
 
 <A\tfUNIVERS/A 
 
 I t>~r* s 
 s I
 
 v^" ^ 
 
 Hvaaii-^ 
 
 UNIVER
 
 THE 
 
 DANGER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 POLITICAL BALANCE 
 
 O F 
 
 EUROPE, 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF THE 
 KING OF SWEDEN, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 Rt. Hon. LORD MOUNTMORRES. 
 
 Opininionum comment a delet Dies, veritatis judicia 
 confirmat . Cic. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for E. JEFFERY, PALL MALL. 
 
 M.DCC.XC.
 
 Stack 
 Annex 
 
 TO 
 
 Lord Vifcount TORRINGTON, 
 
 &c. &c. &c. 
 
 PERMIT me, my Lord, 
 to addrefs a tranflation of 
 the Danger of the Political 
 Balance of Europe to your 
 a 2 Lord-
 
 Lordfhip and to hope that 
 you M(ill accept it as a tri- 
 bute of private friendfhip, 
 and as a mark of juft regard 
 and efteem, from a well- 
 wifher to his country. 
 
 Examples of men who 
 enter voluntarily and gratui- 
 toufly into diplomatic em- 
 ployment are rare : neither 
 
 are
 
 f v ] 
 
 are there many inftances to 
 be found of foreign minifters 
 who difcharge the duties 
 of their offices with labo- 
 rious application, unwearied 
 diligence, private credit, and 
 general fatisfa&ion, in the 
 countries from whence they 
 are delegated, and to which 
 they are deputed. 
 
 a 3 In
 
 [ vi ] . 
 
 In confldering your Lord- 
 fhip in that description of 
 foreign minifters, I fhall af- 
 fu redly adopt an opinion 
 from my own belief and con- 
 viction, from my obfervations 
 during your long and con- 
 ftant refidence at Bruflfels. 
 A general remark ought not 
 to create particular offence : 
 our embaffies have not al- 
 ways
 
 [ vii ]. 
 
 ways been filled with able 
 men, which I have often 
 regretted, in different parts 
 of Europe. The extent and 
 fphere of compliment is li- 
 mited, to men who confider 
 it as one of the privileges of 
 rank and independence to 
 
 fpeak the truth Faithful 
 
 copies of the portraits of Sir 
 
 William Temple and the 
 
 3 Count
 
 [ viii ] 
 
 Count D'Avaux, it is true, 
 are not eafily found ; but a 
 great country requires able 
 miniflers in foreign depart- 
 ments. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Your Lord (hip's obedient, 
 
 Humble fervant, 
 
 MOUNTMORRES* 
 
 London, 
 
 July 10, 1790.
 
 PRELIMINARY. 
 
 THE fpirit of the firft 
 works frequently evaporates 
 in translations ; as the eflence 
 of ether is often loft, when 
 poured from one vial into 
 
 another. The Tranflator 
 
 offers this work in an Engli-fli 
 drefs, with a diffident hand, 
 
 to
 
 to die impartial tribunal of 
 the Public If he fliall have 
 fucceeded inreprefenting the 
 genius and capacity, which 
 pervade the treatife on 
 the Danger of the Political 
 Balance of Power, he con- 
 ceives that he fhall have 
 given fatisfadion to the in- 
 telligent, information to the 
 political, and amufernent to 
 the many. 
 
 In
 
 In this work, the rapid 
 progrefs of Ruffia, in fome- 
 what more than half a cen- 
 tury, from civilization to 
 preponderance in the gene- 
 ral fyftem the dethrone- 
 ment of Peter the Third 
 the acceflion of Catherine 
 the fubje&ion of Courland 
 the appointment of a King 
 of Poland, the nominee of 
 Ruffia the partition and 
 
 dif-
 
 difmemberment of that coun- 
 try the Leonine conven- 
 tion with Frederick the 
 Great/ and with Auftria the 
 Turkifh wars the policy of 
 the' Czarina the interefts 
 of Denmark the conftitu- 
 tion, the character, the re- 
 volution, and prefent ftate 
 of Sweden above all, the 
 agitation of . the great quef- 
 tion, of the confequences of 
 
 the
 
 the fubjection of Turkey, 
 and the eftablifhment of 
 Ruffia in the Mediterranean, 
 and its importance to the 
 maritime powers, are moft 
 happily difplayed. 
 
 The idea of any ftate ob- 
 taining a general afcendant, 
 may, or may not, be a. chi- 
 mera ; but human affairs re- 
 volve in the fame circle ; 
 
 what
 
 [ xlv ] 
 
 what has happened, may- 
 happen again ; and novelty 
 is but forgetfulnefs. Hiftory 
 would he the amufement of 
 children, and not the inftruc- 
 tion of men, if the paft did 
 not prepare us for future 
 events, and guide us through 
 political mazes, with ante- 
 cedent information. 
 
 The
 
 [ XV ] 
 
 The Ruffian troops have 
 appeared with the greateft 
 effecls in the wars of Europe ; 
 Sweden and Ruffia have, at 
 different periods, experienced 
 their ohftinacy in the battles 
 of Pultowa, and of Kunerf- 
 dorff. 
 
 With Ruffia we have had 
 connections, treaties, and al- 
 liances, fmce the nrft i: 
 
 courfe
 
 courfe with that country $ in 
 the time of Edward the Sixth. 
 In a political view, little 
 advantage has flowed from 
 that connection ; perhaps the 
 only inftance where me ap- 
 peared on the political the- 
 atre in our favour, was at 
 the clofe of the fucceffion 
 war, in 1 747, when a body of 
 Ruffian troops were on their 
 march to counteract, the ef- 
 
 feds
 
 [ xvii ] 
 
 fefts of German difcipline in 
 the French troops, and the 
 victories of Saxe, and Low- 
 endhal, in Flanders. 
 
 Our trade with Ruflia for 
 naval {lores, according to 
 this work, produces a mil- 
 lion of unfavourable balance 
 againft this country. By 
 more accurate accounts from 
 b our
 
 ( xviii ] 
 
 our own Cuftom - Houfe 
 books, eight hundred and 
 twenty thoufand pounds*. 
 Conjecture and accuracy 
 combine to form a total, 
 which it will be our policy 
 to leflen, by producing thefe 
 articles among ourfelves. 
 Contrary to that policy which 
 obtained, with regard to 
 
 * Chalmers, 
 
 Ireland,
 
 xx 
 
 Ireland, in 1750, which 
 cannot be here enlarged 
 upon : the feed, the acorn 
 of this great meafure, has 
 been planted in Ireland this 
 laft feffion, by a law to en- 
 courage the export of Irifh 
 fail cloth, a meafure hither- 
 to difcountenanced here, 
 though it was recommended 
 to the Britifh Parliament, at 
 b 2 the
 
 [ XX ] 
 
 the beginning of this centu- 
 ry, by Lord Somers *. 
 
 Prejudices there are, no 
 doubt, againft noble, and 
 againft royal, authors -envy 
 exa&s a compromife from 
 men in exalted ftations ; 
 flattering mifconception and 
 felf - love have eftablifhed 
 
 * Lords' Journal, vol. XVII. p. 485. 
 
 an
 
 [ xxi ] 
 
 an opinion, that men who 
 are above the reft of man- 
 kind in fome, fhould be 
 lower than the reft of their 
 fpecies in other, refpets; 
 but fortuitous advantages do 
 not alter the real character 
 fame and reputation are 
 prizes which may be allot- 
 ted to any defcription of 
 men; and we muft admire 
 thofe who quit exalted fta- 
 
 tions
 
 [ xxii ] 
 
 tions to enter into the com* 
 mon lift, who ftart in the 
 popular race, and labour to 
 gain the prize, hy furpaf- 
 iing mankind in the beaten 
 tracks, and the common 
 high roads of life. 
 
 Of royal authors the cata- 
 logue is fmall, though fplen- 
 did inftances occur in the 
 annals of literature The 
 
 arm
 
 [ xx Hi ] 
 
 arm which wielded the moft 
 fuccefsful fword, dire&ed a 
 pen with fimilar abilities : 
 the Commentaries of Cse- 
 far were dictated by the fame 
 fpirit with which he fought. 
 If an enlightened period was 
 poffefled of a fage whofe di- 
 vine genius ranged through 
 the immenfity of fpace, re- 
 vealed the myfteries of na- 
 ture, and gave to time and 
 
 to
 
 [ xxiv ] 
 
 to motion mathematical laws, 
 the annals of the thirteenth 
 century, the age of obfcu- 
 rity and darknefs, record the 
 fcience of Alphonfus the 
 Wife, king of Arragon, the 
 author of the Tables which 
 hear his name ; who culti- 
 vated philofophy and the 
 abftrad: fciences upon a 
 throne. - If Frederick the 
 Great appeared the foremoft 
 character
 
 [ .XXV ] 
 
 chara&er on the theatre of 
 Europe, it is well known 
 that he has eternized his 
 fame in a pofthumous work, 
 dedicated to candour and to 
 truth : the prince who has 
 furprifed Europe with the 
 eclat of his victories, with 
 the courage of the twelfth 
 Charles, without his temeri- 
 ty, will not lofe reputation, 
 upon an attentive perufal of 
 
 this
 
 [ xxvi ] 
 
 this work ; and the Public 
 muft be pleafed with the pro- 
 du&ion of a monarch, who 
 appears to bring the genius 
 of his great predeceflbr to 
 appear once more upon the 
 ftage, and to revive the glo- 
 ries of Guftavus Adolphus. 
 
 CON-
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION Ruffian Politics 
 
 bef re the Reign of Catherine the Se- 
 cond, from - - Page I to 19 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Hiftory of Peter the Third and of Prince 
 
 Iwan Acceffion of Catherine, from 
 
 Page 20 to 86 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Ufurpation of the Duchy of Cofcr- 
 land, from Page 87 to 102 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Affairs of Poland Nomination of Sta- 
 niilaus the Third by Ruffia, from 
 Page 103 to 134 
 CHAP. v. 
 
 The Influence of the Ruffian Court in 
 Denmark, from Page 135 to 143
 
 [ xxviii ] 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The Partition of Poland, from 
 
 Page 144 to 163 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Turkifli WarsOriental Syftem of Ruffia, 
 from Page 164 to 206 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Conftitution Ruffian Influence in Swe- 
 den Affairs of Finland, from 
 
 Page 207 to 227 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Negotiations of England and Pruffia with 
 the Czarina Interefts of the Maritime 
 Powers The Importance of the Efta- 
 blimment of Ruffia, as a Naval Power, 
 in the Mediterranean, from 
 
 Page 228 to 235 
 
 CHAP. x. 
 
 Conclufion General Remarks Sum- 
 mary of this Work, from 
 
 Page 236 to 255
 
 THE 
 
 DANGER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 POLITICAL BALANCE 
 
 o v 
 
 EUROPE. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Introduction. Ruffian Politicks before 
 the Reign of Catherine the Second. 
 
 A. KINGDOM, almoft unknown 
 in Europe during the laft century, 
 and gradually aggrandized at the 
 expence of all her neighbours, 
 xvhofe civilization contributed only 
 to make conquefts, has menaced, 
 B for
 
 t 2 ] 
 
 for forty years the political ba- 
 lance of power : * Sweden, Po- 
 land, Turkey, Pruffia, and Ger- 
 many, have experienced the ef- 
 fects of her enterprifing fpirit ; 
 all the courts of Europe had ex- 
 perienced her iufolen.ce before 
 that tragedy, to which Catherine 
 the Second, owed her elevation to 
 the throne. 
 
 Since that period, from the Caf- 
 pian fea, to the {freights of Gibral- 
 tar, there is no country of which 
 Ruffia has not difturbed the tran- 
 quillity, or alarmed the precau- 
 tion ;
 
 [ 3 ) 
 
 : every year has produced 
 newdefigns, which arofe evidently 
 from one general plan, and their 
 execution has found no other ob- 
 ftacle, than that which has arifen 
 from the revenues of that empire, 
 which were often flretched fo far, 
 as to need a temporary repofe from 
 the abufe of power, and the pro- 
 digality of government : but their 
 exhaufted revenues, have, not cre- 
 ated the fecurity of other ftates ; ' 
 for, the hand of power, tired \vith 
 the exertions of open violence, 
 prepared for them a war not lefs 
 dangerous, a war of negotiations : 
 B 2 ceafing
 
 t 4 ] 
 
 ceafing to become the prey of the 
 fword, they had {till to encounter 
 her artifices, her intrigues, and 
 negotiations ; the interior of that 
 empire, prefented a theatre of di- 
 vifions, of trouble, and diforders, 
 , of which the fprings and ma- 
 chines were fabricated at Peterf- 
 burg ; at length, after having ex- 
 cited power againft power, and 
 interefl againft intereft, in the 
 neighbouring ftates, the Emprefs 
 of Ruffia predominated alone in 
 that vaft anarchy, dictated laws 
 through her Ambafladors, and 
 prevented
 
 C 5 ] 
 
 prevented all the combinations of 
 refi fiance. 
 
 This portrait is engraved, from 
 a faithful reprefentatibn of the 
 laft twenty years hiltory of the 
 North, and of the Levant. Eu- 
 rope has feen at one time, the 
 Ottoman Porte menaced with an 
 invaiioii; of which Aiia herfelf, 
 could not limit the conlequences ; 
 her tributaries corrupted, her al- 
 lies bribed, or intimidated, the 
 Crimea enilaved, Sweden under 
 the yoke of a faction, fubfervient 
 to Ruffia, faction difccirmted 
 B 3 without
 
 [ 6 ] 
 
 without being altogether fubdued, 
 and reviving by the fame protec- 
 tion which has plunged that king- 
 dom, into a univerfal decline; Po- 
 land equally punimed from the 
 defects of her conftitution, de- 
 voured by Ruffian tro.ops, en- 
 flaved, difmembered, treated in 
 every light as a Ruffian province ; 
 Courland reduced to the loweft 
 ftate ; the Council of Denmark 
 governed by the fame influence ; 
 Pruffia infulated in the midfr of 
 two vaft empires, whofe mafqued 
 batteries could play, on the firft 
 alarm, upon the great Prote&or of 
 
 the
 
 [ 7 ] 
 
 the Germanic liberties; the reft 
 of Europe, tranquil and indirle- 
 reat, acYmg the part of a fpefta- 
 tor, but not that of an arbiter. 
 
 In this criiis, the Ottoman 
 Porte tired of buying peace with, 
 vaft conceffions, which enabled 
 her enemies to compel her to 
 make farther purchafes, was rouf- 
 ed from her lethargy, and her 
 example awakened other powers, 
 who participated fecretly in her 
 juft refentment ; each of them, 
 was anxious, and engaged in the 
 hope, or apprehenfian, of what 
 B 4 they
 
 t 8 ] 
 
 they had to gain, or to lofe in 
 conflict, in which a moiety of 
 Europe was engaged ; and 'from 
 Italy, to the verge of the Baltic,, 
 this great queftion was difcufled : 
 what would be the conference of 
 a war, which would Jpread its bane- 
 ful ejfeffis, in limitting the overbear-* 
 ing power of Rujjia f Where 
 facts fpeak, a chain of reafoning 
 is ufelefs : hiftory is here alone 
 the torch of precaution from 
 the operation of the fame caufes, 
 the fame effects are produced ; the 
 events which have pa.fled, prepare 
 us for thofe which are to come ; 
 
 and
 
 [ 9 I 
 
 and hence the folution of the pro- 
 blem of the confequences of the 
 prefent war, demands the exami- 
 nation, of this original queftion: 
 ivhat have been the permanent prin- 
 ciples of the Ruffian Court ', and their 
 effeffs upon the reign of the Second 
 Catherine ? 
 
 To refolve this queflion, we 
 muft reject the fophifnis of incon- 
 fiderate politicians, and the alle- 
 gations of marrifeftos; truth here 
 repofes upon public notoriety. 
 Let us examine the chain of con- 
 fequences ; the examination will 
 
 lead
 
 lead us to conclufions, upon the 
 due {lability of the balance of 
 power, which muft affecl: thefe 
 powers, who are moft inattentive 
 to their own interefts. 
 
 In the period of the middle of 
 the reign of Lewis the Four- 
 teenth, thofe who had heard of 
 the name of Ruflia, annexed no 
 other idea to it, than that which 
 is connected with a defcription of 
 Tartars and of CofTacks ; but 
 when a man of more energy thau 
 genius, formed to govern more 
 by the impulfe of his paffions, 
 
 than
 
 t. ] 
 
 than by the flow empire of rea- 
 fon, a fuccefsfnl warrior and a 
 tyrannic legiflator, had raifed up 
 this vaft Coloffus, which had been 
 buried in a barbarous obfcurhy, 
 they fprung at once, to a ftation 
 of preponderance, and of power 
 before Europe could well recog- 
 nife their character. 
 
 This new empire entered .ra- 
 pidly into the general fyftem, and 
 immediately announced their pre- 
 dominating defigns, with forces, 
 proportioned to their extenfive 
 ambition : at their head appeared 
 
 adef-
 
 a defpot, abfolute matter of the 
 eighth part of the habitable globe, 
 of opulent mines, of a hundred 
 provinces, whofe natives were 
 inured to all extremities of rigors 
 of climate, of hunger, of want ; 
 warlike from the favage habits of 
 their laws ; disciplined by the fe- 
 vere preffure of defpotifm; infen- 
 fible of fear as they were infenfible 
 of mifery ; obftinate in combat ; 
 Grangers to fear and to defertion ; 
 calculated for conquer!: and de- 
 ftriicUon, more than for defenlive . 
 war; and fubftituting fanaticifm, 
 for emulation and patriotiim : 
 i fuch
 
 r *3 ) 
 
 fuch were the people whom Peter 
 the Great collected from the north 
 of Europe, and from the northern 
 limits of G rmany, when he 
 founded the capital of his empire 
 at Petersburg. 
 
 ! 
 
 From that period the views, 
 and exertions, of Ruffia were 
 enlarged ; they were no longer 
 bounded by incurnons into the 
 Anatic countries : miftrefs of a 
 marine in the Baltic, her influ- 
 ence was an interefting concern 
 to all the maritime powers ; her 
 numerous and warlike .armies 
 
 could
 
 [ '4 1 
 
 could eafily invade Poland, Swe- 
 den, Denmark ; defolate that part 
 of thofe dates which fhould op- 
 pofe her, and fecond the efforts 
 Of their enemies : from thence 
 iflues the necefTary influence of 
 tjie Court of Peterfburg among 
 the fouthern, and weflern powers, 
 who may engage in the hoftili- 
 ties of the North, or of Ger- 
 many ; affuredly the moft pene- 
 tratftig politician could hardly be- 
 lieve, at the peace of Newfladt, 
 in 1721, that twenty-five }^ears 
 afterwards, a king of France 
 fhould give the daughter of the 
 
 firft
 
 t '5 ] 
 
 firft Peter, the title of the Media- 
 trefs of Europe, that a Ruffian 
 army, fhould approach the Rhine 
 at the requifition of England, and . 
 that, in the fubfequent wars, the 
 Ruffians fhould pillage the capital 
 of Brandenburg. 
 
 From the fame caufes the alli- 
 ance of this court, was folicited 
 according to exigencies : the other 
 extremity of Europe ambitioned 
 her alliance, and there were few 
 political interefls in which Ruffia 
 might not engage, fmce they 
 weighed lo confiderably in the 
 
 political
 
 C * ] 
 
 political fyftem of the neighbour- 
 ing dates, and in the general ba- 
 lance of Europe. 
 
 To thefe they united the ad- 
 vantage of being feldom liable to 
 acl: upon the defensive, to find 
 weak ftates placed as feeble bar- 
 riers between them, and the neigh- 
 bouring powers, ftates either poor 
 or divided : by evading the laws 
 of nations, fhe could mafter thefe 
 obflacles, and carry on her ope* 
 rations at a great difbnce from 
 home. 
 
