took twenty persons with him, of whom thirteen were laid up, with various complaints, in consequence of so fatiguing an expedition, and he himself was in a very indifferent state of health for some time after his return.

He was very attentive to matters of police. The principal towns were well lighted, and under good regulation. All over his dominions the roads were in excellent order, and as good as in England, with barrieres or turnpikes. The inns were very tolerable, and they had good horses and drivers. Robberies very rarely happened, and travellers went with equal safety by night as by day, through all parts of his dominions, with the exception of the Bannat of Transylvania, where no traveller was secure, unless he was conducted from one village to another by armed peasants; to insure whose fidelity, they were made answerable for the safety of their charge, with their lives.

He was reckoned by his own subjects severe, and even hardhearted. He has been known to aggravate, and not to mitigate the sentences of courts-martial; and, in consequence of his express orders, they have been compelled to increase the punishments they had ordered. He abolished, however, in a great measure, the punishment of death, and malefactors were condemned to clean the streets, working in chains, which, to persons of humanity, was a spectacle of a most disagreeable kind.

He obtained great popularity by receiving petitions, even from his meanest subjects, at a certain place in the palace appointed for them to stand at, and to which he came personally by a private passage. Sometimes the finest young women in Vienna attended, under pretence of having grievances to be redressed. This often gave occasion for scandal. But he always said that he was determined to keep no mistress, lest she should acquire an ascendancy over him; and, as to debauching women of condition, he thought such practices in the highest degree unworthy of a sovereign.

He occasionally mixed in private society, where he appeared to great advantage, being an entertaining and agreeable

companion; in particular, an excellent story-teller. He was always ready, (having a carriage and horses in waiting), to attend in person, in case of fire, or any other accident; and some poor people, being on one occasion likely to be drowned in the Danube, a cobler said, "He would bring the Emperor to save them;" which he actually did, much to the monarch's credit.

He occasionally amused himself with discussing the modern philosophical discoveries in regard to the nature of air, &c. with the celebrated Dr Ingenhouze; and he behaved with much generosity to the famous Baron Born, having permitted him, not only to publish his discoveries in mineralogy, but to teach persons, from any foreign country, their nature and effects. In private life, therefore, his character was greatly superior to what it was usually considered to be.

His public character was not so respectable. He was full of projects of aggrandizement, in which he never succeeded. He first attempted to conquer Bavaria, but immediately drew back at the threats of the Prussian eagle. He next intended to open the Scheldt, but gave up that idea when France declared itself hostile to the project; and he likewise renounced his intention of exchanging the Netherlands, in consequence of the bold, decisive, but judicious opposition he met with from "The Germanic League." It is certain that he was anxious to signalize his reign by some important conquest; and for that purpose he entered into the most intimate connexion with the Empress Catherine, with a view of conquering Turkey, and dividing its European dominions between them.

As to England, he had conceived some strong prejudices against it, in so much, that when any of his subjects wished to visit it, he generally refused them leave." What is there to be seen in that country," (he said), "that may not be seen elsewhere?" He afterwards, however, altered his tone. He permitted Count Bergen and his son to proceed to England, in the summer of 1786; and when the Archduke and Archduchess had visited the country, and given a very flattering ac

count of their journey, the Emperor expressed a wish that he had been of the party.

During the encampment in 1786, he one day sent for Colonel Gordon, a respectable English officer, to sit next him at table, and had much interesting conversation with him. He told him," Your King does not like Germany, at least Upper Germany. Had I been well used by England, it might have depended upon my friendship, and it would never have lost America." He certainly might have prevented France from aiding the revolted colonies, without which they would scarcely have persevered in the contest, or succeeded in the attempt. Nothing could exceed the negligence of the English government to its diplomatic concerns with the court of Vienna. Sir Robert M. Keith assured me, that for weeks his letters remained unanswered; and he wished that his court would only send him large packets of old newspapers, the receipt of which would have given him some consequence in the eyes of the Austrian government; whereas he was sometimes, for weeks together, without receiving any communication what

ever.

Is it to be wondered at, that, with such culpable negligence, our foreign affairs should, in those times, have been unsuccessfully conducted?

II.

THE EMPRESS CATHERINE.

Audience of the Empress Catherine, and Reminiscences of her Character.

On the 25th August 1786, I had the honour of being presented to this great sovereign. The court commenced about half past eleven. The rooms were filled with about 400 courtiers. At twelve the Empress came from her private apartments to go to mass. A lane was made for her and her

suite. She was preceded by the Princess Dashkow and six or seven other ladies. The reason why there were no more present, was, that the ladies only came when the court was held in the evening, unless when they attended officially. Count Czernichew, vice-president of the admiralty, took me to the chapel to hear mass. It was a very poor building for such a ceremony; but the priests, with their long beards, and rich vestments, made a striking and imposing appearance. The Empress stood by herself, and went through all the ceremonies with great decorum. When the service was over, I went to the hall where strangers were introduced, and was presented to Prince Potemkin. He was tall, (about six feet two,) and distinguished, not only by his height, but by the strength and manliness of his appearance. His countenance was not unpleasant, when he was disposed to be agreeable. He entered with great affability into conversation with me, which was uncommon at a first introduction. He spoke with much contempt of the King of Sweden. He afterwards talked of my intended journey to Poland, where he had great estates; and expressed a wish that I should give him some advice how to improve them. The return of the Empress being announced, the foreign ministers, and those stranwho had been already presented, kissed her hand. I was then introduced by Count Osterman. She asked me how I came to Petersburgh ?---if I had had a pleasant voyage?—and added, that she hoped I would find my stay in Russia agreeable. A Swedish officer, and some of her own subjects, were afterwards introduced; but she spoke to none of them. short, I found, that I had met with what was considered to be a most gracious reception, as she hardly spoke to any, but persons of considerable distinction. The court had fallen off much from its ancient splendour. To check the spirit of luxury and expense, provincial, and even official uniforms had been introduced, and none but foreigners were richly habited.

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The mode of living adopted by the Empress was extremely regular. She rose between six and seven, and dedicated the

morning entirely to business. She dined about one, and after dinner retired to her cabinet. The evening was devoted to amusements of a general nature, either at the theatre, or in the palace, with a select company of her private friends.

Her information, particularly in regard to political subjects, was very general and extensive. The instructions written by her own hand, for drawing up a code of laws, is a most extraordinary performance for a woman; being, I believe, the only instance extant of female judicial legislation *. I have seen her correspondence with the famous Buffon, which proves how well she was acquainted with philosophical subjects. She knew the French belles lettres perfectly, and, in 1786, was reading Shakespeare in the German translation. She also wrote comedies herself; and in any part of the world would have been accounted, in private life, a most accomplished woman.

Her skill in government was great.. In any progress through her dominions, she suffered the meanest peasant to address her; and they universally called her by the friendly and emphatic name of Matouskin, or Mother. To the army, and to the guards in particular, she was very attentive; and on certain fixed days dined at a table with the officers of the different corps. Neither was the church neglected; for besides much attention to individuals of character and respect in that order, and a strict performance of all the outward forms of religion, she proved her zeal and devotion, by working, with her own hands, as the priests believed or asserted, the most magnificent vestments, for the use of the principal ecclesiastics of her empire, when they celebrated public worship on any important festival.

She had a number of personal favourites, to whom she was very liberal. She was particularly attached to Landskoi, and attended him personally during his sickness, like a wife.

• Upon examining the original MS., which is carefully preserved in the repositories of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, I observed, that the whole of it was not published. The following paragraph, in particular, upon the subject of marriage, was omitted: "Les filles sont assez portées au mariage. Ce sont les garçons qu'il faut encourager."