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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 779
nienbaum. Peter quitted the palace without a fingle attendant; but he had fcarcely »
proceeded a mile, before a corps of Huflars, of the Emprefs’s party, furrounded the car-
riage, and accompanied it to Peterhof, where he arrived at half paft twelve. He was
immediately feparated from his companions. The Emprefs declined a perfonal con-
ference; but fent Count Panin, who was admitted alone. What pafled during this
awful interview between that nobleman and his depofed fovereign, is not, nor probably
ever will be, difclofed to the public; but nothing can convey a ftronger pidiure of the
Emperor’s weaknefs and pufillanimity, than the abdication in form which was the refult
of their converfation *.
** During the thort period which I have reigned over the Ruffian empire, I have
found from experience, that my abilities are infuflicient to fupport fo great a burden;
and that I am not capable of directing the Ruffian empire in any way, and much lefs
with a defpotic power. I alfo acknowledge that I have been the caufe of all the inte-
rior troubles, which, had they continued much longer, would have overturned the
empire, and have covered me with eternal difgrace. Having ferioufly weighed thefe
circumftances, I declare, without conftraint, and in the moft folemn manner, to the
Rufiian empire, and to the whole world, that I for ever renounce the government of
the faid empire, never defiring hereafter to reign therein, either as an ab(olute fovereign,
or, under any other form of government. I declare alfo, that I will never attempt to
re-aflume the government. As a pledge of this, I {wear fincerely before God, and
all the world, to this prefent renunciation, written and figned with my own hand,
PETER.
June .29, O.S. 1762.”
Having figned. this abdication, he was conveyed in the evening to Robfcha, a {mall
imperial palace twenty miles from Peterhof; and the Emprefs returned about the fame
time to Peterfburgh. At feven fhe made her triumphant entry on horfeback, amid{t
continued huzzas; the {treets were filled with a prodigious concourfe of people, who
were drawn up in lines, and kifled her hands, which fhe held out to them as fhe pafled
along. A great number of priefts were aflembled upon this occafion about the avenues
-of the palace ; as fhe rode through their ranks, fhe {tooped down to falute the cheeks of
the principal clergy, while they were kifling her hand; a mode of falutation in Ruffia,
expreflive of the higheft deference.
The firft hurry of the revolution was no fooner paft, and the fpirit of revolt had
fearce time to fubfide, before many repented of having deferted their fovereign. The
populace, always prone to change, began to pity their dethroned monarch, and loft
fight of his defects in the contemplation of his calamity; they regarded him no longer
in the light of a mifguided ruler, but as an unfortunate Prince, driven from the height
of power to the moft abject f{tate, and fubject to the horrors of perpetual imprifonment.
Peter, notwithftanding his violence and incapacity, poffeffed feveral qualities of a popu-
lar nature, and was greatly beloved by thofe who had accefsto his perfon. During the
Emprefs’s march to Peterhof, feveral foldiers manifefted {trong fymptoms of diflatis-
faGtion; fome openly murmured at being led again{t their fovereign, and had Peter, on
the firft news of the revolution, made his appearance in perfon, many would have deferted
to his ftandard. ‘This fpirit of difcontent was obferved, and fecretly fomented by the
* J have fufficient reafon to believe that this abdication was made at Pcterhof ; if, however, as fome per-
fons with lefs probability have aflerted, he figned it at Oranienbaum, before he was in the hands of his ene-
mies, his pufillanimity admits of no palliation.
5c2 Ppartizans
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