 Her
 
 t '7 ] 
 
 Her forces, her pofition, pro- 
 mifed an afcendant in negotia- 
 tions, and her fecurity gave a 
 hardy boldnefs, in her arrange- 
 ments with other ftates : treaties 
 became fubordinate to her inte- 
 refls, her allies were changed 
 every ten years, and no court 
 formed the fame coalition, of 
 haughtinefs, and of artifice. 
 
 The laft years of the nrft Eli- 
 zabeth, fubftantiated that danger 
 with which the liberties of Ger- 
 many, and of the whole North, 
 were menaced ; an alliance which 
 C refem-
 
 I '8 ] 
 
 relembled a confpiracy, was fe- 
 cretly formed by the Czarina, and 
 the houfes of Auftrla and Saxony, 
 againft the King of Pruffia ; 
 France engaged in this confede- 
 racy, and penetrated into the 
 weftern, while Ruffia invaded the 
 northern, parts of Germany : - 
 governed by the fame faction, 
 which annihilated the royal au- 
 thority, and which (lied the blood 
 of the moft illuftrious of her fa- 
 milies, Sweden, ft ray ing from 
 her true interefls, united herfelf 
 with her natural enemies, and at- 
 tached PruluanPomeia;;^; while 
 
 Raffia
 
 r 19 i 
 
 Ruffia invaded that kingdom. It 
 would be eafy to foretel what 
 would have been the confequen- 
 ces, had they not been prevented 
 by the genius of that hero whom 
 they afpired to fubdue, and by 
 the event which placed the third 
 Peter, on the throne of his Aunt. 
 
 C 2 CHAP.
 
 [ 20 ] 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Hiftory of Peter tie Third-^and of 
 Prince Iwan Accejfion of Catherine 
 the Second. 
 
 A HIS Prince, who for fome 
 time, was only known in Europe, 
 through the medium of the ca- 
 lumnies of his aflaffins this 
 Prince, born and educated in 
 Germany, had all the inclinations 
 of his native country, and a con- 
 tempt for his new fubje&s. - 
 Matter of Holflein, a member 
 confequently
 
 C * ] 
 
 confequently of the German Em- 
 pire, he added weight to the Ruf- 
 fian Crown, interfered in the 
 German fyftem, in his own per- 
 fonal right, and fortified his in- 
 fluence with new alliances with' 
 the northern powers. Happi- 
 ly, this profpect did not infpire 
 him with ambition ; he was in- 
 fluenced only by a juft refentment 
 againft Denmark, and by his 
 friendmip for Frederick the 
 Great. Policy, leagued with his 
 moderation. For, the ruinous war 
 which Elizabeth waged againft 
 C 3 the
 
 the King of Pruffia, had coft her 
 three hundred thoufand men, and 
 above thirty millions of roubles. 
 
 Though the third Peter, had no 
 other title to public efteem than 
 that of faving a Prince, upon 
 whofe prefervation the mainte- 
 nance of the political equilibre 
 depended, his memory fhould be 
 regarded, and eftcemed. In fome 
 venal writings, vhe productions of 
 fanciful hiftorians, his attachment 
 to the King, of Pruffia was ridi- 
 culed as the efret of enthuiiafm, 
 
 and
 
 C 33 ] 
 
 and the puerile love of emulation : 
 but aflu redly an enthufiafm for, 
 arid admiration of, the qualities of 
 a man, who wrought fuch pro- 
 digies of wifdom and intrepi- 
 dity, was very excufable and the 
 heroifm of friendmip, is a rare- 
 quality amongft kings. 
 
 This profound refpeft, and re- 
 gard, for Frederick the Great,- 
 demon ftrated judgement and fe:i- 
 fibility in the third Peter; the 
 enemies of Pruffia, at Petersburg, 
 had iignalizedthemfelves, by the 
 perfecution of the young Czar, 
 C 4 during
 
 C *4 ] 
 
 during the reign of Elizabeth . 
 This Prince had accordingly coun- 
 teracted their meafures, and his 
 lubfequent condudl, in fupporting 
 the King of Pruffia, was perfectly 
 confident. This lafl monarch, 
 was now in danger ; the new 
 Englifh minuter (Lord Bute) 
 threatened him with defertion, 
 and his fafety feemed to depend 
 on his Turkifh negotiations, on 
 the capricious motions, of the 
 Khan of the Tartars.- Let us fee 
 in what terms, the hero fo re- 
 nowned for his knowledge of the 
 human character, has appreciated 
 
 the
 
 the friendfhip, and generofity of 
 the third Peter. 
 
 " The King had cultivated the 
 " friendfhip of the Great Duke, 
 " when he was only fove reign of 
 " Holftein ; and by a grateful 
 fi fenfibility, rare amongft men, 
 " flill more uncommon amongft 
 * c princes, this Prince had pre- 
 " ferved a grateful heart, of 
 ** which he had even given 
 " proofs, in the feven years war ; 
 " for, it was he that principally 
 " contributed to the retreat of 
 " the Marefchal Apraxin, when 
 ^ he had worfled General Le- 
 
 wald,
 
 " wald, and had retired towards 
 " Poland. During thefe trou- 
 " bles, the Prince declined going 
 " to council, of which he was a 
 " member, that he might not 
 " participate in the meafures, 
 " which he difapproved, againft 
 " Pruffia. The King did not 
 " keep up the ordinary inter- 
 " courfe of politicians with this 
 " Prince, but acted with that 
 " cordiality which friendship re- 
 " quires, and which forms its 
 " moft amiable appendage; the 
 <c virtues of Peter, were an ex- 
 " ception to the rules of politi- 
 " cians,
 
 " cians, happy would it have 
 " been, if they had made an ex- 
 "' ception for him." 
 
 Such was the teftimony, ren- 
 dered to the memory of Peter the 
 Third, twenty-five years after his 
 cataftrophe, by the firfr, and the 
 mofr. penetrating genius, with the 
 coolnefs of age, and the calm of 
 reflexion, in a pofthumous work 
 dedicated to juftice, and to truth ; 
 the illuftrious author could not be 
 fuppofed, to paint the character of 
 the late Emperor of Ruffia, from 
 the illufions of friendfhip ; and, 
 
 were
 
 were fuch a fuppofition poffible, 
 he would be contradicted by the 
 well known authenticated, tefti- 
 monies and hiftories of that un- 
 fortunate Monarch. 
 
 The firft misfortune of this 
 Prince was to be adopted by Eli- 
 zabeth, to mount one day 
 
 Sur ce Throne gliffant, dont vingt Rois 
 defcendirent- 
 
 The fecond, to have been led 
 from Holftein, to become a flave 
 at Elizabeth's court ; and his wife 
 was the third misfortune. His 
 Imperial Aunt, obtained the crown 
 
 by
 
 by a revolution ftained with inju- 
 tice, and was always in dread of 
 a counter-revolution; her nephew- 
 was a prifoner of irate. The ca- 
 binet was barred, arid its councils 
 were concealed ; all intercourfe 
 was fufpefted with him ; his Ger- 
 ,man fervants were deprived of 
 the comforts of his converfation, 
 and their attachment was a prin- 
 ciple of difgrace ; furrounded by 
 enemies, the right of approach 
 was only given to fpies, obfer- 
 vers, and betrayers of his converfa- 
 tion his matrimonial mifunder- 
 ftanding left the Prince without 
 
 domeilic
 
 [ 3 ] 
 
 domeftic confolation, and re- 
 viewing fome troops at Oriena- 
 baum, became his only recrea- 
 tion. 
 
 His complaints gave rife to an 
 intrigue, which ferves to lead us 
 through the mazes of thofe de- 
 plorable events, which ultimately 
 deprived the Emperor of his fcep- 
 ter, and of his life. 
 
 The Chancellor Befhichef, the 
 great confidant of Elizabeth, was 
 the Grand Duke's avowed ene- 
 my; his infolence in contriving 
 
 morti-
 
 t 3' ] 
 
 mortifications, made him tremble 
 at the profpeft of a new reign ; 
 he formed the project of fubftitu- 
 tjng the Prince Paul, fon of Ca- 
 therine the Second, under her 
 regency, in the place of Peter the 
 Third. Beftuchef prefuppofed 
 the fuccefs of his plot, from a 
 multitude of groundlefs calum-' 
 nies againft the Grand Duke, and 
 the favourable reception of Eli- 
 zabeth ; and laftly, upon the in- 
 tention of Catherine to deprive her 
 hufband of the crown, and to ap- 
 propriate the regency to herfelf. 
 It would be prefumptuous to ad- 
 vance,
 
 vance, that this Princefs was con- 
 cerned in this plot but afluredly 
 Befluchef mufl have helieved it, 
 for, he never would have encoun- 
 tered her refinance. Elizabeth, 
 doubtful at firft, refumed a more 
 Signified conduft, and fupported 
 her nephew againft the Chancel- 
 lor; and an incautious expreffionof 
 the Emprefs Elizabeth is ftill cited, 
 " I know my nephew," faid (he 
 one day, 1 to the (landerers of the 
 Prince, " I have nothing to fear 
 tc from a good heart, I am not 
 * fo well acquainted with my 
 
 niece," 
 
 Bettu-
 
 [ 33 1 
 
 Beftuchef, afterwards difgraced 
 by Elizabeth, was excepted out 
 of the amnefty, upon the accef- 
 fion of the third Peter ; but upon 
 the indulgence of Catherine, he 
 was recalled from exile. 
 
 The preceding fa6ls, which re- 
 pofe upon the authority of au- 
 thentic hiftorians, defcribe the 
 firft clouds of that tempefr, in 
 which the third - Peter was in- 
 volved ; prudence could alone pre- 
 fer ve him from the rocks, and 
 breakers through vyhich he paffed ; 
 but amongft his other virtues, 
 D he
 
 [3+ ] 
 
 he found one, namely, confidence, 
 which caufed his deftruftion. 
 
 Notwithstanding the reproaches 
 juftly caft upon that monarch, 
 from the excefe of his good qua- 
 lities, fpite of the blame with 
 which he is attacked, upon the 
 unfortunate career of his debauch- 
 cries, and of the {landers which 
 hatred and reniorfe hav.e attached 
 to his memory, few .princes have 
 began to reign with more wifdom,; 
 his firfl public action* expiated the 
 defeats of many preceding years, 
 
 and
 
 [ 35 ] 
 
 and they had only fix months 
 duration. 
 
 Siberia, and the ftate prifons, 
 were filled with diftinguiflied cap- 
 tives, vidims of the favourites, and 
 minifters of Elizabeth -the Em- 
 peror redre^ed their wrongs-^-the 
 illuftrious Munich was recalled, 
 and reinftated Biron, Leftock, 
 and fome of whom had offended 
 him in the late reign, were re- 
 -ftored to liberty, by a prince who 
 extended his clemency to the in- 
 folent favourites of his Aunt* ithe 
 iirft qualities of his government 
 were juftice and clemency and 
 
 D2 &
 
 his magnanimity to fome Pruffian 
 officers, whom the fortune of war 
 "had deprived of liberty, and who 
 groaned in extreme fervitude, is. 
 too well known to be recorded. 
 
 The commencement of hrs 
 reign promifed zeal for promo- 
 ting order, and difcovered appli- 
 cation, vigilance, and ativity- 
 he was early at the fenate, at the 
 different offices, and fet an exam- 
 ple of induflry, by his fuperin- 
 tendance in various departments : 
 the firft Peter was his model, and 
 his plans formed the chart of his 
 
 legifla-
 
 [ 37 1 
 
 kgiflation to him Ruffia owes 
 the wifeft ordinances, which have 
 decorated that government. 
 
 Not fatisfied with limiting the 
 defpotifm of his officers, he a- 
 bridged his own power, by abo- 
 liming the fecret council of chan- 
 cery, a ftate inquifition, which, 
 upon the lead fufpiciqn, impri- 
 foned, tortured, or executed, na- 
 tives, and Grangers. He was a 
 warm friend to toleration ; and 
 he framed that memorable decree, 
 which enfranchifed the nobles 
 from compulfive fervice, and per-
 
 [ 3* J 
 
 mifted them to travel, without 
 the royal permiflion. 
 
 F-ecipitation, it is true, accom- 
 pan *d fome of thefe falutary in- 
 novations ; particularly thofe re- 
 lating to the clergy. The fecula- 
 rization of Monks, was adopted 
 from the defign of Peter the 
 Great. The Emperor fecured to 
 the regular clergy competent fti- 
 pends, from their immence re- 
 venues; and with the furplus he 
 founded fchools, and military 
 hofpitals. Reafon and policy ap- 
 proved thefe meafures, and the 
 refonna-
 
 [ 39 ] 
 
 reformation of fuperftitious 
 fhip ; but thefe hafty changes 
 fhocked the cuftoms and manners 
 of the country ; the ftrong hand 
 of the firft Peter could fcarcely 
 have enroled their execution ; 
 but the Emperor accelerated thefe 
 reforms, without reflecting, that 
 they gave pretext to the defigning, 
 to render his government unpor 
 polar. 
 
 The regiments of Ifmailoffand 
 
 Preobraziniki, formed a body of 
 
 guards, in barracks in Peterfburg, 
 
 licentious and ill difciplined, their 
 
 D 4 want
 
 [ 4 ] 
 
 want of fubordination enervated 
 their loyalty ; and in former re- 
 volutions, they were fold to the 
 higheft purchafer. Peter the 
 Third conceived, that a rigorous 
 difcipline would fecure their obe- 
 dience, and prevent the diforders 
 of a body fo-badly organized, he 
 introduced -the Pruffian difcipline, 
 modelled them after his Holftein 
 guards, and fecured order by fe- 
 verity : had this difcipline been 
 firmly eftablimed, their fidelity 
 would have been fecured ; cor- 
 ruption is difficult in a corps in- 
 ured to the daily detail of their 
 
 dtirv ;
 
 duty; but the reformation was of 
 neceffity entrufted to German, in 
 preference to Ruffian, officers. 
 Thefe ftrangers were confidered 
 as ufurpers ; their favour became 
 the object of ridicule, and the 
 national troops were inftigated. to 
 revolt, by the ignorant pride of 
 being offended, at foreign inftruc- 
 tion. 
 
 When we reflecl, that many 
 of thefe wife regulations were in 
 that (hort period of fix months, 
 which put a period to the reign 
 
 of
 
 t 4* ] 
 
 of their author, we are affeftc'd 
 by pity, and with horror. 
 
 Some of thefe innovations, de- 
 ferved pu-blic gratitude, others, 
 the reproach of precipitation-- 
 though a fovereign defpot, this 
 Prince excelled in ats of bounty,- 
 and of juflice. His enterprifes 
 againft Denmark, w r ere more na- 
 tural, and lefs pernicious, than 
 the war againft Pruffia, foftered 
 by the perfonal hatred of Eliza- 
 beth, and her minifter. The pri- 
 vate life of Perer, it is true, was 
 disfigured by the excefles of the 
 
 table,
 
 [ 43 ] 
 
 table, which ultimately might 
 have rendered him contemptible ; 
 but where is the king, or the in- 
 dividual, whofe infirmities are not 
 relieved by fome good qualities? 
 Does not equity hold the balance, 
 of good, and of bad qualities ? 
 If the virtues and defects of the 
 Emperor were weighed,, who is 
 there could juftify his dethrone- 
 ment, and his death ? Is the leaft 
 equality vilible, between the dif- 
 contents he produced, and his un- 
 fortunate exit. A warm friend, 
 a good father, an indulgent hui- 
 baud, but too ealy, too confident, 
 
 and
 
 [ 44 ] 
 
 and too open to thofe traitors, 
 upon whom his favours were la- 
 vifhecl ; at the end of fix months, 
 .he experienced a fate, which ten 
 years ftained with crimes, and 
 with tyranny, could have fcarcely 
 juftified. 
 
 His unchangeable fecurity, an- 
 nihilates all thofe imputations 
 which have burthened his me- 
 mory ; a confpiracy was fecretly 
 projected, of which he rejected 
 .the leafl fufpicion the loyal, 
 trembled for his. fafety clandef- 
 tine afiernblies directed by the par-
 
 [ 45 ] 
 
 tizansofthe Emprefs, and their 
 defigns upon the Crown. The 
 Prince George of Holftein, and 
 other clear-fighted men, perceived 
 his danger confidential emiflaries 
 daily aggravated the conduct of 
 Peter, poifoned the public dif- 
 courfe, and prepared the way for 
 a revolution : the Emperor alone 
 remained fearlefs folicited by 
 difco'veries, he rejeded them as 
 calumnies. Amongft thole who 
 wifhed to awaken him from his 
 lethargy, was the King of Pruffia. 
 That wife, arrd penetrating mo- 
 narch, has preferved an abridge- 
 ment
 
 E 46 ] 
 
 ment-of the letter, and the Em- 
 peror's anfwer; and both cafl a 
 great light upon the true caufe of 
 this revolution. 
 
 " The friendship of Frederick 
 44 the Second, his efteem, as 
 44 well as gratitude, his opinion 
 'of the excellent qualities of the 
 
 " 4I third Peter, induced him to 
 ** write, and to reveal thefe my f- 
 4 * teries. He requefted that his 
 44 coronation might take place at 
 44 Mofcow, and that his perfon 
 
 V 11 ' might thereby be rendered fa- 
 ** cred, in the eyes of the nation. 
 
 " He 
 
 3
 
 -[ 47 1 
 
 *' He mentioned the revolutions, 
 *' in Ruflia, fince the reign of 
 
 ' 4< Peter the Great ; but touched 
 " them lightly, and finimed with 
 
 -" conjuring that the Emperor 
 " would take proper precautions 
 " for his perfonal fafety." 
 
 This letter made no imprefiion 
 upon the Emperor he anfwered 
 it in thefe terms : "Touching 
 44 the intereft you exprefs for my 
 *.* fafety, I requeft you will reft 
 -" contented. I am called the 
 " father of my fbldiers they 
 ** prefer a male to a female go 
 " vernmeat:
 
 66 vernment : I walk alone con-' 
 " ftantly, in Peterfburg if any 
 " mifchief is meditated, it would 
 " have been effected long fince ; 
 tl but I am a general benefactor, 
 " I repofe myfelf on the protec- 
 " tionof Hea ven, tr lifting to that; 
 *' I have nothing to fear.'* 
 
 Notwithftanding this anfvver, 
 the King of Pruffia continued to 
 inform Peter the Third of his 
 :danger. . Mtflieurs, Goltz and 
 Schewrinjias or.dera to converfe 
 with him on this -fubjccT:, in their' 
 audie'uces,; but it. was. to no pur- 
 .... ... pofe
 
 [49 ] 
 
 pofe that they told him, that 
 while the cuftoms <of Ruflia pife- 
 vailed, the Sovereign could not 
 take too many precautions : at 
 laft the king told them, " My 
 " friends, fay no more upon that 
 " difagreeable fnbjecV' 
 
 Affuredly this was the language 
 of candour, and it proves how 
 averfe the Emperor was to any 
 of thefe bad defigns, which were 
 attributed to him, to colour the 
 fatal confpiracy againft his free- 
 dom, and his life. They knew 
 but little of the human heart, 
 .E and
 
 E sp. ] 
 
 arid* flilHefe of an open, charac- 
 ter, which never difguifed his 
 thoughts, who do not find i- 
 the tranquillity of his confcience, 
 the fecret of his fecurity. Had 
 Peter defigned to imprifon his 
 wife, and his fuceeflbr, her fon, 
 he could have watched all the 
 motions of their partizans ; he 
 would/have liftened to the fuf- 
 picions of his faithful fervants,. 
 the admonitions of his friend^ 
 the Pruffian monaich ; die coim- 
 cil he liflened to, with fuch at- 
 tention, would have, produce^., 
 explanation, and not. that iirnple 
 anfwer.
 
