274. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



his temporal one to his eldest son 

 Lewis, and transferred to him the 

 allegiance of his subjects; it named 

 at the same time a council of state, 

 to assist the inexperience of the 

 young monarch ; and it conchided, 

 with providing a proper subsistence 

 for himself and his consort, in the 

 retreat he meditated. 



This extraordinary scene, which 

 recalled to the minds of the hearers 

 the abdication of Charles the Fifth, 

 was attended by the same external 

 marks of regret, that had accompa- 

 nred tlie resignation of that mo- 

 narch ; but when the first inipres- 

 si'ons of surprise had subsided, tlie 

 Spaniards could not but be sensible 

 to the different situation and con- 

 duct of those two princes. Charles 

 had advanced his country to the 

 highest pitch of grandeur and pro- 

 sperity ; and it was not until a long 

 series of illustrious atchievements 

 and stubborn toils had matured his 

 glory, and broken his constitution, 

 that he resigned a sceptre which 

 his arm could no longer wield with 

 vigour. He retreated to the con- 

 dition of a private gentleman, and 

 a stipend of a hundred thousand 

 crowns, or about twelve thousand 

 p'ounds a year, w'as all thr.t he re- 

 served for the support of his family, 

 and the indulgence of beneficence ; 

 in th<^ monastery of St. Justus he' 

 buried every ambitious thought, and 

 he even restrained his curiosity from 

 enquiring respecting the political si- 

 tuation of Europe. B'U the age of 

 Phil'p v.as that when the mind and 

 body pcsoess their fullest powers ; 

 •whatever activity he had displayed, 

 had been in support of his personal 

 interests; ncr had he earned his 

 discharge from the cares, by having 

 laboriously fulfilled the duties of 



royalty ; hi: abdication was the re- 

 sult of a degrading indolence, and 

 a narrow superstition; in the palace 

 of lldefonso he preserved the re- 

 venue, though h^: abandoned the 

 functions, of a king ; the annual 

 payment of a million of crowns, or 

 one hundred and twenty th(jusand 

 pounds sterling, was severely felt, 

 and the sum that he was reported 

 to have privately transported to his 

 retreat was loudly resented by the 

 people. 



Acconnt of the Baschkirs,from Pal- 

 las' s travel, among the Kalmucs 

 and Tartars. 



THESE people differ from other 

 nomados in inhabiti;ig, du- 

 rin'T the inclement season, solid 

 houses constructed of wood, alter 

 the manner of the Russians. "For 

 the pripply of the pressing wants of 

 their flocks, they collect hay, which 

 they put in heaps round some large 

 trees. Their houses are generally 

 small, and their chambers, like 

 those of the Tartars, are furnished 

 with large benches, which serve in- 

 stead of beds. The principal uten- 

 sil, seen in the Basclikir huts, is 

 a pretty tall leathern bottjp, of the 

 form of a flaggon, rested on a 

 wooden foot, and constantly full 

 of sour milk. While their cattle 

 furnish milk, and they have good 

 provision of honey, they live joy- 

 ously, and drink nothing but sour 

 milk or hydromel ; but, as they sel- 

 dom clean their vessels, one may 

 easily conceive the odour issuing 

 from this inexhaustible bottle. In 

 winter, and on their journey, they 

 supply the defect of their usual be- 

 verage by little cheeses made with 



very 



