extremity of Ruflia, that therefore he neglected any other part of his valt dominions. On the contrary, he was no lefs attentive to his Afiatick than to his European provinces : his repeated negotiations with the Chinefe, his campaigns againft the Turks, and his conqueft of the Perfian provinces which border upon the Cafpian, prove the truth, of this aflertion. It is no lefs obvious, that Europe was the quarter from whence the greatett danger to his throne impended, that the Swedes were his molt formidable enemies, and that from them the very exigence of bis empire was threatened with annihilation. It was not by leading his troops againft the de-fultory bands of Turks or Perfians, that he was able to acquire a folid military force; but by training them to endure the firm attack of regular battalions, and to learn to conquer at. lait by repeated defeats : with this defign, the nearer he fixed * OHiof Hgnints Ifknd, P E 1 E R S B U R G H. his feat to the borders of Sweden, whofe veterans had long been the terror of the north, the more readily his troops , would imbibe their military fpirit, and learn, by encountering them, their well-regulated manoeuvres. Add to to this, that the protection of the new commerce, which he.opened through the Baltick, depended upon the creation and maintenance of a naval force, which required his immediate and almoft continual infpection. To this circumftance alone is owing the rapid and refpectable rife of the Ruflian power, its preponderance in the north* and its political importance in the fcale of Europe. In a word, had not Peter 1. transferred the feat of government to the fhores of the Baltick, the Ruflian navy had never rode triumphant in the Turkifh feas; and Catharine II. had never flood forth what fhe now is, the arbitrefs of the north, and the mediatrix * of Europe. Thus much with refpeil to the political confequence which Ruflia derived from the pofition of the new metropolis: its internal improvement, the great object of Peter's reign, was confiderably advanced by approaching its capital to the more civilized parts of Europe.; by this means he drew the nobility from their rude magnificence and feudal dignity at Mofcow to a more immediate dependence upon the fovereign, to more polillied manners, to a greater degree of focial intercourfe, Nor was there any other caufe, perhaps,-which fo much tended to promote his plans for the civilization of his fubjects, as the removal of the imperial feat from the inland provinces to the. Khores of the Gulf of Finland. For the nearer the rciidence. of the monarch is brought to the more polimed nations, the more frequent will be the intercourfe with them, and the more eafy the adoption of their arts; and in no other parts could * If muft be remembered, that Catharine II. mediated the peace of TefcheOj in 1779, between the emperor of Germany and the king of Pruflia.. the influx of foreigners be fo great as where they were allured ' by commerce. In oppofition to the cenfurers of Peter, we cannot but efteem this act one of the molt beneficial of his reign : and one might even venture to alfert, that if, by any revolution of Europe, this empire fhould lofe its acquifitions on the Baltick ; if the court fhould repair to Mofcow, and maintain a fainter connection with the European powers before any eiTential reformation in the manners of the people fhould have taken place ; Ruflia would foon rclapfe into her original barbarifm ; and no traces of the memorable improvements introduced by Peter I. and Catharine II. would be found but in the annals of hiftory. As I walked about this metropolis I was filled with aftonifh-ment upon reflecting, that fo late as the beginning of this century, the ground on which Peterfburgh now ftands was only a vaft morafs occupied by a few fifhermens' huts. The firft building of the city is fo recent as to be almoft remembered by fome perfons who are now alive ; and its gradual progrefs is accordingly traced without the leaft difficulty. Peter the Great had no fooner wrefted Ingria from the Swedes, and advanced the boundaries of his empire to the fhores of the Baltick, than he determined to erect a fortrefs upon a fmall ifland in the mouth of the Neva, for the purpofe of fecuring his conquefts, and opening a new channel of commerce *. As a prelude to this undertaking, a fmall battery was immediately raifed on another ifland of the Neva, upon the fpot now occupied by the Academy of Sciences, and it was commanded by Vaflili Demitrievitch Kotfhmin. All the orders of the emperor lent to this officer were directed Vaflili na Oftrof, to Vaffili * See Hi ft. Geog. and Top. Befchreibung der Stadt S. Pet. in the Journal of St, Pet. for 1779. upon P ETERSBURGH. 415 upon the Ifland; and hence this part of the town was called Cj{^p' Vaflili Oftrof, or the ifland of Vaffili. ^—^—* The fortrefs was begun on the 16th of May, 1703 ; and, notwithstanding all the obftrudtions ariling from the marfhy nature of the ground, and the inexperience of the workmen, a fmall citadel furrounded with a rampart of earth, and ftrengthened with fix baftions, was completed in a ihort fpace of time. An author % who was in Ruffia at that period, informs us, " that the labourers were not furnifhed with the " neceflary tools, as pick-axes, fpades and fhovels, wheel-" barrows, planks, and the like; notwithftanding which, the " work went on with fuch expedition, that it was furprizing " to fee the fortrefs raifed within lefs than five months, " though the earth, which is very fcarce thereabouts, was, for " the greater part, carried by the labourers in the (kilts of " their clothes, and in bags made of rags and old mats, the ufe " of wheel-barrows being then unknown to them." Within the fortrefs a few wooden habitations were erected. For his own immediate refidence Peter alfo ordered, in the beginning of the year 1703, a fmall hut to be railed in an adjacent ifland,, which he called the iiland of St. Peterfburgh,. and from which the new metropolis has taken its name : this hut was low and fmall; and is ftill preferved in memory of the fovereign who condescended to dwell in it. Near it was ■ foon afterwards conftrucied another wooden habitation, but larger and more commodious, in which prince Menzikof refilled, and gave audience to foreign minifters. At a fmall diftance was an inn, much frequented by the courtiers and perfons of all ranks; to which Peter himfelf, on Sundays after di-vine-fervice, frequently repaired, and would there drink with bis fuite and thofe who happened to be prefent, as fpeclators * Terry's State of Ruffia, vol. i, p. 300. of of fire-works and other divcrfions, which were exhibited by On the 30th of May, 1706, Peter ordered the ramparts of earth to be demolifhed, and began the foundation of the new fortrefs on the fame fpot. In 1710 Count Golovkin built the firft edifice of brick ; and in the following year the tzar, with his own hand, laid the foundation of an houfe, to be erected with the fame materials*. From thefe fmall beginnings rofe the prefent metropolis of the Ruflian empire ; and in lefs than nine years after the firft wretched hovels of wood were erected, the feat of empire was transferred from Mofcow to Peterfburgh. The defpotick authority of Peter, his zeal for the improvement of the new capital, and his endeavours to make it referable the other cities of Europe, will appear from the following orders ifTued by his command. In 17 14 a mandate was put forth, that all buildings upon the Ifland of St. Peterfburgh, and in the Admiralty Quarter, particularly thofe upon the banks of the Neva, fliould be conftrudted after the German manner with timber and brick ; that each of the nobility and principal merchants fliould be obliged to have an houfe in Peterfburgh ; that every large veftel navigating to the city fliould bring 30 ftones, every fmall one 10, and every peafant's waggon three, towards the conflruction of the bridges and other public works : that the tops of the houfes fhould be no longer covered with birch-planks, and bark, fo dangerous in cafe of fire, but fhould be roofed with tiles, or clods of earth. In 1716 a regular plant for the new city was approved and publifhed by Peter. According to which the principal part of the new metropolis was to be fituated in the VafTili Oftrof; and, in imitation of the Dutch towns, canals were to to be cut through the principal ftreets, and to be lined with avenues of * Journal St. Vet, for 1779. f The reader will find a delineation of this plan in Perry's State of Ruffia, trees. trees. This plan, however, was never carried into execution, chap. in. Under the emprefs Anne the imperial refidence was removed s—v__► to the Admiralty Quarter. The nobility foon followed the example of the fovereign ; and at prefent, if we except fome of the publick edifices, and the row of houfes fronting the Neva, the VafTili Oftrof is the word part of the city, and alone contains more wooden buildings than all the other quarters. Succeeding fovereigns have continued to cmbellilh Peterfburgh, but none more than the prefent emprefs; who may, without exaggeration, be called its fecond foundrefs. Notwithstanding, however, all thefe improvements, it bears every mark of an infant city, and is ftill, as Mr. Wraxall * juftly ob-ferves, M only an immenfe outline, which will require future " empreiTes and almoft future ages to complete." The ftreets in general are broad + and fpacious; and three of the principal ones, which meet in a point at the Admiralty, and reach to the extremities of the fuburbs, are at leaft two miles in length. Moft of them are paved ; but a few are ftill fuffered to remain floored with planks. In feveral parts of the metropolis, particularly in the Vaflili Oftrof, wooden houfes and habitations, fcarcely fuperior to common cottages, are blended with the publick buildings; but this motley mixture is far lefs common than at Mofcow, where alone can be formed any idea of an antient Ruffian city. The brick houfes are ornamented with a white ftucco, which has led feveral travellers to fay that they arc built with ftone; whereas, nnlefs I am greatly miftaken, there are only two ftone ftructures in all Peterfburgh. The one is a palace, building by the emprefs upon the banks of the Neva, called the marble-palace ; it is of hewn granite, with marble columns * Wraxall's Tour, p. 231. f They are moitty as broad as Oxford-Street: thofe with canals much broader. Vol. I. II h h and and ornaments; the other is the church of St. Ifaac, con-^ftructcd with the fame materials, but not yet fmifhed. The manlions of the nobility are many of them vaft piles of building, but are not in general upon fo large and magnificent a fcale as feveral I obferved at Mofcow: they are fur-nifhed with great coft, and in the fame elegant ftyle as at Paris or London. They are fituated chiefly on the fouth-lide of the Neva, either in the Admiralty Quarter, or in the fuburbs of Livonia and Mofcow, which are the fineft parts of the city. The views upon the banks of the Neva exhibit the moft grand and lively fcenes I ever beheld. That river is in moft places broader than the Thames at London : it is alfo deep, rapid, and as tranfparent as chryftal ; and its banks are lined on each fide with a continued range of handfome buildings. On the north fide the fortrefs, the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Arts are the moft ftriking objects; on the oppofite fide are the Imperial palace, the Admiralty, the man-lions of many Ruflian nobles, and the Englifh line, fo called becaufe (a few houfes excepted) the whole row is occupied by the Englifh merchants. In the front of thefe buildings, on the fouth fide, is the Quay, which ftretches for three miles, except where it is interrupted by the Admiralty; and the Neva, during the whole of that fpace, has been lately embanked, at the expence of the emprefs, by a wall parapet and pavement of hewn granite, a moft elegant and durable monument of imperial munificence. Peterfburgh, although it is more compact than the other Ruflian cities, and has the houfes in many ftreets contiguous to each other, yet ftill bears a refemblance to the towns of this country, and is built in a very ftraggling manner. By an order lately iffued from government, the city has been enclofed within a rampart, the circumference whereof is 21 verfts, or 14 Englifh miles. The The average population of Peterlhurgh may be collected from the following lift of births and deaths during feven years. < Deaths. Males Females 1771 Births. Males Females 4781 1772 1773 1774 1775 1776 J 777 Males Females Males Females Natives, Males Females Foreigners. Males Females 2459 2322 =4759 = 5483 2839^ 2598 2816 2581 2717 2618 265 254 = 5437 =4961 5397 5854 Males Females Males Females Natives. Males Females Foreigners. Males Females 1642=4779 = 4727 = 503t 2899^ *559 = 3107 2694 4458 1769 3117 2043 265 235 =4463 5660 Total of births for 7 years 3 6,67 2 Total of deaths 32,165 Annual average of births, omitting fmall fractions 5238 of deaths 4594 By multiplying the births 5238 by 25, the fum is 134,950; and the deaths 4594 by 26, the fum is 119,444. By taking the medium, therefore, between thefe two fums, we have 126,697 for the number of inhabitants *. Peterfburgh, from its low and marfhy fituation, is fubject to inundations, which have occafionally rifen fo high as to threaten the town with a total fubmerfion. Thefe floods are chiefly occafioned by a weft or fouth-weft wind, which, blow- * Sufslick eftimates the population of Te- only Urge town in which there are more teriburgh at 133,196, by multiplying the births than deaths. Upon the whole, ihe births with 28; and 132,990 by multiplying population of Peterfourgh may be <. ft i ma ted the deaths by 26 ; neither of which numbers in round numbers at 130,000 of fouls. Sec differs effentially from the average number Sufslick Goitliche Orduung. Vol, III. p. 650. in the text \ he adds, that Peterfburgh is the II h h 2 book jng directly from the gulf, obftrucls the current of the Neva,, v and caufes a vaft accumulation of its waters. On the i 6th of November we had nearly perfonal experience of this dreadful calamity : being invited to a mafquerade at the Cadet's in the VafTili Oftrof, on our approach to the bridge, we perceived that a ftormy weft wind had already fo much fwelled the river as confiderably to elevate the pontoons; and the tenfion of the bridge was fo great as to endanger its being broken to pieces. Inftead, therefore, of repairing to the mafquerade, we returned home, and waited for fome hours in awful expectation of an immediate deluge. Providentially, however, a fud-den change of wind preferved Peterfburgh from the impending cataitrophe, and the inhabitants from an almoft univerfal confternation, which their recent fufferings had impreffed upon their minds. I allude to the flood which overwhelmed the town in the month of September, 1777, and whofe effects arc thus defcribed: " * In the evening of the 9th, a violent M irorm of wind blowing at firft S. W. and afterwards W, " raifed the Neva and its various branches to fo great an " height, that at five in the morning the waters poured over " their banks, and fuddenly overflowed the town, but more M particularly the Vaflili Oftrof and the ifland of St. Peterf-" burgh. The torrent rofe in feveral ftreets to the depth of " four feet and an half, and overturned, by its rapidity, various " buildings and bridges. About feven, the wind fhifting to " N. W. the flood fell as fuddenly ; and at mid-day moft of " the ftreets^ which in the morning could only be paffed in u boats, became dry. For a fhort time the river rofe xoTeet " 7 inches above its ordinary level t." The * Journ. St. Pet. Sept; 1777. following obfervations arc extracted. Thefe f Mr. Kraft, profeffor of experimental floods are leis alarming than formerly, as the philofophy to the Imperial Academy of Sci- fwelling of the river to about fix feet above races,, has written a judieioiis treatife upon its ui'ual level, which ufed to overflow the* ihe inundation of the Neva, from which the whole town, have no longer any effect, excepting The oppofite divisions of Peterfburgh, fituated on each fide chap. of the Neva, are connected by a bridge on pontoons, which, v on account of the large maffes of ice driven down the ftrcam from the Lake Ladoga, is ufually removed * when they firft make their appearance ; and for a few days, until the river is frozen hard enough to bear carriages, there is no communication between the oppofite parts of the town. The depth of the river feems to render it impoffible to build a ftone bridge ; and even if one could be conftrudted,.it muft neceffarily be deftroyed by the vaft flioals of ice, which cepting upon the lower parts of Peterfburgh ; a circumftance owing to the gradual railing of the ground by buildings and other caufes. Upon tracing the principal inundations, the profeflbr informs us, that the molt antient, of which there is any tradition, happened in 1691, and is mentioned by Weber, from the account of fome fifhermen inhabiting near Niefchants, a Swedifh redoubt upon the Neva, about three miles from the prefent fortrefs of Peterfburgh. At that period the waters ufually rofe every five years; and the inhabitants of that diftrict no fooner perceived the particular ftorms whkh they had been taught from fatal experience to confi-der as forerunners of a flood, than they took their hovels to pieces, and, joining the timbers together in the form of rafts, fattened them to the fummits of the higheft trees, and repaired to the mountain of Duderof, which is diftant fix miles from their place of abode, where they waited until the waters fubfuled. The higheft inundations, excepting the laft of i/77» were thofe of the 1 ft of November, 1726, when the waters rofe 8 feet 2 inches ; and on the 2d of October, 1752, when they rofe 8 feet 5 inches. From a long courfe of obfervations the profeflbr draws tlie following conclufion. The higheft floods, namely, thofe which rife about fix feet, have generally happened in one of the four laft months of the year : no fenfiblc effect is everprodueed by rain or fnow ; a fwell is fometimes occafioned by the accumulation of maffes of ice at the mouth of the Neva ; but the principal caufes of the overflowing of that river are derived from violent florins and winds blowingS. W, W. or N, W. which ufually prevail at the autumnal equinox; and the height of the waters i» always in proportion to the violence and duration of thofe winds. In a word, the eir* cumftaiiccs moft liable to promote the overflowings of the Neva, are when, at the autumnal equinox, three or four days before or after the full or new moon, that luminary being near her perig^um, a violent N. W. wind drives the waters of the Northern Ocean, during the influx of the tide, into the Baltick, and is accompanied, or inftantane-oully fucceeded by a S..W. wind in that fea and the Gulf of Finland. All thefe circumftances concurred at the inundation of 1777 ; it happened two days before the autumnal equinox, four before the full moon, two after her patting through the perigxum, and by a 1 ttorm at S. W. which was preceded by flrong W. winds in the Northern Ocean, andltrong N. winds-at the mouth of the baltick. See Notices et Remarques fur les deborde-mens de la Neva a St. Peterfbourg accom-pagnecs d'une carte reprcfentant la cnie et la diminution dea* caux, Ste.