
G72 
“teen years they lived together in the en- 
joyment of as much conjugal felicity as 
ufually falls tothe lot of perfons of that 
elevated rank, at leaftno flagrant irregula- 
‘Fities, nor any confpicuous difagreements 
appeared before the public eye. Peter, 
an‘eafy good-natured prince, being ex- 
‘cluded from all interference in’ public af- 
“fairs, during the reign of his aunt Eliza- 
feecth Petrovna, had the palace of Ora- 
zienbaum affigned him for his refidence, 
where, the culture of his mind having 
‘Beer totally neglected, he paffed his days 
tm milvary exercifes at the head of his 
‘troops, and his evenings were ufuaily 
Spent in concerts, mafquerades, and con- 
~wivyial recreations, in which, foldier like, 
he fometimes indulged to excefs. If we 
have only heard of him 4s entirely given 
wp fe intemperance, and the childith 
amufernents of a weak utiderftanding, we 
ought always to remember that, frora one 
er other caufe, his cheracter has 'enly 
Been delineated to us by his enemies and 
sflafins. Nor fhould it be forgotten, 
that the reculations he made during his 
“Whort reign, of only fix months, were, 
after being made matter of accufation 
againft him, adopted {uccefsfully, under 
ether aufpices, by the Empreis his fuc- 
evefior. 
Nothing could evince more ability and 
prudence than the conduc of the Emprefs 
on her acceflion to the throne. Her mag- 
manimity too was ftrikincly difplayed in 
fer behaviour towards the friends of the 
tate monarch, who had remained true to 
his caufe. None fuffered either by exe- 
eutions, confifcations, or banifhment.. She 
reproached indeed Field-Marfaal Munic, 
whem the ernperor had recalled after 
twenty years exile in Siberia, with having 
taken part againft her. ‘« Yo my late 
“mafier, faid he, my beft ferviecs were 
“die. He was my Jovereign, and there- 
© fore commanded my duty. He was my 
_ © benefactor and deliverer, and [ glory in 
*« the te&imonies I was able to give him 
** of my gratitude and affection. You, 
_€* madam, are now my fovereign, and my 
“* fidelity to you is as unalterable-as my 
€¢ attachment was to him.”’ 
Catharine made no reply, but gave 
him her hand to kifs; and the firit news 
he heard from her was an invitation to 
court, where he continued in her utmof 
confidence to the day of his death, which 
happened on the 16th of O&tober, 1767, 
in the 8sth year of his age. As foon as 
the apprehenfion of new commotions was 
difpelled, Count Vorontzof was relealed 
from prifon,.anc afterwards put into office, 
Original Memoirs of the late Emprefs of Ruffia, Ge. 
{ Sup. 
The Countefs Elizabeth Vorontzof, was 
permitted to énjoy the affluence fhe had 
received from the liberality of Peter, and 
lived at Peterfburgh among a {mail circle 
of friends and relations, by whom her 
death was lamented ins791. Geodovitch, 
who was high in the, confidence of Peter, 
and thereby incurred the particular dif- 
like of the Empre{s, was allowed to retire 
to his native country; and the Holftein 
uards, who had offered the Emperor to 
march againft his confort, and even im- 
portuned him to lead them on, experi- 
enced no feverity at her hands: fuch as 
were willing to inlift were incorporated 
in the feveral regiments; and the others 
withdrew unmolefted from Ruffia. Prince 
George of Holftein, uncle to Peter, though 
conned during the revolution, was after- 
wards promoted to the rank of field- 
marfhal, and appointed adminiftrater of 
Holftein during the minority of her fon. 
Catharine was In the 34th year of her 
age when fhe afeended the throne, on the 
28th of June, O. S. On the firit 
of Septentber following, the departed for 
Motco, where the ceremony of her cero- 
nation was performed with great folemni- 
ty and maenificence, on the 16th of that 
tof 
E7C2Z. 
month; from whence fhe fet out on her 
return the 14th of June, 1763, and ar~ 
rived at St. Peterfburgh the 23th. 
However unpopular the peace and alli- 
ance -fo fuddenly concluded on the aecef- 
fion of Peter the IlId with the king of 
Pruflia, and the little probability there 
was, that the clofe and intimate connec- 
tion which had fubfifted between thofe 
two monarchs, could greatly recommend 
the interefts of the latter to the new fo- 
vereign; yet, fortunately for that won- 
derful man, the Emprefs, who had come 
to the Ruflian throne in the extraordinary 
manner that we have feen, could not leak 
upon herfelf as futhciently fecure to re- 
kindie the flames of a war fo deftruétive 
in its progrefs, declared to the king of 
_Pruffia’s minifters, that fhe was refolved 
to obterve inviolably, in all points, the 
perpetual peace concluded under the pre- 
ceding reign. 
Catharine now turned her thoughts to 
the denefit and improvement of her em- 
pire. In the September of 1763, fhe laid 
the foundation of the great Foundling 
Hofpital at Mofco. The following year 
fhe made a journey into Livonia, to learn 
the ftate of that province; and, on her 
return, was prefent at the confecration 
-of the Devitza Monaftery, inftituted for 
the education of young ladies of quality, 
endowing it with a falary of 16,0c0!. per 
. , annunye 
