2793+ oration of Lomonofsoff- grt 
thought that from a boyifh, as it seemed, amusement, 
such serious, such important consequences fhould 
have arisen? Many seeing a few young men with 
their young master, exercising themselves with dis 
minutive arms, concluded that this was only an in-= 
significant amusement ; and therefore these new le- 
vies were named playfellows. Others pofsefsed of 
more penetration, and remarking in his youthful 
countenance, 2 blooming heroic boldnefs, his eyes 
filled with acute intelligence, and in his acti« 
ons, majestic activity, reflected how brave a hero, 
how great a monarch, Rufsia in him had to expect. 
But to levy many and numerous legions, foot and 
horse; to provide them with clothing, with pay, 
with arms, and with warlike necefsaries ; to teach 
them the use of arms, to establith field and besieging 
artillery, in which a great knowledge of geometry, 
mechanics, and chemistry is required ; but above 
all, to furnifh all the departments with experienced 
He continued to reign jointly with Iwan, from 1689 to 1696, when, 
by the death of Iwan, Peter became sole monarch of Rufsia. Itis te 
the struggles during this period the orator here alludes. 
Even while his power was thus circumscribed, though his best 
friends were cut off, and his education was studiously neglected by the 
arts of Sophia ; even in these circumstances, at that very tender age, he 
laid the plan of overturning the power of the Strelitzes, who like the 
Pretorian bands at Rome, or the Janifsaries in Turky, did nearly 
whatever they pleased in Rufsia. With that view, he selected a num- 
ber of the most promising youth nearly of his own age, and formed a 
mock army of these to go through the exercise with them, like boys 
in sport, which was taught to them by foreigners who were acquain - 
ted with the regular military descipline in other parts of Europe. 
Thus was formed the rudiments of that army which soon after crufh « 
ef the Strelitzes, and became so formidable te others. 
