MEMOIRS

OF

DISTINGUISHED WOMEN.

CATHERINE II. (Concluded.)

IN tranquillity, abroad and at home, Catherine employed herself in cultivating the arts of peace, in the improvement of the country, and in enlightening the minds of the nation. In these occupations Potemkin became so useful as to acquire an influence almost despotic. To him the courtiers looked as to the source of honours, and the people as the dispenser of benefits: nor did he fail to abuse his good fortune. The empress studied to preserve the peace between her favourite and the Orloffs, whose petition to retire was rejected, lest they should carry with them sentiments that might become dangerous to the empire. Gregory Orloff, piqued and incensed at this refusal, expostulated with Catherine, and recalled to her remembrance his boasted services, his fidelity and his zeal. Having listened with temper to his complaints, she soothed his resentment, and assured him that the empress was always his friend. She wished, by opposing him to the petulance of his rival, to check the presumption of Potemkin, and to balance them against each other.

Orloff experienced new mortification in the resolution of the empress to visit Moscow, a measure advised by his rival, and against which he remonstrated in vain. Aware of the bigotry of the provinces through which she must pass, Catherine disdained not to flatter the popular superstitions: sho VOL. II.

A

carried with her a number of small figures of saints, which she caused to be distributed among the churches and chapels on the road. A large picture, richly decorated with gold and diamonds, was also prepared for the cathedral at Moscow, and, placed on a carriage, followed in the train of the empress. Six hundred men from each regiment of guards, who had preceded her arrival at the ancient metropolis, drawn up in arms, waited to receive her.

Catherine entered Moscow, under triumphal arches, with a brilliant retinue, amidst a crowd of spectators: order and magnificence prevailed on every side. The populace,more surprised than affected, exhibited no symptoms of joy. All was silent, though a diminution of imposts had been proclaimed previous to the ceremony. But the homage which was withheld from the mother was lavished upon the son. It is pretended, that a courtier, struck with the contrast, thus addressed the duke, into whose sentiments he wished to penetrate: "Your imperial highness sees how much you are beloved. Oh! if you would..... Paul, to his honour, is said to have answered this insinuation only by a severe look. Some days after her arrival at Moscow, Catherine performed a pilgrimage on foot attended by her court, to a convent situated forty versts from the city. Count Panin only was omitted in the invitation to this act of devotion.

Panin had become negligent of his duties both as a courtier and minister: Potemkin, who, in succeeding to the post of Orloff, had succeeded to his ambition, took advantage of this remissness to prejudice him in favour of the empress. The favourite, who aspired to the hand and throne of Catherine, stood in awe of the frankness and influence of the minister.

With these views Potemkin, whose disregard and contempt. of religion had been notorious, suddenly assumed the exterior of piety. At the beginning of Lent, to the astonishment of the court, he renounced those luxuries to which he had been attached, and practised the most rigid austerity. He confessed regularly every day, and wearied the saints with prayer: his table was furnished with roots, and his drink was water. To the confessor of Catherine, to whom he chose to unburthen his transgressions, he disclosed the scruples of his conscience respecting his intercourse with the empress, since it had not

received the sanction of the church. The monk, from whatever motive, entered into the views of his penitent, and acquitted himself of the commission he had received. Catherine, perceiving the source of this pretended delicacy, sent for Potemkin, to whom she addressed herself with mingled tenderness and firmness. She gave him to understand, without entering into any explanations, that, notwithstanding her regard for him, she was still mistress of her passions; and that if he was no longer disposed to fill the post of favourite, she could resolve without difficulty to put another in his place.

Potemkin, confounded and abashed, was unable to conceal his vexation: he talked of taking orders, and causing himself to be consecrated archbishop. But the empress returned to Petersburgh; the new convert followed in her train, and left at Moscow his resentment and his scruples.

During the stay of Catherine in the ancient capital, marshal Romantzoff returned in triumph from the Turkish war, of which he had been the hero. He was received with distinction as the most illustrious supporter of the throne, covered with honours, and laden with benefits. Rewards apportioned to their rank and merit, and to the munificence of the sovereign, were distributed among his officers, with large gold medals struck for the occasion. Several noblemen were at the same time recalled from their exile in Siberia. Various taxes were. abolished and regulations planned, in a spirit of true policy, beneficence and wisdom. The empire was divided, for the better administration of the laws, into governments or viceroyalties; the interior provinces were also by this measure refined and civilized: the rich salaries and example of the civil officers, the erection of a public theatre, and other incitements to improvement in dress and manners, gradually softened the national ferocity. In this division of the empire its old constitutions were completely altered; all was simple, uniform, and novel.

Two institutes in every government-department are deserving of mention: the college of general provision, which took cognizance of affairs relative to schools, infirmaries, workhouses, mad-houses, &c. and the court of conscience, which, in cases were judicial proofs were not to be had, pronounced according to equity, and before which the governor himself

might be cited by the most obscure individual. Every college had its peculiar members, and the members their stated rank; an exact gradation, which contributed to the maintenance of order, prevailed through the whole. The inhabitants of distant provinces in this immense empire had, before the appointment of these institutions, been compelled to travel to Moscow or Petersburgh in pursuit of justice. A right was however preserved to the appealing party, to refer the cause adjudged by the provincial tribunal to the senates, or to the council of the sovereign. If the original judgment was in this case confirmed, the appellant forfeited a fine. Joy was diffused among the inhabitants of Siberia, and their commerce revived, which languished under the scarcity of a circulating medium, by the establishment of a bank.

The attention of Catherine was more especially occupied by extending and encouraging the general trade of the empire, which she justly considered as the foundation of her greatness. No important change had, since the conclusion of the war, taken place in Poland: under the order preserved by the strong grasp of power, the country began to recover from devastation: its plains once more rewarded the labours of the husbandman. The moderation of the court of Petersburgh produced some effect on the conduct of its allies, who relaxed from their former rigour and violence. To excite emulation, and to confer a dignity on those of her subjects who should devote themselves to commerce, Catherine published an edict, or ukause of grace, freeing them from the capitation, and the necessity of drawing lots for supplying recruits to the army and navy: the free boors were also permitted, on condition of paying one per cent. annually to the crown for the capital which they should employ in traffic, to enrol themselves in one of the mercantile classes. With the same commercial views, the treaty with England was renewed: the empress was also declared patroness of industry and agriculture. New manufac tories were, by her direction and encouragement, every where established; workmen were employed to rebuild the villages, and repair the devastation of the late rebellion: happy had it been for Russia if those to whom Catherine entrusted the execution of her plans had imbibed a portion of her own enlightened spirit!