 [ 5' 1 
 
 anlwer, " I' am- & general- berie- 
 " fb&oi*, and' therefore I* have" 
 4< nothing to fear.' r 
 
 It is remarkable, that the firft 
 defign, was to adopt the before- 
 mentioned project of the Chancel- 
 lor Beftuchef, which was to declare 
 the young Duke to be Emperor, 
 under the regency of his mother : 
 this fcheme was not a new plan. 
 of : the- Czarina's partizans ; and 
 the confideradou of its forming 
 the bafe of a new plot againft the 
 Emperor, ihewed it had long been 
 m contemplation, and was an-art- 
 E 2 ful
 
 [ 5* ] 
 
 ful contrivance > they could not 
 prevent his (ucceffion ; but they 
 intended to dethrone him, by a 
 continuation of the fame machi- 
 nations. 
 
 This fyftem, however, had the 
 objections of a minority ; and if 
 a regency would have been (haken 
 upon the firft popular difcontent, 
 and upon his majority, the go- 
 vernment of the Emprefs would 
 terminate and who could not 
 anfwer that fhe might not expe- 
 rience the fate of her hufband. 
 It was, therefore, refolved to de- 
 throne
 
 C 53 1 
 
 throne the father and the fon, 
 and to confummate their ambi- 
 tious views, by placing this un- 
 certain crown upon the head of 
 the Emprefs. 
 
 Never was there a bolder pro- 
 ject ; but fortune favoured their 
 audacioufnefs. Peter was on the 
 wing for Holilein, and the con- 
 fpirators chofe the period of his 
 abfence, to pofiefs the capital. 
 Had this fucceeded, Ruffia would 
 have had two fovereigns, in Ger- 
 many and in Peterfburg, with all 
 the conv.uKions attendant upon 
 E . 3 divided
 
 f & 1 
 
 divided fvyay. While the Czar 
 lived, Catherine could not exped 
 a tranquil moment- but it feems 
 trivial circumftances accelerated 
 the execution, aggravated the 
 cataftrophe, and fecured fuccefs. 
 
 To his laft day, even to his lail 
 hour, Peter preferved his mag- 
 nanimous, fatal fecurity, and con- 
 fidence ; his Ruffian, guards were 
 corrupted by Orlof, and Roza- 
 moulki ; Catherine was miftrefs 
 of the Capital, and his officers 
 were feduced by (landers againfl 
 their fovereign. Already had the 
 
 confpi-
 
 [55 3 
 
 -conspirators impioufly countera &- 
 ed their fidelity, by fwearing and! 
 binding themfelves in the moft 
 folemn manner, to commit high 
 treafon and the Archbimop of 
 Novogorod, that fanatic incen- 
 diary, whom the clemency of 
 Peter had pardoned, prefided in 
 the folemnization of this cere- 
 mony, under the aufpices of the 
 Emprefs. At length the Empe- 
 ror's friends were arrefted, and 
 the people were deceived -by art- 
 ful reports, that the Prince had 
 died by a fall from his horfe, be- 
 
 .E 4 fore
 
 [ 56 ] 
 
 fore Peter fufpe&ed the enterprize 
 at Peterfburg. 
 
 He was then at theOrienabaum. 
 Spite of the bafenefs and fervile 
 infidelity of many nobles, of 
 military and civil officers, he had 
 flill fome refolute friends: the 
 Chancellor of Woronzof, the vir- 
 tuous Marefchal Munich, and his 
 faithful Holflein troops affairs 
 were not yet defperate- the intre- 
 pid Munich counciled Peter to 
 march directly to Peterfburg, at 
 the head of his German troops : 
 " I fhall precede you," faid the 
 generous
 
 [ 57 1 
 
 generous veteran, " and my dead 
 " body (hall be a rampart to 
 " your facred perfon." Poffibly 
 fuch a refolution would have 
 crufhed the confpirators ; the 
 fame fervile fpirit which had 
 proftrated the nobles, the people, 
 and the foldiery, would have re- 
 duced them to their lawful fove- 
 reign, marching to vindicate his 
 crown with his fword, and with 
 the abilities of Munich. 
 
 But alas ! irrefolution fuper- 
 feded courage ; not that Peter 
 wanted fpirit, but he was diftracl:- 
 
 ed
 
 [ 58 ] 
 
 ed by difcordant councils in his 
 train were emhTaries of the Em- 
 prefs, bathing the hands of this 
 Prince with deceitful tears, af- 
 fedling to reprefent the dangers 
 he incurred, and inviting him to 
 the Emprefs, and deprecating 
 refinance. This perfidy accom- 
 plifhed what treachery had com- 
 menced ; and thus Peter, fur- 
 rounded by traitors, was entan- 
 gled in their fnares, and a prey 
 to uncertainty, when every mo- 
 ment was precious, and called for 
 decifion. 
 
 Europe
 
 [ 59 ] 
 
 fkirope, and pofterity, -will ne- 
 ver forget the cruel late of this 
 monarch, in the flower of hij 
 age dragged into captivity, and 
 expiring in the ferocious hands 
 of his wife, and his own confi- 
 dents. The humane compaf- 
 fionated his misfortunes ; and none 
 that were infeniible of his fuffer- 
 ings, fave only thofe from whom 
 he had a claim to fuccour, and to 
 confolation. 
 
 On the contrary, outrages of 
 every kind were offered to him : 
 by delivering himfelf up volun- 
 tarily
 
 I 6 ] 
 
 tarily;to her, who, during four- 
 teen years, had the honour to be 
 the partner of his bed, it feemed 
 he was prote&ed, by all that is 
 moft facred amongfr, men. His 
 perfon, committed to the difcre- 
 tion of the Emprefs, became a 
 depofit, upon which it was no 
 longer permited to form attacks* 
 it neither belonged to his enemies, 
 by the rights of war, nor by that 
 of the laws ; and from the mo- 
 ment Peter had fnrrendered, with- 
 out being compul (Ion, every abode 
 of Catherine mould have been an 
 inviolable alylum for him: alnsl 
 
 this
 
 this illufion, by "which he had 
 been dazzled, was of a ihort du- 
 ration. 
 
 He had been defamed by a 
 manifesto of June the twenty- 
 eighth ; hardly arrived at Peter- 
 hof, he became a prifoner, and 
 felt the humiliation of being fe- 
 cretly vifited by Count Panin, 
 that frivolous and verfatile minif- 
 ter, loaded with praifes by hire- 
 ling gazetteers that Panin, who 
 had dared to dictate to his mafter, 
 nnd benefactor, to a fovereign, 
 who was a prifoner, an aft of ab- 
 dication,
 
 f * 1 
 
 dication, and of dishonour; arv 
 aft conceived in the moil hu-mi- 
 liating expreffions that Panin,. 
 at fine, who forced the defcen- 
 dant of Peter the Firft, to take 
 his oath in the prefence of the 
 Almighty, and renounce his 
 crown, tofign with his own hand; 
 fuch a monument of audaciouf* 
 nefs, and infamy. 
 
 Notwkhftanding this abdica- 
 tion, which ferved as a new 
 title for preferving his life, and 
 liberty, the Emperor, that very- 
 night, was confined- in the ca-ftle 
 
 of
 
 of Robfcha. Whilft her hufbaiict 
 entered this tomb, the Emprefs- 
 furprifed Peterfburg, with the 
 Doife and buftle of a, triumphal 
 entry. 
 
 But this pageant w,a$ not fuf-- 
 ficient, to flifle the fenfibility of 
 the multitude ; difloyalty, in a vaflr- 
 number of them, was rapidly iuc- 
 ceeded by remorfe,. and by com- 
 pafiicn. The people, who are 
 always good, when left to their 
 natural impulfe, were fhocktd at 
 hearing that their fovereign had 
 jud paffed from a tbrone, into 
 
 the
 
 [ 64 ] 
 
 the horrors of an eternal prifon.. 
 The foldiery manifefted their 
 emotions, every one was affected 
 by the remembrance of Peter's 
 virtues, and his faults were for- 
 gotten, as the difpleafure hourly 
 increafed ; the Emprefs was threat- 
 ened with a frightful reverfe 
 
 But let us draw a veil over this me- 
 lancholy fcene, which put an end 
 to his inquietudes ; let us not re- 
 peat, that the feventh day of his 
 captivity, Peter the Third was 
 no more ; that he contended for 
 his unhappy life, with the fero- 
 cious courtiers who penetrated into 
 
 the
 
 [ 65 ] 
 
 the fortrefs ; that the fc reams of 
 his convulfive agonies were heard; 
 that two days after, fome ftran- 
 gers faw the walls flamed with 
 the Emperor's blood ; and that 
 one of the principal performers 
 in this tragedy, had been purfued 
 for years, by the idea of his ex- 
 piring fovereign, and exhibited a 
 Shocking fpe&acle in Peterfburg, 
 of remorfe, and of infanity. 
 
 At the firft news of this cataf- 
 trophe, Europe, though habitua- 
 ted to the bloody revolutions, 
 \vhich, for forty years, gave maf- 
 F ters
 
 [ 66 ] 
 
 ters to Ruffia, fhewed lefs fur- 
 prife, than companion : public 
 opinion was favourable to the vic- 
 tim. In order to colour the facri- 
 nce, fictitious reports were circu- 
 lated ; {iu.ifr.er projects were im- 
 puted to Peter the Third, againfh 
 which, the Emprefs fhould have 
 guarded herfelf; " For," ac- 
 cording to the remark of a cele- 
 brated writer, " nothing is fo 
 " eafy as to fuppofe crimes in 
 ** thofe, who are already purfued, 
 " by the hatred of a victorious 
 " party. 
 
 This
 
 This is not the time to antici- 
 pate the revelations of Hiftory ; 
 but there is no impropriety in 
 prefenting beforehand thejuftice 
 of them, by obferving how ridi- 
 culous thofe pretences were, with 
 which the perfecutors of Peter 
 the Third, amufed the credulity 
 of the people. 
 
 In the manifefto of June the 
 28th, this Prince is accufed of hav- 
 ing JJmken the foundations of the 
 Greek church -, of the ejtabli/hed re- 
 ligion ; and of having given room 
 to apprehend that another would be 
 F 2 introduced
 
 C 68 ] 
 
 introduced in its Jlead : the moft 
 frantic fanatic ifm could only have 
 dictated fuch a charge. Peter had 
 been tolerant ; he authorifed a 
 Lutheran chapel at Orienabaum, 
 for the ufe of his German troops ; 
 f urly it cannot be pretended, 
 that he fhould have compelled his 
 foldiers, from Holftein, to follow, 
 like himfelf, the rites and liturgy 
 of the Greek church. His tole- 
 ration was the confequence of the 
 progrefs of reafon, of the exam- 
 'ple of all the wife Princes of his 
 time. When Jofeph the Second 
 had granted the Proteftant congre- 
 gations
 
 gations in his dominions, the li- 
 berty of worfhip ; none of his 
 relations thought of contending 
 with him for the Empire, under 
 pretence that he fliook the pre- 
 vailing faith. This faith has no 
 affinity with fecularizing monaf- 
 teries, or diminiming the number 
 of images, which the vulgar had 
 worfhipped. Thefe reformations 
 belong to religious difcipline, and 
 are not attempts again {I the dog- 
 mas of the eftablimed religion. 
 Is it for the intereft of the god of 
 peace and juftice, to dethrone, to 
 imprifon, to put to death, the le- 
 F 3 gitimate
 
 [ 7 ] 
 
 gitimate chief of the ftate ? In 
 fine, was it confident for the to- 
 lerant Catherine, to render her- 
 felf the interpreter, the avenger 
 of fome zealots' refentment, to 
 facrifice the duties of affinity, 
 and of the throne to popular 
 fanaticifm ? 
 
 ^The fecond grievance, alledged 
 in the manifefto, is not lefs ludi- 
 crous. It is pretended that the 
 glory of Ruffia has been, as it 
 were, trampled upon by the peace, 
 lately concluded with its greateft 
 enemy. Neither the Ruffian go- 
 3 vernment,
 
 [ 7' ] 
 
 vernment, nor the nation, had 
 the leaft reafon to look upon the 
 King of Pruffia as their greateft 
 enemy; the two powers had no 
 grounds of difpute Elizabeth's 
 perfonal rancour, and the artifices 
 of a perverfe minifter, who had 
 been juftly punifhed, had occa- 
 fioned the war ; there would have 
 been glory in putting an end to 
 it, rather than in perfifting in 
 fpilling human blood, and wafting 
 the treafures of the ftate, when 
 her interefts were not concerned : 
 had not this truth been almofl: felf- 
 evident, Catherine herfelf would 
 F 4 not
 
 not have made it clear, by her 
 fubfequent conduct to this Prince, 
 who had been rafhly called the 
 greatefl enemy to Rujfia*. 
 
 It is plain, then, that thefe re- 
 proaches are only evalions con- 
 trived by thofe, who are forry for 
 having no legitimate excufe. No 
 fovereign could be, for four and 
 twenty hours, fure of his crown, 
 if it depended on accufations of 
 that kind. - It is true, that to 
 thefe frivolous allegations, more 
 ferious ones were added by artful 
 rumours, particularly of a plot 
 
 formed
 
 I 73 ] 
 
 formed by the Emperor, againft 
 Catherine's liberty, and that of 
 her fon. But had this, and other 
 fimilar defigns exifted, why were 
 they not expofed in this accufa- 
 tory manifefto ? Why were not 
 thefe legitimate complaints given, 
 as a plea to juftify fuch violent 
 meafures ? Why has -recourfe 
 been had to the danger of ortho- 
 doxy, to the peace with Pruffia ? 
 Why have the dangers of religion, 
 and the peace with Pruffia been 
 flatted, when it was poffible to 
 gain the good opinions of the 
 people, by difclofing a confpiracy 
 
 both
 
 t 74 ] 
 
 both againfr, the partner of the 
 throne, and his fucceflbr ? If, at 
 the moment of fixing the public 
 opinion, thefe chimerical attempts 
 had been unnoticed, is it not pro- 
 bable, that they were contrived 
 afterwards, in order to filence 
 the clamours of the public ? 
 
 Befides, many notorious facts 
 deftroy thefe ailertions, of which 
 no admifiible proof has ever been 
 produced. It is known, that at 
 the time of fetting out for Hol- 
 ftein, Peter had named the Em- 
 prefs regent during his abfence. 
 
 Who
 
 [ 75 ] 
 
 Who can believe, that he thus 
 trufted the government of his ca- 
 pital, the adminiftration of his 
 empire, to- a Princefs whom he 
 intended to arreft ? It would be 
 an idle talk to expatiate upon 
 thefe irreconcileable ideas. 
 
 But in the fortrefs of Schluflel- 
 bourg, Peter, as was reported, 
 had an apartment conflru&ed 
 feemingly for an illuftrious per- 
 fon, who was reported to be the 
 Emprefs. The fad: is certain, 
 that an apartment was conftruft- 
 ed, but the inference is erroneous. 
 
 There
 
 [ 76 ] 
 
 There is an anecdote which unra- 
 vels this myfterious incident; the 
 learned and accurate Bufching, 
 upon his return from Ruffia, had. 
 published this fecret ; he had been 
 apprized of it by General Korff, 
 who had accompanied Peter III. 
 to Schluffelbourg; particular infor- 
 mations have confirmed the truth, 
 and difcovered fome circumftan- 
 ces of this ftory, which we mall 
 here tranfcribe. 
 
 In March, 1762, Peter III., 
 accompanied by General Korft, 
 and Mr. Goudewitz, repaired, in- 
 cognito,
 
 [ 77 ] 
 
 cognito, to SchluiTelbourg, where 
 Elizabeth, in 1756, had caufed 
 the unfortunate Prince Iwan to 
 be transferred, who had a right 
 to the throne, by the Emprefs 
 Ann, Duchefs of Gourland, his 
 Aunt. 
 
 He was proclaimed Emperor in 
 1740, when in his cradle; he 
 was depofed by Elizabeth in 
 1741; he was imprifoned and 
 afiaffinated in 1764. Peter was 
 affected at feeing the manner in 
 which this prifoner was treated : 
 an arched room, twenty feet 
 
 fquare,
 
 fquare, formed his habitation; a 
 truckle bed, with a table and a few 
 chairs, were all his furniture ; 
 hardly a faint light pervaded this 
 forrowful dwelling; by degrees, 
 the Prince was weaned of mod 
 of the comforts beftowed upon 
 him, before the former years of 
 his captivity. In his converfation 
 with the Emperor, he inveighed 
 againft the Grand Duke and his 
 confort, ftyling them the ufur- 
 pers of his crown. " I mall re- 
 " gain it," added he, " and will 
 " have them both beheaded." 
 Peter, lefs affected by this dif- 
 
 courfe,
 
 C 79 ] 
 
 courfe, than the deplorable con- 
 dition of the Prince, whofe fen- 
 fes weie affected, and bore in 
 every refpecl a ftamp of imbeci- 
 lity, affured him that the Grand 
 Duke did not bear him any ill 
 will, and would be much con- 
 cerned at his fituation, if he were 
 apprized of , it. " I approach his 
 11 perfon very often," added he, 
 " and if you wifh for an allevia- 
 " tion of your imprifonment, I 
 " promiie to obtain it for you." 
 The Prince anfwered, \\ith a 
 figh, that " one day he had been 
 ** permitted to come down into 
 
 " the
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 " the inner court of the fortrefs, 
 " he had looked at the Iky, and 
 " breathed a pure air ; it is," 
 added he, " the moft ravifhing 
 " pleafure I have ever enjoyed ; 
 " and if the Grand Duke be not 
 " an enemy to me, tell him, I 
 " pray you, that I beg he would 
 " grant it to me very often." 
 Peter could not help melting into 
 tears, and from that moment re- 
 folved to fet Iwan at liberty : fuch 
 was like wife the fentiment of 
 Prince George of HoLftein, the 
 Emperor's uncle ; but the infa- 
 nity of the prifoner having been 
 
 proved,
 
 proved, Peter determine! to 'have 
 a convenient houfe built in the 
 fortrefs for him, with a terrace, 
 that he might take a walk every 
 day. Whilfl that building was 
 conftru&ing, Ivvan was transfer- 
 red to-Kexholm, at the other ex- 
 tremity of the lake Ladoga. 
 Three weeks after, the Emperor 
 was dethroned ; and as if this 
 were a confequence of the fear 
 with which the new building, at 
 SchlufTelbourg, had infpired his 
 enemies, he perifhed a victim of 
 his humane and generous fenti- 
 znents. 
 
 G Iwaa
 
 E s* ] 
 
 Iwan furvived him only twq 
 years : a new mjfterious tragedy 
 put an end, on the 5th of July, 
 1764, to the alarms which this 
 Prince, though fettered, had 
 created. It is well known that 
 he had been affamnated by his 
 own guards ; and that after fuch 
 a crime, the only blood fpilt upon 
 a fcafTold at Peterfburg, was that 
 of Lieutenant-general Mirovitch, 
 who had been arraigned for at- 
 tempting to defend the life of 
 a 'grand nephew to Peter the 
 Great. 
 
 Such
 
 Such were the aufpices under 
 which the new Emprefs began to 
 reign the circumftances of her 
 elevation determined her eagernefs 
 for glory. She was confcious 
 me mould keep the Ruffians con- 
 ftantly employed, fix their atten- 
 tion upon enterprizes and con- 
 querTs, and foreign fway ; to 
 ftrengthen her power at home. 
 
 It has been mentioned, that 
 the depoution of Peter, and the 
 Emprefs's manifefto, were folely 
 founded upon his plans and con- 
 nedlions with Pruflia ; but thefe, 
 G 2 truly
 
 truly patriotic plans, though 
 previoufly condemned by her, 
 have all been executed by Cathe- 
 rine II. ; and it is to them this 
 Princefs is indebted for the moft 
 folid part of her glory. On the 
 other fide, upon the Emperor's 
 afhes, was laid the foundation of 
 a clofe connection with the King 
 of Pruffia, who before had been de- 
 clared the natural enemy of Ruffia. 
 
