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764 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA,
three pages; I fhall therefore confine myfelf to his principal diftinétions. He was dige
nified with all the Ruffian orders of knighthood, and the principal orders of Pruffia,
Sweden, and Poland. He was field-marfhal, commander in chief, and infpe€tor-gene-
ral of all the Ruffian forces, colonel of the Preobafhinfki guards, and of three regiments
of cuirailiers, grenadiers, and dragoons, and prefident of the college of war. He was
grand admiral of the Euxine and Cafpian, grand hetman of the Coflacs, and governor-
general of the provinces of Exatherineflafand Taurida. He was alfo created a Prince of
the German empire.
His revenues were adequate to his dignities. He received during his time of favour
large eftates, and g,00c,000 roubles in money; he was lord over forty thoufand pea-
fants in Polith Ruffia, and five thoufand in Ruffia ; he had a penfion of 75,000 roubles,
and 30,000 for histable. Being confiderably in debt by loffes at play, he took an ad-
vance of his penfion for ten years; but was gratified by the Empreds with the continuance
of his falary. é
Yet this unparalleled income was not adequate to his unbounded expences. During
his campaigns, his march was con{tantly preceded by an Englith gardener, and fix hun-
dred helpers; they formed a garden in our ftyle, in the environs of the fpot where the
tent of the Prince was pitched, even if he continued only a day. Walks of fand or
gravel were laid out, and decorated*with borders of Howers; trees and fhrubs of all
forts and fizes were tranfplanted, and ornamental buildings imitated by temporary
wooden ftruatures ; if his ftay was protracted the withered trees were removed, and re-
plenifhed with frefh plantations. If the adjacent country produced no wood, fhrubs
and limbs of foreft trees were conveyed from a confiderable diftance. He purchafed
an enormous quantity of diamonds, with which he not only ornamented his drefs, but
frequently amufed himfelf with arranging them in various figures, and toffing ther
with a childifh fatisfa€tion from oae hand to the other. He lavifhed immenfe fums on
his numerous miltreiies, and expended {till more in buildings which he never inhabited,
or never ufed but for the purpofe of giving magnificent fétes.
One of thefe galas, which he gave on his return from the conqueft of Crim Tartary,
in his Taurian palace, is minutely defcribed in a foreign publication, which is copied
verbatim by the French biographer of Catharine the Second, and literally tranflated in
the Englifh verfion*. The defcription of this {éte feems to realife the extravagancies of
an Oriental tale.
To fupply thefe expences, and gratify his paflion for amaffing riches, he drew upon
the treafury for fums to an unlimited amount; and none of his drafts-were-ever re«
jected.
He died at the clofe of the fuccefsful campaign againft the Turks, and during the
negociations for peace. He had been fome time flightly indifpofed, and prefaged his
approaching death. At the congrefs of Yafly, he was attacked by an epidemical dif-
temper, which he encreafed by every fpecies of excefs and intemperance; in his jour-
ney from Yafly to Nicolaief, his fever rofe to a crifis, he was feized with a violent cholic,
alighted from his carriage, and throwing himfelf on the ground, expired in convulfions.
The Emprefs was at firlt much affected with his death; but foon recovered, and feemed
pleafed with her emancipation from his influence.
Potemkin was clumfy in his perfon, but of Herculean fize and ftrength. A defec&
in his eye rendered his countenance lowering and forbidding ; and his firft addrefs was
* Almanach hiftorique et genealogique de Berlin pour année 1790. Caltera’s Vie de Catharine II.
and Tooke’s Life of Catharine II.
8 not
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