—In Nov. Ac.. Pet. for 1777, P. H. p. 47. to which excellent treatife I would refer the curious reader for further information, * When I was at Peterfburgh, the bridge, which had been taken away was replaced, and continued during the whole winter. in the beginning of winter are hurried down the rapid flream of the Neva. In order to remedy this inconvenience, a Ruflian peafant has projected the fublime plan of throwing a wooden bridge of a fingle arch acrofs the river, which in its narroweft part is 980 feet in breadth. The artirt has executed a model 98 feet in length, which I examined with great attention, as he kindly explained its proportion and mechanifm. The bridge is upon the fame principle with that of Schaff-haufen, excepting that the mechanifm is more complicated, and that the road is not fo level. I fliall attempt to defcribe it by fuppofing it finifhed, as that will convey the bell: idea of the plan. The bridge is roofed at the top, and covered at the fides : it is formed by four frames of timber, two on each •lide, compofed of various beams or trufTes, which fupport the whole machine. The road is not, as is ufual, carried over the top of the arch, but is fufpended in the middle. The following proportions I noted down with the greatert exactnefs at the time when they were explained to me by the artiif.. Length of the abutment on the north end 658 feet. Span of the arch 980 Length of the abutment on the fouth end 658 Length of the whole ftruchire, including the abutments 2296 The plane of the road upon its firft afcent makes an angle of five degrees with the ordinary furface of the river. Mean level of the river to the top of the bridge in the center 16S Pitto to the bottom of the bridge in the center I26 Height of the bridge from the bottom to the top in the center 42 Height from the bottom of the bridge in the center to the road 7 Height from the bottom of ditto to the water 84 Height from the water to the fprjng of the arch 56 So that there is a difference of 35 feet between the road at the fpring.of the arch, and the road at the center; in other words, an afcent of 35 feet in half 980, or in the fpace of 490 feet, which is little more than eight-tenths of an inch to 4 a a foot Thebriclge is broadeft towards the fides, and dimi-nilhes towards the centre. The artift informed me, that to complete thebridge would require 49,650 iron nails, 12,908 large trees, 5,500 beams to ftrengthen them, and that it would coll: 300,000 roubles, or £60,000. He fpeaks of this bold project with the ufual warmth of genius; and is perfectly convinced that it would be practicable. I muft own that I am of the fame opinion, though I hazard it with great diffidence. What a noble effect would be produced by a bridge finking acrofs the Neva, with anarch 980 feet wide, and towering 168 feet from the furface of the water. The defcription of fuch a bridge feems almoft chimerical; and yet, upon infpection of the model, we become reconciled to the idea. But whether the execution of this ftupendous work may be deemed poflible or not, the model itfelf is worthy of attention, and reflects the higheft honour on the inventive faculties of that unimproved genius: it is fo compactly conftrudted, and of fuch uniform folidity, that it has fupported 3540 pood, or 127,440 pounds, without having in the leaft fwerved from its direction, which I am told is far more, in proportion to itjs flze, than the bridge if completed would have occafion to fuftain from the preffure of the carriages added to its own weight. The perfon who projected this plan is a common Ruffian peafant; and, like the Swifs carpenter who built the bridge of Schaffhaufen t, poffeffed of but little knowledge in the theory of mechanicks. This extraordinary genius was apprentice to a fhopkeeper at Nhhnei Novogorod : oppofite to his dwelling * The afcent of the road of the bridge f For the account of the bridge of Schaff-af Schaffhaufen is barely four-tenths of an haufen, fee the Sketches on the State of inch in a foot. Swiflcrland. Letter II. In the broadeft part it is In the center or narrowed The breadth of the road is 168 feet. 28 was BiyK wns a-wooden clock, which excited his curiofity. By repeated v—►examinations he comprehended the internal ftructure, and, without any affirmance, formed one exactly fimilar in its proportion and materials. His fuccefs in this firft cftay urged him to undertake the conftruction of metal clocks and watches. The emprefs, hearing of thefe wonderful exertions of his native genius, took him under her protection, and fent him to England'; from whence, on account of the difficulties attending his ignorance of the language, he foon returned to Ruflia. I law a repeating watch of his workmanfhip at the Academy of Sciences : it is about the bignefs of an egg; in the infide is represented the tomb of our Saviour, with the ftone at the entrance, and the centinels upon duty; fuddenly the ftone is removed, the centinels fall down, the angels appear, the women enter the fepulchre, and the fame chant is heard which is performed on Eafter-eve. Thefe are trifling, although curious performances; but the very planning of the bridge wras a moft fublime conception. This perfon, whole name is Ku-libin, bears the appearance of a Ruffian peafant ; he has a long beard, and wears the common drefs of the country. He receives a peniion from the emprefs, and is encouraged to follow the bent of his mechanical genius. One of the nobleft monuments, as my ingenious friend Mr. Wraxall obferves, of the gratitude and veneration paid to Peter 1. * is the equeftrian ftatue of that monarch in bronze: it is of a Coloflal lize, and is the work of Monfieur Falconet, the celebrated French ftatuary, eaft at the expence of Catharine II. in honour of her great predeceffor, whom fhe reveres and imitates. It reprefents that monarch in the attitude of mounting a precipice, the fummit of which he has nearly attained. He appears crowned with laurel, in a loofe Afiatick veft, and fitting on a houling of bear-akin : his right hand is ' * WrnxaH's Tour, p. 224. ftretched ftretched out as in the act of giving benediction to his people ; and his left holds the reins. The dellgn is matter] y, and the attitude is bold and fpirited. If there be any defect in the figure, it confifts in the flat pofition of the right hand ; and, for this reafon, the view of the left fide is the moft ftriking, where the whole appearance is graceful and animated. The horfe is rearing upon its hind legs ; and its tail, which is full and flowing, (lightly touches a bronze ferpent, artfully contrived to aflift in fupporting the vaft weight of the ftatue in due equilibrium. The artift has, in this noble effay of his genius, reprefented Peter as the legillator of his country, without any allulion to conquer! and bloodihed ; wifely preferring his civil qualities to his military exploits ». The contrail between the compofed tranquillity of Peter (though perhaps not abfolutely char act eriftick) and the fire of the horfe, eager to prefs forwards, is very ftriking. The fimplicity of the infcription cor-refponds to the fublimity of the defign, and is far preferable to a pompous detail of exalted virtues, which the voice of flattery applies to every fovereign without diftinction. It is elegantly finiihed in brafs characters, on one fide in Latin, and on the oppofite in Ruflian. * Monfieur Falconet has ably refuted tlie cenfures urged againft his ftatue on this account. See his Letter to Diderot, in " Pieces *' written by Monf. Falconet," tranflated by Mr. Tooke, p. 47. The reader will alfo find in that work an engraving of the ftatue. 44 I H hive endeavoured,'' hurt Monfieur Falconet to Mr- Wraxall, M to catch, as far as poffihle, 44 the genuine feelings of the Mufcovitele-44 gifhtor, and to give him fuch an exprellion 44 as himfelf would have owned. 1 have not 44 decked his perfon with emblems cl Roman M confulage, or placed a marerhal's baton in 44 his hand : au antient drefs would have ** been unnatural, and the Ruffian he withed 44 to abolifh. The (kin on which he is feated, 44 is emblematical of the nation he refined. 44 Poflibly," faid M. Falconet, 44 the c/ar Vol. I. I i 44 would have afked me why 1 did not put a 44 fabre into his hand ; but, perhaps, he 44 made too great a ufe of it when alive, and 44 a fculptor ought only to exhibit thofe 44 parrs of a character which reflect honour 44 on it, and rather to draw a veil acrofs the 44 errors and vices which tarnifh it. A la-44 bourcd panegyrick would have been equally 44 injudicious and unntcelfary, fluce hiftory 44 has already performed that office with im-44 partial juftice, and held up his name to 44 univerfal regard ; and I muft do her pre-44 lent majeiry the juftice to fay, flie had 44 tafte and difcernment enough perfectly to " fee this, and to prefer the prefent Ihort in-44 fcription to any other which could be com. 44 poled." Wraxall's Tom, p. 225—227. i PETRO BOOK PETRO PRIMO*, iv. CATHARINA SECUNDA —*—' 1782. PETROMU PERVOYU EKATHERENA VTORA1YA 1782. The ftatue, when I was at Peterfburgh, was not erected, but itood under a large wooden fired near the Neva, within a few yards of its enormous pedeftal, When Falconet had conceived the defign of his ftatue, the bafe of which was to be formed by an huge rock f, he carefully examined the environs of Peterfburgh, if, among the detached pieces of granite I, which are fcattered about thefe parts, one could be found of magnitude correfpondent to the dimenfions of the equeftrian figure. After confiderable refearch, he difcovered a ftupendous mafs half buried in the midft of a morafs. The expence and difficulty of tranfporting it were no ob-ftacles to Catharine II. By her order the morafs was immediately drained, a road was cut through a foreft, and carried over the marfhy ground; and the ftone, which after it had been fomewhat reduced weighed at leaft 1500 tons, was removed to Peterfburgh. This more than Roman work was, in lefs than fix months from the time of its firft difcovery, accomplifhed by a windlafs, and by means of large friction-balls alternately placed and removed in grooves fixed on each fide of the road. In this manner it wras drawn, with forty men feated upon its top, * Catharine II. to Peter I. 11 Ce qui furtout frappa d'etonnement, f *' Pour marquer a pofterite, d'ou cet 11 e'etoit I interieur de la pierre. Un coup 44 heros legiflateur etoit parti, et quels ob- 44 de foudre Pavoit endommage d'un cote. 44 Hacks il ave it furmonte—Defcription d'une 44 On abbattit ce morceau, & I'on vit, axi lieu 44 Pierre—por.r fervir de Picdeftal, &c. in 44 de parties homogenes, un affemblage de *• Haygold's." Rufsland, V. II. p. an. 44 toutcs fortes de pierrcs fines & precicufes. X The pedeftal is a reddifh granite, in 44 Cetoicnt det Criftaux, des Agathcs, des Grc- v\'hich the mica are very large and refplen- 44 ttats, des Topazes, des Cornalines^ des Ame- dent. This circumnance induced a perfon, 44 thyfes, qui offroient aux yeux des curieux who has publiflied an account of it, and was *4 un fpe&acle, auffi nouveau que magnifi- willing to make a prodigy where there is 44 que, & aux phyficiens un objet de re- none, to give the following ridiculous and 44 cherches des plus intereffans." ibid, exaggerated defcription upon breaking part p. zi2t of it afunder. 4 about about four miles to the banks of the Neva; there it was embarked in a velfel conftrudted on purpofe to receive it, and thus conveyed about the fame diftance by water to the fpot where it now ftands. When landed at Peterfhurgh it was 42 feet long at the bafe, 36 at the top, 21 thick, and 17 high ; a bulk greatly furpafling in weight the moft boafted monuments of Roman grandeur, which, according to the fond admirers of antiquity, would have baffled the fkill of modern mechanicks, and were alone fufficient to render confpicuous the reign of the moft degenerate emperors. The pedeftal, however, though ftill of prodigious magnitude, is far from retaining its original dimenfions, as, in order to form a proper flation for the ftatue, and to reprefent an afcent, the fummit whereof the horfe is endeavouring to attain, its bulk has been neceffarily diminifhed. But I could not ob-ferve, without regret, that the artift has been defirous to improve upon nature ; and in order to produce a refemblance of an abrupt broken precipice, has been too lavifli of the chifTel. Near it was a model in plaftcr, to the fhape of which the workmen were fafliioning the pedeftal. It appeared to me, that in this model the art was too confpicuous; and that the effecT would have been far more fublime, if the ftone had been left as much as poflible in its rude ftate, a vaft unwieldy ftupendous mafs. And indeed, unlets I am greatly miftaken, the pedeftal, when finiffied according to this plan, will have fcarcely breadth fufficient to afford a proper bafe for a ftatue of fuch Coloffal fize Having paffed feveral months in Ruflia, I fliall here throw * The flatue was erected on the pedeftal her clemency, flie pardons all criminals under on the 27th of Auguft, 1782. The ceremony fentence of death ; all deferters, who fliould was performed with great folemtiity, and was return-to their reffective corps within a li- accompanied with a folemn inauguration, mited time ; and releafes all criminals con- At the fame time the emprefs iffucd a pro- demncd to hard labour, provided they had clamation,in which, among other .inftances of not been guilty of murder. I i i 2 together ®yK together fuch facts and obfervations as occurred to me con--v-^cerning the ftate of the weather, and the effects of the cold in this fevere climate. During our journey from Mofcow to Peterfburgh in the month of September, we found the weather very changeable, the autumnal rains being extremely frequent and heavy K The mornings and evenings were extremely cold, and, whenever it did not rain, we generally obferved that the grafs and trees were covered with a white froft. Upon our arrival at Peterfburgh on the 29th of September N. S. the winter was not yet fet in : in October the weather,, for the firft twenty days, was the moft part rainy; and the mercury, in Fahrenheit's thermometer, was feldom below freezing point, and moftiy fluctuated bet-ween 32 and 44. The firft fnow made its appearance in fleet on the 9th, and the following day it came down in flakes and in large quantities : on the 24th the mercury fuddenly funk to 25 ;. but in the enfuing morning, it rofe above freezing point, there came a fudden thaw,, and all the fiiow difappeared in a few hours. The fummer and winter are not, a^ in our climate, gradually divided by a fpring and autumn of any length, but feem almoft to fucceedeach other. * In 3.0 clays it rained 24 ; and the quantity of water which fell at St*. Peterfburgh in the month of September O. S. was equal to 2} Englifh inches in depth. prom accurate obfervations during fourteen years to afcertaiu die quantity of rain and fnow which fell at St. Peterfburgh, the refult was, that the average annual duration! of fuowy and rainy weather was equal to 42 times 24 hours, or fomething lefs than the ninth part of the year. From a courfe of teH years obfervations it appeared, that rain fell during fome part of 103 days, and fnow during fome part of 72 ; and that if the year-was divided into twelve parts, a fourth was line weather, a third rain, and a fifth fnow. The whole quantity of rain and fnow water, taken together, which fell in the courfe of a year, was in the following proportion : January o>979" February ©♦979 March o,fioi April 1,246 May 1 s J 3 S June 3,116 2,760 , Inches. Auguft *,&7.i > September 3.473 October 2,493 November December 0,979 32>345 , The average quantity of rain which falls in London in the courfe of a year is equal to 19,241. On On the 15th of November the Neva* was entirely frozen, chap. and foon afterwards the Gulf of Finland was covered with ice, > ™' t and fledges began to pafs from Peterfburgh to Cronltadt, the road being marked over the furface by rows of trees. I found, that even during the months of December and January, the weather was extremely changeable, as it fhifted in a very fridden manner from a fevere froft to a thaw ; and the mercury in the thermometer often rofe within the courfe of twenty hours from 10 to 34 ; and funk again as rapidly in the fame fpace of time. Although I examined the thermometer every day, yet I did not attempt to ft>rm a feries of regular obfervations, which I now very much regret. 1 occalionally, indeed, made a few remarks, which I fliall infert in a note, as X find them fcattered in my journal; they will tend to confirm * The freezing of the Nerrv is not attended with any peculiarities which ditVin-guifh it from other rivers. The following i:ircumftances, which fell under my obferva-tion, are extorted from my journal. Monday morning, Nov. 9. On Saturday the 7th, fmall pieces cf ice, which came from the lake i .adoga, were finr obferved floating with the-fiream : the fame day in the evening the bridge of boats was removed, as in thefe cafes they collect and would carry it away, Yefterday the pieces of ice were more frequent and maffy : to-dfly they are fmall floating illands, which almoft cover the liver; tlie fides of the Neva are frozen only a few feet from the banks : all the canals are covered with ice,, and people are fcating upon them. Nbv, 12 and ty. The Neva is frozen above the place where the bridge was ffcati- Tabic cf the freezing and thawing of the Kraft's Obfervations: oned by the pieces of ice which have united and barrel the paffage: below it the ftceam is perfectly free from any floating malles, and' tin: river is open for boats, which are continually palling to and fro. Nov. 13. The bridge of boats is again replaced, as there is no longer any danger of its being carried away bv the floating maffes of ice ; and will continue during the whole winter, a circumfl nice which has not happened fince the foundation of Peterfburgh. Nov. 15. The river about and below the bridge is entirely frozen, and 1 faw perfons-walking acrofs it. 1 am informed that yef-terday the ice was UTOQg enough to bear foot paffengers; this will convey fome idea of the feverity of the weather in this clinntc ; as tlie rapid current was open on the 13th, and on the next day was frozen. Neva for five iucceifive years, from Profefib" >7.73-A mil I7rw S'>'Ie 1 * Nov. » ^ .'774. April 1 1 May "* j 7 J 775-May T » a -____«• '_ 17:6. i % 1777. my Open 217 days. See Nov. Ac. Pet. for 1777. 