MEMOIR OF PALLAS. 61 
woman and a sovereign did not happen to make the 
best possible selection, nor act with as correct views 
as a scholar would have done; but it is difficult to 
conceive how those she engaged to co-operate with 
her, did not venture to point out to her the imper- 
fection of her plan, seeing it is very clear that a 
dry vocabulary could never supply an idea of the 
mechanism and genius of a language. But notwith- 
standing all this, the treatise before us is a truly 
valuable work, and has been useful in promoting the 
researches of other learned men. 
The Empress seemed never to weary in giving 
her favourite Naturalist fresh proofs of her partiality 
and confidence. He was appointed a member of 
the commission which was selected in 1777 to pre- 
pare a new topography of the empire; he was also 
elected historiographer to the admiralty, an office 
which obliged him to give attention to many scien- 
tific questions connected with the navy; and the 
Grand Duke Alexander, lately Emperor, and his 
brother, the present Grand Duke Constantine, re- 
ceived his instructions on the subjects of natural 
history and physics. 
Thus employed in so truly an honourable manner 
by government, distinguished by titles corresponding 
to his employments, and esteemed by all the learned 
men in Europe, Pallas enjoyed at Petersburg all 
the consideration which could be paid to him in his 
twofold character of a foreigner and a literary man ; 
but it would likewise appear that his long habit of 