 Uncertain of the meafurej Fre- 
 derick the Great would take, be- 
 ing afraid left he mould employ 
 againft herfelf the corps that, 
 2 under
 
 [ 35 ] 
 
 wilder. Mr. de Czernichef, had 
 joined the Pruffians, me nattily 
 recalled her troops ; but they re- 
 mained ina&ive ; and as foon as 
 the Emprefs had fecured her au- 
 thority, me adopted Peter the 
 Third's policy, foothed Pruffia, 
 and foon attached herfelf to her, 
 by a de fen five alliance. 
 
 Peter had done fo through prin- 
 ciple ; Catherine did it in order to 
 prepare enterprizes conformable 
 to her genius and fituation, to the 
 ambition of the minions who fur- 
 rounded her perfon : having form- 
 G 3 ed
 
 [ 86 ] 
 
 ed the plan of impoiing her laws 
 upon her neighbours, it was im- 
 portant for her to keep fair with 
 the power that could affift them. 
 Denmark w r as almoft gained over, 
 Sweden was governed by a fac- 
 tion corrupted by Ruffia ; -Poland 
 was deprived of the moft folemn 
 acl: of iovereignty, that of elect- 
 ing a king ; in fine, Courland did 
 no longer exift, but to be a prey 
 to the caprice of the councils of 
 Peterfburg. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Ufurpation of the Duchy of Cour- 
 land. 
 
 THE Duchy of Courland and 
 Semi-gallia, abounding in corn, 
 rich from its naval ftores, con- 
 taining fifteen hundred thouiand 
 -inhabitants, governed by a war- 
 like nobility, poffeffing on the 
 Baltic two advantageous ports, 
 -forms, by its fituation, an im- 
 portant barrier between the new 
 , G 4 dominions
 
 C 88 1 
 
 dominions of the Ruffian empire,-. 
 PrufTia, and Poland. Since the 
 Swedes have loft Livonia, Cour- 
 land, in time of war, becomes 
 neceffary to fupply them with' 
 provifions. In that refpeft, the 
 neighbourhood of Peteriburg mufi 
 be very dangerous to Gourland, 
 which is thereby rendered exceed- 
 ingly ufeful to Ruflia, in cafes of 
 neceffity. It has been, for thefe 
 fifty years, treated like a Mofco- 
 vite province; but the affronts 
 have been multiplied, and the 
 yoke made heavier under the reign 
 of Catherine II. 
 
 When,
 
 f *9 ] 
 
 When file feized upon the, 
 reigns of government, the Prince 
 Charles of Saxony, the fecond 
 foil of Auguftlll., pofleffedCour- 
 land. He had in his favour the 
 free choice of the flates, the free 
 homage of the nobility, the fo- 
 lemn inveftiture of the king, and 
 the republic of Poland, of which 
 Courland is a fief. Having been 
 inftalled in 1759, and acknow- 
 ledged by all the powers, he 
 united every right of lawful pof- 
 feffion. 
 
 This
 
 [ 9 1 
 
 This pofleffion did not prevent 
 the Emprefs of Ruffia, in 1762, 
 affixing her feal upon the property 
 of the domain of Courland, and 
 exercifmg a pofitive at of fove- 
 reignty. She wanted a Duke of 
 her own creation, and devoted to 
 her interefts to whom did ihe 
 give the preference? to that 
 Erneft John Biren, declared guilty 
 of high treafon by Elizabeth, 
 banimed to Siberia,, dead in law, 
 -and fo fentenced by a decree of 
 the ftates of Courland. Though 
 recalled, it is true, fince, Eliza- 
 :beth's death, his degradation did 
 
 no
 
 [ 9' ] 
 
 no longer permit her to promote 
 him again to an elective fove- 
 reignty, which, even in its ori- 
 gin, had never been lawful; .for, 
 Biren had evaded the perfonal 
 homage he owed the republic of 
 Poland, and the neglect of which 
 made his inveftiture void. 
 
 If, however, Biren's pretentious 
 were lefs warrantable, there ex- 
 ited only one competent judge of 
 it, the Sovereign. It belonged to 
 Poland to decide upon her vaflal's 
 reclamation ; Auguft the Third 
 was fo moderate as to refer this 
 
 e'xami-
 
 [ 9* I 
 
 examination to the Einprefs's de- 
 c-ifion. 
 
 Inftead of uiing negotiations, 
 the Emprefs forced the inclination 
 of the inhabitants of Courland 
 from the arhitration of their legi- 
 timate fovereign from Poland, the 
 Lord Paramount of this fief. At 
 firft emiffaries attempted to corrupt 
 the loyalty of the nobles, and to 
 flir them up againfl the Duke 
 Charles. The expedients having 
 failed, ftrange outrages were tried 
 -the Duke lived at Mittau ; he 
 ,was expelled from that place. 
 
 The
 
 [ 93 ] 
 
 The moft attrocious indignities, 
 preceded fuch a violation of the 
 right of nations* of the right of 
 fovereigns, of refpeft, and de- 
 cency. M. de Simolin, a native 
 .of Courland, and then minifter 
 of the Ruffian cabinet, and of its 
 tyranny, at Mittau, formed the 
 plan of famifhing the Prince 
 Charles, and he put it into execu- 
 tion ; he began with feizing and 
 feqtiefteang the revenues of the 
 demefnes ; aftewards, the archives 
 were carried away ; at length, 
 Ruffian guards clofed the maga- 
 zines of wood, of ftraw, and of 
 * oats,
 
 [ 94 ] 
 
 oats, the brewhoufe, cellars, ftore- 
 houfes, fountains, and even the 
 poultry yard of his Royal High- 
 .nefs. This execution of a new 
 kind was followed by acts equally 
 outrageous: Biren was then in- 
 troducedinto Mittau, and inftalled 
 by M. de Simolin's foldiers. That 
 agent of the Czarina treated the 
 magistrates of Mittau, the Siates, 
 the King of Poland's deputies, 
 like his fervants : but the Prince 
 Charles perfifted to remain in 
 Courland; Count Brown, Gover- 
 nor of Livonia, fent him orders 
 that he mould leave the. country >
 
 [ 95 ] 
 
 for^fuch was the Emprefs 's pleafure-. 
 This haughty command was ef- 
 fe&ed, in fpite of the lawful 
 fovereign frill refitting to the laft; 
 and thus was treated, in his own 
 dominions, in the prefence of an 
 independent nation, a Prince, the 
 fon and vaflal to the King of Po- 
 land, an ally of Ruffia. 
 
 Of that former encroachment 
 upon the liberties of Courland, 
 .and the rights of Poland, the 
 compleat reduction of the Duchy 
 was the confequence. Ten 
 thoufand Ruffians, after foicing 
 
 them
 
 them to receive a king, elefteS 
 at Peteriburg, compelled them 
 to fecure Erneft John Biren's fon, 
 the invefKture of Courland* Pe- 
 ter, the new Duke, was per- 
 mitted to preferve his dignity, 
 but on condition that he fhould 
 fubmit to the orders, and yield 
 to the Extorfions of the Em- 
 prefs's minions : the firfl em- 
 ployments of Courland were con- 
 ferred upon their creatures, and 
 claims were filenced ; thofe were 
 difmhTed, who .could not be fe- 
 duced ; thofe were feduced, who, 
 through an apparent good charac- 
 ter,
 
 [ -97 ] 
 
 .tcr, were likely to form an oppo- 
 fition. Among the latter, was 
 the Chamberlain Howen, diilin- 
 guiflied for his capacity and cou- 
 rage; having defended, at Warfaw, 
 the rights of his native country 
 again ft the Ruffian defpotifm, he 
 was feized, carried off, and fent 
 to Siberia ; and he was under the 
 neceffity of choofing either the 
 facrifice of his patriotifm, or that 
 of his liberty : but he {looped to 
 wear the common chain, govern- 
 ed Couiland in the name of .the 
 Emprefs, and was promoted to the 
 dignity of Bourgrave. Marfhal 
 H Klopman,
 
 [ 9 J 
 
 Klopman, his predeceflbr in au- 
 thority, had adopted the fame 
 condefcenfion. Under the in- 
 fluence of thofe tools of the Em- 
 prefs, the Duke's authority has 
 teen, in fact, annihilated the 
 fuffrages of the ftates have been 
 bought publicly vexations of 
 every kind, alienations, political 
 robberies, have been legalized. 
 At the voice of the Ruffian mi- 
 nifter at Mittau, Courland nar- 
 rowed her limits, fufFered her own 
 fubjects, reclaimed as Ruffians, 
 to be carried away, fubjected her 
 policy to the refcripts of the 
 2 Emprefs's
 
 [ 99 ] 
 
 Emprefs's councils. More than 
 once, the , Duke, reduced to the 
 title of his principality, faw him- 
 felf forced to buy its preferva- 
 tion. Every murmur he Hiked, 
 was anfwered by a menace ; and 
 the menace was immediately fol- 
 lowed by an extortion. At laft, 
 fatigued with fo expend ve a tu- 
 telage, he fought for protestors 
 lefs exacting The Emprefs had 
 treated him like a rebel. Pru- 
 dence had fuggefted to him an 
 efcape ; he took refuge at Berlin ; 
 fecured part of his treafure there, 
 and meditated a plan of abdication. 
 H 2 At
 
 At the firfl indication of fuch 
 a defign, which was in favour of 
 one of the Princes of Virtemberg, 
 engaged in the fervice of Pruffia, 
 as it was imagined, the Emprefs 
 addreffed a flrong admonition to 
 the States of Courland, and threat- 
 ened them with her indignation, 
 if they prefumed to concur in this 
 opinion. Thus, after having de- 
 fpoiled the reigning Duke of his 
 authority, me infifted he mould 
 keep the Ihadow of it me for- 
 bade Courland to ufe her fovereigii 
 right of choofing a fucceffor to 
 the Duchy. Thus Ruffia declared 
 
 to
 
 to all Europe, that fhe had no 
 refpect, no regard, due by fove- 
 reigns to their mutual indepen- 
 dence ; that for her fake, all thofe 
 rights mould be effaced which 
 
 o 
 
 are the bafis of fbciety ; that fhe 
 kid an undeniable claim to the 
 diftatorfhip over fuch ftates as 
 were placed by Providence in her 
 neighbourhood. 
 
 Courland, infenfible from fear 
 or corruption, had fufFered this 
 outrage the Duke returned to 
 Mittau the crifis was favourable 
 to men, roufed by a jufl fenfe of 
 H 3 public
 
 [ '02 ] 
 
 public injury the court of Berlin 
 ftill perceives the effect of Ruffian 
 influence iri Courlarid, which ex- 
 tends to the frontiers of Poland. 
 The true intereft of this country 
 would have 'aided' her defigns, if 
 (he had power to aid her with 
 fuccefs. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Affairs of Poland Nomination of Sta- 
 niflaus tbe 'Third by Rujfia. 
 
 THE Emprefs had hardly de- 
 throned one fovereign, before fhe 
 undertook to create another in 
 Poland. At the death of Au- 
 guftus the Third, probably the 
 court of Peterfburg did not com- 
 prehend all the fchemes at firft 
 view which were neceffary to 
 carry this plan into execution, 
 H 4 but
 
 but which were produced and 
 difclofed by degrees. The prefent 
 policy proceeded no farther than 
 to reduce Sweden to inactivity, 
 and thereby to exercife a decifive 
 influence, to form and to excite 
 factions one againft the other, and 
 to facilitate that work of Count 
 Panin, the northern league, which 
 might certainly have infured to 
 Ruffia a fupremacy over all the 
 adjoining countries. 
 
 The concurrence of Pruffia 
 was neceiTary for the completion 
 of this plan ; it was the interelT: 
 
 of
 
 of that king to detach Ruffia 
 from Vienna he was adverfe to 
 the Houfe of Saxony, and to 
 their pretenfions to Poland. Since 
 the peace, he had fkilfully en- 
 gaged the Emprefs and Count 
 Panin in his interefts, and had 
 negotiated a treaty at Peterfburg. 
 Catherine, determined to have 
 the afcendant in Poland, formed 
 an alliance with Pruilia, to coun- 
 terbalance the Saxon, Auftrian, 
 and French oppofition. In Ja- 
 nuary, 1764, the two courts 
 figned a defenfive alliance. Fre- 
 derick himfelf informs us, that 
 
 they
 
 [ "6 ]' 
 
 they engaged to prevent the 
 Crown becoming hereditary in 
 Poland ; to name a Piaft or Pro- 
 te&or, namely, Staniflaus Ponia- 
 toufki, Stolnick or governor of 
 Lithuania, to protect the Diffi- 
 dents, or in jufler terms, to arm. 
 them againft the Commonwealth. 
 
 The court of Peterfburg was the 
 party principally interefred in this 
 plan, to whom the advantage 
 would belong Pruffia had only 
 a collateral intereil:, namely, that 
 of favouring the defign of her 
 ally. 
 
 The
 
 [ "7 1 
 
 The force and energy of the 
 beft hiftbrian cannot defcribe the 
 execution and the horrible confe- 
 qUeilces of this enterprize ; they 
 are the difgrace of this century- 
 the moft unprincipled politician 
 could hardly premeditate a iyftem 
 of violence and oppreffion fimilar 
 to that under which Poland has 
 groaned for ten fucceffive years. 
 
 Waving the criminations of 
 partizans, events of public no- 
 toriety afford the moffc ample 
 teftimony. 
 
 To
 
 To exclude all foreign candi- 
 dates from an elective fovereignty, 
 was a glaring violation of the 
 constitution of an independant 
 country, which could alone claim 
 the difpofition of its crown ; but 
 the fole fiat of Ruflia fuperfeded 
 every other conlideration ; and 4 
 foreign Prince, who might have 
 force or ability to defend the re- 
 public, could not be convenient 
 for the defigns of Ruflia. 
 
 A fovereign who fhould be her 
 
 nominee, and not the choice of 
 
 his countrymen, was neceffary 
 
 ARad-
 
 A Radzivil, a Potocki any no- 
 ble porTeffed of reputation, of 
 independance, would not have 
 become a royal pageant, depen- 
 dant upon a foreign Prince. 
 
 The King which me wanted, 
 was one of a mild and flexible 
 character; infulated, unconnect- 
 ed, without any relation or alli- 
 ance with any other power in 
 Europe the legality of whofe 
 election mould render him ob- 
 noxious to the people, to a hofl 
 of enemies, and confequently 
 
 forced
 
 forced to rely upon that power 
 and protection to which he had 
 owed his elevation. 
 
 All thefe qualifications appeared 
 in the character of Staniflaus the 
 Third a good difpofition, im- 
 proved by education, thofe amiable 
 qualities which ingratiate indivi- 
 duals, and gain general regard 
 and efteem. His poverty, his 
 youth, his connections with Ruf- 
 jfta, the marked favour of the 
 JEmprefs, would have prevented 
 his fuccefiion to this painful pre- 
 eminence. This election could 
 
 never
 
 [ "I ] 
 
 never be due to free fufTrages ; 
 but to a violation of national pri- 
 vileges. This prince, it is pre- 
 fumed, hoped to regain public 
 affedtion by time ; but Ruffian 
 policy created a Jailing alienation. 
 
 Upon the convention of the 
 Diet, ten thoufand -Ruffians en- 
 tered Warfaw, while the Pruf- 
 fians menaced the frontiers of the 
 Republic. The diftrifts which 
 chofe members, were filled by 
 foldiers, who compelled the no- 
 mination of Ruffian partizans 
 the capital was foon furrounded 
 
 by
 
 I .* ] 
 
 by Coflacks, who invefled the 
 Diet their chamber was attacked 
 one of their members was 
 arrefted, and attacked, fword in 
 hand, in this fan&uary of fove- 
 reign power, in the prefence of 
 the Prelident or Marechale of the 
 Diet, who left .the affembly with 
 the emblem of his office, accom- 
 panied by many illuftrious fena- 
 tors, and other patriotic members, 
 protefting againft thefe violations 
 of the laws of nations, and the 
 liberty of Poland. Retiring into 
 the provinces, they were followed 
 by the Ruffians, who feized feme 
 
 who
 
 [ "3 ] 
 
 who refitted, profcribed others, 
 and declared Prince Radzivil an 
 enemy to his country thefe de- 
 fpotic proceedings were followed 
 by breaches and innovations in 
 the conftitution. The four regi- 
 ments of guards, under the King's 
 authority, united with the Ruf- 
 fian troops to interrupt the free- 
 dom of election this tumultuous 
 aiTembly, influenced by fear, elect- 
 ed and crowned Staniflaus. Ex- 
 ile or fubmiffion was the lot of 
 his opponents, while Rufiia me- 
 ditated new outrages. 
 
 I It
 
 [ "4 ] 
 
 It cannot be denied, that in 
 many antecedent interregnums, 
 recommendations, power, the vio- 
 lence of party, had favoured one or 
 the other of the candidates ; but a 
 military force, and foreign troops, 
 had never, before this, created a 
 king in a free country, in the 
 midftofhis equals of the lawful 
 .electors of a nation thus influ- 
 enced in her choice ; nor could 
 Voltaire, or other flatterers, juf- 
 tify this proceeding by precedent, 
 all former elections had been 
 as peaceable as could be fuppofed, 
 where numerous, independent, 
 - 2 and
 
 [ 5 1 
 
 and fanguine partizans were con- 
 vened tranfitory tumults are not 
 civil wars. Thus Henry of Va- 
 lois, Ladiflas the Fourth, Cafi- 
 mir, andSobiefki, had been cleft - 
 ed. In divifions, or in double re- 
 turns, or contefted elections, as 
 in the cafes of Stephen Bat tori, 
 Sigifmond the Third, the Empe- 
 ror Maximilian, a Polonefe party 
 had given the law public liberty 
 was not undermined, and troops 
 never entered the district of elec- 
 tion ; no competitor had forced a 
 nomination by his armies, though 
 they might have afterwards fup- 
 I 2 ported
 
 [ "6 ] 
 
 ported his ele&ion. Charles the 
 Twelfth had, it is true, dethroned 
 a King of Poland by war ; but 
 Auguftus had provoked the indig- 
 nation of the Alexander of the 
 North. The adlive partizan of 
 the Czar loft his crown by the 
 fortune of that war, in which his 
 imprudence had engaged the re- 
 public. 
 
 Ruflia was the firit to give the 
 example of a forced, and of a 
 warlike military ele&ion : me 
 'did not confine herfelf to counte- 
 nance a free choice, but Ihe in- 
 fluenced
 
 r / i 
 
 fluenced the preliminary fteps, 
 and prefaced her proceedings by 
 forcing thofe places, which chofe 
 members, to return her partizans 
 thefe preparatory fcenes were 
 viewed in their true light by many- 
 foreign minifters, reprefentatives 
 of ancient allies, who retired from 
 a country they could no longer 
 conlider as free under a military 
 protectorate. 
 