2CO 1 3.O4 1 2QI 1 2iO p. 11. p. 73. book the truth of what I have advanced in relation to the change of weather obfervable at Peterfburgh, and will ferve to contradict thofe authors who have arTerted that, as foon as the hard froft commences, the cold continues with uniform feverity, and with little variation, during the whole feafon % When the froft was not very fevere, namely, when the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer was not below 10, I frequently walked out in a common great coat. When the cold * Nov. 16. To-day a thaw; the thermometer mounted to 40 : in the evening fharp fi oil again; the mercury falling to jo. Nov. 23. The thermometer at 4, 5, and 6. Dec. 3. It has been thefe few days moftly a thaw and changeable weather. 'Dec. 6. The thermometer fell almoft fuddenly from 33 to 10. Dec. rr. Thermometer at — 10. Dec. 14. A fudden thaw which continued the 15th and 16th. Dec. 17. Thermometer at — 7. 18. Thermometer at — 5, and a fog at the fame time. 19. Windy, thaw, thermometer above freezing point. • I. Changeable weather all this week, from fharp froft to fudden thaw. the thermometer one morning at — 8, the next above freezing point; this winter it has not as yet been lower than— 13. Jan.-6. Thermometer at — 14. .9. Thermometer at—yi ; the barometer mounted fuddenly very high fince laft night. 10. Early this morning the thermometer at — 23, and at 11 at — 2o|. Barometer at 30A. The fmoke of the chimnies was preffed down to the ground. 11. Thermometer at — 28, according to my own obfervation, at ten in the morning : but earlier the mercury had funk to — 31^ or 63! below freezing point. 15. Thermometer, fince the nth, rofe gradually ; on the 12th in the morning it flood at — 13 ; from thence it fell to o, to 15 ; and to-day it is above freezing point. Jan. I. 1779. Weather very changeable, Meteorological Journal during four months, O. S. from the Obfervations in the Academy of Sciences at St. Peterfburgh, 1778. oa. loudy, fnow in great quantity cloudy, fnow cloudy, fnow artly clear, partly fnow cloudy, fnow, windy W. fnow cloudy, fnow and rain fnow, windy S. W. flormy S. W. rain cloudy, fnow, windy S. windy N. W. cloudy, violent rain, ftormy S. cloudy, fnow, windy S. W. If. clear 18 fnow '9 cloudy 20 cloudy, fnow 21 fogg}"» 22 cloudy, rain *3 24 *5 clear 20 clear 21 clear 2b cloudy 29 cloudy, fnow 3° 31 cloudy, fnow Not. AlHSSlAE Gl^lXEMANinaVVirTTEUBlRKSS 0 /'///'//,'■//,■,/,/•;■,'/■,///,■,//,'.(ett't'/',ir/t,iM,-nt../,ir>:i",j,ti fivTtt't./t/t'//////, Strand'. cold was more intenfe, I imitated the drefs of the native gentry, and wore, in my daily excurfions through the city, apelijje, or large fur cloak, fur boots or fhoes, a black velvet or fur bon* Nov. i 2 3 windy S. E. fnow windy S. E. cloudy windy S. E, cloudy, fnow 4 windyS.cloudy,fnow in great quant. 5 cloudy, fnow in great quantity 6 cloudy, fnow in great quantity 7 cloudy, fnow 8 cloudy, fnow 9 windy N. W. 10 windy N, W, fnow 11 cloudy, fnow iz windy S. E. clearifh, fnow 13 cloudy, ftormy S, W. rain, fnow 14 cloudy 15 clearifh Nov. 16 clearifh cloudy, incuv, iloiniy i>. W. cloudy, fnow 3 cloudy, rain, fnow 4 cloudy 5 cloudy, much fnow, windy N. E. 6 windy N. W. 7 clear 8 cloudy, rain, fnow, ftormy S. W. wind fhifted to E. 9 cloudy, ftormy W. 0 cloudy, foggy, ftormy W. 1 windy W. 2 fnow, windy N. W« 3 windy N. W. 4 windy N. W. l7 18 J9 20 21 2 2 2 3 24 2 26 27 2 29 30 windy S. E. cloudy cloudy, rain windy S. E, cloudy, fnow cloudy, fnow cloudy, fnow cloudy, foggy, fnow ;lou dy :loudy, foggy. 5 clearifh. windy S. E. clearilh ftormy S. cloudy 8 cloudy, friow windy 29 N, clearifh windy 30 N. W. clearifli Dec. 1 2 Dec. 16 clear, ftormy W. rain, fnow rain, fnow, windy S, fnow, windy S, much fnow, windy S. E. cloudy windy N. E. fnow, windy W. *7 18 '9 20 21 2 j a 3 a 8 29 24 cloudy, fnow 25 cloudy, fnow 26 fnow, ftormy S. E. dear cloudy, fnow, windy N. W. 3olclear, fnow, windy W. 3i|much fnow, windy W. Jan. 1 fnow, ftormy S. W. 2 fnow 3 f°ggy> fnow 4 fnow 5, cloudy, fnow, windy S. W. 6 windy N. 7 fnow, windy N. 8 clear 9f ornamented with a plume of feathers, and inter-fperfed with diamonds. As the order of St. Andrew is the moft honourable in this country, it is confined to a few perfons of the firft rank and confequence; and there were only twelve of them at Peterfburgh who fat down to dinner with the emprefs; thefe were Prince Potemkin, Prince Orlof, L 1 1 2 Marflial book Marfhal Galitzin, Counts Alexey Orlof, Panin, Rofomoffki, . / , Ivan Tchernichef, Voronzof, Alexander and Leon Narilkin, Munich, and Mr. de Betfkoi. The emprefs before dinner, as on the former occation, prefented each knight with a glafs of wine : at the table fhe was diftinguifhed by a chair ornamented with the arms of Ruffia, and prefided with her ulual dignity and condefcenfion. The foreign minifters and a fplendid train of courtiers ftood fpectators of the entertainment, and many of them were occafionally noticed by the emprefs. The order of St. And rew, or the Blue Ribband, the firft ever known in this country, was inftituted by Peter I. in the year 1698, foon after his return from his firft expedition into foreign countries *. That of St. Alexander Nevfki, or the Red Ribband, was created by the fame fovereign, but never conferred until the reign of Catharine I. in 1725 f. The order of St. Anne of Holftein was inftituted, in 1735, by Charles Frederick duke of Holftein, in memory of his wife Anne daughter of Peter the Great, and introduced into Ruflia by her fon Peter III. It is in the difpofal of the great-duke as fovereign of Holftein. The knights wear a red ribband bordered with yellow. The military order of St. George, called alfo the order of Merit, and which has the precedence over that of St. Anne, was created by the prefent emprefs in 1769. It is appropriated to perfons ferving by land or by fea, and is never be-ftowed in time of peace. The knights wear a ribband with black and orange ftripes. This order is divided into four claffes ; The knights of the firft clafs, called the Great Crofs, wear the ribband over the right fhoulder, and the ftar upon the left * Weber's Ver. Ruff. Part III. p. 161. f Ibid. p. 38. fide, fide. Each receives an annual falary of 700 roubles = £ 140. The knights of the fecond clafs wear the ftar upon their left breaft, the ribband with the crofs pendent round their neck. Each receives 400 roubles =£80 per ann* The knights of the third clafs wear the fmall crofs pendent round their neck. Each receives 200 roubles, or ^40 per ann. This clafs admits 50. The knights of the fourth clafs wear the fmall crofs fattened by a ribband to the button-hole like the French Croix de St. Louis. Each receives 100 roubles, or £10 per ann* The fund of this order, afligned by the emprefs for the payment of their falaries and other expences, is 40,000 roubles = £8,000 per am* Of this 1680 is deftined for the firft clafs ; and 2000 for each of the remaining three. The number of knights is unlimited. In 1778 the firft clafs, which is confined to commanders in chief, contained only four; namely, Marfhal Romanzof, for his victories over the Turks; Count Alexey Orlof, for burning the Turkifli fleet at Tchefme; Count Panin, for the taking of Bender; and Prince Dolgorucki, for his conquefts in the Crimea. The fecond clafs comprifed only eight knights: the third 48 ; and the fourth 237. No perfon can obtain this order without having performed fome gallant exploit, or having ferved with credit in the rank of officer 25 years by land, or t 8 by fea*. There is alfo the order of St. Catharine, appropriated to the ladies; it was inftituted in 1714 by Peter, in honour of his wife Catharine. The motto of " Love and fidelity" was intended to commemorate the difplay of thofe virtues in her behaviour on the banks of the Pruth. This order is extremely honourable, as, befide the emprefs, the great-duchefs, and a few foreign princeffes, only five Ruffian ladies were decorated with it. The order of St. Andrew is the firft and moft dininguifhed * See Ukafe ueber die Stiftung des St. GeorgVOrdens, in Schmidts Beytrage. Of of the I1, which, befide the fovereign princes and foreigners, ■comprifed, in 1778, 26 Ruffians; that of St. Alexander Nevfki 109; and that of St. Anne 208. The emprefs may alfo be faid to have the difpofal of the Polifli orders of the White Eagle and of St. Staniflaus. Since our departure from Ruffia her majefty inftituted, on the 4th of October, 1782, a new order, called St. Vladimir, in favour of thofe who ferve in civil employments; and it is nearly on the fame footing as that of St. George with refpect to the falaries annexed to the different claffes. There are to be ten great croffes, twenty of the fecond clafs, thirty of the third, and fixty of the fourth, befide a fifth for thofe who have ferved 35 years, which gives them aright to wear it. Two or three times in the winter there are mafquerades at court, to which perfons of all ranks are admitted. At one of thefe entertainments which we attended, about eight thoufand tickets were diftributed ; and from the great concourfe I fhould fuppofe that number to have been actually prefent. A magnificent fuite of twenty apartments were opened on this occafion, all handfomely illuminated. One of thefe apartments, a large oblong room, the fame in which the common bails at court are held, had a fpace in the middle enclofed with a low railing, appropriated to the nobility who danced. A moft elegant faloon of an oval form, called the great-hall of Apollo, nearly as big as the rotunda at Ranelagh, but without any fupport in the middle, was allotted for the dances of the burghers, and other perfons, who had not been prefented at court. The remaining rooms, in which tea and other refrefh-ments were ferved, were filled with card-tables, and crouded with perfons continually pafling and rc-palling. All the company had on their mafks, or took them off at their plea-fure. The nobles in general wore dominos ; the natives of inferior rank appeared in their own provincial clothes, em- bellifhed, bellifhed, perhaps, with a few occafionai ornaments. An exhibition of the feveral dreffes actually ufed by the different inhabitants of the Ruffian empire, afforded a greater variety of motley figures than the wilder!: fancy ever invented in the mafquerades of other countries. Several merchants wives were decked with large quantities of valuable pearls, many of which were fplit in halves for the purpofe of making more fhow. About feven the emprefs made her appearance at the head of a fuperb quadrille^ conlifting of eight ladies led by as many gentlemen. Her majefty and the other ladies of this felect band were moft fumptuouily apparelled in Greek habits; and the gentlemen were accoutred in the Roman military garb, their helmets richly ftudded with diamonds : among the ladies I particularly diftinguifhed the Duchefs of Courland, Princefs Repnin, and Countefs Bruce. Among the gentlemen, Prince Potemkin, Marfhal Rofomoffki, and Count Ivan Tcher-nichef. The emprefs led the way, leaning upon the arm of Marfhal Rofomoffki, and, palling in great ftate through the feveral apartments, walked two or three times round the hall of Apollo, and then fat down to cards in one of the adjoining rooms; the company flocked thither in crouds without dif-tindtion, and arranged themfelves as they could find admittance round the table at a refpectful diftance. The emprefs withdrew as ufual before eleven. A few days before our departure from Peterfburgh, Baron Nolken, minifter from the court of Stockholm, gave a mafquerade and ball on the birth of a fon to the prefent king of Sweden, which the emprefs, great-duke and duchefs, honoured with their prefence. Five hundred perfons of the nobility were invited, together with the embalfadors, and other foreigners who had been prefented at court. The ball began at feven: the great-duke and duchefs firft made their appearance with a fmall fuite, and foon afterwards her imperial ma- 4 jeftr jefty arrived at the head of a quadrille, confiding of nearly the lame perfons as at that lately defcribed at court. Madame Nolken conducted her majefty and her party through the ballroom to an inner apartment, where a rich canopy was erected for the occafion, under which fhe fat down to Macao. At nine a fmall table was fpread, with little ceremony, for the emprefs and her quadrille, in the fame room where they were engaged at cards. Her majefty, who never fups, took nothing but a piece of bread and a glafs of wine. At the fame time a moft iplendid entertainment was ferved in a large faloon to the great-duke and duchefs and the reft of the company. Their imperial highneffes were feated at a central table, with a party of about thirty perfons; and the remaining gentlemen and ladies were diftributed at different tables, which ran round the fides of the room. The chearfulnefs and complacency of the great-duke and duchefs, the attention and politenefs of Baron Nolken and his lady, diffufed an univerfal gaiety throughout the affembly, and rendered the entertainment as agreeable as it was fplendid. A feparate edifice of brick ftuccoed white, called the Hermitage, communicates with the palace by means of a covered gallery. It takes its appellation from its being the fcene of imperial retirement, but bears no other refemblance to an hermitage except in its name, the apartments being extremely fpacious, and decorated in afuperb ftyle of regal magnificence. 'To this favourite fpot the emprefs ufually repairs for an hour or two every day ; and on a Thurfday evening fhe gives a private ball and fupper to the principal perfons who form her court ; foreign minifters and foreign noblemen being feldom invited. At this entertainment all ceremony is* faid to be ba-nifhed, as far as is confident with that refpect which is paid to a great fovereign. The attendance of fervants is excluded, while the fupper and various refreshments are prefented on fmall PETERSBURG*!. 44, fmall tables, which emerge through trap-doors. Many di- chap. rections for the regulation of this felect fociety are difpofed in c the various apartments : the meaning of thofe written in the Ruflian tongue was explained to me by a gentleman of the company, and their general tendency was to encourage freedom from etiquette, and to inculcate the moft unreftrained eafe of behaviour. One written in the French language I comprehended and retained. " AJfeyez vous ou vous voukz, et " quand it vous plaira, fans qu'on le repete mille fois This hermitage contains a numerous aflemblage of pictures, chiefly purchafed by her prefent majefty. Its principal ornament was the celebrated collection of Crozat, which devolved by heritage to the Baron de Thieres, upon whofe death the emprefs purchafed it from his heirs. The Houghton collection, the lofs of which every lover of the arts in England muft fin-cerely regret, will form a moft valuable acceflion, A winter and fummer garden, comprifed within the fite of the building, are fingular curiofities, and fuch as do not, perhaps, occur in any other palace in Europe. The fummer garden, in the true Afiatick. ftyle, occupies the whole level top of the edifice : at this feafon of the year it was entirely buried under the fnow, which prevented our viewing it. The winter-garden is entirely roofed and furrounded with glafs frames: it is an high and fpacious hot-houle, laid out in gravel walks, ornamented with parterres of flowers, orange trees and other fhrubs, and peopled with feveral birds of fundry forts and various climates, which flitted from tree to tree. The whole exhibited a pleating effect, and was the more delightful as being contrafted with the difmal and dreary feafon of the vear. The ordinary diftribution of the empreffes time at Peterfburgh, as far as 1 could collect from inquiries which 1 had * Sit down where you chufe and when you pleafc, without its being repeated to you thoufand times. Vol. I. M m m many many "opportunities of making, as it concerns fo great a princefs, cannot be unacceptable to the reader. Her majefty ufually rifes about fix, and is engaged till eight or nine in publick bufinefs with her fecretary. At ten fhe generally begins her toilet; and while her hair is drefling, the minifters of ftate, and her aid-de-camps in waiting, pay their refpedts and receive their orders. Being dreffed about cloven, fhe fends for her grand-children the young princes Alexander and Conftantine, or vifits them in their own apartment. Before dinner (lie receives a vifit from the great-duke and duchefs ; and fits down to table rather before one. She has always company at dinner, ufually about nine perfons, confifting of the generals and lords in waiting, a lady of the bed chamber, a maid of honour, and two or three of the Ruflian nobility, whom ihe invites. Their imperial highneffes dine with her three times in the week, on which days the party is encreafed to eighteen perfons. The lord of the bed chamber in waiting, who always fits oppofite to the emprefs, carves one difh and prefents it to her; an attention, which, after having once politely accepted, fhe afterwards difpenfes with. Her majefty is remarkably temperate, and is feldom at table more than an hour. From thence fhe retires to her own apartment; and about three frequently repairs to her library in the Hermitage. At five fhe goes to the theatre*, or to a private concert; and, when there is no court in the evening, has a private party at cards. She feldoms fups, generally retires at half paft ten, and is ufually in bed before eleven. The great-duke is extremely fond of the manage; and, two or three times in the week, takes the diverfion of a tournament, which is thus defcribed in my friend Colonel Floyd's Journal: " Count Orlof, having obtained the great-duke's * An Italian opera, a fet of Ruffian and another of French players were, in 1778, maintained at her majelYy's expence, at which the fpe&ators were admitted gratis. " permiflion " permiffion for me to attend the manage of the court, I ac- CHAr-€i cordingly went this morning to fee a tournament. His im-" perial highnefs and eleven of his nobles, dreffed in uniforms « of buff and gold, and armed with a lance, fword, and pif-t( tols, were affembled by nine o'clock, although it was as yet 4i dulk. The great-Juke drew them up by pairs, and upon " the found of the trumpet, himfelf and the knights immedi-" ately mounted their horfes, and retired in due order without " the rails. Two rings were fufpended on oppofite fides of " the walls on each lide of the manage ; at each corner was a ** moor's head of pafleboard, or an apple fixed upon a pole, " and between them two heads with a fquib in their mouths. " Thefe were all placed upon ftands almoft as high as a man "on horfe-back, and at fome paces from the wall; at each end " was alfo an helmet of pafleboard raifed upon a ftand about u a foot from the ground, and about four from the wall. « The two judges, with Lord Herbert and myfelf, who were " the only fpectators, took our ftation on the outride the rail. " Upon a fecond fignal from the trumpet two knights entered " at oppofite ends of the manage. A band of mufick played " a quick air, while each knight, galloping his horfe to the " right, and making a volt, faluted with their lances at the a fame time; then, continuing their courfe round the manage, H each ran with his lance, firft at the rings fufpended from " the walls, and next at the moor's heads; after which they " delivered their lances, as they went on, to their fervants on « foot. The knights then drew their piftols, and each mak-" ing a fecond volt rom:d the other heads, difcharged them in " order to fet fire to the fquib; then, purfuing their courfe " round the manage, they drew their fwords, and, making a " third volt round the apple, endeavoured to ftrike it to the ground. They finifhed their career by ftooping down and, " as they galloped by, thrufting their fwords through the M m m 2 " helmets; " helmets ; then poifing them in the air, they met in the middle, and, riding towards the judge, faluted him, related u the attempts in which they had fucceeded, and demanded (< their prizes: the prize was about four millings for each " achievement, and an equal value was paid for every failure. " The whole was performed on a continued gallop, and al-" ways to the right. In running at the ring, the head, or the " helmet, it is efteemed honourable to put the horfe into full " career, which encreafes the difficulty. The judge having " beftowed the rewards, or taken the forfeits, ordered the two " knights to retire. The trumpets again founding, two others " made their appearance, and performed the fame manoeuvres. " This exercife was repeated twice by each pair of knights. " The whole troop then entered at the fame time, marched, " charged, formed, drew and returned their fwords, and dif-" mounted by word of command from the great-duke. At n to the crown of Ruffia, publiflied the «» 5th of February, 1722, by order of the 44 moft illuftrious and mighty prince, Peter I. 44 emperor and fovereign of all Ruffia, our *• moll gracious lord and mafter: wherein it 44 is ordained, that the prefent, or any fucceeding 44 emperor of Ruffia, not only may at pleafure no-44 minate and appoint a ftieeefor to the crown, 44 but likewife alter the fueeejion, as often as he, ** the p>; Cent, or any other fucceeding emperor f all 44 jet caufe, or think fit. This imperial ordi-44 nance, 1 the under-named do acknowledge 44 to be juft and right, and promife all due 44 obedience to the perfon fo named and ap-" pointed fucceffor ro the imperial crown of 41 Ruflia ; 1 will hold and acknowledge him 44 to be the only lawful heir, and my only 44 fovereign, and accordingly will hazard life il and fortune to maintain him on the throne, «' and defeat the defigns of his enemies. 