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768 Coxn’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
from political intrigues, ordered a corps of foldiers to be draughted from feveral regi-
ments, and to be quartered at Oranienbaum under his command.
Peter, ardent in purfuit of his new occupation, formed in the garden a fortrefs in
miniature, a few feet fquare, from which he ftudied praétical fortification. Pleafed
w th this firft effay, he caufed a larger and more regular fortrefs to be conftruéted near
the palace: within was a brick building, called the governor’s houfe, wooden habita-
tations for the principal officers, and barracks capable of containing fifteen hundred
foldiers. Every thing wore a martial appearance *: the hours of morning and even-
ing parade were marked by the firing of cannon, a regular guard was flationed, the
troops were drefled in the German uniform, and taught, under his direGiion, the Pru
fian exercife. This houfe in the fortrefs was the principal fcene of his convivial enter-
tainments ; there, when not employed in exercifing his troops, or iffuing military.or-
ders, he pafled his time in drinking and fmoking with the officers, and generally pufhed
the pleafures of the table to an excefs of intoxication.
Impatient of conftraint, he occafionally broke into open and bitter invedtives againft
the Emprefs 5 he often declared that he was called into Ruflia to be confined like a {tate
prifoner, frequently expreffed a defire to return into Holftein, and founded his only
hopes of comfort on the death of Elizabeth. Thefe expreflions, always carried to the
Emprefs, and either wantonly exaggerated, or malignantly interpreted, made fuch an
impreflion on that Princefs, that fhe was nearly induced, by the Chancellor Beftuchef,
to exclude him-from the fucceflion, and declare Paul her heir, and Catharine regent,
in cafe of a minority. Beftuchef reprefented to the Emprefs, that Peter had proved
himfelf unworthy of the crown, by openly exprefling contempt for the Ruflians, and
placing his whole confidence in foreigners ; that he was guilty of the bafeft ingratitude
to her, and that fhe would confer a fignal fervice on her fubjects, by excluding a perfon
fo difqualified for directing the reins of empire. Elizabeth, won by thefe arguments,
and alarmed with the apprehenfions of a confpiracy faia to be forming againft her per-
fon, almoft confented to the propofal ; but, on deliberate reflection, perievered in her
former appointment of Peter, and Beftuchef + was difgraced. Such was the fituation
of the court, when Elizabeth died on the 25th of December 1761.
Peter
* It is fingular to obferve the conformity in the manners, figure, and purfuits of the Emperor and his
fon Paul. The lively portrait which Rulhiere drew of Peter, equally refembled Paul. ‘ Une forte de
manie militaire fe repandait fur toute fa vie; fa figure naturellement ridicule, le devenait beaucoup plus
fous un habillement of il avait outré la maniére Pruffienne. Les guétres qu’il portait toujours etoient &
ferrées qu’elles lui otaient le mouvement des genoux, et Vobligeaient a s’affeoir et a marcher tout d’une
piece. Un vafte chapeau bizarrement retrouflé couvrant un petit vifage laid et malin, dine phyfiognomie
affez vive ; il fe plaifait a fe defigurer encore par de perpetuelles grimaces, dont ils’etait fait un amufement.
Son efprit n’etait cependant fans quelque vivacité, et on reconnaifat en lui un talent aflez marqué pour la
bouffonnerie.””? Rulhiere Anecdotes fur la Revolution de Ruffie, p. £8, 19. -
+ Of all the principal nobles difgraced by Elizabeth, Beftuchef alone was not recalled to court by Peter;
a flrong proof of his intrigues again{ft that Prince, who, with all his weaknefs, wasof a temper exceedingly
humane and forgiving. He was recalled at the acceflion of Catharine.
It appears from fome of Mr. Keith’s difpatches to Lord Holderdeffe, that Beftuchef was difgraced by
the intrigues of the French party, and that he was fufpeéted of caballing in favour of the Great-Duchefs.
Two extracts from thefe difpatches will ferve to fhew her melancholy fituation, and the prevalence of thefe
fufp’cions.
E The poor Grand-Duchefs is ftill ia diftrefs; but it is thought a reconciliation, an apparent one at
leaft, will foon be brought about between the Emprefs and her; and as a forerunner of it, Count Peter
Schuwallow affured her the other day, from Her Majefty, that nothing fevere fhould happen to any of
the prifoners. I believe this is true, as I know, by another channel, that the Emprefs does not intend to
confifcate the Chancellor’s eftate, and it is even faid, that Her Majefty is uneafy about what has already
happened to him, as nothing of eonfequence has yet appeared againit him.
“ Count
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