﻿STATUE OF PETER THE GREAT. 



105 



difficult to insure perfect uniformity in the quality and appearance of 

 the different blocks. The next proposal was to form it of one whole 

 rock ; but this appeared impossible ; and, in a report to the senate, it 

 was stated the expense would be so enormous, as almost to justify 

 the abandonment of the undertaking ; and even if made of six pieces, 

 as first proposed, the outlay would be excessive. At length it was 

 determined to transport to the city the largest rock that could be 

 found, and add other portions to it as might be judged necessary. 

 Still, great misgivings prevailed as to the possibility of removing the 

 contemplated mass. The search was then begun, but with less suc- 

 cess than had been anticipated, as the country around St. Petersburg 

 is flat and marshy, affording no traces of stone, while the nearest 

 mountains are in the province of Finland. A whole summer was 

 passed in exploration ; and the idea of forming the pedestal of 

 several smaller portions was again entertained, when a large stone 

 was discovered near Cronstadt, which it was determined to apply as 

 the principal mass ; and the task of its removal was confided to the 

 Admiralty, who, however, as well as many other mechanicians ap- 

 plied to in turn, refused to undertake it. The search for the smaller 

 blocks was nevertheless continued, although no one appeared to have 

 any definite notion of the use to be made of them in the event of 

 their discovery. 



Under these unexpected difficulties, the formation of the pedestal 

 was intrusted to an officer of the corps of cadets, who had already 

 given proofs of his mechanical skill. A native of Cephalonia, he had 

 been compelled, for an offence against the laws, to seek refuge in 

 Russia, where he lived under the assumed name of Lascary. He 

 had strenuously recommended the adoption of the original design ; 

 and a few days after his appointment, he received in formation from a 

 peasant of a large rock lying in a marsh near a bay in the Gulf of 

 Finland, about twenty miles from the city by water. An examina- 

 tion was immediately instituted ; the stone was found covered with 

 moss ; and on sounding around it, the base was fortunately ascer- 

 tained to be flat. Its form was that of a parallelopipedon, 42 feet in 

 length, 27 feet in width, and 21 feet in height dimensions suffi. 

 ciently extensive to realize the conceptions of M. Falconet the sculp- 

 tor. But when the authorities, under whose direction the work was 