44 Moreover, if 1 fliall ever be found to act 44 contrary to this oath, or to put any other 41 conftruction upon it, then, and in that 44 cafe, 1 will be accounted a traitor, and not 44 only be liable to an ignominious death, but 44 alfo to the anathema of the church. In 41 confirmation of which, 1 kifs the Holy 44 Gofpd and crofs, and hereunto do fet my 44 band.** * The licentious conduct of the guards (foon after the acceffion of Catharine 1.), which proceeded from their power of difpof-ing of the crown, was uncontroulable. 44 Although the emprefs appeared to rule 44 with an abfolute authority, yet it is certain tt that file entirely depended upon the caprice " of the Preobrefhenfky regiment of guards, ** and the nobles who had placed her upon 44 her throne, neither of whom flie durfl 44 contradict or reduce. Catharine, Well *' aware of her fituation, endeavoured ta 44 free herfelf from this dependent ftate, by 44 declaring all the majors, who had moft au-'* thority, lieutenant-generals; and, under " pretence of thefe promotions, to remove " them from the icgiment of guards, and, in tl their ftead, to appoint feveral foreigners, " who were officers in the other regiments, 4t to be majors ; but as the captains of the 44 guards were unanimoufly diflatisfied with 44 thefe regulations, flie was conftrained to 44 place affairs upon the old footing," Auftrian Envoy in B. II. M. XI. p, 507. Alfo, upon Elizabeth's acceffion, Manftein fays, 14 The whole company of grenadiers of 41 the regiment of Preobrefhenfky were enna-" bled and promoted The private men 44 had the rank of lieutenants; and the cor-44 porals of majors ; the armourer and " quarter-mafter that of lieutenant-colonels; " and the ferjeants that of colonels of the 44 army. It was called the company of body,-41 guards. Gruuftein was made adjutant of M this company, with the title of brigadier. " He did not lung keep his ground ; accuf-44 tomcd to the low ambition of a private 44 foldier 1 his head was too weak to bear a 44 higher fortune, and growing giddy with *4 his preferment, he was guilty of all kind 44 of infolences, broke out into difrefpect to 41 the emprefs herfelf, and ended with un-44 dcrgoing the knout, and being baniflied to* 44 the lands which the emprefs had given 41 him when, flie firft promoted him. 44 This company committed all. imaginable 44 diforders for the firft months that the cm-44 ptefa remained at Peterfburgh. The new 44 noble lieutenants ran through all the dic-44 tteft public-houfes, got drunk, and wal-•4 lowed in the ftreets. They entered inr** 4t the: book ftationed in the capital. Though I do not mean to juftify ^J^i the conduct of Alexey, yet I cannot but affent to the opinion « of a judicious hiftorian, that as Peter I. opened by this law an abundant fource of troubles and confufion, it had been better for the country if that weak, prince, with all his defects, had been fuffered to reign *. And I may venture to add, that the re-eftablifhment of hereditary right may be claffed among the foremoft of thofe excellent regulations, which diftinguifh the reign of Catharine II. In the fame vault which contains the body of the unfortunate Alexey is placed that of Charlotte Chriftina Sophia prin- ** the houfes of the greateft noblemen, de-*' manding money with threats, and took *' away, without ceremony, whatever they *' liked. There was no keeping within 4< bounds, men, who having been all their " life-time ufed to be difciplined by drub-" bing, could not prefently familiarife them-" felves to a more civil treatment. It muft 4* have been the work of time to reduce them ** to good manners. I do not know whether M they were ever brought to correct them-M felves, but the moft unruly of them were *' expelled the corps, and placed as officers *' in other regiments of the army, where the " vacancies were many. An admirable ex-" pedient this for procuring excellent offi-" cers!" Memoirs of Rulfia, p. 310, 310. * "Celt a cette imprudenfe toi, qu'on *' doit attribuer toutes les revolutions qui ** ont afflige la Ruifie. C'eft Pierre 1. qui a *' ouvert dans fon empire cette fource abon- dantc de troubles et ds desolation. Ne *' valait-il pas mieux qu' Alexis rcgnat." L'Evefque, vol. IV. p. 454. An ingenious author, who has lately publiflied part of a voluminous work upon Ruffia, controverts this judicious reflection, juftifies this decree of Peter, and denies that it had the leaft bad tendency, or has been the caufe of any revolutions. See Le Clerc's Hift. Moderne deRuffie, p. 441 to 445. His arguments, however, will fcarcely appear convincing to any perfon who has perilled with attention the Hiftory of Rulfia fince the demife of Tcter the Great j and muft ap- pear of little weight, unlefs the following queries can be anfwered in the negative. Was not the acceffion of Catharine I. a revolution? The abolition ofdefpotick authority, and the election of Anne, a revolution ? The refumption of defpotick authority by the fame emprefs, a revolution ? The removal of Biren from the regency, a revolution ? The acceffion of Elizabeth, a revolution? The dethronement of Peter IN. and the acceffion of Catharine (though juftified by the peculiar lituation of the empire), a revolution ? Were they not all occafioned by the loofe notions concerning the right of fucceflion, and accompliflicd by the intervention of the guards ? Were not the execution, fcourging, and banifhment of many principal nobles, the confutation of eftates, and the confinement of numbeilefs ftate-pri-foners, the fatal confequences of thefe frequent changes ? the laft excepted, when the lenity of the emprefs fpared the ufual victims to policy and refentment. Have not thefe civil feuds, which fo long convulfed this empire, been diminifhed by the well-grounded expectation of an unbroken hereditary line in the prefent imperial family? And as the influence of Peter's fatal decree is confiderably abated, and the moft did ant probability of another revolution fcarcely cxifts, has not the rapid increafe of commerce and population throughout every part of this vaft empire proclaimed the beneficial effects of the more liable government of Catharine 11. ? cefs cefs of Brunfwick, his no lefs unfortunate wife, and whofe fate chap. is more affecting, becaufe Ihe deferved it lefs. She was born^—v^ in 1694, married in 1711 the tzarovitch who had feen her at her father's court, and died on the firft of November, 1715, partly of a broken heart occalioned by her hufband's ill treatment, and partly by the confequences of her delivery of Peter II. * Among the imperial fepulchres is that of Anne of Holftein, eldeft daughter of Peter and Catharine, who is lefs known, though tar more deferving of notice, than her filler the emprefs Elizabeth, becaufe her virtues were not ennobled by a diadem. Anne is defcribed f as a princefs of a majeftick. . form and expreflive features, of an excellent and improved underftanding, and of irreproachable morals. While ihe was , very young, count Apraxin, a Ruffian nobleman, paid his ad- . dreffes to her, but was rejected with fcorn. Not daunted, however, with this repulfe, he continued his courtlhip, and, finding her one day alone, he threw himfelf at her feet, offered his fword, and entreated her to put an end to his life and mifery. " Give it me," faid the princefs, ftretching out her hand, " you fliall fee that the daughter of your emperor " has ftrength and fpirit fufficient to rid herfelf of a wretch il who infults her." The count, apprehenflve that fhe might : execute her threat, withdrew the fword, and demanded inftant * See an account of this princefs in Chap. 11 cheveux et ties fourcils noirs, un tcint VI'I of this Book. 44 d'une blanchenr eclatante,*et ce vermil- -»- 41 Anna Petrowna reffembloit dc vifage 44 Ion frais et delicat qui reftera fans ceffe 44 et d'humcur a fon augufte pere, mais la 44 inimitable au fard ; les yeux d'une cou- 41 nature et l'education avoient tout embclli " leur inciccife et d'un feu eblouifant. Bref, 44 chez elle. On lui paffoh plus de cinq *• de pied en cap l'envie n'y pouvoit trouver pics de hauteur, en faveur d'une taille " aucun defaut. Avcc cela un jugement 14 extremement deliee, et d'une fineffe par- 44 penetrant, une vraie can leur et bonte de 44 faite dans toutes fes proportions. Rien 44 caractere, liberale, et magnifique, tres bien 44 de plus majeftucux que fon port ct fa 44 inffruite, parlant clegamment fa hngue 44 phyfionomie, rien dc plus regulier que 44 malernelle, le Francois, I'Allemnnd, 1'Ita- 44 fes traits, ct non obhant cela, des graces 44 lien et le Suedois." Baffewitz in Buf. Hif, *' tendres dans le regaid et le lburire ; des Mag. IX. p. 370, 371. 6 pardon; K parcton; and, as the princefs told the ftory with great humour, ' ■ s/* 'became the derifion of the court *. Anne efpoufed, in 1725, Charles Frederick duke of Hol-ftein-Gottorp, to whom {lie had been long betrothed. Bred up with the expectation of two crowns t, flie was difappointed of both; nominated by her mother Catharine I. of the council of regency during the minority of Peter II.; excluded from that council after having only once taken her feat, by the defpotifm of prince Menzikof, whom fhe herfelf had promoted with all her influence ; driven from Ruflia by the mandate of * Baffewitz, p. 371. f Thofe of Sweden and Ruflia : the former by marriage, and the latter by her fa-ther*s nomination. With refpect to tlie former, her hufband, the only fon of Hedwige eldeft fifter of Charles XII. was, upon that monarch's death, the undoubted heir of the Swedifh crown, but was let afide by the Swedes, who preferred Ubrica Eleonora Charles's youngeft fifter. See Genealogical Table of the Houfe of Vafa, and the chapter on the death of Charles XII. both in the next volume. As to her expectations of the Ruffian crowni Baffevitz, her hufband's minifter, pofitively afferts, that Peter I. had formed the refolution of raifing her to the throne. 44 C'etoit dans les mains de cette princeflc, 44 que Pierre le Grand iouhaitoit de voir •« paffer fon fceptre.'' Buf. Hif. Mag. IX. p. 371. A fliovt time before his laft illnefs he explained to her and the duke of Holftein the fyftem he had purfued during his reign, and inftrudted them in the details of government. While he lay upon his death-bed, having recovered his understanding by a momentary intermiffiun of the delirium (ice Chapter VIII, on Catharine I.), he called for Anne to dictate his laft fentiments, but upon her arrival -he relapi'ed into his former ftate of inienability. Ibid. p. 372. lr alio appears, from the following extracts from Sir Luke Schaubc's papers, in the pof-i'ellion of the Earl of Hardujcke, that Peter had even taken fome ftcps towards fettling the crown upon his daughter Anne. 44 Le Cardinal [Dubois] ne paroit guere 44 touchc de l'injufticc qui feroit faite au 44 fill du czarowitz ; et il dit, que fi le czar " regleroit la fucceflion en faveur de fa file, il 44 faudroit bien que ceux qui voudroient fe 44 lier avec lui de fon vivant, promiffent de 44 la maintenir apres fa mort, apres laquclle 44 toutefois il arrivcroit vrayfemblablement 44 de cette difpofition comme fi elle n'avoit "jamais exifle." Extract of a letter from Sir Luke Schaube to Lord Carteret, dated Paris Jan. 20, 1722. 41 Ce que les miniftres Mofcovitcs difoient 41 au Monf. de Campredon que le czar vou-44 hit fe procurer une garantie pour la foe* 44 ceffton a fes etats de la manlere quil fe propofc 44 de Vetahtir, paroit fort lingnlier, 8tc. Par 44 rapport a texdufon deJin petit-fls en fai'eur 44 de fa file, fans marquer en meme temps a 44 quel prince il la deftine." Extract from a Letter of Lord Carteret to the Cardinal da Bois, dated Jan. 1721-2. The decree which he iffoed in February, 1722, feemed a prelude to this appointment, which was probably prevented by the fud-dennefs of his death. Catharine I was no lefs inclined to appoint Anne her fucceffor, and a ftrong party was formed in her favour ; but that emprefs was prevented from following her inclinations in this inftance by the fhort-nefs of her reign, and the danger of excluding Peter Alexievitch, who, as the grandfon of Peter the Great, was fupported hy a ft:H more powerful party. that that arrogant minifter, fhe retired with her hufband to Kiel, where fhe died in 1728, in the 22d year of her age, and leaving one fon, the unfortunate Peter III. Her coufin the emprefs Anne % fecond daughter of Ivan Alexievitch, lies interred in the fame cathedral. She was widow of the duke of Courland ; and refided at Mittau when flie was unexpectedly called to take poffeffion of the empire. Upon the death of Peter II. without iffue, the fceptre, according to Catharine's will, ought to have reverted to her grand-fon, afterwards Peter III. fon of Anne of Holftein ; but as hereditary right was abolifhed by Peter's decree, and no fucceffor was appointed by Peter II. a privy council of eight nobles, in whom the regal power was vefted at the deceafe of the emperor, formed a plan for limiting the enormous prerogative of the crown ; leaving the title and pomp of royalty to the reigning monarch, but referving to themfelves the whole fupreme authority. Having, according to this project, drawn up certain conditions to be ratified by the future fovereign, they chofe the princefs Anne in preference to the family of Peter the Great, and to her eldeft lifter Catharine of Mecklenburgh, becaufe, having no legal claim, flie would more readily be induced to agree to any terms which might fecure her the fucceflion. Anne figned the articles without hefitation, only for the purpofe of breaking them with greater facility; and flie had fcarcely arrived at Mofcow before ihe was enabled, by the af-fiftance of the guards, to annul the act of renunciation, to dif-folve the privy council itfelf, and to re-affume the imperial au- * " The czarina is about my height, "good deal to every body, and has fuch an " but a very large-made woman, very well " affability in her addrefs, that yon feem " firmed for her fize, and eafy and grace- " talking to an equal; and yet flie does 44 ful in her perfon. She has a brown com- " not, for one moment, drop the dignity *' plcxion, black hair, dark and blue eyes; "of a fovereign. She feem* to have great " ihe has an awfulnefs in her countenance " humanity ; and is, I think, what one *4 that llrikesyouat firft fight; but when flic " would call a fine agreeable woman, were 41 (peaks, flie has a fmile about her mouth " file a private perfon." Letters by a Lady 14 that is inexprefiibly fweet. She talks a from Rulfia. Vol. 1. O o o thority fhoiity in as unlimited a form as it had ever been enjoyed by. any of her predecelTors. This emprefs refigned herfelf implicitly to the direction of Biren, a native of Courland, who, from theloweft extraction, had rifentobe abfolute favourite of his miftrefs, and regulated all her councils with the moft arbitrary ("way. Anne has generally been cenfured for her fe verity, and is faid to have ruled the Ruffians with the knoot in her hand. But the cruelties which tarniihed her reign muft be attributed to the brutal temper of Biren. The emprefs herfelf was naturally of an humane difpofition ; (he frequently oppofed the fanguinary meafures of her favourite, and in vain endeavoured to foften his mercilefs difpofition, by fubmitting frequently to intreaties, and interceding even with tears, for the unfortunate objects of his refentraent *. But, in effect, the fovereign who permits cruelties is, and ought to be, equally guilty in the eyes of the world with the fovereign who commands them; and pofterity juftly imputes to the miftrefs the vices of the fervant who is uncontrouled in his abufe of power. Anne died on the 17th of October, 1740, after having nominated for her fucceffor her nephew Ivan, then an infant, with a view of prolonging the reign of Biren, whom flie appointed regent during the minority of that emperor. As I viewed the tomb of Elizabeth, I recollected the motley character of that indolent and voluptuous emprefs, who, by the revolution of 1741, renewed in her perfon the line of Peter the Great upon the throne of Ruffia. Elizabeth was * " J'ai ete prefent," writes Count Mu- " ftory, and fhe fhews fuch unaffected hor- nicli, " lorfque l'imperatrice- plcuroit a " ror at. any mark of cruelty, that her mind *' chaudes lnrmes fur ce que Biron fulminoit M to me feems compofed of the moft amiable M & menac,oit de ne vouloir plus fcrvir ii *i qualities that I have ever obferved in