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628 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA:
conformity to the manners of his fubjeéts, and by a prudent deference to their civil and
religious eftablifhment. But his avewed contempt of the Ruffian cuftoms, and his public
negleét of their religious. ceremonies, foon alienated the affections of his fubjects, and
precipitated him from the throne as rapidly as he had afcended it.
Margaret, who had frequent accefs to the perfon of Demetrius, has fketched his por-
trait ina fhort but lively manner.
“* He had no beard, was of a middle ftature, and of dark complexion, his limbs were
ftrong and nervous, and he had a wart under his right eye. He was active, fpirited, and
merciful, foon offended, and as foon appeafed ; liberal, ambitious, and defirous of mak-
ing himfelf known to pofterity ; in a word, he wasa Prince who loved honour, and re-
commended it by his own example *.””
If we fhould allow that Margaret has concealed many of his defects, and placed his
virtues in the moft advantageous light, yet the acrimony and injuftice which appears in
many parts of the following extracts from his character, as drawn even by Muller, the
moft candid of his opponents, will prevent impartial perfons from giving implicit credit
to the reprefentations of his enemies.
“ The falfe+ Demetrius was of a middle fize, dark complexion, and had one arm
fhorter than the other. He would have been efteemed not deficient in wifdom, had he
not been fo precipitate in his conduét, and had he conformed his behaviour to the difpo-
fition and temper of his fubjefts. In Poland he applied himfelf to the ftudy of lan-
guages, arts, and fciences ; he converfed in Latin { and Polifh with fluency ; he was well
acquainted with hiftory, and particularly with that of Ruflia and the neighbouring king-
doms , he was well verfed in mufic, and poffeffed other liberal accomplifhments. On
account of his addrefs and good fortune in obtaining the crown, he was efteemed a ma-
gician, Warlike exercife ard hunting were his principal amufements. He had fome
knowledge of engineering and artillery, was fond of cafting cannon, and fhot with fuch
{kill as to furprize the moft dexterous markfmen. He was zealous to improve the dif-
cipline of his army, for which purpofe he would often review his troops, in{truét them
in different manceuvres, ftorm ramparts and fortifications; and as he was always fore-
moft, and the moft eager among the affailants, was often rudely handled in the fray..
“¢ Defirous to be e(teemed a patron of juftice, he put to death feveral judges who
were convicted of iniquitous practices. But was not this mode of proceeding rather a
proof of his inclination to cruelty ? and might it not arife from a defire of f{triking terror
into his fubjedts § ?
‘¢ His munificence, for which he has been extolled, was both extravagant and ill-
placed; he heaped bounties upon Polifh muficians and other minions, and drained the
treafury by enormous expences ||. Like all voluptuaries he was fickle and impetuous,
All
* Margaret, p. r4r. + S.R.G Vol. v. p. 302, &c.
+ His underitanding Latin has been urged again{t him as a proof that he was educated by the Jefuits.
Margaret, however, pofitively afferts, that he was not in the leaft acquainted with that language. I] eft
trés certain qui’il ne parloit nullement Latin, j’en puistemoigner, moins le {cavoit il lire et eerire. Ibid
» 263. :
: § a fuppofition which fhews a {trong difpolition in the oppofite party to mifreprefent the moft favourable
parts of his condu&.
| The accounts of his extravagance were grofsly exaggerated. He is faid to have given orders for a
throne of maffy filver, fupported by fix lions of the fame coitly materials ; and for a footftool of pure gold,
for the ceremony of his coronation, ftudded with fix hundred diamonds, fix hundred rubies, fix hundred
fapphires, fix hundred emeralds, fix hundred Turkifh ftones; all of a large lize, but fome of the latter
were asbig as half a pigeon’s egg. It mutt be remarked, that this footftool was already in the treafury
when
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