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686 COXE’S TRAVELS IN’ RUSSIAs
authority in as unlimited a form, as had ever been enjoyed by any of her predeceifors.
This Emprefs refigned herfelf implicitly to the direction of Biren, a native of Courland,
who rofe from the loweft extraétion, and regulated all her councils with the moft arbi-
trary fway. Anne has generally been cenfured for her feverity, and is faid to have
ruled the Ruffians with the knoot in her hand; but the cruelties which tarnifhed her
reign, muft be attributed to the brutal temper of Biren. ‘The Emprels herfelf was of
a humane difpofition : fhe frequently oppofed the fanguinary meafures of her favourite,
and in vain endeavoured to foften his mercile{s difpofition, by- fubmitting to intreaties,
and interceding even with tears, for the unfortunate objects of his refentment*. But,
in effect, the fovereign who permits cruelties is, and ought to be, equally guilty in the
eyes of the world with the fovereign who commands them ; and pofterity juitly imputes
to the miftrefs the vices of the fervant, who is uncontrouled in his abufe of power.
Anne died on the 17th of Oétober 1740, after nominating for her fucceflor her ne-
phew Ivan, then an infant ; with a view of prolonging the reign of Biren, whom the
appointed regent during the minority.
Viewing the tomb of Elizabeth, I recollected the motley character of that indolent
and voluptuous Emprefs, who, by the revolution of 1741, renewed in her perfon the
line of Peter the Great upon the throne of Ruffia. Elizabeth was born in 1709,
and, when arrived at years of maturity, was extremely admired for her perfonal at-
tractions.
Her beauty, as well as rank and large dowry, occafioned feveral offers, none of which
were accepted, and fhe died fingle. During the reign of her father, a negociation had
commenced for her marriage with Louis XV. By the will of Catharine, Elizabeth was
betrothed to Charles Auguftus, bifhop of Lubeck, and brother of Adolphus Frederic,
King of Sweden; but he died before the completion of the ceremony. In the reign of
Peter II., fhe was demanded by Charles, Margrave of Anfpach; in 1741, by the Perfian
tyrant Kouli Khan; and at the time of the revolution, the regent Anne endeavoured to
force her to efpoufe Prince Louis of Brunfwick +. From the period of her acceffion fhe
renounced all thoughts of the connubial ftate, and adopted her nephew Peter. Her
diflike to marriage, however, did not proceed from any difinclination to man; for fhe
freely owned to her confidents, that fhe was never happy but when in love, if we
may dignify by that name a capricious paffion ever changing its object. ‘The fame cha-
ra¢teriftic warmth of temper hurried her no lefs to the extremes of devotion: fhe was
fcrupuloufly exact in her annual confeflions of the wanderings of her heart, in expref-
fing the utmoft contrition, and in punctually adhering to the minuteft ceremonies and
ordinances of the church.
With refpect to her difpofition, fhe is generally flyled the humane Elizabeth, as
fhe made a vow never to infli€ any capital punifhments § during her reign; and is
* ¢ Jai été prefent,”” writes Count Munic. * lor{que Vimpératrice pleuroit a chaudes Jarmes fur ce que
Biron fulminoit & menacoit de ne vouloir plus fervir fi ’impératrice ne facrifioit Volinflci & ainfi des autres.”
Ebauche, &c. p. 119 F
Mrs. Vigor fays of her, ‘* I have often feen her melt into tears at a melancholy ftory, and fhe fhews fuch
unaffected horror at any mark of cruclty, that her mind to me feems to be compofed of the moft amiable
qualities that I have ever obferved in any one perfon; which feems a particular mark of the goodnefs of
Providence, as he is pofleffed of fuch power.” Letters from Ruffia, p. &9.
+ See Manflein’s Memoirs, p. 25. 285. 309.
t “ Elle étoit voluptueufe a l’excés, née de fang voluptueux, & elle difoit fouvent a fes confidentes, qu’elle
n’étoit contente que tant qu’elle étoit amoureufe; mais elle étoit avec cela fort inconftante & changeoit
fouvent de favoris.”” LEbauche, p. 170.
§ See Remarks on her celebrated ediG, which abolifhed capital punifhments, in the chapter on the Penal
Laws of Roffia, in a fubfequent paflage.
reported
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