any '* 1 impcratrice ne facrifioit Volinfki &c ainii "one perfon; which feems a particular " des autres." Ebauchc, &cc, p. i ig.. "mark of the goodnefs of Providence, as Mrs. Vigor fays of her, " i have often " flie is poffeffed of fuch power." Letters feen her melt into tears at a melancholy from Ruffia, p. 8y, born born in 1709, and, when arrived at years of maturity,.was c extremely admired for her great perfonal attractions *. v__ Her beauty, as well as her rank and large dowry, occafioned feveral offers, none of which, however, took place, and fhe died fingle. During the life of her father Peter I. a negotiation had commenced for her marriage with Louis XV. but although not ferioully adopted by the court of France, it was never relinquiihed until the daughter of Staniflaus, titular king of Poland, was publickly affianced to the young monarch. By the will of Catharine, Elizabeth was betrothed to Charles Auguftus, bifiiop of Lubeck, duke of Slefwick and Holftein, and brother to the late king of Sweden, but he died before the completion of the ceremony. In the reign of Peter II. flie was demanded by Charles Margrave of Anfpach ; in 1741 by the Perlian tyrant Kouli Khan ; and at the time of the revolution the regent Anne endeavoured to force her to efpoufe prince Louis of Brnnfwick, for whom fhe entertained a fettled averfion t. From the period of her acceffion fhe renounced all thoughts of the connubial ftate, and adopted her nephew Peter. Her diflike to marriage, however, certainly did not proceed from any dilinclination to man ; for flie would freely and frequently own to her confidents that flie was * Mrs. Vigor thus defcribcs the perfon of E'izabeth in the 24th year of her age. '* The princefs Elizabeth, who is, you kno.v, " a daughter of Peter I, is very handfome. " She is very fair, with light brown hair, 41 large fprightly blue eyes, fine teeth, and a *' pretty mouth. She is inclinable to be fat, '* but is very genteel, and dances better than " any one 1 ever faw. She fpcaks German, " French, and Italian j is extremely gay, " and talks to evety body, in a very proper " manner, hi the circle, but hates the cerc-*' mony of a court." And again, " She has an affability and " iweetnefs of behaviour that infonhbly in- O o " fpircs love and refpc.t. In publick flie " has an unaffected gaiety, and a certain air M of giddinefs, that feem entirely to poffefs *' her whole mind ; but in private, 1 have " heard her talk in fuch a flrain of good " fenfe and (ready reafoning, that I am per-" fuaded the other behaviour is a feint; but " flie feems eafy : 1 fay feems t for who knows " the heart ? In fliort, file is an amiable " creature ; and though 1 think the throne " very worthily filled, yet I cannot help '* wifhing (lie were to be the fucceffor at M leaft." Letters from Ruffia, p. 73 and 76. t See Manikin's Memoirs, p. 25. 2S5. 309. o 2 never book never happy but when ihe was in love *, if we may dignify *_y-wtry that name a capricious paflion ever changing its object. The fame characteriftick warmth of temper hurried her no lefs to the extremes of devotion : Ihe was fcrupuloufly exact in her annual confeffions of the wanderings of her heart, in exprefling the utmoft contrition, and in punctually adhering both in publick and private to the minuted ceremonies and ordinances of the church. With refpect to her difpofition and turn of mind, fhe is generally ftyled the humane Elizabeth, as fhe made a vow upon her acceilion to inflict no capital punifhments t during her reign; and is reported to have fhed tears upon the news of every victory gained by her troops, from the reflection that it could not have been obtained without great bloodfhed. But although no criminal was formally executed in publick, yet the ftate prifons were filled with wretched fufferers, many of whom, unheard of and unknown,, perilhed in the damp and unwholefome dungeons: the ftate inquiiition, or fecret committee, appointed to judge perfons fufpected of high treafon, had conftant occupation during her reign; many upon the flighteft furmizes were tortured in fecret, many underwent the knoot and expired under the infliction. But the tranf-action which reflects the higheft difgrace upon her reign, was the publick pnnilhment of two ladies of fafh ion the coun* tefTes Beftuchef and Lapookin : each received fifty ftrokes of the knoot in the open fquare of Peterfburgh, their tongues were cut out, and they were banilhed into Siberia. One of thefe ladies, Madame Lapookin> efteemed the handfomeft: woman in Ruflia, was accufed of carrying on a fecret corre- ■f " Elle etoit voluptucufe a Pexces, nee &ro. p, 170. de Tang voluptueux, & elle difoit fouvent A f See Remarks on her celebrated edict,. ** fes confiderires, qu'elle n'ctoit contente which abnliihed capital punilhmcnts, in the *' que tant qu'elle etoit amoureufe 5 mais chapter on the. Penal Laws of Kuilia in the *' elle etoit avec cela fort inconltarvfe & next volume. *4 changeoit fouvent de favoria." Ebauche, fpondence. fpondence with the French embaffador; but her real crime was her having commented too freely on the empreffes amours. Even the mere relation of fuch an affecting fcene, as that of a woman of great beauty and high rank publickly expo fed and fco urged by the common executioner, muff excite the ftrongeft emotions of horror, and forbid us to venerate the memory of a princefs, who, with fuch little regard to her own fex, could iffue thofe barbarous commands. But let us lament the inconfiftency of human nature ; and, in confidering the character of Elizabeth, let us not deny that her heart, perhaps naturally benevolent, was occafionally corrupted by power, and Reeled with fufpicion; and that although mercy might predominate whenever it did not interfere with her paflions and prejudices, yet flie by no means deferves the appellation of humane, the moft noble * attribute of a fovereign, when it interpofes to temper and mitigate the feverity of juftice. Elizabeth died in i 761, in the twenty-firlf year of her reign, and in the 53d of her age : flie expired in December, the fame month in which flie was born, and in which flie acceded to the throne. In the fortrefs is a fmall arfenal, which, among other military ftores, contains fome antient cannon, calf in the middle of the fixteenth century under the reign of Ivan Vaflilievitch II. and which I was furprized to find of fuch good workmanfhip0.. 1 had occafion to mention in a former chapter, that the art of carting cannon was introduced into Ruffia under Ivan Vaflilievitch I. by Ariftotle of Bologna. Ivan II. did not fail to imitate the example of his grandfather in procuring, by means of foreign artifts, the heft artillery ; and it is to this precaution that * I was informed from undoubted autho- executioner to knoot to death thofe del in - rity, that it was impofhble. to obtain Eliza- qucnts who were found guilty of the moll: bcth's confent for the execution of a felon atrocious crimes. It is a pity that flie did who had even coram it ted the moft horrid not referve her humanity, which in this in- fpecies of premeditated murder, and that the fiance was cruelty to her people, for more mailer of the police ufed fecretly to order the. refpcftable objects. both both thefe monarchs were chiefly indebted for their fuccefTes in war, and for the coiiqueft of feveral provinces, which they annexed to their hereditary dominions. In a feparate building of the fortrefs is the mint. The gold .and fdver are fent from the mines of Siberia, and the fepa-r-ation is performed in this laboratory. We furveyed the whole ,procefs from the firft fmeltingof the ore to the coining. Among the filver we obferved a large quantity of Dutch dollars, which were melting down in order to be recoined in roubles. Peter I. wanting filver for the new coinage, iffued out a decree, that all the cuftoms fliould be paid in Dutch dollars: at prefent half the duties are ftill difcharged in that money by all foreign merchants, excepting the Englifh, who are exempted by treaty. JBut as the gold and filver obtained from the mines of Siberia, with the addition of the dollars, are by no means fufficient for the money in circulation; a confiderable quantity of both thefe metals is annually imported. The coinage, in its prefent debafed ftate, muft be very advantageous, as in the gold there is fo much alloy, that a profit of 48 per .cent, is gained, and in the filver of 37 *. This ftate of the Ruffian money renders ufelefs the prohibition againft exporting it, and is productive of one mifchievous effect,-that it promotes the contraband introduction of falfe coin from.foreign countries, upon which a confiderable profit is acquired. Among the remarkable objects in the mint, the machine for ftamping the coin deferves to be mentioned, becaufe it was invented by her prefent majefty, and is efteemed a very ingenious and fimple piece of mechanifm. Within the fortrefs is a four-oared boat, which is fecured, with great veneration, in a brick building, conftrudted for that * Sec Effai fur le commerce de Ruflie, of the former reigns is laid down, as I was C. X. where the reader will find a very accu- informed from good authority, with great rate ftate of the Ruffian coinage, in which exactnefs, p. 254—255, the difference of the prefent money from that purpofe, purpofe, and preferved as a memorial to future ages of its CHA*. being the origin of the Ruflian fleet. Peter 1. ufed to call it' the Little Grandjirc; and, in the latter part of his reign, ordered it to be tranfported to Peterfburgh : it was conducted in folemn proceflion, in order to excite the admiration of the people, and held up that they might compare in what condition he had found the marine, and to what perfection he had brought it. The hiftory of this little* boat is worthy of notice, . as well becaufe it comprehends the firft rife of the navy, as be^-caufc, during the courfe of this narrative, I fliall be enabled to obferve fundry errors which have been advanced by many hiftorians of Peter the Great; and which, if not duly corrected, will be confecrated by time, and be admitted as truths. I fliall begin- by remarking, that there is not the leaft foundation in the report * that Peter was naturally afraid of the water, and that he had the utmoft difficulty in furmount-ing this aver lion : on the contrary, he feems to have always expreffed a ftrong attachment to that element. The boat, * L'Evcfque has adopted this notion, and prevented by other occupations from carry-he cites for his authority a Hittory of Peter ing his defign into execution-the Great in the Sclavonian tongue, firft I find, from Bachmeifter's RufT. Bibl, for printed at Venice, and republished at Peterf- 1782, that a German tranflation of it is given blirgh, with Notes, by prince Sherebatof. in Part IV. of the Journal of St. Peterfburgh He feems to cite from the text, and not from for 1782, which I have not yet feen. the notes. But I may venture to contradict Gordon died in 1699, fo much regretted this notion from the undoubted authority of by the tzar, that, to ufe the words of his re-' General Patrick Gordon, cited by Mr.Muller, lation, "His majefty vifited him five times in his Nachricht von der Urfpung, &c. in 11 during his illnefs, was prefent the moment Journ. of St, Pet. for 1778, p. 241, " he expired, and flint his eyes with his own General Gordon was a native of Scotland, «< hand." and was born in 1635 : having ferved with The fame author alfo fays of him, greatly glory it) the Swedifll and Polifli armies, he to his honour, " General Gordon was a entered into the Ruffian fervice in 1661, in " fober man, in a country where drinking which he continued to the end of his life : *{ is much in fafhion ; and though he ufed He wrote his Journal in the Englifh tongue : " to be much in the tzar's company, his ma-it is now in the archives at Moicow, and has 11 jelly, knowing his inclinations, would never never been printed. Mr. Muller, who has " allow him to be urged. He was ever mind-made great ufe of it in fome of his writings, " ful of his bufinefs,and did great fervice to propofed to extract and publifli all the cir- " the Ruffian nation." Gordon's Hift, of cumftances relating to Ruffia; but, to the Peter the Great, vol. I. p. 137, 138. great regret of all lovers of hiftory, has been which which has given rife to this detail, was conftrudted during the '■reign of Alexey Michaelovitch, by Karftens Brandt, a Dutch fhip-right, whom Alexey Michaelovitch had invited into Ruffia. Peter % about the year 1691, accidentally feeing this boat at a village near Mofcow, inquired why it was built in a different manner from all thofe which he had hitherto obferved : Timmerman, a foreigner, who taught him fortification, and to whom he addreffed the queftion, informed him that it was a veffel t fo contrived as to go againft the wind. Peter's curiofity was roufed by this intelligence, and Brandt, who was ftill in Ruflia, being inftantly fummoned, repaired it without delay, provided it with a maft and rigging, and, having launched it upon the Yaufa, failed in it, to the furprize and aftonifhment of the young tzar, who immediately embarked in it himfelf, and, under the direction of Brandt, foon learned to comprehend the management of the veffel. Having repeated thefe experiments upon the Yaufa, as well as upon a neighbouring lake, to which it was tranfported, he ordered Brandt to build a yacht % upon the banks of the Mofkva, which was launched in 1691, and in which Peter embarked and failed as far as Columna. Animated with the fuccefs of this expedition, he commanded the fame fhipwright to conftrucT:, upon the lake of Periflaf, feveral fmall veffels carrying guns, in which the tzar failed on the 8th of February, the 3d of March, and the 5th of April, of the following year. On the 1 ft of xMay another veffel was launched, and on the 9th Peter returned to Mofcow. The death of Brandt, which foon followed, feems to have interrupted the increafe of this * This part is taken from L'Evefque, who Angloife ; but we muft prefer the authority .cites for his authority the Life of Peter, by of General Gordon, who fays it was built by the archbifhop Thcophancs, with Notes, by Brandt. Perhaps Timmerman might think .prince Shercbatof. liift. de Rutlie, vol. IV. it an Englifh velfel. p. 111. X From hence f follow implicitly Midler's f L'Evefqne fays, from the authority of Extracts from General Gordon's Journal. Prince Sherebatof, that it was une chalonpe % little little fleet, but did not prevent Peter from continuing his expeditions upon the lake. The following extracts, from General Gordon's Journal, will mow with what eagernefs the young monarch purfued his new occupation, when fuch trifling incidents as weighing anchor, and failing acrofs a lake, are circumftantially delineated. " Gordon went on the i ith of Auguft to Perellaf; on the " 14th he was entertained in due form and ceremony on " board of the admiral's * flllp; on the 18th," he adds. fi we " failed from one fide of the lake to the oppofite bank ; on the 21 ft we got under way, and failed to the other fide, where " we again came to an anchor; on the 24th Gordon attended " the tzar on fhip-board; on the 28th we departed from Pe-" reftaf, and on the 31ft reached Alexey ffk." But as the confined limits of a lake were become too inadequate to the riling ideas of the tzar, he hurried to Archangel, where he arrived in the month of June, 1693. " On the 17th," fays Gordon, * the poll: brought the news that the tzar had been upon the " White Sea, and was happily arrived into port, and on the " 1 ith of October he came back to Mofcow. In the begin-" ning of May, 1694, he returned to Archangel, and continued « in thofe parts until September, during which time he made " frequent expeditions upon the fea, and improved his know-" ledge of navigation." Thefe little adventures, which feemed nothing more than mere youthful amufements, were, however, foon afterwards productive of the moft glorious event which diftinguithed the reign of Peter. When the tzar, in his campaign of 1695 againft the Turks, befieged Azof, he found it impofiible to take the town without blocking up the harbour, and as be did not at that time poifefs one Ihip, he was compelled to raife the fiege. * Mr. Muller conje&ures thai Le Fort was the admiral of this little fquadron. ■Vol. 1. P P P His BOOK iv. His fpirit being excited, rather than extinguiftied, by this j difappointment, he gave orders for the immediate conftruc-tion of feveral veffels: fome were framed at Occa, and tranf-ported over land to the Don ; but the greateft part were built at Veronetz. In lefs than a year he renewed the flege of Azof, and brought before it, to the infinite furprize of the Turks, two men of war, 23 gallies, two galleots, and four fire-(hips With this little fquadron, which failed down the Don into the Black Sea, he blockaded the harbour, gained a naval victory over the Turkifli gallies, and took Azof. He iignalized this wonderful event by a triumphal entry into Mofcow, and by a medal reprefenting the taking of Azof, with a motto in Ruffian, " Victor by thunder and the waves." This fuccefs was only the prelude to ftill greater atchievements; and as the fecurity of his new conquefts upon the Black Sea feemed to depend upon a powerful navy, the tzar having collected from all quarters the moft expert fhip-builders, and himfelf fuperintended the neceffary preparations at Veronetz> Azof, and Taganroc, fet out upon his firft expedition into foreign parts. In 1699, foon after his return, he was prefent at a naval review upon the Black Sea, in which ten frigates were engaged, the largeft carrying fifty, and the fmalleft twenty-fix guns t: and the Ruffian navy, in the harbours of the Euxine, conftrudted and upon the ftocks, is defcribed, only three years after the firft preparations, as confiding of nine fhips of 60 guns, ten of 50, ten of 48, two of 42, fourteen of 34, two of 32, three of 30, one of 26, one of 24, four of 18, three of 14, and four of 8 guns; befide 18 triremes, 100 brigantines, and 300 boats in the Dnieper. This ftupendous account would be almoft incredible if it was not recorded by the fecretary $ to the Auftrian embaffy, then refident at Mof- * S, R. G. vol. II. p. 226. t Ibid. p. 184. COW. X Korb Diarium. The reader will find, in p. 236, a catalogue of the names of all thefe cow. It is fcarcely paralleled by the naval exertions of the CI^P-Romans in the firft Punick war. * v '-. The rapidity with which Peter created his fleet for the Black Sea, was equalled by fimilar exertions upon the Baltick after the acquifition of Cronftadt and the foundation of Peterfburgh. But to return to the boat which occahoned this inte-refting detail, and which, according to Peter I. was the original caufe of the Ruffian navy. In 1723 Peter, at the clofe of the Perfian expedition, ordered it to be tranfported from Mofcow to the new metropolis, and gave a publick entertainment, which was called the Confecration of the Little Grandjire. The fleet, confiding of twenty-feven men of war, was ranged at Cronftadt in the form of an half-moon, when his majefty embarked in this boat, himfelf fleering, while three admirals and prince Mentchikof performed the office of rowers : being then towed by two Hoops, it made a fmall circuit in the Gulf, and, returning by the fleet, the (hips, as it paffed along, ftruck their flags and fainted with all their guns, while the Little Grand/ire returned each falute by a difcharge of three fmall pieces. It was then brought into the harbour, and furrounded by the men of war. A few days afterwards the Little Grand- thefe veffels, together with the breadth, "which is called after his majefty, becaufe length, depth, number of guns, and com- «« he had the direftion of her upon the flocks, plement of men. " is bored for 86 guns. They were at work Le Bruyn, who was at Veronet* in 1703, " alfo upon a packet-boat; and afhore, on mentions thefliippingin the following words: *' the other fide of the river, were about 200 11 With regard to the (hips here, we law fif« " brigantines, moft of them built at Veronis; 44 teen in the water, four men of war, the 11 and at this time there were 400 tfout bri- «« biggeft of 54 guns, three victuallers, two 44 gantincs upon the Nieper, and the Borylt- <( fire-fhips, and lix bomb-ketches. On more, " henes, in the neighbourhood of Crim Tar- " and ready to be launched, were five men 44 tary; and 300 flat-bottomed velfels upon 44 of war, after the Dutch fafhion, from 60 " the Volga; belides 18 men of war at .