DEAR SIR, No. 2. St Petersburgh, 14th September 1787. Nothing, I am sure, could have given me more satisfaction and pleasure, than receiving a letter from a friend, whose acquaintance ever shall be in the highest esteem to my memory, and which I should be glad to cultivate in any region of our globe. I sincerely thank you for the map of your great tour of Europe. It shews the greatest exactness, agility, and contempt of all fatigues. I am here these two months past, and suppose shall remain here till after St Catherine's. I have renewed, as you may suppose, my old acquaintances, the fair Countess, and the house of Nariskin, which you certainly must remember, for their great politeness and friendship shown to all strangers. I have made some new acquaintances, especially of the beau sex, amongst which a most fine and beautiful lady, just come out of the country, something of the Greek blood, and the figure of Angelica Kauffman's drawings, with brilliant eyes, full of meaning, innocence and sensibility of heart. I wish you could see her; you would not hesitate a moment to give her la pomme de Paris. I sincerely wish to make once more a trip to old England, to see my old friends again, and to renew to you the sincerest sentiments of my heart, with which I ever shall be, Dear Sir, your most obedient and devoted servant, B. KLOPMAN. Not having more but one of my Crimea medals, I beg you to accept of the inclosed one. Adieu. No. 3. Mittau, 23d July 1789. SIR, I beg leave to present you a medal which I had struck on the surrender of Oczakow, an event so remarkable in the history of Russia, and so glorious to the hero. Pray accept of it, as a small token of that high esteem, and particular friendship, which you have raised in me, when I had the pleasure of making your agreeable acquaintance. Won't you be tempted to make another trip to St Petersburgh, where delicate pleasure and brilliant amusements abide? You are still in great remembrance; and when I was last there, I had a fine conversation with the pretty and amiable ladies in the house of M. Nariskin, who inquired much after you. Adieu! Wishing you health and happiness, the greatest blessings in human nature, I am, with truth and attachment, Dear Sir, your most obedient and devoted servant, B. KLOPMAN. 11.-M. PLESCHEEF. The advantages resulting from statistical inquiries were but little known in Russia. I was extremely anxious, therefore, to have them introduced into that country. With that view I was induced to send the plan I had pursued, in drawing up the Statistical Account of Scotland, to M. Pleschééf, an intelligent author, who had published "A Geographical Sketch of the Russian Empire." It was considered to be the best account of that country, that had hitherto been given to the public; and I had great hopes that an author, who had succeeded so well on a small scale, might successfully attempt a work on a greater one. His answer I subjoin. But however ready the author was to engage in such an undertaking, and however anxious he might be to complete it, I am apprehensive that it did not receive that aid from the government, without which no great undertaking of a statistical nature can be completed in such a country as Russia. MONSIEUR *, Je suis bien sensible à l'honneur que vous m'avez fait, de SIR, * Translation. St Petersburgh, September 25. 1792. I am very sensible of the honour you have done me, in communicating to me the plan of your researches for the complete history of sheep, along with the Pro. me communiquer le plan de vos recherches pour l'histoire complette de la brebis, ensemble avec le Prospectus de l'Analyse precieuse et infiniment ingenieuse de l'Etat Politique de l'Ecosse. Je voudrois pouvoir contribuer quelque chose à l'égard du premier; mais comme toutes les observations faites relativement aux brebis de ce pays-ci doivent être en langue Russe, je ne sçais si vous pourrez en retirer de l'utilité. Si j'en trouve, cependant, qui soient dignes de vous être offertes, je veux essayer de vous en envoyer quelquesunes, en reconnoissance du plaisir que me procurent vos ouvrages utiles et interessans, et en vue de vous témoigner l'estime et l'admiration que m'inspire votre caractére genereux, energique et philosophe, et votre travail infatigable pour le bien et l'utilité publique. A Je suis enchanté et très flatté, Monsieur, que mon Precis Geographique de l'Empire de Russie ait rencontré votre approbation dans la traduction qu'en a fait Mr. Smirnove. Il m'a spectus of the valuable and infinitely ingenious Analysis of the Political State of Scotland. I should wish to be able to contribute something to assist you in the first work; but as all my observations regarding the sheep of this country ought to be made in the Russian language, I do not know if they could be of any use. If, however, I can think of any worth offering you, I shall send them to you, in acknowledgment of the pleasure which your useful and interesting works afford me, and with the view of shewing you the esteem and admiration with which your generous, ardent, and philosophical character inspires me, labouring as you do indefatigably for the public good. I am delighted and much flattered, Sir, that my Geographical Summary of the Empire of Russia has met with your approbation in the translation made of it by Mr Smirnove. It was impossible for me to enlarge it, on account of the restrictions which were laid upon me, and the little time that was given me for the work by Madame the Grand Duchess, who desired only a very concise abridgment of its actual state and subdivisions. Perhaps one day I may attempt to give, on a more philosophic and extensive plan, a complete statistical description of Russia; and undoubtedly nothing could more facilitate this design, than the inestimable model which you have had the goodness to present to me, and which, beyond all dispute, should be considered as a solid basis, and a classical rule for all those who are occupied in similar researches. With the renewed assurances of my liveliest gratitude for all that you have been pleased to communicate to me, I have the honour to be, with the sincerest respect and veneration, Sir, your very humble and obedient servant, S. PLESCHEEF. été impossible de faire rien de plus ample, à cause des restrictions qui m'ont été faites, et de peu de temps qui m'a été donné pour cet ouvrage par Madame la Grande Duchesse, qui n'a voulu avoir qu'un abrégé très concis de la Russie, dans son état et sa repartition actuelle. Il se peut qu'un jour je travaille sur un plan plus philosophique et plus étendu, pour donner une description statistique complette de la Russie; et sans doute rien ne pourra mieux m'en faciliter les moyens d'en venir à bout, que l'inestimable modèle que vous avez eu la bonté de me communiquer, et qui peut, sans contredit, être consideré comme une base solide, et une regle classique pour tous ceux qui s'occupent de pareilles recherches. Tout en vous réitérant les assurances de ma plus vive reconnoissance, pour tout ce que vous avez bien voulu me communiquer, j'ai l'honneur d'être, avec le respect et la veneration la plus sincere, Monsieur, votre très humble et très obéissant serviteur, St. Petersbourg, Septembre 25. 1792. S. PLESCHEEF. |