424 RUSSIA, AS IT REALLY IS. 



potentate of Russia, because she greatly contributed by her 

 example and exertions to the spreading- of European civilization 

 amongst the Russians, and to the promotion of science, literature, 

 and arts. Being besides well-stocked with ambition, and vigorously 

 seconded by the famous Souwarrow, and Potemkin, she vastly ex- 

 tended her dominions, and through aggression, violence, and devas- 

 tation, at length completedHhe conquest of Poland and the Crimea, after 

 having lighted up nearly half Europe with the conflagration of war. 

 It was under this wonderful empress also that the Russian fleet 

 formed by Peter first sailed round Europe, ruled for some time in 

 the Archipelago, and more than once threatened the conquest of 

 Egypt. Under Catherine, therefore, Russia began to be ranked 

 among the great military nations; but its influence and power rested 

 chiefly on its intriguing and cunning policy. 



When Napoleon became the uncontrouled despotic military ruler 

 of France, and the self-appointed protector of the civilized part of 

 Europe, Russia under Alexander, instead of making useless conquests 

 was somewhat improving its natural resources by different kinds of 

 culture and many valuable productions, and when it took any active 

 part during the numerous wars of the French empire, it was always 

 either as an ally of, or supported by, some other powerful military 

 power ; and even then its armies seldom obtained any signal advan- 

 tage on the field of battle, but on the contrary were often dreadfully 

 beaten, as at Austerlitz, Jena, Ostralenka, Friedland, &c. &c. 



After the downfall of the most enterprising and ambitious general 

 and despot of modern Europe, when Alexander had become the 

 leader of the Holy Alliance of the Northern Potentates, Russia all 

 of a sudden was not only transformed into the most powerful nation 

 of the world, but was also gravely represented as capable of attain- 

 ing to universal military supremacy ; and then the alarm, with which 

 republican and imperial France had heretofore inspired Europe, was 

 henceforth inspired by the Russian autocrat. 



This unaccountable notion of the overwhelming greatness of 

 Russia was in all probability purposely propagated by some inter- 

 ested political writers, the secret enemies of general civilization, 

 freedom, and independence ; and the Russian cabinet was not dis- 

 pleased at being so much overrated in the estimation of Europe. 



However, since the present Russian autocrat, through the famous 

 Diebiteh Sabalkansky and the brutal Paskievitch Erivansky, has 