«* to 64 guns, two after the Italian from 50 *' Afoph, a bomb velfel, and a yatcht. The 11 to 54, a galeifs after the Venetian, and " czar has feveral other fliips, the largeft of ** four gallies, befides 17 gallies at Siefofskic, »• which is of 66 guns, four from 41 to 50, " two vcrfts from the town. Befides all this, " five of 36, two of 34, and others fmaller, " they were at work upon five men of war 44 the leaft of 28 guns.'' Lc Bruyn's Travels, after the Englifh built, two bored for 74 vol. 1. p. 62, 44 gunr, and two for 60 or 64 ; the fifth, P p p 2 fire fire was conveyed to St. Peterfburgh, where its arrival was 'folemnized by a mafquerade upon the water*. This memorable boat, freighted with the emperor, proceeded to the fortrefs, and was conducted, Peter himfelf alii if ing in the ceremony, under the difcharge of all the artillery, to the place where it was depofited as a memorial to pofterity, and where it now remains enlhrined. From the fortrefs we took water, and landed at an adjacent fpot in the Iiland of Peterfburgh, near a wooden hovel, which is dignified by its having ferved for the habitation of Peter the Great while the fortrefs was conftructing. It ftill exifts in its original ftate ; and ftands under a brick building, pur-pofely erected to preferve it from deft ruction. The houfe is no more than a ground floor, and confifts of three rooms, which I had the curiofity to meafure. They are only eight feet in height: the apartment for the reception of company, as it was called, is 15 feet fquare; the dining-room is 15 by 12; and the bed-chamber ten feet fquare. Near this houfe is another four-oared boat, the work of Peter's own hands, and which has been erroneoufly called the Little Grandfre, an honourable appellation due only to that juft defcribed. * Confett's prefent State of Ruffia, p 218. CHAPo [ 477 3 C II A P. VL Palace and gardens $f Tzarfkoe-Selo.—Oranienbaum.—Hiftory of Prince Menzikof. —Fortrefs.—Apartments of Peter IIL —Palace and gardens of Peterhof.—Dutch houfe built by Peter the Great.—SchlufTelburgh.—Origin, hiftory, and defcription of the fortrefs. \ S, upon our arrival at Peterfburgh, the feafon of the chap. year was far- advanced, we had no time or opportunity, to vifit many places in the neighbourhood of that capital. We contrived, however, before the approach of winter, to make excurfions to Tzarfkoe-Selo, to Oranienbaum and Peterhof, and, laftly, to SchlufTelburgh ; an account of which places forms the fubject of the prefent chapter. Tzarfkoe-Selo, an imperial palace, about fifteen miles from Peterfburgh, is the favourite fummer refidence of the emprefs, where (he lives in a more retired manner than when fhe is at Peterhof, This palace, which was built by Elizabeth* is a brick edifice ftuccoed white ; is of disproportionate length,, and in a moft heavy ftyle of architecture. The capitals of the outfide pillars, many other exterior ornaments, and the fe-ries of wooden ftatues which fupport the cornice and adorn the roof, are all gilded, and exhibit a moft tawdry appearance. The apartments are large and magnificent : fome are fitted up in the old ftyle of gaudy profufion : others in a lefs fplen-did, but more elegant tafte, by her prefent majefty. One room is much admired, being richly incrufted with amber,, a prefent from the king of Pruflia. Having viewed the palace, we walked round the gardens,* VI. which which are laid out in tire Englifh tafte, and are prettily diver* ■ filied with lawn, wood, and water. Among feveral bridges, we were particularly ftruck with one built after the model of Lord Pembroke's Palladian bridge at Wilton. It is exactly of the fame fize, but more magnificent, the lower part being of granite, and the colonade of marble. The latter was hewn and worked in Siberia by an Italian artift, who employed nine years in completing it. From Siberia it was tranfported by water to Peterfburgh, and from the capital to Tzarfkoe-Selo by land. It was a pleafing fatisfaction to obferve our works of tafte introduced into thefe diftant and, formerly, inhofpitable regions. Several buildings were fcattered about the gardens, many of which were raifed in honour of thofe perfons who diftinguifhed themfelves in the imperial fervice : among thefe I remarked a triumphal arch to Prince Orlof, for repairing to Mofcow in order to check the progrefs of the plague, which raged with great violence in that city; a building to Count Alexey Orlof, in memory of the naval victory at Tchefme; and an obelilk to Marfhal Romantzof, for his fucceffes againft the Turks. Our next excurfion was to Peterhof, Oranienbaum and Cronftadt*. The road lay at a fmall diftance from the Gulf of Finland, at firft through a flat country, chiefly marihy, producing pasture and little corn. On our left ran a ridge of low hills, which once formed the boundary of the Gulf, when it fpread over a larger fpace than it covers at prefent. We afcended this ridge, obferved on our left the convent of St. Sergius, and on our right the palace of Strelna, begun by Elizabeth, but never finifhed. About four miles further we paffed by Pe- * Cronftadr will be defcribed in the .chapter which treats of the Ruffian navy. See Book VI. in the next volume. tcrhof, terhof, and proceeded to Oranienbaum, through a country co vered with foreft. The palace of Oranienbaum, which ftands near the fhore of the Gulf of Finland, about the diftance of 27 miles from Peterfburgh, was erected by Prince Menzikof, while he was in the meridian of a power, to which fcarcely any fubject but himfelf has ever arrived. The rife of this extraordinary man is varioully related by different authors. Some affert that he was apprentice to a paftry-cook, and fold pies in the ftreets of Mofcow ; that Peter, once flopping to converfe with hrm, was-fo ftruck with his ready wit and quick repartees, that he took him into his fervice, and advanced him, by rapid promotions^ to the height of favour which he afterwards enjoyed: others declare, that he was the fon of a groom belonging to the court, and wTas cafually placed about the perfon of the emperor *„ Both thefe accounts, however contradictory to each other, fuf-ficiently fliow the lownefs and uncertainty of his origin ; and indeed we need not wonder that the genealogy of an upftart favourite fhould not be exactly traced. The earlieft account upon record concerning him is, that, in the year 1 687, he was one of the youths t whom Peter I. formed into a corps, and difciplined after the European manner. The young tzar was only fifteen years old, and Menzikof, then known by the name of Alexajca, or Little Alexander, about the fame age; and as the latter was remarkably active in his exercife,he was obferved by Le Fort, and by him recommended to Peter. Several perfons of this company were afterwards promoted very high in the Ruflian fervice, and many circumftances concurred to forward the advancement of Menzikof. lie rendered himfelf * The former opinion, that he was a des Preobafchenkifchen, &c. in Journal of Sr.. pallry-cook's boy, feems to be the moft pro- Peterfburgh for March, 177.8, p. 173. Furft babie, as it is preferred by Weber, Manftein, Menzikow war einer den crflen Pbtcfchnii.. bruce. See alfo Manftein, p. 11. f Mullei's Nachricht von der Urfprunge 7 remarkably book remarkably ufeful to the tzar in his plans of reformation ; he ' paid a particular attention to foreigners, whom Peter was continually drawing into his fervice ; he ffudied his mailer's character and temper, and knew how to fubmit to the grolTeft in-fults. " The tzar," fays Gordon, who was himfelf an eye-witnefs, " often kicked him publickly, and beat him like a " dog; fo that the by-ftanders concluded him undone; but " always next morning the peace was made up, which people 11 believed could not proceed but from fome preternatural *' caufe*." One inftance of his implicit obedience to the commands of the tzar, and his dexterity in performing them, is recorded by Korb, fecretary to the Auftrian embafly. It is a well-known fact, that Peter was accuftomed to aftift at the examination of the prifoners who were accufed of high treafon; that he would be prefent at the tortures inflicted upon them in order to force confelTion; that he would frequently attend at their execution ; that he would fometimes himfelf perform the office of executioner f ; and would occafionally con fign that talk to his favourites and principal nobles J. Korb relates, that, foon after * Gordon's Life of Peter, vol. IT. p. 278. Korb alfo fays, 11 Alexafcam vero favori-44 tarn fuum, gladio accinc'tum inter tripu-44 dia deprehendens, deponendj gladii mo-*4 rem infliclo colapho docuit; euius Impe-i' turn fanguis ex naribus abundj defiiius 44 fatis teftatus efr." p. 84.. + 44 Quinque rebellium capita a nobillf-41 ftma Mofcovia: manu fecuri elle amputata." Korb Diarium, p. t;o. l.T.vefque makes the following judicious remarks upon this remarkable circumftanre. 44 Petit etre ces fortes d'executions, dont 44 les grands ctaient les miniftres, et aux 44 qnelleS le j)rince lui-meme prennit part, 41 ctnit-nt-ellcs fondees fur quelque ufage 44 ou fur quelque loi dont on a perdu le 44 fouvcnir. Klles etoicnt rcfervees, fans ** doute, pour ces grandes rebellions qui *' menacnient Petit et le fouverain. La 44 nobleffe, en frappant elle-meme les cou-44 pables, prouvait qu'elle avoit horrcur de 44 leur complot ; ct le prince grievement of-44 fenfe, fe refervait quelque part a la ven-44 geance. Ce qui fcmble confinner ce fen-44 timent, e'eft que Pierre punit les Strelits 44 de la meme imniere, que le tfar Ivan s'ttait 44 venge des nobles qui lui etaieni fufpci'is. 44 Ce rapport cntre le crime et La punition 44 prouve qu'elle ne dependait feulement du 44 caprice du fouverain. Pierre, dirait-on, 44 devait abolir cet ufage. Mais pouvajt-il 44 changer fi promprement les coutumcs, le? 44 loix, fa nation & luimeme." Vol. IV. p. 147- £ Gordon mentions the fame circumftance, but he only fays 44 that feveral of the great "■ men, whom the tzar fnfptdted to have 44 beett after the infurrection of the Strelitz in 1698, Peter Scornfully c^p' reproached many of the nobles who trembled at being com- >__ pelled to behead fome rebels, adding, in a ftrain of fanguinary juftice, " that there was no victim more acceptable to the Deity u than a wicked man." Menzikof, however, does not feem to have laboured under fuch delicate feelings; for, as a prelude to the execution of 150 Strelitz, he drove about the ftreets of Mofcow in a fledge brandi filing a naked fword % and boafted of his adroitnefs in cutting off twenty heads. It was not merely by acts of buffoonery and cruelty that he acquired the efteem and confidence of Peter, but by his fuperior abilities, both as a ftatefman and a foldier t. Being chofen for the companion of his travels into foreign parts, he was, in 1706, created prince of the German empire, and was rapidly elevated to the higheft employments both in the civil and military line. On particular occafions he was even permitted to perfonate his fovereign, by giving publick audience to foreign embafTadors; life, and the means by which fheafcended the throne, feems to have retailed many idle reports about her family and early hiftory. Buf. Hid. Mag. XI. p. 48. Before I clofe this note I muft neceiTarily mention.the opinion of Bufching, who, during his refidence at Peterfburgh, collected a confiderable degree of authentick information upon the various parts of the Ruflian hiftory : araongft others, he has given anecdotes of Catharine I. which he opens by faying, ** all *' the accounts which writers have hitherto 44 given, or rather conjectured, of the birth " and family of Catharine 1. are falfe.rr Ibid. III. p. 190. He fays, that her family was from Lithuania, her father's name was Samuel, her brother was count Charles Scavronfki, one filler was Chriftina married to count Simon Hcndrikof, and the other, whofe name was Anne, to Michael Yefimolki, He confirms her marriage with the Swedilh dragoon, but places the fcene at Prauftadt in Poland, and not at Marienburgh. He inform* us, that he obtained this information from an old lady whofe name he conceals, who died N lately at Peterfburgh, and who knew Catharine from her firft appearance in Rulfia, and was greatly in that emprefles favour. He-adds alfo, an account of an officer whe* brought Catharine's lifter Anne from Lithuania to Ptterfburgh. With great deference, however, to fo refpectable an authority, we cannot, merely upon this hear fay evidence, let afide the teftknonies of Weber, La Mo~ t rayc, and Bruce : this ftory feems, in effect, the fame flying report as that in Voltaire and the lady who gave the intelligence to BulehLug might have been willing to ratify the current report in Elizabeth's lime in honour of her friend and patrunefj Catharine L It appears, however, as well from this intelligence as from the information of Weber and Baffevitz, that fome real or pretended relations of Catharine 1. made their appearance at Peterfburgh during her reign, that they were acknowledged and promoted by htf, and afterwards by Elizabeth, not unwilling, perhaps, to believe, without inquiry, her mother's family to have been nobly defceflded. Schaiidti^ book clierve, near Dorpt, in Livonia. The year of her birth is un* i. / icertain; but, according to her own account*, ihe came into the world on the 5th of April, 1689. Her original name was Martha, which (he changed for Catharine when fhe embraced the Greek religion. Gount Rofcn, a lieutenant-colonel in the Swedifh fervice, who owned the village of Ringen, fupported, according to the cuftom of the country, both the mother and the child, and was, for that reafon, fuppofed by many perfons to have been her father. She loft her mother when fhe was but three years old mt and, as count Rofen died about the fame • time, flie was left in fo deftitute a lituation, that the parilli-clerk of the village received her into his houfe. Soon afterwards Gluck, Lutheran minifter of Marienburgh, happening, in a journey through thofe parts, to fee the foundling, took her under his protection, brought her up in his family, and employed her in attending his children. In 1701, and about the fourteenth year of her age t, fhe efpoufed a dragoon of the Swedifh garrifon of Marienburgh j. Many different accounts are given of this tranfadrion : one author § of great credit affirms that the bride.and bridegroom remained together eight days after their marriage; another ||, of no lefs authority, af-ferts, on the contrary, that, the morning of the nuptials her hufband being fent with a detachment for Riga, the marriage was never confummated. Thus much is certain, that the dra-goon was abfent when Marienburgh furrendcred to the Ruf- Schmidt, in his Materialien, &c. has col- if, according to her own account, flie was lecled in one point of view great part of the born in 1689, flie was only thirteen. to him I am greatly obliged for abridging the refidence at Marienburgh flie was a paturn of trouble neceflary in fuch a complicated in- virtue and good behaviour ; which contradicts iv. intelligence which relates to Catharine 1. and 1 Wurmb r.iTured Weber, that during her the report, that (lie had been a common wo* * Baffevitz in Bufching IX. p. 375, Some man in Livonia, foy flic was born fo early as 1683. Buiching § Weber. IX. 481. il Bruce, p. 74. \ Weber fays in her eighteenth year ; but .6 fians; fians; and Catharine, who was referved for a higher fortune, Cy£p" never faw him more v General Bauer t, upon the taking of Marienburgh, faw Catharine among the prifoners; and, being fmitten with her youth and beauty, took her to his houfe, where Ihe fuper-intended his domeftick affairs, and was fuppofed to be his miftrefs. Soon afterwards fhe was removed into the family of prince Menzikof, who was no lefs ftruck with the attractions of the fair captive: with him fhe lived until 1704, when, in the feventeenth year of her age, flie became the miftrefs I of Peter the Great, and won fo much upon his affections, that he efpoufed § her on the 29th of May, 1711. The * What became of her hufband is unknown. Weber fays, that Catharine, for fome time after flic lived with prince Menzikof, ufed to inquire about her hufband, and that flic fent him occafionally, though privately, fmall prefents : and that, in 1705, he was killed in a ikirmifh. Gordon fays, that on the day of his marriage he was killed in an encounter, for from that time he was never heard of. Vol, II. p. 255. Motrave, who made many inquiries about him, concludes by faying, he could be alTured of nothing from the Common report of the country concerning the fate of this new-married man, it being fo varioufly related. f Weber relates, that marflial Sheremetof was the general who firft brought Catharine into Rulfia. I fliould certainly have fub-mitted to his authority, if Bruce had not af-ferted that general Bauer was the perfon. Bruce begins his narrative by faying, " as 11 general Bauer was the perfon by whofe " means the emprefs Catharine arrived after-" wards to fo great an heightand Bruce's authority muff be preferred in this inftance, becaufe he probably obtained his information from his uncle general Bruce, who was intimately acquainted with general Bauer, and could not be miftaken in this fact. Vol. I, Perhaps this contradiction may be reconciled by confidering, that although marflial Sheremetof commanded the Ruflian army in Livonia, yet, as general Bauer was the next in command, he might either have headed the party which entered Marienburgh, or