HISTORICAL CHRONltfLE 



v.are regularly, added to the annual 

 'million. 



The ambition of the Emprefs of 

 Ruflla, has been of late the fubje<3 

 of much fatire and odium ; but 

 ■whatever may be faid of her poli- 

 tical principles, her extenfive pa- 

 tronage of the arts, aiid eiiccumge- 

 ment of genius, has perhaps not 

 been equalled by any monarch, 

 even of more civilized nations. 

 With al! her faults, flie ha' an un- 

 douhleti claim to the charadler of 

 a great fovereign ; and, in the an- 

 nals of modern times, her name 

 Nviil be recorded among thofe of 

 the higher order. While engaged 

 In a moft expenfivc war, and bur- 

 thsned with the care of a great 

 empire, fhe fetks for and rewards 

 merit in countries diftant from her 

 OV.TI dominions. Often has fnany 

 individuals of this country expe- 

 rienced her iiberal munificence, of 

 which the following are fome of 

 the lateft inftances. , 



When Mr. ^^'edgwood, by tak- 

 ing for his models beautiful Etru- 

 fciin fvr/m, introduced fuch orna- 

 ments, as baniflied the abfurd and 

 grotefque Chinefc figuiej which 

 formerly difgraced our drawing- 

 rooms, and g;ive a new turn to 

 the taP.e ol his country ; the Em- 

 prefs of Ruffid was the firfl foreign 

 who noticed his exertions, and pa- 

 tronized iiis manufaflure. 



When, to the di(honour of Bri- 

 tain, and the regret pf every ad- 

 mirer of the fine afs, the Hough- 

 ton Gallery of pictures, was fuf- 

 ftred to bcco.Ti:; the ornaments of 

 another naticn, — (he purchafcd 

 tlie.ni ; and that matdlilcfs collec- 

 ti'in, which was onfc an attra(£kion 

 to foreigners, and an honour to 

 England, was banilhed to the cold 

 and dreary North. Previous to 

 their tranfportation, the prefent 



373 



fl • Englifli fchoo! owes much of 

 its celebrity, and the arts, much of. 

 their prefent diftinfiion, had tlicm 

 copied, and transferred from \hc 

 canvas, to the copper, by the lirft 

 artifls in this country. A fet of 

 proof prints his Lortifliip tranfmit 

 ted to tlie Emp.efs ; and, in re- 

 turn, file fcnt him a gold box, 

 which docs as much honour to the 

 tafte of this newly civilized pcb 

 pie, as to the munificence of their 

 Sovereign. Though coftly, it is 

 elegant. The rim is furrounded 

 with pearls, and, in the centre, fct 

 round with brilliants, is an ena- 

 melled miniature of perfevcrance, 

 from a painting by Angelica, 

 which was fome time ago engrav- 

 ed for Meffrs. Boydells. Thefe 

 circumftances, added to the fubjeA, 

 render the compliment more pecu- 

 liarly appropriate. 



Dr. Buchan's ufeful and elegant 

 volume on Domeftic medicine, has 

 been tranllated into fcveral Ian 

 guages. A copy m the French 

 tongue attrafted her Imperial Ma- 

 jefty's attention. To fhew hec 

 approbation of the work, and gi\ e 

 fome token of her refpeft for the 

 talents of the Author, .the Great 

 Chancellor of Ruffia, by order of 

 the Emprefs, has lately written a 

 letter to the Dodor, exprcflive of 

 her high opinion of his book. The 

 letter was accompanied with a fu- 

 perb medallion of gold, which ha« 

 on one fide a Lajfo relino of her Ma- 

 jefty's head, and on the reverfc, the 

 Equciirian Statue of Perer the 

 Great. This flattering te^Hmony 

 to the merit of his worlt, ikccom- 

 paiiied with a polite letter, has been 

 tranfmitttd to the Dodor, by hn 

 Excellency the Count dc Woron- 

 zow, her Imperial Majcfty's Aui- 

 bafladortothe Britiftl Court. 



Notwitlifiuridiug the mildncfs ^ 



i-&id Mi; or of Lundau, to whom the prcfei:t winter in f rir.ce and 



