Vol. II.] Original Memoirs of the Late Empress of Russia.

completed their travels through Germany, Italy, France, Holland, the Netherlands, &c. return to St. Petersburgh. In 1783, May 7, the Emprefs inftitures a feminary for the education of young perfons of quality at Kurfk. June 21, a treaty of commerce concluded with the Ottoman Porte. Ju y, the inftitution of the other viceroyalties of the empire follow in fucceffion. July 21, the Emprefs published a manifefto, by her commander in chief Prince Potemkin, in the Krim, in regard to the taking poffeffion of that peninfula, the Kuban, and the inland of Taman. The 24th a treaty was concluded with Heraclius II. tzar of Kartalinia and Kacheti, by which he fubmits himself, his heirs and fucceffors for ever, with his territories and dominions, to the fceptre of her Majefty, and her heirs and fucceffors. The 29th, account was received from the camp of Prince Potemkin at Karas-Bafar, that the clergy, the beys, and other perfons of diftinction, with the towns of Karasbasar, Bachtthifarai, Achmet het, Kaffa, Kofloff, with the districts of Turkanskoikut and Neubafar, and that of Perekop, in the peninfula of the Krim, together with the hordes of Ediffank and Dihambolusk, the Sultan Alim Girey, and his vaffals, with all the Budfhaks and Bashkirs there, and all the tribes dwelling beyond the River Kuban, the Sultan Baatur Girey and his vaffals, have taken the oath of allegiance to her Imperial Majefty, and with willing hearts fubmitted for ever to her glorious way. The 30th, the hofpodar of Vallachia was depofed, and Draco Surzo fet up in his place. Sept. 22, her Majefty raised Gabriel, archbishop of Novgorod and St. Peterf burgh, to the dignity of metropolitan. Oct. 21, in the great hall of the academy of fciences, the new inftitution of the Imperial Ruffian academy was opened, after a folemn confecration by the Metropolite Gabriel, and other of the clergy, under the prefidency of Princefs Dafhkoff. Nov. 7, the Emprefs is mediatrix for accommodating the difference between the King of Pruffia and the city of Dantzic. The fchool for furgery was opened at Petersburgh the 18th. Dec. 13, a fchoolcommiffion was inftituted for fupervifing all the public schools. The 28th, an act was concluded with the Ottoman Porte, by which the poffeffion and fovereignty of the Krim, the Kuban, &c. were folemnly authenticated to the Emprefs.

1784. Jan. 1, the fenate moft humbly thanks her Majefty for the benefactions the has graciously bestowed on the whole

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empire in the laft year, in a speech by general field-marfhal Count Razomoffkoi. The 18th, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Mohilef, Stanislaus Tfhefrentshevitch of Bogufh, conftituted by her Majesty, is, with a variety of church ceremonies, folemnly invetted, in the Roman Catholic Church at St. Petersburgh, with the pallium from his holiness the Pope, by the papal ambaffador Count Archetti, archbishop of Chalcedon. Oct. 14, the Lefgiers, having croffed the river Alafan, invaded the dominions of Georgia, were repulfed with great lofs by a detachment of Ruffian troops. Dec. 29, Katolikos Mak fim, the ferdar and court-marfhal Prince Zeretelli, and the chief juftice Kuinichefe, ambaffadors from David, tzar of Imeretia, were admitted to a public audience of her Majefty, at which they fubmitted, in the name of the tzar, him and his fubjects, to the will and powerful protection of her Imperial Majefty, as the rightful head of all the fons of the orthodox eastern church, and fovereign ruler and defender of the Georgian nations.

1785. Jan. 1, the fenate, in the name of the empire, humbly thanks her Majefty for the benefits fhe has bestowed upon it in the foregoing year. The 8th and 15th, the Emprefs, in perfon, holds a public examination of the young ladies educated in the Devitza Monaftir. The 12th, Mauro Cordato, hofpodar of Vallachia, was depofed, and Alexander Mauro Cordato, his uncle, reftored to that dignity. The 21ft, the Emprefs vifited the principal national fchool, and paffed a long time in examining the claffes, and the proficiency of the youth in that feminary on which occafion a marble tablet was fixed in the wall of the fourth clafs, with this infcription in gold letters: THOU VISIT

EST THE VINEYARD WHICH THY OWN

HAND HATH PLANTED, JAN. 21, 1785. April 21, the privileges of the nobility were confirmed; and, on the fame day, the burghers of towns conftituted into bodies corporate, by a particular mani fefto. The public fchool in Veroneth was opened. The 24th of May, her Ma jefty goes to inspect the famous fluices at Vithney Volotfhok, and other watercommunications, and from thence proceeds to Mofco. June 19, her Majesty returns to St. Petersburgh. July 3, the vifits the hardware manufactories at Sifterbeck, in Finland. 14th, a manifefto, grauting full liberty of religion and com merce, to all foreigners fettling in the regions of Mount Caucafus, under her go. vernment., Sept. 15, the public school 61 2

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Vol. II.] Original Memoirs of the Late Empress of Ruffia.