have taken the fair prifoner under his protection. Perfons have doubted whether flie were really the miftrefs of general Bauer:. but when Bruce fays general Bauer " gave immediate " orders for her fafety and reception into his M houfe, of which he gave her the whole *' charge, with authority over all his fervants, " by whom flie was very much beloved from 11 her manner of ufing them ; the general " afterwards often faid, his houfe was never " fo well managed as when fhe was with " him," p 75. We can have no doubt of the fact, as otherwife a general would hardly place a girl under fixteen at the head of his houfhold. } Weber writes, that the emperor firft faw her as flie was carrying fome diftics through the hall: the Auftrian minifter fays (lie wa3 laundrefs to prince Menzikof; that at the clofe of an entertainment at the prince's, when the emperor and company were intoxicated, flie was recommended to Peter, Ike, Bufching XL p. 482. § Gordon fays, that flie had feveral children by the czai before he efponfed her, par-is • s ticularly book Trie- ceremony was fecretly performed at Jawerof in Poland, _in the prefence of general Bruce ; and on the 20th of February, 1712, it was publickly folemnized with great pomp at Peter (burgh* Catharine, by the moft unwearied afliduity and unremitted attention, by the foftnefs and complacency of her dilpofition, but, above all, by an extraordinary livelinefs and gaiety of temper, acquired a wonderful afcendancy over the mind of Peter. The latter was fubje£t to occafional horrors, which at times rendered him gloomy and fufpicious, and raifed his pafRons to fuch an height, as to produce a temporary mad-nefs. In thefe dreadful moments Catharine was the only perfon who durft venture to approach him, and fuch was the kind of fafcination * flie had acquired over his fenfes, that her prefence had an inftantaneous effect; and the firft found of her voice compofed his mind and calmed his agonies. From thefe circumftances flie feemed neceflary, not only to his comfort, but even to his very exiftence: flie became his in-feparable companion on his journeys into foreign countries,,, and even in all his military expeditions. The peace of Pruth, by which the Ruflian army was refcued from certain deft ruction, has been wholly attributed to Catharine, though flie was little more than an inftrument in procuring the confent of Peter. The latter, in his campaign of 1711 againft the Turks, having imprudently led his ticularly the princefs Anne. The czar, he add?, was married to her in 1710. Life of Teter, vol. II. p. 258. Weber only relates, that the marriage, which was before kept fecret, was made publick in 1711. Voltaire places the fecret marriage in 1707. The following pafiagc, however, in Bruce's Memoirs, is abfolutely decifive. " On the 17th (May, 1711) we arrived at " Warfaw, and at Jawerof on the 29th, " where we found the czar and czarina, and M they were privateiy married, at which cerc-" mony the general ivas prefent; and upon this 44 occafion he was made mailer-general of " the ordnance, in the room of the prince of M Melita, who died a prifoncr in Sweden,'* p. 36. * 44 Elle avait un afcendant fur fes fens, " qui tenait prefque du prodigc." Baffcvitz in Bufch. IX. 294. See alfo the firft note to p. 367 of this work. troops troops into a disadvantageous lituation, took the defperate resolution of cutting his way through the Turkifh army in the night. With this refolution he retired to his tent in an agony of defpair, and gave pofitive orders that no one Ihould be admitted under pain of death. In this important juncture the principal officers and the vice-chancellor Shaffirof * affembled in the prefence of Catharine, and drew up certain preliminaries in order to obtain a truce from the grand vizier. In confequence of this determination plenipotentiaries were immediately difpatched, without the knowledge of Peter, to the grand vizier, and a peace obtained upon mere reafonable conditions than could have been expected. With thefe conditions Catharine, notwithstanding the orders ilTued by Peter, entered his tent, and prevailed upon him to fign them. Although the honour of this peace, fays Gordon, was wholly attributed to Catharine, yet, as hcjuitly remarks, the generals, together with the vice-chancellor Shaffirof, had been the main fprings that directed this machine. Catharine, however, by her conduct on this occafion, acquired great popularity ; and the emperor particularly fpecifics her behaviour at Pruth, as one of the reafons which induced him to crown her publickly at Mofcow with his own hand. This ceremony + was performed in T724, and, although defigned by Peter only as a proof of his affection, was the principal caufe of her fubfe-quent elevation. * Motraye attributes the principal fuccefs " would fee none but her, the counfeU *n I of the negotiation with the grand vizier to •« method.-, wl.iohrh it great mi:ii:terlug:v'v-,» the vice-chancellor Shaffirof: 44 It was folely " in order to a treaty, and tb induce him <<•> ** to his ability, and not to any pretended " agree to them, ::nd to give him a full " prefents of the czarina, that the czar owed 11 power of ai'timy' Motra) t*a Trarels, yoi *« his deliverance at Truth. I was well in- 111. p. 151, note. See alfo p. 103. •« formed by the Pacha, with whom 1 was f The reader will rind a very cirenmrtnn- 44 then, and by other Turks, even enemies to tial account of the coronation, with all the «« the vizier, of what palled there, and of the ceremonies aiul entertainments, in Bruce, ** prefents which were there made. All who Was himfelf 'prefent* Br uceVMjmoirs,, 44 that the czarina did was to carry to tive p. 351 10363. *4s:zar, when he wa« retired to his tent, :-.nd S s s 2 Some book Some authors have afferted that Peter placed the crown->—^l^upon her head as a prelude to his future intention in her favour, and even abfolutely appointed her his fucceffor; but their affertions are without the lead foundation ; for no traces were ever difcovered that he had made fuch a difpofition, either by will or other wife : nothing indeed affords a ftronger proof of the contrary, than the very manifesto of Catharine's acceffion, in which flie refls her right folely upon her coronation at Mofcow, and upon the refolutions of the fenate, the clergy, and the body of the generals % From thefe considerations, let us inquire by what extraordinary means a woman of her low birth could fucceed in letting alide the grandfon of Peter the Great, who was the lineal heir of the Ruffian empire; and afcend the throne, to which flie could have no pretentions but by the exprefs appointment of Peter. Her influence continued undiminished until a fliort time before the death of that emperor, when fome circumftances happened which occafioned fuch a coolnefs between them> as would probably have ended in a total rupture if his death had not fortunately intervened. The original caufe of this mifunder- * 11 Be it known to all and every one by u prefs, Catharine Alexiefna, Jbould receive, as 44 thefe prefents, that it hath pleafed Al- '* Jbe did ef'eclually receive, tf>e crown and the 44 mighty God to take, after a violent ficknefs 11 facred inauguration, Ly reafon of the tiumherlefs " of twelve days, from this world, the moft "great and important fervices which Jhe per- u fercne and moft powerful prince Peter the " formed for the advantage of the Ruffian em~. 44 Great, emperor, and abfolutc fovereign of " pirc ; as was fujiciently and amply declared in 45 all the Rvtffias, father of hit country, and ** the manlfcjlo, dated the \yb of November, 44 our moft gracious lord, in order to raifc " 1723. *' him to eternal glory. 44 Forw'-'ch reafon $ the fenate or council of 44 The order offuccejjion to the throne of Rujfta '5 regency, and,the facred fynod, in conjune- 4* being regulated by bis imperial m/rjefy of mv/1 14 tion with the body of generals, have unani- 41 glorious memory, in his decree, dated the c,tb of 44 moufly ordained, and do notify, by the 44 February, 1722, which was publifhed to the " prefent printed edid, that all, as well ec- 44 whole nation, and confirmed by the oaths of all 44 clefiaftical as militaiy and civil, of all ranks *•*• thefates ajjimblcd'together • namely, that he or 44 and conditions,, be fubject and faithful to 44 fe, whom it Jhculd pleafe his imperial majefty 44 the moft ferene and moft powerful emprefs 44 to appoint, fiouid fucceed to the throne : and u Catharine Alexiefna, abfolutc fovereign of, 44 accordingly he Was pleafed that, in the year 44 all the Rnffias." See Dumont Corps Di- 44 1724., bis dear ceffort) our mojl gracious cm- " pioni. Vol. VIII. P. II. p. 104. Handing fending arofe from the following difcovery of a fecret con- Cy^p" nection between Catharine and her firfc chamberlain, whofe <_____v-l- name was Mons. The emperor, who was fufpicious of this connection, quitted Peterfburgh under pretence of removing to a villa for a few days, but privately returned to his winter palace in the capital. From thence he occasionally fent one of his confidential pages with a complimentary meffage to the emprefs,., as if he had been in the country, and with fecret orders to obferve her motions. From the page's information the emperor, on the third night, furprized Catharine in an arbour of the garden with her favourite Mons; while his fifter Madame Balke, who was firft lady of the bed-chamber to the emprefs, was, in company with a page, upon the watch without the arbour. Peter *, whofe violent temper was inflamed by this difcovery, ftruck Catharine with his cane, as well as the page who endeavoured to prevent him from entering the arbour, and then retired without uttering a fingle word either to Mons or his fifter. A few days after this transaction thefe perfons were taken into cuftody, and Mons was carried to the winter palace, where no one had admiffion to him but Peter, who himfelf brought him his provifions. A report was at the fame time circulated, that they were imprifoned for having received bribes, and making their influence over the emprefs fubfer-vient to their own mercenary views. Mons being examined by Peter, in the prefence of major-general Ufchakof, and threatened with the torture, conferred the corruption which was laid to his charge. He was beheaded ; his fifter received. * Baflevitz and Vojtaire. relate this tranf- fent by Peter,, whofe name was Drevenich. action in a different manner, but neither of Bii.fc, Hift. Mag. XI. p. 49. them would reprefent any circumftance tend- Bauevitz himfclf mentions the anecdote of ing in the leaft to criminate Catharine. The his driving her under the gallows; which Auftrian envoy, from whom the above rcla- feems to imply, that Peter certainly thought tion is chiefly extrafted, fnys, that he received Catharine guilty of an intrigue with Mons. information of the whole affair from the page. five; book five Rrokcs of the knoot, and was baniihed into Siberia; two of her fons, who were chamberlains, were alfo degraded and lent as common foldiers among the Ruflian troops in Perfia. On the day fubfequent to the execution of the fentence, Peter conveyed Catharine in an open carriage under the gallows, to which was nailed the head of Mons: the emprefs, without changing colour at this dreadful fight, exclaimed, *< What a 44 pity it is, that there is fo much corruption among courtiers * !* This event happened in the latter end of the year 1724, and as it was foon followed by Peter's death, and as Catharine, upon her accefTion, recalled Madame Balke, it has been fuf-pecfted that Ihe ihortened the days of her hufband by poifon. But, notwithstanding the critical lituation for Catharine in which he died, and her fubfequent elevation, this charge is totally destitute of the least thadow of proof; for the circumstances of Peter's disorder were too well known, and the peculiar fymptoms t of his lait iilnefs fufflciently account for his death without the neceffity of recurring to poifon. Peter having, in the year 1724, decreed that the reigning fovereign fliould have the power of appointing his fucceffor, ought, in common prudence, to have provided one in cafe of * Baffevitz in Bufcl Hift. Mag. IX. p. 372. " illncfs, brought on a ftrangury, that foon f " Peter/* fays the Auftrian envoy, 44 ended in 'his death. Upon his death-bed " ltad formerly contracted from one of his 44 hegrievouily repented of his fin?, confef • d 41 miftrerT.s a complaint, which ou account 44 that he had ihed much innocent blood, ex- 44 of hisexceifea was never completely cradi- 44 pre •* be capable, not only to maintain his acquifitions and pre-« ferve his eftablifhments, but alfo to execute the reft of his " defigns, were he even to felect him from the croud of his " fubjects.' < You,' added he, 1 would tax a prince with cru- Si, chaque jour des m uivais 44 minel. Un oubli, une reticence innocentc 44 traitcments nouveaux fatiguaient, dotn- 44 ou meme louable devenait un crime. Ou 44 taierir fi patience, & l'obligeaient a faire 44 plutot, epie, prefle, furpris de tons cotes, 4 les aveux qu'on exigent de lui P fi l'onem- 44 il ne pouvait eviter fa condemnation,, S'il " ployait meme les tortures pour vaincre ia 44 taifait fes fautes, fon filence le rendait cou- 4' icliitance ? i: fes cris &c le bruit des coups 44 pable : S'il les devoilait, il etait convaincu 44 qu'il recevait etaient entendus par un pri- 44 par fon aveu." L'Evefque, vol. IV. p. 427. 44 ionnier qui etait en nume temps dans la The reader, I flatter myfelf, will not be 44 forterefle, ik qui a devoile depuis cet difpleafed at my introducing to his acquaint- 44 odicux fecret ? ii le tzar lui meme etait le ance fuch fpirited paffages as the one juft 44 fptclatcur «< pent-etrc le miniitre des quoted, and the following upon the depofi- 44 tourments de fon fils i On ne pent s'em- tion of the tzarovitch. " pecher de rapporter cette tradition 1 mais 44 La fimplteite enfantine de toute cette 44 elle afflige Thumanite qui fe plait a la re- 44 derniere declaration eft prccieufe : Elle 44 voqucr en doute j elle femble cn meme 44 prouve que le tzarcvitch pouvait avoir les 44 temps choqucr la vraifemblancc." Ibid. 44 vices et la groifierete d'une mauvaife cdu- p, 440, 441, 44 cation, mais qu'il ne pouvait etre criminel." are book are two prevailing opinions ; one, advanced in the manifefto iv j of Peter, that he was feized with an apoplectick fit, and died of convulfions, occafioned by the violent paffions of his mind and the terrors of death; and the other, that he was fecretly executed in prifon. And the latter of thefe feems moft entitled to belief, notwithstanding the affertions of Peter, and the apology of his panegyrifts, particularly of Voltaire, who has fupported his innocence with the moft plaulible arguments. Of all the accounts of the prince's death, that given by Bufching feems to be the moft probable and authentick. This author * pofitively alferts, that he was beheaded by order of his father, and that marfhal Weyde was the perfon who performed the office of executioner. He received the intelligence from a lady at Peterfburgh, named Cramer, who was in high confidence both with Peter and Catharine, and who was employed in fewing the prince's head to his body previous to its lying in ftate. During my flay at Peterfburgh I was at fome pains to authentick this fact; but I found it extremely difficult to obtain any pofitive information upon fo fecret a tranfaction. The moft material circumftances I could collect were communicated to me by an intimate acquaintance of the above-mentioned lady; he affined me that he had frequently attempted to convcrfe with her upon the death of Alexey, but had always found her extremely averfe to hold any difcourfe upon the fubject; Ihe feemed exceedingly mocked whenever this to-pick was introduced; and nothing could be further extorted from her, than that flie was the perfon who prepared the body for the ceremony of its lying in ftate. This unwillingnefs of the lady to enter upon the fubject, together with her declaration that flie prepared the body, feems to add a great degree of confirmation to the account of Bufching ; and it is not improbable, from the confidential intercourfe which fubfifted * Buf. Hif. Mag. vol. III. p. 22 \. Alfo Introduction to vol.. IX, between between them, that fhe might, on fome particular occafion, have difclofed to him a ftate-fecret of fuch moment, which,s—Sr-H excepting in this fingle inftance, fhe invariably concealed. An additional proof, in favour of the authenticity of this fact, I lately received from an Englifh gentlemen, on whofe veracity the publick may rely. That gentleman affured me, that he had been informed by prince CanterruYs fecretary, with whom he was intimately acquainted abroad, that Alexey was beheaded in prifon. As prince Cantemir was in high favour with Peter, the intelligence of his confidential fecretary muft carry with it great weight. This fact appears fo well attefted, that many of the German hiftorians, who have written upon Ruflia, have adopted it without referve ; and, in feveral genealogical tables of the Imperial family, Alexey is put down as beheaded. A paffage, however, in Bruce's Memoirs, feems at firft fight to invalidate this concurrent evidence, and to prove that he was poifoned. This paffage is too curious not to be introduced to the reader. " The trial* was begun the 25th of June, and continued to the 6th of July, when this ** fupreme court, with unanimous confent, paffed fentence of death upon the prince, but " left the manner of it to his majefty's determination : the prince was brought before the ** court, his fentence was read to him, and he wis re-conveyed to the fortrefs. On the *' next day, his majefty, attended by all the fenators and biftiops, with feveral others of *' high rank, went to the fort, and entered the apartments where the tzarovitch was kept " prifoner. Some little time thereafter, marflial Weyde came out, and ordered me to go tl to Mr. Bear's the druggift, whofe fhop was hard-by, and tell him to make the potion «' flrong which he had belpoke, as the prince was then very ill: when I delivered this mef-*' fage to Mr. Bear, he turned quite pale, and fdl a fliaking and trembling, and appeared 11 in the utmoft confufion j which furprized me fo much, that I afked him what was the " matter with him, but he was unable to return me any anfwer; in the mean time the " marfhall himfclf came in, much in the fame condition with the druggift, faying, he " ought to have been more expeditious, as the prince was very ill of an apoplectick fit ; *' upon this the druggift delivered him a filver cup with a cover, which the marflial himfelf ** carried into the prince's apartment, ftaggering all the way as he went like one drunk. " About half an hour after, the tzar, with all his attendants, withdrew, with very difmal Vol. I. * Bruce's Memoirs, p. 185—1S7, X x x il countenances 5 BOOK " countenances j and when they went, the marfhal ordered" me to attend at the prince's IV. *< apartment, and, in cafe of any alteration, to inform him immediately thereof. There M were at that time two phyficians and two furgeons in waiting, with whom, and the officer li on guard, I dined on what had been drafted for the prince's dinner. The phyficians u were called in immediately after to attend the prince, who was ftruggling out of one con- ■ 44 vulfion into another, and, after great agonies, expired at five o'clock in the afternoon. u I went directly to inform the marflial, and he went that moment to acquaint his majefty,. 