ix CATHERINE II. OF RUSSIA 87 



gill, an early advocate of inoculation, had approved of 

 his friend Dimsdale's method, and had advised him in 

 his publications ; he now recommended his friend for 

 the office : Dimsdale accordingly met M. Pouschin at 

 Fothergill's house in Harpur Street. After some per- 

 suasion from the latter, Dimsdale accepted the invitation 

 made to him, that he should journey to St. Petersburg 

 (Petrograd) for the purpose of inoculating the Empress 

 and her son the Grand Duke. The minister asked him 

 to name his own terms, but Dimsdale left this entirely 

 to the Empress. Most people considered it a very 

 hazardous enterprise, but he set off " with great cheerful- 

 ness and gaiety," July 28, 1768, taking with him his 

 son Nathaniel, who was then a student of physic at 

 Edinburgh. 



The journey was a long one, but ample and generous 

 preparations were made by command of the Empress. 

 After crossing to the Netherlands, they travelled rapidly, 

 night and day, in a comfortable chaise, under the escort 

 of a sergeant, " without feeling the least fatigue " ; and, 

 including a few days' rest at Berlin, Dantzic and Riga, 

 accomplished the journey from Amsterdam to St. Peters- 

 burg in exactly one month. 



Arrived at the capital they waited on Count Panin, 

 the Prime Minister, who was very friendly. With him 

 was Baron Cherkasoff, who had been educated at Cam- 

 bridge and now presided at the College of Medicine in 

 St. Petersburg. His friendship was throughout of great 

 value to Dimsdale. These two men belonged to houses 

 still famous in Russia. The Empress was herself away, but 

 on her return to the court the visitors were introduced to 

 her presence. A series of letters which Dimsdale wrote 

 from St. Petersburg to an intimate friend in London, 

 Henry Nicols, conveys to us the vivid impressions made 

 upon his mind. " She is," he writes, " of all that ever 

 I saw of the sex the most engaging : her affability and 

 good sense are amazing." She has " a way of pleasing, 

 without appearing to have an art." The Empress treated 

 Dimsdale with great graciousness and confidence. As 