 Sectaries and Diflenters, a nu- 
 merous body, were excluded, un- 
 der the Saxon Kings, from places 
 of truft and employments in the 
 I 3 ftate;
 
 [ "8 3 
 
 ftate ; but the tolerating fpirit of 
 the republic, the mildeft perhaps 
 in Europe, gave them more free- 
 dom than in any other country ; 
 even in _thofe where philofophy 
 is mdfr. predominant. When Ruf- 
 : na had excited their difcontent, 
 they had two hundred churches, 
 befide places of private worfhip ; 
 they poffeffed governments, re- 
 giments, and military rank ; moil 
 of the fubalterns were non-con- 
 formifts ; their toleration was 
 greater than that of the Diflenters 
 in England, in Holland, in France, 
 and even Ruflia herfelf. Politi- 
 cal
 
 [ "9 ] 
 
 cal dignities, it is true, were re- 
 ierved to the eftablifhed religion ; 
 but every other defcription of 
 civil liberty was theirs the re- 
 public was ever ready to redrefs 
 their particular and accidental 
 
 Of grievances, of which few 
 had complained, Ruffia formed 
 the materials of difcontent. The 
 
 Starofte, and the General Gra- 
 
 / 
 
 boufki, two brothers, who were 
 DhTenters, were bribed, and pre- 
 vailed upon to dilplay their griev- 
 ances : they claimed the rights of 
 I 4 the
 
 [ 120 -] 
 
 the treaties of Velau and Oliva, 
 where Ruffia was not concerned 
 as a contracting, or an acceding, 
 party ; but (he arrogated the right 
 of a guarantee; while Sweden, to 
 whom this right really belonged, 
 was filent. The treaty of Mof- 
 cow was falfely quoted, no ftlpu- 
 lations having been created there- 
 by in favour of the Diflcnters. 
 At laft the Diet, in 1 766, heard 
 their complaints, and redrefled 
 them, and reftored fuch rights 
 as juftice, law, and reafonable to- 
 leration, allowed ; but rejected 
 fuch as the common order efta- 
 
 blimed
 
 bliflied in all countries had for- 
 bidden ; the legal barriers were 
 left between the eftabliflied reli- 
 gion and the tolerated fets, and 
 excluded the feftaries from all 
 political dignities. 
 
 Few ftates are governed by 
 other regulations ; of all other 
 Princes, the Emprefs was the 
 leaft qualified to demand their 
 Tepeal : in her {rates DifTenters 
 never entered into her councils, 
 or adminiftration, or had ever 
 mounted the throne. Had the 
 third Peter effected fuch an inno- 
 vation,
 
 [ I" ] 
 
 vation, the apologifts of the Em- 
 prefs, the writers of her mani- 
 feftos, would have proclaimed the 
 danger of the chuich,andof ortho- 
 doxy, as they did that of the pe- 
 cuniary interefts of the Monks. 
 This philofophical toleration, for 
 which they inflamed Poland, did 
 not prevent the fchifmatic Greeks, 
 under Ruffian influence, to maf- 
 facre a hundred thoufand men, of 
 a different perfuafion, for which 
 no Ruffian officer was queftioned. 
 Many Greeks and Latins, who 
 were pillaged of their all, were 
 feen in the Polifh provinces, with- 
 * out
 
 [ "3 ] 
 
 out the leaft effort of Ruffia to 
 redrefs their grievances. 
 
 Thefe remarks would hardly 
 have taken place, had it not been 
 for the number of violences in 
 Poland, under the colour of tole- 
 ration ; but the plan was formed 
 to opprefs the republic, to pro- 
 tect a faction, and to maintain a 
 ilanding Ruffian army. The po- 
 licy of the court extended its 
 baneful influence flill farther; the 
 equal rights of the Diflenters once 
 eftablifhed, a DhTenter might oc- 
 cupy the throne, under the au- 
 
 fpices
 
 [ 1*4 ] 
 
 ipices of Ruffia and of her troops, 
 which could level all difficulties. 
 The Greek religion was interefted 
 in the defigns againft the repub- 
 lic, and their influence, in the 
 eaftern and foutheni provinces 
 fecured. 
 
 The moderate refolutions of 
 the Diet, in 1766, were confi- 
 dered as a&s of rebellion at Pe- 
 terfburg From that moment 
 the Prince Repnin, the ambafla- 
 dor at Warfaw, became Viceroy 
 of the republic; the DifTenters 
 
 were
 
 [ "5 ] 
 
 were armed, and invoked public 
 protection, while, united with the 
 Ruffian troops, they betrayed the 
 country. 
 
 But the defign of defending 
 them openly, with the undecided 
 declarations of the King of Pruf- 
 fia, were not fufficient for the 
 rapid execution of their defigns. 
 The King of Poland murmured 
 at the rigorous tutelage of him- 
 felf, his family, and his party. 
 
 To giv^e fome energy to the na- 
 < 
 tional aflemblies, they had abo- 
 
 lifhed
 
 limed the Liberum Veto *, and 
 fome other wife regulations, 
 which gave umbrage to Ruffia. 
 
 In confequence of this, the 
 Ruffian dictator, under the modeft 
 name of an Ambaflador, oppofed 
 artfully to the King, the nominee 
 of the Emprefs, the members 
 who had been exiled for their op- 
 pofition to his ele&ion. Various 
 
 * A curious account of this power, 
 which refembled the tribunitial power in 
 the Roman State, is to be found in Mr. 
 Coxe's Northern Tour* 
 
 intrigues
 
 intrigues fuceeded in 1765 ; and 
 in 1767, conciliations were pro- 
 pofed ; and it was with the olive 
 branch in his hand, Prince Repnin 
 prepared a poifon for the Com- 
 monwealth. 
 
 By artful intrigues among the 
 moft difcontented of the citizens, 
 the Ruffian AmbafTador formed the 
 affociation at Radom, where the 
 malecontents affembled in 1767, 
 when the Catholicks and fome 
 nobles were gained by promifes 
 of fatisfying their grievances ; 
 and it is an authenticated fact, 
 
 that
 
 [ "8 ] 
 
 that he proceeded fo far as to af- 
 fure fome of the'rri, that the King 
 fhould be dethroned." 
 
 * 
 
 The Prince Radzivil, who had 
 
 been exiled as the moft active op- 
 ponent of Ruffia, became the 
 pillar of this new confederacy ; 
 he was named Prefident of the 
 aflbciation; but, under pretence 
 of an efcort, he became, in far, 
 a prifoner of State. 
 
 The Confederacy itfelf, fur- 
 rounded by Ruffian troops, expe- 
 rienced the fame fate : at this 
 3 period
 
 period, he enjoined the conven- 
 tion of a Diet at Warfaw, for the 
 redrefs of their grievances ; and 
 mixing derifion with violence, he 
 procured an cmbafty to the Em- 
 prefs, to thank her for her mater- 
 nal care. The Confederates per- 
 ceived in vain the nets in which 
 they were entangled. 
 
 This memorable Diet opened 
 in 1 767 ; the Ruffian troops had 
 dictated the' choice of many of 
 their members ; the Grand Cup 
 Bearer of the Crown had been 
 imprifoned at Pologna, and the 
 K republic
 
 [ '3 ] 
 
 republic appeared like a conquered 
 ftate. One of the members, who 
 had courage to exclaim againft 
 their proceedings, was feized ir. 
 the ftreet ; the Poles, fo formi- 
 dable hitherto to Ruffia, were 
 befieged by their foldiery in their 
 own fenate houfe, and the legif- 
 lators were invited to fanclion 
 the orders of a Ruffian plenipo- 
 tentiary. 
 
 Among thefe decrees of Prince 
 Repnin, one was, to admit the 
 Schifmatick Greeks and Diflen- 
 ters into political dignities, which 
 
 would
 
 would annihilate the independence 
 of Poland, and convert it into a 
 Ruffian province. 
 
 Soltyk, Bimop of Cracovie, a 
 man worthy of ancient Rome, 
 having animated the courage of 
 the Diet, and fpoken loudly againft 
 thefe proceedings, was feized in 
 his bed ; while the Bimop of 
 Kiovie, and the Count of Craco- 
 vie, Rewufki, and his fon, un- 
 derwent the fame fate, and were 
 banimed to Siberia. Warfaw was 
 treated like a city taken by aflault 
 thus were all Prince Repnin's 
 K 2 decrees
 
 decrees paft, and thus did he pa- 
 cify the Republic. 
 
 " Somanyaftsoffovereignty," 
 fays the King of Pruffia, " exer- 
 " cifed in the dominions of the 
 " Republic, by a foreign power, 
 " at length affected the public 
 " mind ;" fome Poles, whom de- 
 fpair had afTembled in the Ukrain, 
 gave the fignal ; the confedera- 
 tion of Bar was formed, which 
 daily increafed, and oppofed the 
 tyranny of Ruffia. Unhappily 
 this increafing refinance was but 
 faintly, if at all, fupported by any 
 
 foreign
 
 [ '33 ] 
 
 foreign court, which enabled the 
 Ruffians to complete their work. 
 For fome time fucceffes were ba- 
 lanced ; but the Confederates be- 
 ing left to themfelves, and fickle 
 and unfteady in their plans and 
 operations, were of no other ufe 
 than to increafe the barbarity of 
 the Ruffian generals. One of 
 them, Colonel Drewitz, ordered 
 his prifoners' hands to be cut off, 
 before they were executed. Mo- 
 nafteries, churches, neither age 
 nor fex, were fpared ; no alylum 
 was inviolate ; the eftates and 
 properties of the Confederates, 
 K 3 and
 
 [ '34 ] 
 
 and of many others in Poland, 
 were plundered, without diftinc- 
 tion of ranks, or the rules of 
 war in civilized countries ; many 
 prifoners of rank were exiled, and 
 perifhed for want in the deferts 
 of Siberia. 
 
 In the midft of thefe horrors, 
 the Ottoman Port had declared 
 {he would refill encroachments 
 upon her territory, and aififl: an 
 old and ufeful ally, and prevent 
 the torrent which inundated Po- 
 land from overflowing her pof- 
 feffions. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 [ 135 ] 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 The Influence of the Ruffian Court in 
 Denmark. 
 
 JL HIS rupture occupied not only 
 Ruffia, but the courts of Berlin 
 and Vienna. The Emprefs had 
 condemned the northern courts 
 to inactivity ; in the name of the 
 fenate, (he governed Sweden ; 
 Denmark was influenced by her 
 AmbafTadors. 
 
 K 4 She.
 
 [ '3* 3 
 
 She had reafon to fear that 
 the latter, would avail herfelf of 
 this crifis, to form alliances to 
 fupport her ancient, undecided 
 claim to the Duchy of Slefwick. 
 Frederick the Fifth was ftill li- 
 ving. The Emprefs fent her 
 privy counfellor Saldern to the 
 Danifh court, whofe manners 
 and whofe haughtinefs were ana- 
 logous to the character of his 
 country. 
 
 He difplayed at Copenhagen 
 the fame haughtinefs which even 
 the King of Pmffia had complain- 
 ed
 
 [ '37 ] 
 
 ed of at Berlin. The King of 
 Denmark fbon found that a Ruf- 
 fian influence prevailed in the 
 choice of his minifters and gene- 
 rals, and he concluded his miffion 
 by the proportion of an amicable 
 arrangement of an exchange for 
 the Duchy of Slefvvick. 
 
 Frederick the Fifth died before 
 this treaty was concluded : Sal- 
 dern afterwards appeared as a tutor 
 to the new king ; he prevailed 
 upon him to travel, againft the 
 opinion of his minifters, and the 
 wiflics of the nation. Saldern, 
 
 and
 
 C '3* ] 
 
 and PhilofophofF, his fubfequent 
 colleague, became the arbiters 
 and directors of the councils of 
 Denmark ; of the fchemes, the 
 political, and even private, affairs 
 of the Danifh monarch. Their 
 diclatorfhip was abfolute and 
 uncontroled, and confequently 
 highly unpopular. In 1767, they 
 prevailed with the king to fign 
 the provifional treaty for the 
 Duchy of Slefwick, and their 
 power might have been as dura- 
 ble as it was confiderable, had it 
 not been fuddenly limited by that 
 revolution which put a period to 
 
 the
 
 [ '39 ] 
 
 the adminiftration of Rantzaw 
 and Struenfee. 
 
 Seeing Ruffia weakened by the 
 Turkifh war, obliged to keep thir- 
 ty thoufand men in pay to guard 
 Poland ; her finances exhauft- 
 ed, and apprehenfive of internal 
 commotions; Struenfee attempted 
 to conciliate Denmark with Swe- 
 den, the affairs of which latter 
 he would no longer embroil : and 
 to found in the North a political 
 balance againft the ambition of 
 Ruffia ; but the deftiny of this 
 country got the better. The un- 
 
 fortuate
 
 fortunate Struenfee's fchemes pc- 
 rifhed along with him, and Den- 
 mark felt the yoke once more ; 
 me joined again the train of Ruf- 
 fia, and made a compact which 
 forced her to interfere in all the 
 difputes of that power, that is to 
 fay, to defend her whenever her 
 attempts upon the liberty of the 
 North mould be refifted. From 
 Poland, from the Porte, the Em- 
 prefs had nothing to dread, but 
 negotiations, or rather intrigues ; 
 and no real affiftance of a power 
 of the firft order, or of the court 
 of Vienna. This laft court did 
 
 not
 
 [ HI j 
 
 not look with an indifferent eye 
 upon the afcendancy of Rufiia. 
 The rapid progrefs of her fchemes, 
 and of her arms, alarmed the 
 Divan, and with much more rea- 
 fon than the neighbouring pow- 
 ers. The Houfe of Auflria felt 
 the danger of feeing near her 
 frontiers a power accuftomed to 
 refpecl no boundaries. The Ot- 
 toman Porte being once crufhed, 
 Poland fubdued, and the Danube 
 poflefled by the Ruffians, this 
 ftorm mufr, needs envelope Hun- 
 gary and the bordering provinces. 
 Even the King of Pruffia, though 
 
 an
 
 [ 14* ] 
 
 an ally to Ruffia, was apprehen- 
 iive left, in procefs of time, fhe 
 would attempt to give her laws 
 to himfelf, as well as to Poland : 
 at this period of common danger, 
 he conciliated the court of Vien- 
 na : a fact worthy of the greateft 
 attention, the certainty of which 
 is eftablifhed by Frederick the Se- 
 cond himfelf, and from which, 
 in this prefent 'juncture, the 
 North, and all Germany, may de- 
 rive much light. The greateft 
 genius which ever fat upon a 
 throne, and one of the moft pe- 
 netrating ftatefmen, (Prince Kau- 
 
 nitz)
 
 [ '43 ] 
 
 nitz) faw the neceffity of putting 
 an end to the ambitious fchemes 
 of Ruffia, which, however, fhe 
 refumed, and had almoft accom- 
 plifhed without interruption. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 [ H4 ] 
 
 C HA P. VI. 
 
 *he Partition of Poland:. 
 
 JL HE difmemberment of Poland 
 was the refult of this conflict, of 
 interefts and negotiations. All 
 the blame muft fall upon that 
 power, whofe ambition, kindling 
 that of her neighbours, forced 
 them, upon pain of a general 
 war, to fubfcribe to that injulHce, 
 the difgrace of our age To fub- 
 fcribe, we fay, for not only the 
 
 p ret en-
 
 t 145 3 
 
 pretenfions and violences of the 
 Court of Peterfburg, did no lon- 
 ger allow proper means for their 
 termination ; but the Emprefs 
 herfelf was the firft who juftified 
 this fcandalous partition. In that 
 refpect, opinion has long varied ; 
 but Frederick the Second has 
 thrown a ray of light upon it, in 
 that immortal work, which may- 
 be confidered as his laft teftament, 
 wherein he has depoiited a recital 
 of his faults with fo much can- 
 dour, and of his exploits with ib 
 much modefty. 
 
 L " The
 
 I 146 ] 
 
 " The Emprefs of Ruffia," 
 fays this great man, " being ir- 
 " ritated that any other troops 
 " than her own fhould give law 
 " to Poland *, faid to the Prince 
 " Henry, that if the Court of 
 " Vienna intended to dil member 
 " Poland, other neighbouring 
 " powers had a right to do the 
 
 " fame. Count Solms, 
 
 ", the Pruffian Envoy, was charg- 
 " ed to dilcuver whether there 
 " was any lolid meaning in thele 
 
 * The King of Pruflia here alludes to 
 the fequeftration of the county of Zips 
 by fome Auflrian troops. 
 
 " expref-
 
 [ '47 ] 
 
 " expreffions which the Emprefs 
 " had dropped ; or if they had 
 " been uttered in a moment of 
 " humour and tranfitory paflion. 
 " Count Panih was rather averfe 
 " to that difinemberment, but the 
 " Emprefs entertained the flatter- 
 sc ing idea of extending, without 
 " danger, the limits of her domi- 
 *' nions. Her minions and fome 
 " of her minifters Supported her 
 " opinions. This refolution was 
 " prcfented to the King of Pruf- 
 " fia, as an expedient contrived 
 " to indemnify him for the fub 
 ". fidies he had paid to Ruffia." 
 L 2 This
 
 E 
 
 This Leonine convention met, 
 however, with great difficulties 
 from the Ruffians ; they would 
 not part either with Moldavia or 
 Valachia, which they had pof- 
 fefled the court of Vienna never 
 would have affented to that ufur- 
 pation. The King of Pruffia 
 riiqued all the danger, the Em- 
 pr-efs had all the advantages, of 
 this partition. The Czarina's mi- 
 nifters wore out the time in lub- 
 tlety and procraftination, in order 
 to abfbrb the whole profit of this 
 enterprize: at length the firmnefs 
 of two of the contracting courts 
 checked
 
 t 
 
 checked her inflexible rapacity, 
 and in February, 1772, the treaty 
 was concluded, in a lefs iniquitous 
 proportion of joint injufHce. 
 
 We (hall not dwell upon this 
 fcandalous period of our hiftory, 
 or the infringement of focial 
 rights the contempt of all re- 
 monftrances the dreadful me- 
 naces the outrages of every 
 kind by the help of which, the 
 ratification of this ufurpation was 
 extorted from the Diet of Poland. 
 -The Ruffian Ambaflador acted 
 the principal part in that fcene ; 
 L 3 he
 
 [ '5 1 
 
 he alone conduced the plan. The 
 degree of arrogance in thofe di- 
 plomatic oppreflbrs may be eafily 
 conceived, after, by a letter from 
 Mr. Saldern, to Count Oginfki, 
 Grand-General of Lithuania, the 
 2 1 ft of June, 1771, the Ruffian 
 Envoy wrote to this magnat, one 
 of the firfl perfonages in Poland, 
 " The Ambaffador repeats to you 
 " the orders of his fovereign, 
 " that you mould repair toWar- 
 " faw, if ever you mould wifh 
 " to deferve her protection : 
 " mould you neglect this intima- 
 " tion, you will feel the confe- 
 " quence :
 
 " quence : I need not have re- 
 " courfe to "threats." 
 
 During thefe unprecedented vi- 
 olences, ibme Ruffian EmhTaries, 
 and ibme hireling gazetteers, com- 
 plimciital apologifts, and venal 
 writers, flatterers who were reci- 
 procally flattered, reprefented the 
 Poles as a troop of fanaticks, and 
 a gang of rebels. The Emprefs's 
 manifeflos themfelves were re- 
 plete with fuch epithets In one 
 of her letters to Voltaire, fhe 
 calls thofe confederates whom 
 her generals had plundered, maf- 
 L 4 facred,
 
 t >5* ] 
 
 facred, or exiled to Siberia, the 
 mutineers of Poland. Voltaire, 
 delighted with thefe philofophi- 
 cal conquefts, invented a new- 
 language of adulation ; he ftyled 
 Catherine the Second, the nor- 
 thern flar, and he became the 
 high prieft of her temple ; a hun- 
 dred penfioned authors repeated 
 this fulfome adulation in Ger- 
 many, and at Paris. 
 