44 who ordered the corpfe to be embowelled, after which ir was laid in a coffin, covered " with black velvet, and a pall of rich gold tiffue fpread over it ; it was then carried out 14 of the fort to the church of the Holy Trinity, where the corpfe lay in ftate till the nth 44 in the evening, when it was carried back to the fort, and depofited in the royal burying 14 vault, next the coffin of the princefs his late confort ; on which occafion the tzar and 44 tzarina, and the chief of the nobility, followed in proceffion. Various were the reports-44 that were fpread concerning his death : it was given out publickly, that on hearing hift 41 fentence of death pronounced, the dread thereof threw him into an apoplectick fit, of 44 which he died ; very few believed he died a natural death, but it was dangerous for people to 44 fpeak as they thought. The minifters of the emperor, and the Hates of Holland, were for-" bid the court for fpeaking their minds too freely on this occafion, and,, upon complaint »4 againft thein, were both recalled." From this account it appears that the prince was ftill alive when Peter, with the nobles and biftiops, remained in the fortrefs, and that he died in the interval between their departure and the afternoon : but it by no means follows, even from this ftate of the cafe, that the tzarovitch was poifoned. For, can we fuppofe that Peter would order a dofe of poifon to be prepared for his fon at a chymilVs fliop, and that marflial Weyde would openly fend for it without the leaft myftery? May we not rather infer that the potion was moft probably a medicine fimilar to thofe which had been already prefcribed for the prince, who had for fome time been extremely indif-pofed ? The fright of the chymift might proceed from his delivering a medicine for the tzarovitch, who was faid to be in the agonies of death ; as, in a defpotick country, and under fuch a fovereign as Peter, his own fafety might be involved in the event of this cataftrophe. The agitation of marflial Weyde will be ftill more eafily and fatisfa&orily accounted for, 6 if, if, according to Bufching, he was preparing to perform, or C^ATP had already performed, the execution. 1—1 The principal circumftance which feems to contradict the opinion that he was beheaded, is, that if Bruce's narrative is to be depended upon, the prince, when he fell afterwards into repeated convulfions, was vilited by the phyficians; and yet, if Bufching's account can be relied on, he mud have been already beheaded, as marfhal Weyde, according to Bruce, had finally quitted the fortrefs. But it is poflible that the phyficians, although ordered to attend upon the prince, might be prevented from feeing him ; it is poflible that marflial Weyde may have fecretly returned to the fortrefs without the knowledge of colonel Bruce; it is poflible that Bruce himfelf, as being an intimate friend of marflial Weyde, might have been entrusted with the fecret, but was unwilling to record, in his Memoirs, fo horrid a cataflrophc, which was totally repugnant to the manifefto of the emperor: and indeed it plainly appears from his narrative, that he knew more than he chofe to difcovcr. When the fecret execution of the heir apparent of a defpotick empire becomes the fubject. of inquiry, it muft always be difficult to afcertain the truth ; and it would be un-reafonable to expect that no contradictory circumftances fliould occur in the different relations of fuch a mylferious tranfaction, 'when, even in the mole common occurrences, no two perfons would relate the fame event precifely in the fame manner. . Catharine is not free from fufpicion of being concerned in this horrid affair, as well becaufe her fon by Peter was declared fucceffor, as becaufe Tolftoi, to whom the management of the procefs and the private examination of Alexey were chiefly entrufted, was well known to be a creature of Menzikof, whofe interefts were clofcly connected with thofe of the emprefs. But this accufation of Catharine could be only a mere furmife, and her interference, if flie really interfered, muft X x x 2 have have been conducted imfo fecret a manner, as not to have been difcovered. Peter himfelf exculpated her; openly terrifying *, that fhe interceded for his fon's life, and requefted, that, inftead of being put to death, he might be confined in a convent. Not to mention that fuch proceedings militate ftrongly againft the well-known humanity of Catharine ; there was no occafion to irritate the favage temper of Peter, too much inclined to inflict the fevereft punilhment upon his fon, who had threatened to overturn all his plans of reformation,, and to de— ftroy, in a moment, that vaft fabrick of glory and power which he had employed many years in erecting. The monarch who could himfelf attend the infliction of torture, who had occasionally performed the office of executioner, and who had even ordered the firft partner of his bed to be fcourged,, would not require any incitement to command the execution of that fon, whom he had publickly treated with the moft inhuman ferocity. The following note, written with Peter's own hand to count Romanzof, who, in conjunction with count Tolftoi,. brought the unfortunate Alexey from Naples,, will ferve to difplay the inflexible fpirit of that monarch, who forgot the feelings of a father in his anxiety for the publick good, "I grant you the ranks of major-general and lieutenant-general, and the eftates of Alexander Kikin and Kuril Ma-" tufhkin -f, in confideration of the fignal fervice which you «< have juft conferred, not only upon me, but, what is more, upon your country, jn bringing back him, who by birth is "my fon, and, by his actions, the enemy of his father and of 4< his country J," The wife of Alexey, Charlotte Chriftina .Sophia,, whofe fate * Baffevitz. f This note, which has not yet appeared f Two of Alexcy's unfortunate adherents, in print, was communicated to me by a Ruf-w.ho, with many others, were executed upon fian nobleman, who favoured me with a this occaiion. tranflation from the original. has has already been briefly related, was daughter of Louis Rho-dolph of Brunfwick-Blankenburgh, *and filter of Elizabeth Chriftina, confort of the emperor Charles VI. She was born on the 29th of Auguft, 1694, efpoufed, on the 25th of October, 1711, at Torgau, the tzarovitch Alexey, and in July of the enfuing year made her entrance into Peterfburgh *. Although this amiable princefs feems to have been the choice of Alexey, who faw her at her father's court, yet he always treated her with the utmoft neglect:; and gave up his whole time and attention to his favourite miftrefs Euphrofyne, a Finlandifh girl of the loweft extraction. It does not, indeed, appear, that the prince treated her in that inhuman manner as. is reported by fome writers, namely, that he frequently ftruck her ; for even if he had been fufliciently brutal to have been inclined to fuch a conduct, he would have been reltrained by his apprehenfions of his father, who, as well as Catharine, always expreffed .the ftrongeft companion for her wretched lituation, and ftiowed her conftant proofs of his affection and regard. Her hufband's unconquerable antipathy feems to. have been chiefly derived from his fufpicions that flie lodged complaints againft him to the emperor, who frequently and roughly expoftulated with him on this inftance of his ill-conduct. Unfortunately her domeftick uneafinefs was in-creafed by Juliana princefs of Eaft-Friefland, who accompanied, her into Ruflia, to whom flie ufed to unbofom her grief and anxiety, and who imprudently fanned the flame inftead of endeavouring to quench it. The fruits of this ill-afforted union were Natalia, who was. born at Peterfburgh in 1714, and died at Mofcow in 1728;. * This account of the princefs is chiefly 11 chen Kronprinceffin." in Buf. Hift. Mag. taken from Muller's ** Von der Princeffm XV. p, 234. *• von. Wolfenbuettel als vermahlten ruffif- andi and a prince, afterwards the emperor Peter II. who was brought ..into the world on the 23d of October, 1715. A few days after the prince's birth, the confequences of her delivery, and the melancholy which had long preyed upon her frame, hurried her prematurely to the grave, and (lie expired on the 2d of November, in the 21ft year of her age. The approach of her death was affecting to all but her hufband and herfelf; and her fpirit had been fo fubdued by affliction, that flie confidered her dilfolution as a welcome re-leafe from all her fufferings. Imprefled with this fentiment, fhe faid to her phyficians, "-Do not torment me any more, for Ct I will live no longer On the day which preceded her deceafe, flie dictated the following petition to Peter the Great, which may be confidered as her will. M The moft humble and laft entreaties from the under-** written to his imperial majefty. i. " His Imperial majefty will order my funeral as he fliall band and child, whom the king of France had promifed to provide for, and invited her to Vienna. Although I had little reafon to give credit to an anonymous author, and the whole flory carries with it the air of fiction, I yet made it the fubject of my refearches. I found, upon inquiry, that the circumftances of her death were fuch as could not be doubted, and accorded with the accounts which I have before related; and I was, moreover, informed by a Ruffian nobleman of high diftincrion, that his mother attended the princefs in her illnefs; that fhe was a witnefs to her laft moments, and faw herfelf the corpfe laid in ftate, when perfons of all ranks were admitted to kifs the hand of the deceafed *. ' *. In L'Evefque's Hiftory of Ruffia there is an ample detail of the rife and progrefs of this anecdote o* the priucefs's efcape and adventures. It firft made its appearance in Richer's Continuation of the Abbe Marcy's . Hiftoire Moderne; afterwards in Boffu's 'Nouvcau:c Voyage dans PAmcrique Septen-trionale; and lately was revived-in "Pieces " intereflantes et peu connues, pour fervir a l'Hiftoire ;" in which, as an additional authority, it is qualified as an extract found among the papers of the lateDuclos, fecretary of the Royal Academy and Hiftoriogra-pher of France. The anecdote, lihe all other ftories which are improved-in their progrcls, is drefled in fomewhat different fhapes : in one the name of the hufband is d'Auban, in the other Moldack; in one flie marries a third time, and again becomes a widow : the circumftances of her efcape are alfo varioufly related, and in all with the molt evident marks of falfehood, andabfolute contradiction to the meat undoubted facts; fuch as that fhe was affifted' in her efcape by the countefs of Koningfmark, when there was no lady of that name about her perfon, or at Peterfburgh; that the body of the princefs was interred almoft at the inftant of her deceafe, and without any funeral honours; that Peter 1, was not at Peterfburgh when flie died ; that flie was brought to bed before her time of a princefs, with many other fimilar afler-tions, which fcarcely deferve any ferious re» futation. The reader, who is defirous of further information upon the fubject, is referred to L'Evefque Hiftoire de Ruffle, Tom. IV. p. 384—389 ; and tothc latter part of Mailer's account, Von der Princeffcn von Wolfenbuttel in Buf. Hift. Mag. XV. p. 239 to 241..—An extract alfo of the principal circumftances of this (lory is given in the Gentleman's Magazine, and from thence is inferted in the Annual Regifter for 1776. APPENDIX. [ 53l 3 APPENDIX. Catalogue of the principal Books cited in the Courfe of this Work, with their References. A. Antidote, &c. to a Book, entitled A Journey into Siberia, made in MDCCLXI, kc. by the Abbe Chappe d'Auteroche, 1771. C. Antidote to the Abbe Chappe. VB. Ruffifche Bibliothck von Hartw. Ludw. D. Chrifti Bachmcifter 1771*—1781. Bachmeifter's Ruff. Bib. D. ?B. Memoirs of Peter Henry Bruce, Efq; &c. London, 1781. Bruce's Memoirs. B> Eflai fur la Bibliothequeet lc Cabinet de Cu- F. riofites et d'Hiftohc Naturelle de l'Aca-demie des Sciences de St. Pctei Ibourg, par Jean Bachmeifter, 1776. ■ B. Bufching's Hiftotifch.es und Geographifches G. Magazin, 17 vol. B. H. M. Neue Erdbcfchrcibung. Buf. Erd. Bel. C. Hiftoire d'Eric XIV. R01 de Suede traduitc du Sucdois de Mr. Olaf Cclfius, &c. G. 177 7- > Gefchichte Koenig Guflavs de* Erften von H. Olas Cetfio—Aus dem Schwedifchen Ue- H. bcre^m, 1 vol. 8vo. 1753. C Bibliothccse Upfiriamfis Hiftoria Autlore CeU fio, I74> H.ll.Bib.Up. H. C. Connor's Hiftory of Poland, z vol. 8vo, Connor. H. •C. Reglements de Catharine II. Pour l'Ad- K. miniftration des Gouverncments de l'Era- K. pire des Rurlics, 1778. Reglements de Catharine. C. InftrucVion de Catharine II. Pour la Com- L. miftion Chargec de drefftr le projet d'un Nouveau Code deLoix, 1769- Inftruflion dc Catharine. C. Memoircs pour fervir a la Connoifuuice des Affaires Politiques et Economiqucs du L. Royaume de Suede jufqu'a la fin de 1775 L. me Annee, by Cantzler, z Vols. 4to. Canulcr. C. Vovages and Travels through the Ruffian Empire, Tartary, and Part of the Kingdom of Pcifia, by John Cook, M. D. at Hamilton, 2 vols. 8vo. 1778. I.. C. Cronvcrus Dc Origine et Rebus Gcftis Polo- L. norum. Cromer. C. A Relation of three Embaffies from His Sa- L. cicd Majeftie Charles II, to the Great Duke of Mofcovie, the King of Sweden, and the Ring of Denmark. Performed m. by the Right Hon. the Eaile of Carlifte in the Years 1663 anQ* l664— l669' Carlisle's Embaffy. Coyer's Hiftoire de Jean Sobiefki, | toI. it. Vie de Sobiefki. Dlugofllus—Hiftoria Polonica Libri XIII. Dfugofs. and Dlugolfius. Olof Dahlint Gefchichte des Reichcs Sweden aus dem Swedifchen uebcrfetzt, IV. vol. 4to, 1756—1763. Dahlin. Hiftory of Ruffia, &c. by Giles Fletcher, fumctimc Fellow of King's College in Cam. bridge, and employed in the Englifh Em-baffie 1591. Fletcher. Samuel Gottlieb Gmclin's Reife durch Ruff-laud tur untcrfuechuug der drey Natuv* reiche, III. Vol. 410, 1770—1774.! Gmelin's Reife. Gordon's Hiftory of Peter the Great, 1 VoU. 8vo. Gordon. I Ian way's Travels. Ludwig Freyherm von Holberg Daenifche Reichs Hiftorie ins Deutfche uebctfetir, IV. vol. 4to. x757—1759- Holberg. Hcibcrftcin's Rerum Mofcoviticarum Com-meiuarii in Mof. Auftores. Herberftein* Hackluyt's Voyages, i Vol. fob Hackluyt. Kobierticky Hiftoria; Uladiflai III. Diarium itineris in Mofcoviam, ice. Ann. MDCXCVIII. defcriptum a Joanne Geor. gio Korb. fob Korb^ Scriptores Rerum Danicatum Medii J£vi9 partim hafitenus inediti, partim emendatiut editi; quos collcgit Jacobus Langebek, &e. 5V0I. fol. 1771—1783, begun by Langebek, and continued by Suhm. Langebek. Lubienfki Tres Epiilolarum Decades. Lengnick Jus Publicum Regni Polonia, t, vol. itmo. Lengnick Jufc Pub. Pafta Conventa Augufti III. Lenguick Pac. Con. Aug. III.j Hiftoria Polonia; a Lecho ad Annum 1748. Lengnick Hift. Pol." Lind's Brefent State of Poland. L'Evcfque's Hiftoire de Rullic, 5 Vol. ttmo. 1781. L'Evefquc, Le Clcic's Hiftoire Phyfique, Morale, Civile tt Politique de la Rufue Ancienne ct Mo-dcrnc, 1 Vol. 4to. 1783. LeClcic. Muller'i Samlung Ruffifcher Gefchichte, 9 vols. 5vo. from 175* to 1764. S. R. G. M. Iter 53* APPEND I X. M. Iter in Mofcoviam Libcri Baronis de Mayer* R. berg, &c. Anno mpci.xi. Maycrbcrg. M< Account of Denmark, as it was in the Year 1691, by Lord Moltfworth, 1738. R. Molcfwarth. M. A. dc la Motraye's Travels through Europe, S. Alia, and into Part of Africa, III. Vol. fol. Motrayc's Travels. M. Milton's Brief Hiftory of Mofcovia. M. Manftein's Memoirs of Rjftia, Hiftnrical, S. Political, Military, from 1717 W 1 S» printed in 1770. ' Manftein. F.banchc pour donner une idee dc la Forme tie Gouvcrocmcnt dc I'Empirc dc Ruffle, By Count Munich. Ebauche. M. Eftat de I'Empiro de Ruffie ct Grande Ducht- S. dt Mufcovic, avec cc qui s'y eft p.ifte de j-lus memorable ct tragiqus, pendant le regnc de quatre Empcrcurs : a fcavoir de- S. puis l'an 1 190, jufqucs en l'an 1606 cn Sep-tctnbrc. Par le Capitaine Margaret Paris 1669. Margaret. M. Johannis Moffenii Scoudia Illuflrata. Mclf. Scon. III. M. Hiftoire de Danncmnrc, par Mallet, 3 vols. 4to, 1758—1777. Mallet. O. Ortchovii Annales. Orichovius. S» O. Voyage dc Ttrfc ct dc Mofcovie par Adam Okarius. Olcarius. I*. Marmora Danica Selec"riora, &c ab Erico S. Pontoppidano, a Vol. fol. 1739—1741. p. Journal of St. Peterfburgh, 1776 to 1782. Jour. St. Pet. This periodica! publication in the German V. tongue contains many curious difquilitions on the hiftory of Ruflia, and particularly V. feveral by the celebrated Muller. p. P. S. Pallas Reife diuch Verfchktkne Pro- vinztn des RufTifchcn Rcichcs, 111. Parts W, v. Vol. 4to, 1771.—1776. Pallas P.cife. p. Joh. Pcrinfkiold Monument* Sueqgothjca, W, Uplandia; partem primam Thiundiam continent. Fol. 1710. Pcrinf. \V Monumenta Ullerakcrenfia—cum UpfaliaNova illftrata. Fol. 17x9.—Perinfkiold I'pfata Z. Nova. Z. p. Paftorii Florus Folonkus, 1*79. Florus Pol. Roger's Lettrcs fur 1c Danncmarc, i Volt, 8vo. 1764—1768. Lcttrcs fur la Danncmarc. Account of Sweden, as it was in the year. 1688, by Bifhop Robin fon, 1738. A Hiftory of the late Revolution in Sweden,. 6. c. by Charles Francis Sheridan, Efq; Secretary to the Britifh envoy in Sweden at the time of the late Rcvolui ion. Sheridan. Sarnicius—Annates Pohmici. Sarnifki. Schloctzcr's Beylagci cum Nuevcracndartcs Aufsland, publiflied under the fictitious name of Haygold, 2 vol. 1769—1770. Haygofd, or IlayguUl's Beylagrai. Schloctzcr's Briefwcthfel. Probe RuHil'chcr Aunalem von Auguft Lud-wig Schlottzcr, fc'vo. 1768. Schloctzcr's Probe. Schmidt's Ruffifohc Gefchiclitc, a vol. Schmidt Rufs. Gcf. 3eytragc 7.11 F»,entniifs dcr Staatfvcrfalfung von Rufsland, 1772. Schmidt's Beytrage. Matcrialicn ?u dcr. RuffriVhea Gefchichte fcit dem Tode des Peter ties Gioften. Part ift. Schmidt Matcrialicn. Gefchichte Dacnncmarks, &c. Aufdcjn Dacnifchcn uebcrfetzt von Peter Fricdrick Suhm, 1777. Die crftc und wichtigfte Aufftand dcr Strcbt- 7. cn in Mofkau |m J. 1682, in May Aus dem RufmchCfl des Staatraths Alexander Sumorokow, 1772. Sumorokof. Voltaire's Hiftoire de I'Empirc dc Ruffle. Hiftoire dc Charles XII. Roi dc Suede. Letters from n Lady (Mrs. Vigor) who re»-fided fome years in Ruflia to her Friend in England, 1.775. ' Letters from Ruffis. Wraxall's Tour through the Northern Parti of Europe, &c. 1776. Wraxall's Tous. Weber's Verandtrtes Ruftland, 1739. 1744. Weber. Danicorum. Monumcntorum Libri fex, &c. ab Ohio Wormio. Fob 1743. Zavodfky Hifloria Arcana. Zalufki Epiftolje Hiftorico familiares, 4 VoL Fol. Zalufki Epift.. 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