Misc. Suhj. CXXXir. Vol. VI. No, :97v 



EQUESTRIAN -/STATUE OF FETER THE GREIAT^ 



IN . PETËR8B.URGH. 



This magnificent equestrian statue, here 

 represented, has been erected on the Peter's 

 place, in ..Petersburgs,, by the order of Ca- 

 tharine IL , to the memory of her great pre- 

 decessor. The Emperor, dressed after the 

 russian fashion, the hair twisted with a laurel- 

 branch, is mounted on a fiery horse, leaping 

 tip a rock; a fair allusion to the -difficulties he 

 valiantly surmounted during his great govern- 

 ment. The figure of- the- Monarch, is: 11 foot 

 high the horse 17 foot, the pedestal of gra- 

 nite likewise 17 foot; the height of the whole 

 statue arrives at 30.^ feet. On either side of 

 the rock is engraved the simple inscription, 

 in the russian and latin tongues: To Peter 

 /First , Catharine IL MDCCLXXXII. In the 

 year 1785, August 7. the whole statue was 



solemnly uncovered for the first time , under 

 the parade of the militia, the Empress Catha- 

 rine looking upon the ceremony from tlie-ba^- 

 çony of the Senate- Palace, S Ô0B L B j ^jSe* 



The rock of granite, whereof the pede- 

 stal is fabricated by the whole, was situated 

 in a marshy forest, near the village of Lachte, 

 12 wersts or russian miles (almost if germ an 

 miles) from Petersburgfi. 



The rock, supported by channels with 

 brazen balls , was transported as far as Peters« 

 burgh, in an ingenious manner, by means 

 of windlasses. A drummer, on the summit 

 of the rock, [ga ve the signals; besides there 

 was raised a field -forge, in order to remedy 

 immediately the damaged machines of trans- 

 port. 



