BY THE AUTHOR OF THE CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE TRENTON: PRINTED FOR MOORE & LAKE. IF F ever there was a man whose actions deserved a particular history, it was PETER I. emperor of Russia. The historian of the late king of Sweden, when he says that Charles XII. and Peter Alexiowitz were the most extraordinary persons that have been known for many ages, allows the latter to be far the greater man of the two. The one had indeed much to be admired, little to be imitated; the other will be a subject of wonder to all mankind, and a pattern of imitation to every prince who aims to be truly great. But neither does the business of human life permit, or our natural curiosity require, to read over all the circumstances of the most illustrious life, in order to form an idea of the person. Contemporaries may be pleased to view these particulars as they rise, but must wish, when the actions are over, to take a retrospect of them in a narrower compass, and not forever to have recourse to a journal. This will hold good at least in general; and for those who are of a contrary opinion, there were histories of the czar Peter already in print in their own taste, when we ventured to publish one more adapted to ours. If the merit of compiling gave a sanction to transcriptions in one particular, we thought that of abridging might do it to extracts in another. The public itself, we venture to say, will be no loser by what has been done. It has now in reality a new history, in a great measure written from new materi399 |