1788. Auguft 12, in the expedition beyond the Kuban, the Ruffian troops entirely routed a company of 4c00 Arutayans and Abafinians; 800 of the enemy were flain, and five villages deftroyed. 15th, furrender of the Turkish fortrefs of Dubitfha. 18th, the Turks made a violent fortie from Otchakof, but were repulfed by the Ruffian yagers, and, after a battle of four hours, were driven back with the lofs of 500 men. 23d, a fierce battle was fought between the Ruffian troops and the Sacubanians, in which the latter loft 1000 men. The Ruffian flect keeps the Swedish blocked up in Sveaborg, ever fince the battle of July 6. The Swedish army leaves the Ruffian territory in Finland. September 18, furrender of the town and fortrefs of Chotyim, with the garrifon of 2000 men, 153 cannon, 14 mortars, and much ammunition. 19th-29th, a fmall Ruffian fquadron from the fleet at Sevastopol, cruising along the coaft of Anatolia, deftroys many of the enemy's veffels, prevents the tranfport of the Turkish troops, and returns with great booty. 20th, Uffenier Shamanachin, chief of the Bheduchovians, was, on his petition, admitted a fubject of Ruffia. 26th, a numerous hoft of Kubanians and Turks were beat on the river Ubin, with the lofs of 1500 men. November 7, Prince Potemkin, at the head of his Coffaks, takes the island Berefan, with many prifoners, and much ammunition. December 6th, the town and fortress of Otchak of taken by Prince Potemkin Tavritfhefkoi; 9510 of the enemy were killed, 4000 taken prisoners, 180 ftaudards, 310 cannons and mortars. The whole of the inhabitants taken prifoners amounted to 25,000 perfons; the Ruffians loft 956 killed and 1824 wounded. December 19, General Kamenfkoy gains confiderable advantage over the Turks near Gangur.

1789. April 16th, Colonel Rinfkoy Korfakoff is furrounded by the Turks, who are beat with great flaughter by Lieutenant General Von Derfelden. 17th-28th, fome Ruffian cruizers from Sevastopol effected a landing on Cape Karakarman, burnt 6 mosques, and carried off great booty. 20th, Lieutenant General Derfelden drives the Turks from Galatfh, gains a complete victory, kills 2000, takes 1500 prifoners, with the Serafkier Ibrahim Pafha, and the whole camp. Several skirmishes between the Ruffians and Swedes in Finland, always to the advantage of the

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former. May 31, victory over the Swedes. June 5th, Sulkof taken from the Swedes, and Fort St. Michael on the 8th. July 15th, Admiral Tchitchagoff engages the Swedish fleet under command of the Duke of Sudermania; no fhip loft on either' fide. 21ft, battle of Fokhany, to the great lofs of the Turks. Fokfhany taken. Auguft 13th, the Ruffian galley-fleet fights the Swedith fleet under Count Ehrenfchwerdt, the former takes a frigate and 5 other hips, and 2000 prifoners. Auguft 21ft, another fea-fight; Prince Naflau Siegen makes good his landing of the Ruffian troops, in fight of the King of Sweden, at the head of his army. September 7th, Prince Repnin attacks the Seraskier Haffan Palha near the river Seltika, and takes his whole camp. 11th, Count Suvoroff and Prince of Saxe Cobourg engage, near the river Kymnik, the grand Turkish army of between 90 and 100,000 men, and gain a complete victory; from which Count Suvoroff bears the furname Kymnikfkoi. 14th, the Ruffian troops under Major General Ribbas take the Turkish citadel Chodfhabey, in the fight of the whole of the enemy's fleet. 30th, the fortrefs Palanka being taken, the town of Belgorod or Akermann furren ders to Prince Potemkin Tavritsheskoi. November 4th, the town and caffle of Bender fubmit at difcretion to the fame commander.