 The republic, whofe frontiers 
 were deftroyed, her demefnes 
 loft, the citizens flain or pro- 
 fcribed, had no other expectation 
 
 left,
 
 [ ''53 1 
 
 left, but to fee a feal put to the 
 annihilation of her independence. 
 She was compelled to refer the ex- 
 amination of her conqueror's pro- 
 jects to a delegation, where a 
 venal and corrupt man preiided, 
 whofe peculation had been dif- 
 covered by the Diet, when me 
 , had recovered her liberty. Two 
 diftincl: acts were carried by the 
 contracting powers ; the firft, to 
 fandion the difmemberment; the 
 fecond, to fix the form of her go- 
 vernment. Notwithftanding her 
 melancholy fituation, and the pe- 
 remptory orders fent to the Diet, 
 
 only
 
 [ '54 ] 
 
 only fifty-five Nuncios, againft 
 fifty- four, affented to the parti- 
 tion ; nearly one half of the re- 
 prefentatives of the equeftrian 
 order were abfent or removed. 
 As for the. plan of a new confti- 
 tution, it adopted all the defe&s 
 of the old government of Poland, 
 introduced pernicious novelties, 
 and deprived the legiflature of 
 the power of correcting its own 
 laws. By the moft deftructive of 
 thefe new inftitutions, the inter- 
 pretation of the laws, and aimed 
 the whole exercife of the execu- 
 tive power, were united in a per- 
 manent
 
 [ '55 ] 
 
 manent council, whofe fuperki- 
 tendance lafted near two years. 
 This council, thus conftituted, 
 conftantly affembled, necefiarily 
 predominated over the general 
 council, which met only fix weeks 
 in a twelvemonth. 
 
 Such an organization of the go- 
 vernment neceffarily facilitated 
 foreign influence ; for it was 
 much eafier to . corrupt a body 
 which confided of few members, 
 than fuch an aflembly as the Diet. 
 Ruflia deemed this fpecies of con- 
 Aitution to be iubfervient to her 
 
 defign
 
 [ '56 3 
 
 defigns and interefls, and fhe pro- 
 poftd and fupported it with her 
 whole ftrength; while the repub- 
 lick, for different reafons, gave 
 it a ftrenuous oppofition. 
 
 The king himfelf, fupported 
 by a majority of the Diet, rejected 
 thefe infidious decrees, which 
 were artfully called reformations. 
 A whole year of intrigues, of 
 bribery, and of threats and me- 
 naces, was neceffary to furmount 
 thefe difficulties, and to overcome 
 this laft refinance. 
 
 Taefb
 
 [ '57 3 
 
 Thefe raeafures were revived 
 in the following year, and took 
 place in 1776. When they were 
 propofed to the Diet, in order 
 to complete and ratify this revo- 
 lution, in the beginning of that 
 year, Staniflaus Potocki, the Nun- 
 cio, or reprefentative of Lublin, 
 fpeaking before this regenerated 
 affembly, which profefled an in- 
 tention to reftore Poland to her 
 rank amongft the powers of Eu- 
 rope, thus defcribed that Diet in 
 1776: " This Diet,'* laid he, 
 *' violated the mo ft facred na- 
 ** tional rights ; every free and 
 " indepen-
 
 44 independent Pole faw himfelf 
 *' expelled from that place, which 
 " fhould have been regarded as 
 " the fandtuary of liberty the 
 " fen ate houfe was furrounded 
 " by ioldiers, and accefs was 
 " denied to every virtuous, pa- 
 " triotic, and public fpirited 
 " member of the Diet.'* 
 
 / 
 The aft of the i5th of March, 
 
 1775, which conftituted the per- 
 manent Council, and all the new 
 laws, (it mould be remembered) 
 were fign<-d only by the Ruffian 
 minifter : the Envoys of the two 
 
 other
 
 [ '59 ] 
 
 other contracting powers have 
 never ratified thefe inftitutions, 
 although their concurrence and 
 fignature were neaffary ; and the 
 republic gave pofitiveinflruftions 
 to that effect to the delegation 
 which was empowered to treat 
 with them ; hut Ruffia confider- 
 ed this as a mcer matter of form, 
 and pafied by this neglect and 
 fundamental nullity in their pro- 
 ceedings. 
 
 She not only compelled Poland 
 to acc.de to this treaty, fo ruin- 
 ous to her k If, and fo advantageous 
 
 to
 
 [ i6o ] 
 
 to Ruffia, but me impofed tht 
 yoke of her own perpetual guar- 
 ranty upon all the new laws, 
 whether they had a reference to 
 police, revenue, or conftitutional 
 arrangement, which was pro- 
 claimed with drums and trumpets 
 at the gates of Warfaw. This 
 was the laft mortal ftroke to this 
 expiring commonwealth ; from 
 henceforward-, the name of Po- 
 land was erafed from the cata- 
 logue of nations ; me was no 
 longer, it is true, plundered by 
 her protectors, or invaded by her 
 auxiliaries ; but the Ruffian Am- 
 baflador
 
 baffador became the Viceroy of 
 Poland, his creatures were the ex- 
 clulive members of the Permanent 
 Council, his troops garrifoned'her 
 fortrefles, -and a feries of- fervile 
 Diets introduced that lethargy 
 which generally accompanies the 
 lofs of liberty. 
 
 Europe, from this period, con- 
 fidered Poland as a vaffal of the 
 Emprefs, until the day of retri- 
 bution arrived ; a fecret difcbn- 
 tent announced its approach the 
 difpofition of the country, and 
 the Turkifh war, accelerated her 
 M eman-
 
 emancipation. The Republic faw 
 with indignation, her fouthern 
 provinces fwarming with Ruffian 
 troops, burthened by their maga- 
 zines, infefted by their foraging 
 and recruiting parties, treated as 
 tributaries, and fubje&ed to all the 
 horrors of the war between Ruf- 
 j(Ia and Turkey. When the Diet 
 was aflembled, a powerful fove- 
 reign * addrefled a celebrated 
 memorial to them, which gave 
 light and information to their 
 
 * Frederick William, the prefent King 
 of Pruffia. 
 
 councils,
 
 councils, and ftimulated the ener- 
 gy of their proceedings. The 
 refult of his generous efforts and 
 laudable exertions will form a 
 brilliant page in the annals of the 
 eighteenth century* 
 
 3M a CHAP.
 
 E 164 ] 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 
 
 Turkijh Wars Oriental Syjlem of 
 Rufta. 
 
 JL HE events which we have 
 related, are only the firft links of 
 that chain with which Ruffia had 
 defigned to bind Europe ; but her 
 fyftem extended farther. The 
 fidelity of the Ottoman Porte to 
 fulfil her engagements with Po- 
 land, broached defigns which 
 were meditated in the time of 
 
 Peter
 
 t 
 
 Peter the Great ; defigns con- 
 formable to the character of the 
 Emprefs. 
 
 Her troops, in purfuit of the 
 Polifh confederates at Bar, did not 
 pay more refpect to the Ottoman, 
 than to the territories of Poland; 
 they pillaged the city of Balta, 
 in Moldavia. Upon demands of 
 reparation, . the Ruffians replied 
 by a repetition of the fame out- 
 rages, in various parts of the 
 Turkifh dominions, which were 
 the afylum of the Poles. This 
 was a violation of treaties, and of 
 M 3 the
 
 the laws of nations ; the treaty of 
 Pruth forbid that military tyranny 
 which they exercifed in Poland ; 
 as foon as the vigilant and enlight- 
 ed policy of the Duke de Choi- 
 feul had decided the opinion of 
 the Porte, or, as they themfelves 
 had been roufed by the infrac- 
 tions of the treaties of Carlowitz, 
 of Pruth, and of Constantinople, 
 her declaration of war was con* 
 fined to the neceffity of guarding 
 her frontiers. Having guarran- 
 teed the republic of Poland in the 
 entire pofleffion of her dminions, 
 Ihe was interefted to prevent her 
 difmem-
 
 t '7 3 
 
 difmemberment. Would to Hea- 
 ven that other European courts- 
 had the fame refpecl: for, and the 
 fame firmnefs and courage to 
 maintain their engagements. 
 
 Fortune, however, feconded 
 injuftice; the boldnefs and brutal, 
 but firm, courage of her foldiers, 
 gave advantages to the Ruffians, in 
 fpite of the inexperience and awk- 
 wardnefs of her officers. The va- 
 lour of the Turks became ineffec- 
 tual, by the continual change of 
 their commanders, by the whim- 
 fical projects of fome of their of- 
 M 4 ficers,
 
 ficers, which counteracted gene- 
 ral fyflems ; and the-want of fub- 
 ordination,-worfe ,even than cow- 
 ardice in an -army ; by that cor- 
 ruption of the enem/ which per- 
 vaded the Divan, and by that 
 pufillanimity which was the aflb- 
 ciate of Muilapha the Third upon 
 the Turkim throne. 
 
 After feveral defeats, the Porte 
 figned, in 1774, the treaty of 
 Kainardick, a monument of her 
 weaknefs, an indication of her 
 fupinenefs, and the herald of fu- 
 ture misfortunes. This was the 
 
 bafe
 
 bafe upon which Ruffia raifed the 
 fuoerilructure of future defigns ; 
 this was the inftrument with 
 which, as the ckarfighted fore- 
 faw, the Emprefs would break 
 that fceptre which (he had in- 
 tended to deprefs : from this pe- 
 riod Europe, alarmed, or exagge- 
 rating the declamations of the 
 parafites of the Emprefs, confi- 
 dtred the Ottoman Empire at the 
 eve of dcftruction. 
 
 This opinion was formed by 
 vulgar minds, who have fufficient 
 underftanding to connect caufes 
 
 and
 
 [ '7 1 
 
 and effects, without any allow- 
 ances for the changes wrought by 
 chance, and by circumftances in 
 human affairs, to confound necef- 
 fity with accident, and bring po- 
 litical fyftems into the compafs of 
 conjecture and imagination. 
 
 But men, whom thefe idle fpe- 
 culations did not influence, faw 
 Ruffia in a fituation not lefs ex- 
 haufted and enfeebled than her 
 enemies : from the confeffion of 
 Marefchal Munich himfelf, the 
 laft war but one, with Turky, 
 had coft Ruffia two hundred and 
 
 fifty
 
 3 
 
 fifty thoufand men; imaginatioa 
 is amazed at the number of her 
 fbldiers which perimed in Poland, 
 ia Tartary, on the Niefter, ou 
 the Danube, and in the Archipe- 
 lago, from 1768 to 1774. Pu- 
 gatfcheff maflacred one hundred 
 thoufand, the plague deftroyed 
 eight hundred thoufand men: in 
 1771 four hundred thoufand Cal- 
 mucks, perfecuted by Ruffia, 
 emigrated into Affia : thefe lofTes 
 were repeated in a defer t, which 
 counts only twenty inhabitants 
 fora fquare of three miles; where 
 all the foldiers are preffed ; where- 
 
 afofe
 
 a foldier is taken from a propor- 
 tion of. thirty -five .inhabitants: 
 fome thoufand Greeks, forced, or 
 enticed from their country, " by 
 infidious promifes, fome foreign 
 colonies, abortive almoft in 'their 
 birth, a collection of vagabonds 
 and adventurers, who found their 
 only refuge in Ruffia, could not 
 compenfate this deftru&ive depo- 
 pulation : true it is, that fwarms 
 of Coflacks and Calmucks, tribes 
 more barbarous than their names, 
 could hardly be regretted; but 
 to lofe and to pofefs is a contra- 
 diction ; nor would generations 
 
 be
 
 C '73 ] 
 
 be produced with the facility with 
 which mahifeftos". and tables of 
 population are framed or forged in 
 newfpapers ; it is alfo true, that 
 ufurpations in Poland, and con- 
 quefts in Turkey increafe the 
 number of her (laves ; but affured- 
 ly Ruffia cannot fupply her lofles 
 and her depopulation, by the con- 
 quefts of her neighbours. 
 
 The finances, public credit, 
 the fleet, the magazines, all felt 
 the general lofs ; ruinous fchemes, 
 paper money, profufely increafed, 
 announced the want of refources ; 
 
 it
 
 it was evident that the Emprefs, 
 in the midft of her victories and 
 bombaft, had earneflly folicited 
 peace through the mediation of 
 Mr. Murray, the Englifh Refi- 
 dent at Conftantinople, and of 
 Mr. De Zegelin, the Pruffian 
 Minifter. It was well known 
 that that brilliant expedition to 
 the Archipelago, which aftonifhed 
 Europe, had only produced vaft 
 expence, devaftation in Greece, 
 a vi&ory due to Englifh Expe^ 
 rience, to the abilities of Elphin* 
 (tone, Dugdale, and the Piemon- 
 tefe Count Mafin; but no coft- 
 
 quefts.
 
 [ '75 ] 
 
 quefts were retained, no advantage, 
 equal to the expence : prodigality 
 of public money was accompanied 
 with private wafle, with magni- 
 ficence, with largefles almoft 
 incredible : the empire, thus de- 
 corated with dazzling fplendour, 
 could fcarcely depend upon two 
 fifths of the revenues of England ; 
 and her circulation , her commerce, 
 or her public riches, were far 
 from fuftaining thefe amazing en- 
 terprizes. 
 
 The campaign of 1774 was 
 preceded by ficknefs and defer- 
 
 tion
 
 tion in the exhaufted army of 
 RomanzofF, <vbo was faved by 
 the timidity of the Grand Vizir, 
 and his want of knowledge to 
 profit by his advantages. An ad- 
 venturer, a Cofiack, had propa- 
 gated the fpirit of revolt, which 
 had penetrated as far as Mofcow, 
 and proved the danger to which 
 a bold man, lefs cruel, and more 
 fagacious, might reduce an em- 
 pire in the ieaibn of foreign war- 
 fare, 
 
 F'-om all thefe obfervations, 
 penetrating politicians forefaw, 
 
 that
 
 [ '77 I 
 
 that in the intoxication of victory, 
 Ruffia knew no bounds ; but; that 
 the excefs of her profperity would 
 produce a limitation. 
 
 After the peace of Kamargik, 
 the defigns of difmembering the 
 Ottoman empire were difclofed. 
 The Emprefs, exalted by her fa- 
 vourites, by writers, who excited 
 her enthufiafm to emancipate 
 Greece, and x to reign at Conftan- 
 tinople, perceiving the delicacy 
 of her fituation, and informed of 
 the revolutions which had de- 
 throned fo many of her predecef- 
 N fors.
 
 [ '78 1 
 
 fors, imagined {he could elevate 
 her reputation, and build her le- 
 curity upon the foundations of a 
 new empire at the Bofphorus. 
 Allegorical prints, engraved at 
 Peterfburg, reprefented this Prin- 
 cefs trampling upon the ftandard 
 of Mahomet, and repairing the 
 ruins of Greece. Medals were 
 {truck with the reprefentation of 
 the Labarum* : all the arts, and 
 all the talents of RurTia, excited 
 this idolatry, and Simulated the 
 
 * The Standard of Conftantine, adopted 
 by the Turks, was thus called. 
 
 deiign
 
 [ '79 ] 
 
 defign of the deftrudtion of the 
 Ottoman empire in Europe. Par- 
 
 titionm? treaties were the ofF- 
 
 o 
 
 fpring of legions of mercenary 
 writers. 
 
 By the treaty of Kainargik, the 
 two powers had acknowledged 
 the Crimea to be free and Indepen- 
 dent ; they reciprocally engaged 
 not to enter into any intrigues, nor 
 any projects, to interrupt the mu- 
 tual harmony ; but the Court of 
 Peter(burg emulated the example 
 of the Roman emperors, who fent 
 generals into Gaul, or into Ar- 
 N 2 menia,
 
 r 
 
 mania, to proclaim their mani- 
 feftos by the found of the trumpet. 
 Poland exhaufted, could not op- 
 pofe her decrees ; in fubtra&ing or 
 mifleading the Tartars from their 
 dependence upon the Porte, they 
 contrived to keep them in their 
 own fubordination they acquir- 
 ed harbours and fortreffes on the 
 Euxme a Khan, devoted to their 
 interefts, governed thofe regions, 
 fo famous in the dreams of my tho- 
 iogy -arfenals, docks, and fortifi- 
 cations, were erefted upon thefe 
 frontiers, with batteries and cita- 
 de}s This Imperial Coloffus 
 
 placed
 
 placed one Foot on Cherfon, and 
 the other in Kamfchatka. . Sahim 
 Gueray, a docile chieftain, over- 
 looked the nets with which he was 
 encircled gratitude and intereft 
 attached him to the Emprefs ; his 
 election was forced, like that of 
 Poland, with the fame views, and 
 the fame intentions. 
 
 This chief, the avowed parti- 
 zan of Ruflia, who had facrifked 
 the national interefts to the am- 
 bition of the Czarina, excited 
 general difcontent. In 1777 he 
 
 was deprived of his military com- 
 
 i 
 
 N 3 mand,
 
 [ .i8* ] 
 
 mand, and thirty thoufand indig- 
 nant Tartars chofe a fucceflbr. 
 Neither his rights nor his powers, 
 fecured under a Ruffian guar- 
 ranty, could keep him within 
 neutral bounds; his troops advan- 
 ced to pacify the Crimea, as they 
 had heretofore pacified Poland. 
 This diflrift, declared independent 
 by a treaty, attefted in the moft 
 folemn manner, was attacked by a 
 Ruffian army, who reftord the 
 Khan who had been difpoffefled. 
 His competitor fought an afylum 
 at Confrantinople, folicked fuc- 
 cours, and offered to the Porte 
 
 that
 
 that appendage which fhe had 
 loft. The example of Ruffia 
 would have encouraged the Grand 
 Seignior to interfere in this dif- 
 pute, and to protect a chief freely 
 and legally elected : but the faith 
 of treaties, and the di6lar.es of 
 prudence, retrained the Divan ; 
 they refufed an audience to the 
 Tartar deputies, and they con- 
 fined themfelves to reprefenta- 
 tions. But though the Ruffians 
 remained matters of the country, 
 and kept their acquisitions, the 
 Porte had the weaknefs to acqui- 
 N 4 efce
 
 t '84 ] 
 
 efce in the re-eftabli{hment of a 
 chief protected by the Emprefs. 
 
 Thefe pacific views, this im- 
 prudent conceffion, emboldened 
 Ruffia ; at the fame inftant fhe 
 ilarted new difficulties, and pro- 
 pofed a treaty of commerce, the 
 principles of which revealed her 
 intentions. Though this treaty 
 was the difgrace of the empire, 
 and though an infurretion had 
 put Conftantinople in danger, the 
 fame councils, the fame inconfi- 
 derate moderation governed Tur- 
 key ; and in 1779, me iigned an 
 additional
 
 [ '5 1 
 
 additional convention prefented to 
 her as the feal of an eternal re- 
 conciliation. 
 
 Thefe facriflces, it was eafy to 
 foretel, would produce no more 
 than a momentary truce, and 
 that new difputes would fpring 
 from this fource. That po- 
 licy muft be condemned which 
 avoids a war by thofe conceffions 
 which affure to adverfaries a frill 
 greater facility of hoftile opera- 
 tions. 
 
 The
 
 [ '86 ] 
 
 The Porte had a new danger to- 
 
 o 
 
 encounter, while the Emprefs 
 had hopes of a new ally. Whe- 
 ther it was the effect of an incon- 
 ftancy peculiar to the cabinet of 
 Peteriburg, or by the operation 
 of fome connections with the 
 Houfe of Auftria, her treaty with 
 the King of Pruffia had expired. 
 The court of Vienna had forgot 
 her old fears and her ancient prin- 
 ciples ; eight years before, fhe 
 would not fufFer the Ruffians to 
 extend their influence in Molda- 
 via, nor allow them to approach 
 her -frontiers, nor pafs the Da- 
 nube
 
 3 
 
 nube and give laws to Turkey. 
 The Emprefs Queen, and Prince 
 Kaunitz, influenced by thefe max- 
 ims, entered into a negotiation 
 with the Porte * : but the death 
 of Maria-There fa introduced new 
 fyftems ; diftruft was changed 
 into reciprocal confidence. Be- 
 fore this period, the peace of 
 Tefchen had been concluded un- 
 der the mediation of Catherine 
 the Second. A myfterious inter- 
 
 * The King of Pruflia's Memoirs relate 
 the alarm created in the court of Vienna, 
 by the ambition of Ruflla at this time. 
 
 view
 
 t > 88 ] 
 
 view between that Princefs and the 
 Emperor had taken place, which 
 had united interefts fo apparently 
 difcordant. A feeret treaty con- 
 firmed the fears of Europe, and en- 
 gaged the general attention touch- 
 ing thofe projects upon which this 
 formidable affociation was ground- 
 ed. Such was the crifis in which 
 the Emprefs, in 1782, invaded 
 the Crimea. 
 
