634 



CATHARINE II; 



Catharine as minister plenipotentiary from Russia. His absence, 

 U- h,owev-r, and the arrival of the young Count Stanis- 

 Si -'Y"""' Jaus Poniatowsky at the court of Elizabeth, soon 

 produced a revolution in the affections of Catharine. 

 Soltikof was forgotten, and the young Polander had 

 scarcely declared his admiration, than he was admit- 

 ted into all the familiarities of a favoured lover. This 

 new intrigue was carried on with as little secrecy as 

 the former, and soon spread throughout the court. 

 The enemies of Catharine were loud in their censures. 

 The indignation of the empress was awakened ; the 

 jealousy of Peter was alarmed ; and the grand duch- 

 ess was about to be overwhelmed with infamy and 

 disgrace, when she was extricated from her difficul- 

 ties by the extreme fondness of Elizabeth for the 

 young Paul Petrovitch. When no offer of accom- 

 modation would be listened to by the empress, ex- 

 cept upon the most mortifying conditions, Catharine 

 asked leave to retire to Germany. This request, she 

 had reason to believe, would not be granted, as her 

 departure would expose her son to the hazard of be- 

 ing afterwards declared illegitimate ; and consequent- 

 ly by awakening the feelings of Elizabeth, who was 

 now in her dotage, for her favourite Paul, a concilia- 

 tion was immediately effected. The storm, which 

 threatened to burst upon her head was thus dissipa- 

 ted ; and to the astonishment of the court, she ap- 

 peared at the theatre by the side of the empress, 

 who treated her with the most marked and friendly 

 attention. 



But the death of Elizabeth and the accession of 

 Peter opened a new field for the genius and exertions 

 of Catharine. She had little to expect from a hus- 

 band, whom she had so deeply injured, and openly 

 despised ; but she had in some measure fortified her- 

 self against his power, by her influence with some 

 of the most distinguished nobles of the empire, and 

 had attempted to conciliate the popular favour by an 

 exterior of piety and devotion. The first measures 

 of Peter's reign, however, gave her no uneasiness. 

 He, who when grand duke was dissipated, capri- 

 cious, and impetuous, was no sooner seated on the 

 throne, than, to all appearance, he was transformed 

 into a temperate, equitable, and enlightened monarch. 

 He retained in their places the great officers of state, 

 and was particularly kind to such as had been at- 

 tached to Elizabeth. All his former animosities 

 seem to have been forgotten. The grand duchess 

 was treated with marked attention, and received the 

 most flattering testimonies of confidence and esteem. 

 Her opinion was consulted on all affairs of import- 

 ance. He seemed to delight in her conversation; 

 and to repose himself on the strength of- her under- 

 tanding. Catharine, however, knew too well the 

 temper and disposition of her husband to be deceived 

 by this change in his conduct. He possessed neither 

 judgment nor energy sufficient for the government of 

 a great empire. Inconsistency and levity were the 

 predominant features in his character, and consequent- 

 ly she could have little dependence OH his kindness ; 

 but was always prepared against the dropping of tlie 

 mask which he had assumed for ambitious and selfish 

 purposes, and which accorded so ill with the weak- 

 ness and versatility of his mind. 



Peter no sooner supposed himself firmly establish- 

 ed upon the throne, and secure of the popular favour, 

 than he resumed his former habits. The greater 



part of his time was spent in dissipation. His appa- 

 rent respect for Catharine was turned into indiffe- 

 rence, and sometimes to rudeness ; and while his mis- 

 tress, the Countess Woronsot, was publicly distin- 

 guished by his attention, she was often subjected to 

 the most humiliating neglect. The ct-jntess even 

 boasted of her power over the Czar, arid of his in- 

 tention to raise her to the throne of Russia. He 

 himself took no pains to disguise it ; but often hinted 

 his resolution of repudiating Catharine, and of pub- 

 lishing her infidelities ; of declaring illegitimate her 

 son Paul Petrovitch ; and of adopting as his succes- 

 sor ,the Prince Ivan, who had been dethroned by 

 Elizabeth. Informed of these designs, Catharine was 

 not idle in adopting measures for their prevention. 

 She had long seen that her only safety was in the de- 

 thronement of her husband, and her own exaltation; 

 and had proceeded by slow but certain steps to the 

 accomplishment of her purpose. She had opposed 

 to his harshness and neglect, the utmost address and 

 dissimulation* She affected an air of resignation and 

 piety ; accosted the poor with kindness, and attended 

 daily prayers in the churches of Petersburgh. Her 

 situation excited the compassion of the populace, and 

 by her arts she soon gained their affections, which 

 the Czar, by his follies, was rapidly losing. She had 

 also been assiduous in drawing to court, and attach- 

 ing toher interest, men of courage and intrigue; and 

 did not hesitate in disclosing to a few, upon whose dis- 

 cretion- she .could depend, her intention of ascending 

 the throne. But her plans were laid with such se- 

 crecy and art, that to each of her accomplices, the 

 communication was at first distinct, and each acted 

 without the knowledge or concurrence of another. 

 Catharine herself, in her retirement at Peterhoff, an 

 imperial palace on the gulf of Finland, whither she 

 had been dismissed, animated and directed them all ; 

 and impelled by the designs of Peter and the hope 

 of absolute power, she prosecuted her schemes with 

 a wisdom and dispatch, which could not but be at- 

 tended with the most fortunate result. The chief 

 conspirators were Gregory Orlof, a man distinguish- 

 ed for his courage and strength, but possessing nei- 

 ther the advantages of birth nor education ; Lieu- 

 tenant General Villebois ; Hetman Kurilli Razu- 

 mofsky; Prince Volkonsky; Count Panin; the Arch- 

 bishop of Novgorod ; Lieutenant Passick ; and the 

 Princess Dashkof, all determined and active charac- 

 ters. But Catharine was also aided in her purpose 

 by the indolence and indiscretion of the Czar, who, 

 confident of security, was wasting his days in the 

 midst of Jiis profligate and artful companions ; and 

 by delaying the execution of his own designs against 

 the empress, hastened his destruction. Even when he 

 way informed that a conspiracy was on foot, he disre- 

 garded the intelligence, and could not be prevailed 

 upon to seize those who were suspected. 



When the plot was sufficiently matured, and the 

 conspirators had resolved upon the dethronement of 

 the Czar, they chose the anniversary of St Peter and 

 St Paul, as the mott proper opportunity of seizing 

 his person. This anniversary was to be celebrated 

 at Peterhoff, and the conspirators awaited only the 

 arrival of the Czar to complete their purpose. But 

 before the appointed time the plot was discovered, 

 and Passick, one of the principal actors, was imme- 

 diately arrested. The conspirators were struck with 



Catharine 

 II. 