1790. April 24, General Numfen gains a victory near Memel. May zd, a fea-fight off Reval, in which the Ruffians take the Prince Charles, of 64 guns, from the Swedes, in which engagement thofe two gallant English officers, Captains Trevennen and Denison were killed. 23d, the fleet under Vice Admiral Crufe engages the Swedish fleet near the ifland Sifkar, in the Gulph of Finland, without any advantage on either fide, though they fought the whole day. 24th, the action at Savataipala, when the Swedes are forced to fly. June 6th, the Swedes defeated by Major Buxhevden, on the island Uranfari. June 22d, the whole Swedish fleet, commanded by the Duke of Sudermania, entirely defeated by Admiral Tchitfhagoff and the Prince of Naffau Siegen; on this occafion 5000 prifoners were taken, amongst whom were the contre-admiral and 200 officers. 28th, General Denifoff defeats the Swedes near Davido. July 9, Admiral Ufhakoff obrains a victory over the Turkish fleet commanded by the Capudan Patha, at the mouth of the Straits of Yenikali.

Auguft

Auguft 3d, peace was concluded with Sweden, without the mediation of any other power. Auguft 28th, 29th, an engagement on the Euxine, not far from Chodihabey, between the Ruffian Admiral Ufkakoff, and the Capudan Pafha; when the principal Turkish thip, of 80 guns, was burnt, one of 70 guns and three others taken, the Admiral Said Bey being made prifoner, and another fhip funk, the reft made off. September 30th, a great victory obtained over the Turks by General Germann, with much flaughter, the Serafkier Batal Bey and the whole camp taken. October 18th, Kilia furrenders to Major Ribbas. November 6th, 7th, the fortrefs Cultfha and the Turkish flotilla taken. December 11th, the important fortrefs of Ifmail, after a ftorming for feven hours without intermiffion, furrenders to Count Suvoroff Kymnikskoi, with the garrifon of 42,000 men, 30,816 were flain on the fpot, 2000 died of their wounds, 9000 taken prifoners, 265 pieces of cannon, an incredible ftore of ammunition, &c. The Ruffians loft only 1815 killed, and 2450 wounded.

1791. March 25th-31st, the campaign opened by the troops under the command of Prince Potemkin Tavritfhekoi, not far from Brailof, when the Turks were defeated in feveral battles, in which they loft upwards of 4000 men. June 5th, the troops under General Golenitfhef Kutufoff, near Tultfha, drove the Turks beyond the Danube, and at Babada entirely routed a body of 15,000 men, of whom 1500 were left dead upon the place. 22d, the fortrefs Anap was taken by ftorm, when the whole garrifon, confifting of 25,000 men, were put to the fword, excepting 1000 who were taken prifoners. 28th, the troops under the command of Prince Repnin attacked the Turkish army, confifting of near 80,000 men, command ed by the Grand Vizir Yuffuf Pafha, 8 Pafhas, 2 Tartar Sultans, and 2 Beys of Anatolia, and after a bloody battle of fix hours entirely routed them; goco Turks were killed in their flight. June 28th, Sudfkuk Kale taken. July 31ft, Admiral Ufhakoff beats the Turkish feet on the coafts of Rumelia. 31ft, the General in Chief, Prince Repnin, and the Grand Vizir, Yuffuf Pafha, conclude and fign the preliminary articles of peace between the Ruffian empire and the Ottoman Porte; by which the Dniefter is made the boundary of the two empires, with the ceffion of the countries

lying between the Bog and the Dniefter to Ruffia. Auguft 15th, 16th, at Pillnitz, near Drefden, a Congrefs was held by the Emperor of Germany, the King of Pruffia, the Elector of Saxony, the Count d'Artois, &c. &c. &c.

It would be impoffible here to do juftice to the character of this extraordinary fovereign. Born with ftrong natural capacities, fhe had neglected no means of their improvement; and, from the moment fhe afcended the throne, the feems to have devoted her talents' to the improvement and profperity of her empire. In the bufinefs of government her induftry and application are almoft unexampled; while her minifters discharged the routine of their feveral departments, fhe was confulting the more arduous exigencies of both domeftic and foreign concerns. Her time of rifing was generally between five and fix in the morning, and, in the long winters of that climate, fhe was ufually at bufinefs three or four hours before day-break. She was not lefs temperate than industrious; fhe ufually fat down to dinner at one; never remained long at table; and her time of going to rest was about ten at night. The uncommon evenness of her temper may, perhaps, be attributed in a great measure to the regularity and temperance of her life. Her perfpicacity was fuch, that he was feldom miftaken in perfons almoft at their first appearance. So methodical was the in the distribution of her time, that amid the various cares of adminiftration, the great benefits she was contriving and bestowing on her vaft empire, it was not one of the least that fhe could allot fo much of it to the education of her grand-children. All manifeftoes and fate papers were of her original compofition. She encouraged induftry; the liberally rewarded merit; he invited arts and talents from every foreign nation, to improve and adorn her own extenfive empire. She was the munificent patronefs of literature in every country of Europe; the maintained the fecurity of her fubjects by an impartial adminiftration of juftice; the convoked deputies from all the provinces of the empire to prepare a rational and uniform code of laws, the inftructions for which, being a very thick folio, is not only of her own compofition, but entirely in her own hand-writing; and what above all is worthy of being remembered to her immortal honour, fhe granted many franchises to the peasants on her own demefnes; the ordained that all causes