 Sahim Gueray, the mercenary 
 and felonious inftrument of the 
 Ruffian policy, abdicated his dig- 
 nity : but did he furrender it to 
 
 his
 
 t '89 ] 
 
 his condiments ? No ; he fold it 
 to the Emprefs : he fold that fo- 
 vereignty to which he had no 
 claim. This elected chief fold 
 his mafters and his electors ; but 
 this ceffion was ridiculous. If 
 the King of Poland had fold his 
 throne, would the reft of Europe 
 ratify the bargain ? Immediately 
 a Ruffian army plundered thofe 
 provinces which were rendered 
 free in 1777? fubjected them to 
 her laws, and an apologifing ma- 
 nifefto followed the invafion. 
 
 When
 
 [ ipo ] 
 
 When Tamerlane, Attila, and 
 Nadir Shaw, fubje&ed their neigh- 
 bours, equity was a flight obfta- 
 cle; without fcruples, and with- 
 out chicane, they exercifed their 
 powers ; nor did mame colour or 
 mafque their injuftice. In our 
 days we are told, that politenefs, 
 humanity, and philofophy, vio- 
 late treaties, difmember ftates, 
 fpread difcord, and legitimate 
 ufurpations. Poland abufes her 
 liberty : flavery, it is faid, fhou!4 
 relieve her from anarchy. Are 
 diflemions excited in Sweden, 
 publick liberty becomes the pie- 
 text.
 
 text. Ignorant countries, like the 
 Crimea, ihould be polifhed by 
 force of arms. 
 
 In her apologifing manifefto, 
 the Emprefs announced, that me 
 had loft the product of her victo- 
 ries, if Sahim Gueray did not 
 remain under her protection : 
 that was to fay, that fhe had con- 
 fecrated the independence of the 
 Tartars, and the freedom of their 
 elections, fo long as thofe fran- 
 chifes were fubfervient to her in- 
 terefts. By a parity of reafon, 
 the Porte could ufurp the fove- 
 
 reign
 
 [ '9* ] 
 
 reign authority of this diftricT: ; 
 thus the independence of the 
 Crimea, unconditionally eflablim- 
 ed in 1774, confifled in receiving 
 the law from either of thofe 
 powers, whenever one of them 
 Ihould deem it expedient to difpofe 
 of her fovereignty. According 
 to this manifefto, it was the love 
 of order and public tranquillity, 
 which, with the Divine affiftance, 
 had introduced the Ruffian arms 
 into the Crimea ; which had ex- 
 ercifed a tyrannical fway, difpof- 
 ed of the fovereignty, appeafed 
 
 revolts,
 
 [ '93 ] 
 
 revolts, and given a fupremacy 
 over the fovereign himfelf. 
 
 All thefe meafures were difta- 
 ted folely by the imperial regard 
 for humanity, grounded upon a 
 conviction^ that Tartars could not 
 appreciate the value of indepen- 
 dence. Laftly, hy the right of 
 ancient conquejl, which had been 
 annihilated by the treaty of 1774, 
 and by the only method of en- 
 furing the bleffings of a lofting 
 and permanent peace. 
 
 O By
 
 [ '94 ] 
 
 By the extenfion of fuch argu- 
 ments, the Czarina had a right 
 to the poffeffion of Turkey. The 
 ennui of debates, the care of tran* 
 quillity, the fecurity of good 
 neighbourhood, would have giv- 
 en fimilar pofTeflbry claims to Ruf- 
 fia in the furrounding provinces. 
 Georgia, Moldavia, as well as 
 the Crimea, would furnifli fub- 
 je&s of mutual difcord. Step by 
 ftep, this progreffive argument 
 would reach Egypt, and every 
 province connected with, and 
 tributary to, the Porte, which 
 might, from thofe circumftances, 
 
 create
 
 [ 95 1 
 
 create alarms and inquietudes; fo 
 that, from a chain of reafoning, 
 it might be ultimately, and juftly, 
 inferred, that nothing but the 
 univerfal fubjeftion of Turkey 
 could enfure a folid and perma- 
 nent pacification. 
 
 Upon the intelligence of this 
 enterprize, the Porte, fufpended 
 between furprife and indignation, 
 prepared a formidable refinance 
 If a patriotic policy had had its 
 due influence, fhe would have re- 
 guarded her fafety, her juft re- 
 fentment, and popular tumults; 
 O 2 fhe
 
 me would have rigged Her fqua- 
 drons and {truck her tents- a 
 powerful influence, prefcribed by 
 moderation at leaft, delayed thofe 
 enterprizes which true policy en- 
 joined : doubts of difafters were 
 artfully infufed, the operations of 
 the Emperor were magnified, the 
 auxiliary of Ruffia ready to act 
 in concert with a hundred thou- 
 fand men. Thefe temporifmg 
 councils prevailed over motives 
 of felf- defence. ; and although 
 Conftantinople, taken in forty- 
 nine days, by Mahomet the Se- 
 had remained defencelefs 
 fince
 
 I 197 ] 
 
 fince that period, and without 
 any, barrier towards the Black Sea, 
 a convention figned in January 
 1784, authorifed the ufurpation 
 of the Crimea and of Couban, but 
 upon articles which were infringed 
 with the fame facility with which 
 they had been framed, 
 
 Georgia and Cabartas foon af- 
 terwards experienced the fame 
 fate ; the Prince Heraclius was 
 bribed ; Egypt was inflamed by 
 the intrigues of Ruffia : every- 
 where, particularly in Moldavia 
 and Wallachia, in the Archipela- 
 03 go,
 
 [ '9* ] 
 
 go, her confuls were incendiaries 
 employed to corrupt the vaffats 
 of the Porte, and to excite infur- 
 re&ions. Since the treaty of 1 7 74, 
 two of thefe emiffaries had been 
 puniftied, and the Emprefs re- 
 garded their punishment as an 
 infraction 6f the laws of nations. 
 In the midft of peace, fome 
 Greeks were taken away by force ; 
 if Ruffian fhips entered the Pro- 
 fontis, it was by falfe reprefen- . 
 tations of the number and ton- 
 nage of thofe veffels ; every day 
 gave rife to fome vexatious pre- 
 tenfions, and they proceeded to 
 
 enter
 
 [ 199 ] 
 
 enter into the fecret councils of 
 the Divan, to interfere in her ad- 
 minifhation, to influence the 
 choice, and to exact the difhuf- 
 fion of public officers. 
 
 The obferver of thefe differen- 
 ces, fo difficult to terminate, after 
 multiplied treaties and conven- 
 tions, muft neceflarily afk what 
 would be the iflue of this war 
 of increafing grievances and con- 
 ventions, each of which has ge- 
 nerated new encroachments and 
 new troubles ? The demands of 
 Ruffia increafed in proportion to 
 O 4 the
 
 [ 200 ] 
 
 the condefcenfion or hefitation of 
 the Divan. The opinions of Eu- 
 rope were divided upon the cou- 
 fequences of this crifis, when me 
 faw the fecond Catherine realife 
 the fable of Sefoftris, departing 
 with inconvenient pomp from the 
 .frozen plains of Ingria, to difplay 
 her powers on the embouchures 
 of the rivers on the Black Sea, to 
 penetrate into new conquefts de- 
 folated fince their fubmiffion, with 
 a dazzling and impofing procef- 
 fion ; and received on the banks of 
 the Nieper by a King of Poland, 
 in the Tauride by the Emperor of 
 Germany,
 
 [ 201 ] 
 
 Germany, and marching with a 
 convoy of forty thoufand men, to 
 take pofleffion of a Muflulman 
 country, under the eyes of the 
 fucceffor of the Khaliphs. While 
 this Princefs difplayed an Orien- 
 tal magnificence before a people, 
 whom, in her laft manift-flo, me 
 had called an afylum of freebooters 
 while the Greek defcription of 
 the road to Bizantium appeared 
 upon the gateway at Cherfon ; (he 
 difquieted the Turks by new 
 diplomatic hoftilities. 
 
 This
 
 This pageant, this oftentation, 
 at length roufed the lion from his 
 lumber. The Emprefs was 
 icarcely returned to Petersburg, 
 before her envoy was imprifoned 
 in the feve'n towers, the Black 
 Sea was covered with fhips, the 
 TurkKh troops were marching 
 through a territory, which had 
 recently re-echoed her triumphal 
 acclamations. 
 
 Political events, and the filent 
 revolutions which were fecretly 
 operating in many parts of Eu- 
 rope, feemed to favour a refolu- 
 
 tioii,
 
 t 
 
 tion, which was juft and decifive. 
 Moft cabinets were tired of the 
 Ruffian haughtinefs, or diflurbed 
 by her projects ; and her intimacy 
 with Auftria could not le'flen this 
 anxiety. Penetration could not 
 reject the furmiie, that a fecret 
 jealoufy fubfifled between the 
 two courts, and that the Empe- 
 ror, an enlightened prince, having 
 the choice of vicinity, would 
 prefer the exhaufted Turks in his 
 alliances, to the Ruffians, whofe 
 preponderance was every where 
 converted into a fovereign influ- 
 ence. Since the peace of Belgrade, 
 
 the
 
 the good intelligence between 
 Vienna and the Porte, was not 
 interrupted. The Turks refpect- 
 ed the misfortunes of Maria 
 There fa ; nor did they profit by 
 the embarraiTments of 1 740, nor 
 thofe of the feven-years wan- 
 Some light clouds were feen to 
 interrupt this harmony: the Di- 
 van had difperfecl them with mo- 
 deration : the Bofnian limits were 
 amicably arranged, and the dif- 
 t rifts of Buckovine were ceded 
 by Turkey with unexpected fa- 
 cility. 
 
 From
 
 [ 2 5 ] 
 
 From thefe circumftances it 
 was fuppofed that the court of 
 Vienna would aft, at leaft, the 
 part of a fimple auxiliary, if (he 
 did not reprefent the character of 
 a dignified neutrality. 
 
 Though the principal, and old- 
 eft, ally of Turkey was occupied 
 by internal troubles, indecifive 
 in her political fyftern, and could 
 only relieve her by negociations, 
 many other flates offered fecret 
 fervices. The Emprefs had cooled 
 the attachment of England by a 
 conduct, which in London was 
 
 called
 
 [ ao6 ] 
 
 called ingratitude. Detached from 
 Pruffia, (he had promifed her guar- 
 rantee for the Bavarian exchange ; 
 and Berlin confidered the court 
 qf Peterlburg as the Emperor*s 
 aflbciate. Poland, meditating re- 
 venge, confiderqd the Turks as 
 their guardians ; and laftly, Swe- 
 den had equal interefts to defend, 
 to render her guarantee, fo often 
 flighted, refpedtable, and to re- 
 fume, after twenty years interval, 
 her equjlibre in the North. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Conftitution Ruffian Influence in Swe- 
 den Affairs of Finland. 
 
 JL HIS ftate was the moft ag- 
 grieved by Ruflia ; the power 
 which deprived her of fo many- 
 provinces in the beginning, go- 
 verned her by a corrupt and de- 
 fpotic influence in the fequel of 
 this century. The conduct of 
 Charles the Twelfth, the pride, 
 and the misfortune of Sweden, 
 
 had
 
 had produced a revolution in the 
 government, in which the pafl 
 only was confidered, without any 
 regard to future evils. Experience 
 of evils often affects nations too 
 much to allow them to weigh 
 and to examine their remedial 
 provifions, the inconveniencies of 
 which are often long concealed, 
 till futurity difcovers their fatal 
 confequences. 
 
 The impetuous difcontent of 
 Sweden, or of fome demagogues, 
 deftroyed the balance of the com- 
 ponent parts of herconftitution. 
 
 In
 
 t 
 
 In the recefs of her diets, the 
 power lodged in the ferrate con- 
 trolled the royal authority ; the 
 nomination and qualification of 
 fenators were given, with the 
 whole legiflative power, to the 
 fhtes. The executive power was 
 fuhjected to a hody, each mem- 
 ber of which might be difmiffed 
 by the ftates ; and the judicial 
 power was veiled in their corns- 
 mittccs. During their feflion?, 
 the complete executive power was 
 vetted in a fee ret commiffion of 
 the flates, without limit or ba- 
 lance, in a body of feven, perhaps 
 P eidit.
 
 r 
 
 eight, hundred men: The royal 
 authority was confined to mere 
 reprefentation ; the King could 
 not difmifs an impertinent fer- 
 vant ; and, in Mr. Sheridan's 
 words, " he appeared only as a 
 " ftate pageant, decorated for ho- 
 " lidays and courtly feftivals*." 
 
 This 
 
 .'* Mr. Sheridan (the Ton of the late 
 Manager of the Dublin theatre, who has 
 exemplified his theory in the education of 
 his children, and to whofe valuable labours 
 the tranflator is happy to advert) was fe- 
 cretary to Sir John Goodrick, when there- 
 volution, which he has recorded, took 
 place in 1774. He was after wards Secre- 
 tary
 
 [ 3 
 
 This conflitution favoured ail 
 the defefts, all the diforders of in- 
 ternal policy, and all the fchemes 
 of foreign adverfaries ; and con- 
 fequently, by the treaty of New- 
 fbdt, in 1721, the Czar became 
 its guarantee. 
 
 Experience is the iureft teft of 
 government : principles may be 
 
 tary at War in Ireland, but he was dii- 
 mifted in 1789, after the great quefiior. 
 of the Regency was decided, with a pen- 
 fion of Sod. The appointment of hi? 
 fucceflbr was fo oddly contrived, as to 
 lofe, inftend of acquiring parliamentary, 
 influence in Ireland. 
 
 P ^ condemned
 
 condemned when attended with 
 pernicious effects. What was 
 the portrait of Sweden in 1772? 
 General weaknefs, fhameful neg- 
 lect in all her departments ; an 
 inconfiderate war in 1757* un- 
 ikillfully, di (honourably conduct- 
 ed ; the love of .glory fubdued by 
 the fpirit of intrigue, and the 
 welfare of the flate by a criminal 
 felfimnefs : places conferred, and 
 powers torn from their monarch 
 by a faction ; all was venal ; each 
 fuffrage, and each majority, the 
 objects of mercantile calculation. 
 " Corruption was fo tranfcen- 
 " dant,"
 
 [ "3 ] 
 
 " daat," fays Frederick the 
 Great, " that at one time a 
 " French, and at another a Ruf- 
 " fian, faclion prevailed, while 
 " the national party never pre- 
 " dominated." 
 
 RufTia played the principal part 
 in this fcene of confufion ; me- 
 ditating the arbitration of the 
 Swedifh government, no oppor- 
 tunity was loft to profit by the 
 general anarchy ; and her fancy 
 decided, in 1750, the contefted 
 bounds of Finland. 
 
 P 3 Ruflia,
 
 Ruffia, allied with France and 
 Auftria, from the diflike of Eli- 
 zabeth to the King of Pruffia, 
 . produced that demolition in 1756 
 .of the feeble remnant of royal 
 authority, as the firfr, fruits of 
 that combination, accompanied 
 with mortifying infults to the 
 King and Queen : and laftly, that 
 .war in 1/56, where Sweden fol- 
 , lowed as a vaffal in proceffion, 
 without mtereft, reafon, or juf- 
 -tice, and faw her brave legions 
 facrificed to the frivolity of her 
 government. 
 
 Intrigues
 
 [ "5 ] 
 
 Intrigues and bribes at Stock- 
 holm were doubled (mce the ac- 
 cemon of the fecond Catherine : 
 the predominance of the party of 
 the Bonnets was fecured ; me 
 dictated all their refolutions ; and 
 while me laboured to introduce 
 anarchy into Poland, me con- 
 firmed and ratified it in Sweden. 
 Nothing remained except the de- 
 thronement of the King ; when 
 the intrepidity of Guftavus the 
 Third prevented this laft attempt, 
 reftored the empire of the laws, 
 circumfcribed that liberty which 
 confided only in the fate of pub- 
 P 4 lie
 
 J 
 
 lie welfare, and banifhed for ever 
 that defpotifm of corruption un- 
 der which fhe had fo long been 
 afflided. 
 
 The Emprefs had engaged the 
 Kin.g of Pruffia in a convention, 
 to guarantv the Swedifh govern- 
 ment as eilabiifhed by the treaty 
 of Newftadt in 1721. From 
 thence we may eftimate her fur- 
 prife at this revolution. " An- 
 " ger and vengeance," fays Fre- 
 derick the Second, " would have 
 " had an immediate operation, 
 " had not the Turks firmly re- 
 
 fifled
 
 " fitted the hard and imperious 
 " terms of peace which me had 
 
 " propofed. The King of 
 
 " Sweden, aware of the danger 
 " by which he was menaced, 
 " laboured a conciliation with 
 ** Denmark, that he might be 
 " engaged with a {ingle adver- 
 " fary. M 
 
 Here we have the moft revered, 
 and the moft decifive evidence 
 of the defigns of the Emprefs 
 againft Sweden : after this, it is 
 no lefs true than it is aflonifhing, 
 that in a reply, contained in a li- 
 bel,
 
 bel, avowed by the cabinet of 
 Peterfburg, entitled, " Obferva- 
 " tions and Hiftorical Ecclaircifle- 
 " ments" fludioufly circulated in 
 Finland, effrontery could mifre- 
 prefent thefe precautions of Guf- 
 tavus, againft the joint animofity 
 of Denmark and Ruffia, under 
 the idea of a voluntary and fanci- 
 ful aggreffion, which the leafh 
 menace from Ruffia would have 
 prevented. 
 
 Affuredly Ruffia was not then 
 in a formidable ftate Had the 
 King of Sweden profited by her 
 
 lofles,
 
 [ "9 J 
 
 iofles, the abfence, ficknefs, and 
 mifery of her troops, the terror 
 and indications of revolt, upon 
 the near approach of PugatfchefF, 
 he had nothing to fear; fave only 
 an abufive and fophiftical mani- 
 fefto from the Ruffian miniflers. 
 
 This Prince was governed by 
 other maxims : he faved the Em- 
 prefs from new dangers ; and 
 public notoriety will prove a chain 
 of folicitude, to maintain harmo- 
 ny and good underftanding be- 
 tween the two courts. 
 
 Notwith-
 
 [ 220 ] 
 
 Notwithftanding this determi- 
 nation, the Ruffian intrigues in- 
 creafed, the flighteft pretexts for 
 difcontent were magnified in 
 Sweden by mifreprefentation ; 
 emiffaries were found in her pro- 
 vinces, to inflame the people by 
 falfe iniinuations. 
 
 Since the peace of Abo, Ruffia 
 had fecretly laboured to detach 
 Finland from Sweden : befide 
 this enterprize, dictated by her 
 ruling principle of ufurpation, the 
 vaft projects of the Czarina in- 
 duced her to prevent the efforts 
 
 of
 
 [ 221 ] , 
 
 of Sweden to affifl her ally, and 
 to attack Ruffia in a vulnerable 
 place. Atone time, fhe fomented 
 the fpirit of revolt, at another, fhe 
 promifed the Philanders indepen- 
 dency. The Baron Sprengporten, 
 loaded with the favours of the 
 King of Sweden, and invefled with 
 great employments in Finland, 
 with every mark of confidence 
 and bounty, was gained by the 
 offers of the Emprefs, and had 
 no fcruples to betray his king, 
 his country, and the mofr. facred 
 obligations. 
 
