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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA+ 797
he had himfelf drawn the plan for the reception of Biren. It was an area enclofed with
high palifadoes, about one hundred and feventy feet fquare, within which was a wooden
houfe, inhabited by himfelf, his wife, and a few fervants, and a {mall garden, which he cul-
tivated with his own hands. He received a daily allowance of 12s. for the maintenance
of himfelf, his wife, and domeftics ; which little pittance he increafed by keeping cows,
and felling part of their milk, and by occafionally inftructing youth in geometry and
engineering. He behaved, during his long confinement with the utmoft refignation,
tranquillity, and even cheerfulnefs. He was accuftomed every day at dinner to drink
to his wife, “‘ a happy return to Peterfburgh.”’ He had prayers twice a day, from eleven
to twelve in the morning, and from fix to feven in the evening ; they were read in the
German tongue by his chaplain Martens, who dying in 1749, the Count himfelf after-
wards performed the fervice. Befide the culture of his garden, and the hours he paifed
in giving inftruction, he found fufficient leifure for compofing hymns; for tranflating
feveral pfalms and prayers into German verfe; and for writing a treatife on the art of
war, which he propofed, if releafed from his confinement, to prefent to the King of
Pruffia. In the laft year of his imprifonment, a centinel informing againft Munic’s fer-
vants for fupplying him with pens and paper, the Count, in order to prevent difcovery,
was obliged to deftroy all his writings, the amufements and labour of fo many folitary
ears.
f He had always fupported himfelf with the expectation of recovering his liberty at the
acceffion of Peter the Third; but he was no fooner informed of that event, than, with
the agitation natural to a perfon in his ftate, he began to dread that his expeétation was
ill founded. He fuffered, during feveral wecks, the moft alarming anxiety, perpetually
fluctuated between hope and fear, and often declared that thefe few weeks appeared to
him much longer than all the former years of his confinement. At length, on the
morning of the 11th of February 1762, the long-expected meflenger arrived from Pe-
terfburgh with the order for his releafe. Munic, who happened to be engaged in his
prayers, did not perceive him, and his wife made figns to the meffenger not to difturb
her hufband. Being informed of his recall, he was fo affected as to faint away ; but
foon recovering, he fell down upon his knees, and, in the moft fervent manner, offered
up his thanks for this change in his fituation. On the 19th he departed from Pelim,
and on the 24th of March arrived at Peterfburgh, in the fame fheepfkin drefs which he
had worn in his prifon. On the 31{t he was admitted to an audience by the Empe-
ror*: Peter, after hanging round his neck the order of St. Andrew, and reftoring him to
his antient rank, faid to him, ‘‘I hope that your advanced age will {till permit you to
ferve me.”’—‘ Since Your Majefty,”’ replied the Count at the conclufion of a long
fpeech, “* has raifed me from darknefs into light, and recalled me from Siberia to prof-
* An account of his firft appearance at court is contained in a letter from Mr. Keith to the Earl of Bute,
dated April 2/13, 1762.
«¢ Marfhal Munic was prefented to the Emperor laft Sunday morning, and in the evening the Duke of
Courland and he appeared together at court with their ribbands, and were both treated by His Imperial
Majeftysvith great marks of diftin@ion. It was really an affecting {cene to fee thofe two refpeétable per-
fons, after having furvived fo long a courfe of misfortunes, appear again, at their age, at a court where
they had formerly made fo great a figure, and to fee them, that being their firft interview, converfe together
with great civility, and-without any appearance of that animofity and jealoufy, which had drawn all their
unhappinefs upon them. The Duke of Courland’s two fons are both made major generals, and Count
Munic is declared firft veldt marfhal, Prince George of Holftein having, ina very handfome manner, quitted
the pas to him. The Emperor, to compliment him, gave for the parole that evening, Vive /e premier veld?
marfhal de Ruffie. The Duke of Courland is in the feventy-fecond year of his age, and Count Munic in the
feventy-ninth of his.
trate
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