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Vol. II.] Original Memoirs of the Late Empress of Ruffia.

between noblemen and their vassals fhould be tried before tribunals compofed of both these orders; and the directed her whole fyftem of internal policy to a gradual, but complete and univerfal, emancipation of the Ruffian peafantry. No examples have happened in her reign of a wanton and cruel abufe of abfolute authority for the oppreffion of individuals. If he had ambition, it was the ambition of a truly great and elevated mind. Confcious of that dignity, no one ever more defpifed the empty arts of adulation; and when Diderot, putting himfelf into a tranfport of French extafy, in admiration of the grandeur and dimenfions of her palace, thought to flatter her by adding: “Ah, madame! mais fi le palais avoir affez de largeur pour contenir teus les heureux qu'a fait fon poffeffeur !" She received it with indignation, and it coft him her favour for ever. She afpired not only to the fame of victory and conqueft, but to the more folid and innocent glory of founding laws, of patronifing letters, of diffufing induftry, civilization, and opulence, throughout her vaft dominions. Her empire was flourishing at home; her arms were victori. ous, and her name formidable abroad. She may, in a general point of view, be regarded as a model for ambitious princes. She performed all the duties which the morality of ambition prefcribes; fhe both improved and extended her empire.

If we try her conduct by the purer code of reafon and humanity, even with all the indulgence due to the frailties of our common nature, to the allurements of fupreme authority, and to the fafcinations of martial glory, the most partial friends to her memory will not provoke a dangerous fcrutiny by indifcreet encomiums on her exemplary conduct in thofe particulars. A prudent panegyrift will dwell lightly on the fteps by which the mounted the throne. The only palliation of that measure, which the most friendly ingenuity can fuggeft, will be derived from the weaknels and imprudence of her husband, from the evils that might have arifen to the empire from his injudicious adminiftration, involving an immenfity of mischief to fo large a portion of the human race, and from the frequent ufurpations to which the Ruf. fians had in a manner been habituated fince the death of Peter the Great. He might urge too, that the court of Peterf. burgh, with a fpecious exterior of European manners, has ftill a ftrong taint of Afiatic barbarifm, where a fettled and

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invariable order of fucceffion to the crown does not impofe filence on the ambitious claim of rival princes. But there are fome acts, at the recital of which we fhould hudder, even if the fcene were laid in the empire of Morocco. The dark myfterious fate of Prince Ivan, in 1765, can never be obliterated from the annals of her reign; and if a no lefs difmal tragedy in 1775 does not yet fully the page of hiftory, it is recorded in indelible characters in many a feeling heart. The blood fpilt in the long conceived fcheme, of expelling the Turks from Europe, and re-establishing the eastern empire in the perfon of another Conftantine, will not be expiated in the eyes of humanity by the gigantic magnificence of the project. Above all, the wound inflicted on the principle of national independence through the fides of Poland; the diffentions and civil wars induftricufly fomented in that unhappy kingdom for a period of thirty years; the horrible maffacres which attended its final fubjugation, and the impious mockery of returning folemn thanks to heaven for the fuccefs of fuch atrocious crimes, will be a foul and indelible ftain upon the memory of Catherine. If ever the fatal practice of difmemberment and partition fhall prevail to fuch an extent as to deftroy the whole fecurity of European nations, it will not be forgotten that Catherine II. gave the firft example in modern times, of blotting a great kingdom out of the lift of independent states. Her conduct during the prefent war, has, in a political view, been highly honourable to her great talents, and, in a moral view, has been fuch as the allied powers, at least, have no right to blame. She has kept the Turks from falling upon Auftria, prevented a confederacy from taking place in the north, kept Sweden and Pruffia in awe, and extirpated the devoted Poles. Her policy was to exhauft her rivals, and to place herfelf in that fituation which England once enjoyed, of being the umpire of the European ftates; and as to fidelity and honour, fhe has been as faithful to her allies as they have been to their profeffed common caufe, and to their pretended general object. They pursued their fuppofed intereft at the expence of their profeffions and engagements, and the did no more. "The princes of Europe, (fays Mr. Burke) were eafily led to confider the flames that were confuming France, not as a warning to protect their own buildings, but as a happy oc

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