 3 A Ruf-
 
 A Ruffian officer, under the 
 pretext of curiofity, had, in 1786, 
 vifited the ports of Finland, re- 
 connoitred thofe which might be 
 attacked, and endeavoured to 
 found and to corrupt the princi- 
 ples of the inhabitants. 
 
 This clandestine war 
 
 o o 
 
 the unceafing vigilance of the 
 Swedim King : of the fecret de- 
 figns of Ruffia he could not 
 doubt ; but the moment of open 
 refinance was not come ; and 
 danger was concealed, left the 
 
 king-
 
 [ "3 ] 
 
 kingdom fhould be involved in a 
 premature rupture. 
 
 At length the Porte was roufed 
 from its lethargy. To indicate, 
 the aggreflbr would be idle : af- 
 furedly, tired with the hofHJities 
 of ten years, fhe was not obliged 
 to attend the vilit of the Ruffians 
 at the gates of Conftantinople. 
 Their treaty with Sweden, in 
 1759, enabled them to folicit 
 iuccours. -The intereft and en- 
 gagements of Guflavus concurred 
 with their defire. 
 
 Rufiia
 
 Ruffia immediately refolved to 
 cripple Sweden, by thofe mea- 
 fures which had ruined Poland, 
 enflaved the Crimea, and fub- 
 jecled Courland. The embers of 
 the flame in 1772 were revived 
 the Count Rofamoufki refumed 
 the part of his predeceffors as 
 minuter of the Emprefs every 
 engine was employed to excite a 
 faction againfl the King the 
 Ruffian Envoy's conduct was moil 
 Indifcreet public feduclion was 
 evident in his words and actions 
 in the capital, and under the 
 King's eyes, no Ambaffador ever 
 
 braved
 
 [ "5 ] 
 
 braved fo audacioufly the refpect 
 due to fovereigns, the rights of 
 hofpitality, and the duties of his 
 function. The Count Rofamou- 
 iki had forgot difcretion ; his de- 
 clarations were outrages, appeals 
 to the people againfr. their fove- 
 reign : bold and infidious, thefe 
 hoftile notes infufed rancor and 
 gall into the hearts of too many. 
 The government did not forget 
 in this conjuncture what was due 
 to public tranquillity and the laws 
 of. nations. The king declined to 
 acknowledge his powers as a mi- 
 nifter, and compelled him to 
 
 abandon
 
 abandon the theatre of his in- 
 trigues. 
 
 The Emprefs not only juftified, 
 but complained of the difmiffion 
 of her minifter : Europe was 
 mocked at the conduct of the 
 court of Peterfburg, which treat- 
 ed felf-defence as a proof of hof- 
 tility.-r-Neither refpect for kings, 
 nor prudence, nor conciliation, 
 formed any part of her conduct ; 
 even peace was announced with 
 infulting language. 
 
 When 
 I
 
 When victory had abandoned 
 her arms, artifice fucceeded ; her 
 agents tampered with the officers 
 of the Finland troops the moft 
 defpotic court in the univerfe re- 
 founded the word liberty in the 
 ears of the Swedim fubje&s : 
 fome of whom forgot their alle- 
 giance to their King and country, 
 deferted them in the hour of dan- 
 ger, and entered into a traiterous 
 correfpondence. A terrible ex- 
 ample, an awful leflbn, for thofe 
 fbtes whofe deftiny placed their 
 interefts in oppoiition to the de- 
 figns of Ruffia. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Negotiations of England and Pruffia 
 with the Czarina Interefts of the 
 Maritime Powers The Importance 
 of the EftabliJJment of Rtijfia, as a 
 Naval Power, in the Mediterranean. 
 
 JL HE inflexible pride of that 
 court prevailed at the moment of 
 the burfting of a ftorm ; when 
 Poland was ready to break her 
 chains, and Pruffia to fecond her 
 laudable deligns ; when the cabi- 
 nets
 
 [ "9 ] 
 
 nets of Potfdam and of London 
 engaged in the fame interefl : all 
 mediation was fcornfully rejected; 
 me received the offer of the Swe- 
 difh King, to reconcile her to the 
 Porte, with difdain ; which com- 
 pelled him to the neceffity of de- 
 fenfive meafures, and the com- 
 pletion of his engagements with 
 Turkey. 
 
 The mediation of England was 
 equally rejected without regard 
 to their alliance, to pail fervice, 
 or the flight ties by which they 
 were allied. The Englifli pride 
 
 and
 
 3 
 
 and liberality were fliocked with 
 flratagems, with difdain, with 
 hoftile intimations, from a court 
 which owed her eternal obliga- 
 tions. The expedition to the Ar- 
 chipelago was folely to be afcribed 
 to Englifh aid and affiftance, and 
 to them the glory of it mould be 
 afcribed : the difabled fleet of the 
 Emprefs harboured, repaired, and 
 victualled by England, could ne- 
 ver have cleared the Channel 
 without the (kill of Britifh pilots ; 
 nor would they have burned the 
 Turkifh fleet, had it not been for 
 the ability of the firft of the ma- 
 ritime
 
 ritime powers. If England ena- 
 bled the Ruffian flag to appear 
 without difhonour before the Dar- 
 danelles, and zealoufly befriended 
 her negotiations, what was her 
 acknowledgement ? A defertion 
 when England was almoft over- 
 powered by her enemies, that 
 armed neutrality which deprived 
 them of thofe mariners they pro- 
 cured from the Baltic, which ena- 
 bled Holland to carry on an illicit 
 trade, which fpecioufly gave the 
 title of the proteftrefs of marine 
 freedom to the Emprefs, but 
 which, in reality, was a mortal 
 
 wound
 
 wound to the importance of Eng- 
 land. 
 
 The Englifh capitals and tra- 
 ders are the great refource of the 
 Ruffian commerce, the vital prin- 
 ciples of her tardy circulation ; 
 though the balance of trade is 
 a lofs of near one million annu- 
 ally to England, though Englim 
 fhips coiiftitute the half of the 
 veffels which arrive annually at 
 Cronftadt, the Emprefs has pro- 
 craflinated the renewal of their 
 commercial treaty : eluding the 
 2 folicita-
 
 felicitations of the Englifh cabi- 
 net, promifmg much and termi- 
 nating nothing, the negotiation 
 has languimed, and the effects of 
 their projected arrangements are 
 as humiliating as they are ridicu- 
 lous. 
 
 The new allies of England in- 
 vited the Emprefs to reflect upon 
 the propoftrd joint arbitration of 
 Great Britain and Pruflia. The 
 fucceflbr of Frederick the Great, 
 ambitious more of the title of a 
 peacemaker than of a conqueror, 
 held the balance with a firm and 
 impartial
 
 impartial hand, and propofed an 
 amicable adjuftment. His reign 
 daily acquired, without the eclat 
 of war, that reputation, which 
 wife and able meafures, the wif- 
 dom of councils, the moderation 
 and jufr, management of power, 
 never fail to beftow. The King 
 of Pruffia had difcovered a mine of 
 mifchief formed in Poland, by 
 Ruffian emiffaries, equally dan- 
 gerous to Pruffia, as well as to 
 Turkey. An exclufive alliance, 
 was projected between that re- 
 public and Ruffia ; by the energy 
 of his declarations, and the con- 
 viction
 
 [. >35 1 
 
 vidlion of his resolution, the court 
 of Berlin warded off this ftroke, 
 and gave new life to Poland. 
 Whether the Ruffian minifters 
 were blinded by the facility and 
 poffibility of a great event, or 
 whether Catherine, intoxicated 
 by fuccefs, confulted more her 
 favourites than her mtereft, me 
 rejected, with difdain, the idea 
 of mediation ; fhe braved all 
 rifques, and the moderation of 
 the King of Pruffia folely pre- 
 vented a formidable alliance of 
 five powers againft Ruffia. 
 
 CHAR
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Conclufion General Remarks Sum- 
 mary of this Work *. 
 
 ISlJCH are the hiftorical features 
 of the prefent time, of which 
 all Europe is a witnefs. Her 
 Kings have viewed perhaps with 
 
 too 
 
 * This conclufive chapter is, perhaps, the 
 moil valuable part of this work. A ftiort 
 and comprehensive account of the politi- 
 cal interefts of the different ftates in Eu- 
 rope
 
 [ 2 37 J 
 
 too much prudence, the progrefs 
 of this enterprifing policy, by 
 which the laws of nations have 
 
 been 
 
 rope is much wanted : and it is very ex- 
 traordinary, that, at the prefent crifis, an 
 able pamphlet has not appeared upon Con- 
 tinental affairs, nor upon the part which 
 this country might a6t as the arbiter of 
 Europe. 
 
 According to what, I believe, may 
 he confidered as the moft authentic 
 compilation of parliamentary debates, be- 
 fore they were regularly publiflied in 
 newfpapers, in 17/3-4, I mean the de- 
 bates in the Lilliputian club, where the 
 names of the principal fpeakers are travef- 
 
 tied
 
 been annulled, the faith of treaties 
 has difappeared, and the abufe of 
 power has legitimated ufurpatioru 
 
 This 
 
 tied in the Gentleman's Magazine; the 
 principal debates in the days of Sir Robert 
 Wai pole turned upon foreign treaties and 
 Continental interefts. 
 
 This Chapter refembles that fhort, but 
 excellent, abridgement of the ftate of Eu- 
 rope, by Sir William Temple, in 1673, 
 prefented to the Duke of Ormond by that 
 great man at the end of his fecond em- 
 taffy, in anfwer to his fhort queftion, 
 " What was neceffary to be done ?" 
 or what part this country fhould take at 
 
 that crifis 
 
 It
 
 [ 2 39 ] 
 
 This vaft empire, which, for 
 
 twenty years, has fpread terror, 
 
 corruption, defpotifm, and war, 
 
 embraces 
 
 It were much to be defined that fome 
 able man, in the diplomatic line, would 
 favour the public with fome chart of the 
 prefent fchemes, alliances, connections, 
 and interefts, of the Continent I fay 
 the public, becaufe, notwithstanding 
 fome new do6trines, publicity is the 
 vital principle of a free country; infor- 
 mation and intelligence can alone animate 
 their exertions, and diiet their energy, 
 It is very eafy to talk of committing lives 
 and fortunes ; but mankind mufl be per- 
 fuaded that they are in the right, before 
 they can be prevailed upon to engage 
 
 with
 
 embraces all varieties of climate, 
 and comprehends every fpecies of 
 refource. Seas inacceffible to Eu- 
 ropean 
 
 with zeal and patriotifm in foreign wars : 
 blinfolded exertions are childifli and con- 
 temptible. 
 
 For fuch a character as Sir William 
 Temple, we fliall look in vain, while 
 our embaffies are beftowed merely from 
 parliamentary intereft, or rendered com- 
 modious for men who cannot live conve- 
 niently at home. This great man was 
 patronized by the Duke of Ormond, in 
 confequence of his exertions in the Irifh 
 parliament after the reiteration, where, 
 as representative of the county of Carlow, 
 
 he
 
 ropean fleets ; deferts or enflaved 
 countries are her frontiers : hi- 
 therto, impreffions upon her ter- 
 ritory 
 
 he appeared as the firfl fpeaker, and the 
 ableft member, of that aflembly. Some 
 time ago I was much difappointed in my 
 application to the nobleman who inherits 
 his name and virtues, for fome early me- 
 morials of Sir William Temple, as this 
 part of his life has not been dwelt upon 
 by any of his biographers ; and thefe anec- 
 dotes to which I allude, were collected, 
 with fome materials, for a parliamentary 
 hiftory of Ireland to the revolution, in 
 which I have heen for fome lime engaged. 
 This work I intend to form upon Mr. 
 Hatfell's plan, and to render it enter- 
 R taining
 
 J 
 
 ritory have been haftily deemed 
 impra&icable. While her ad- 
 verfaries remain upon the defen- 
 iive, fwarms of undifciplined fa- 
 vages emigrate from their ha- 
 bitations, and deftroy extenfive 
 countries in a campaign. Pruflia 
 and Poland flill bleed from thofe 
 
 taining by fome memoirs of the Duke of 
 Ormond, from papers communicated to 
 me by a particular friend, the heir of that 
 illuftrious nobleman, to whom I have the 
 honour of being nearly allied : and I fliall 
 leave it to my country, if I may hope 
 that a fufficient period is allotted to me 
 to accornplifh fo laborious an undertaking. 
 
 ravages,
 
 ravages, when troops which ard 
 mowed down without being fub- 
 .dued, are animated by pillage, by 
 fanaticifm, or by the ambition of 
 their fovereign, who in Idling 
 foldiers, only lofes (laves ; woe 
 to thofe ilates which border upon 
 this deftrudive power ! 
 
 Peace mufl be purchafed 'by 
 Sacrifices, or fecured by a prepa- 
 ration commenfurate to the dan- 
 ger. Rufiia menaces at thje fame 
 time, Turkey, the North, and 
 Germany : the reduftion of one, 
 would accelerate the conqueft of 
 R 2 the
 
 the .others. Solitary refinance is 
 vain, againfr. an empire which 
 can produce foldiers, like grains 
 of fand, whofe policy has no other 
 principles trian thofe of intereft, 
 and whofe bold maxims corref- 
 pond with that fortune, which has 
 fo long favoured their projects, 
 
 By the fchemes me has exe- 
 cuted in Poland, that republic, 
 and Courland, are warned of the 
 danger which threatens them, if 
 they mould not ferioufly advert to 
 timely provifions for their fafety. 
 
 Before
 
 C 
 
 Before the Ruffian was united 
 with the Auftrian army, Frede- 
 rick the Great was furprifed at 
 the rapidity of their progrefs ; he 
 had feen them penetrate into the 
 heart of his Hates, and lay Pru Ilia 
 under contribution, a country 
 always expofed to invafion, while 
 Poland and Couiiand are under 
 Ruffian influence, Ruffia, as the 
 auxiliary of the chief of the Ger- 
 man empire, and aflbciated in 
 his projects, can attack Pruffia on 
 the fouth as well as the north, aid 
 the Emperor by her divedions, 
 R 3 and
 
 t 246 1 
 
 fcnd menace the liberty of Ger- 
 many,- 
 
 Sweden maintains her fitua- 
 tion, thanks to the firmnefs and 
 precaution of her king ; but 
 recent events reveal the fecret of 
 that flender thread upon which 
 her tranquillity depends, and de- 
 monftrates the neceility of a ba- 
 lance which may place the Em- 
 prefs in due bounds of limitation. 
 
 A fimilar intereft mould affeft 
 the politics of Denmark, if the 
 memory of their abfurd rivality 
 
 with
 
 [ 247 ] 
 
 with Sweden, and the prejudices of 
 her minifters, fhould no longer 
 fafcinate that country. Can (he 
 not perceive that her alliance is 
 an inftrument which fhe lends 
 to Ruffia to difquiet her neigh- 
 bours, and to tyrannize over the 
 North ? Is it not clear, that in 
 lending her influence to weak- 
 en, or to crufh the powers on 
 the Baltic, fhe will ultimately 
 contribute to her own depreffion ? 
 What would be her fecurity, if 
 the neighbouring powers fhould 
 be difabled, or fubdued by Ruffia ? 
 Every thing confplres to induce 
 R 4 Denmark
 
 t 248 ] 
 
 Denmark to a mutual defenfive 
 alliance, to maintain the equi- 
 libre, to counterbalance the pre- 
 ponderance of Ruffia, to imitate 
 that noble fyftem, the Geimanic 
 league, the rampart of weak ftates 
 againft the power of a great em- 
 pire. 
 
 The maritime and commercial 
 ftates, the South, Italy, and Ve- 
 nice, in particular, are affected 
 by the fame intereils, and mould 
 participate in the fame apprehen- 
 fions. Should Ruffia eftablim her 
 power in the Mediterranean, hu- 
 man
 
 man forefight cannot appreciate 
 or comprehend the wide and vaft 
 effects of fuch a revolution. 
 
 To all thefe, Ifliall fubjoin the 
 fupereminent confideration of the 
 happinefs of Ruffia herfelf, of 
 her true glory, of her national 
 interefls, facrifked to the eclat of 
 a tranfitory reign, whofe trophies 
 are ftained with blood. That na- 
 tion, which has furprifed Europe 
 with the rapidity of her civiliza- 
 tion, fhould endeavour to con- 
 fummate that great work ; to 
 which peace is eflential. The 
 
 natural
 
 natural aptitude of that robufr, 
 flexible, and penetrating people, 
 to repair the ravages of iucceffive 
 wars, would facilitate this defign. 
 They yet want arts, manufac- 
 tures, internal and foreign com- 
 merce, capitals, population ; and 
 her civilization does not extend 
 beyond Mofcow. This cannot 
 be the work of a fovereign, en- 
 grofled with ideas of territorial 
 aggrandizement; nor of favourites 
 trembling at her nod, at their 
 future defliny, and providing afy- 
 lums in the neighbouring ftates 
 as refuges from defpotifm. This 
 
 great
 
 great donation is referved to the 
 nobility, to the nation itfelf, 
 formed to give examples of virtue, 
 which decorate humanity. It is 
 alone by exerting her activity in 
 the centre of the ftate, that her 
 wounds can be healed, and that 
 (he can fupport the inconvenient 
 and gigantic extent of her empire. 
 
 The Ruffians ftill proudly re* 
 member thatPrince who, uninten- 
 tionally perhaps, prepared them 
 for freedom, while they were ci- 
 vilized as flaves. Of all die plans 
 and fchemes of that great manj 
 
 the
 
 t 5 3 
 
 'the mod admirable, though the 
 leaft noticed, was that of aban- 
 'doning two thirds of that vaft 
 empire to bears and to nature, 
 to concenter the whole popula- 
 tion in the provinces which are 
 within a practicable diftance of 
 the capital, and to ftrengthen his 
 country by confolidation. This 
 policy is a fatire upon the prefent 
 .reign ; a policy affuredly adopted 
 by the intelligent part of the 
 community ; they have too much 
 good fenfe not to lament, that all 
 her powers have been turned 
 again ft her genius and difpofition, 
 
 againfi
 
 [ *53 I 
 
 againft her intereft, and to fee 
 the deftrudtion of her refourcesv 
 without the acquifition of any 
 iblid advantage. Of what mo- 
 ment are vain and pompous con- 
 quefts, which exift only in founds, 
 in hymns, in Te Deums, and in 
 
 feftivals?* 
 
 May 
 
 * This fentence has been extended by 
 the Tranflator no other liberty has been 
 taken in this Englifli verfion, fave only 
 that of dividing it into Chapters, and ad- 
 ding a few notes. This Work has been 
 authenticated to me, as the work of the 
 King of Sweden, though it cannot be 
 fuppofed that it was compiled without 
 
 afiiftance
 
 [ '54 ] 
 
 May the fucceflbrto this throne, 
 that Prince, whom Europe has 
 obferved in his travels, accompa- 
 nied with fuch modefty, an ex- 
 
 affiftance, as the Pofthumous Works of 
 Frederick the Great were rev i fed by the 
 Pruflian Minifter, Count Hertzberg. No 
 pains have been fpared to make the tranf- 
 Jation and the printing as accurate as pof- 
 fible. It is to be hoped the Public will 
 accept of apologies for any miftake in a 
 work undertaken in a period of indifpofi- 
 tion, and of political turbulence; which 
 -could not (the Public muft fuppofe) be 
 accompanied with pleafant reflections, 
 nor be altogether favourable to the lite- 
 rary purfuits of the Tranflator. 
 
 3 ample
 
 t 
 
 ample of private virtues, and 
 vvhofe benign inclinations may 
 heal the \vounds of thofe fruitlels 
 wars. May the Grand Duke 
 be no longer guided by this ab- 
 furd, and romantic policy. May 
 he fubftitute in the place of fal- 
 lacious grandeur, that true great- 
 nefs which refults from the mo- 
 deration of princes, and from the 
 profperity of their people. 
 
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