» 1800.] 
riod he was only ceneral ez chef—he kiffed 
it with the cuftomary religious geftures, 
and then caprioled alaCoffaque feveral times 
acrofs theroom. ‘¢ A’n’t I ftill able to 
jump?” faid he very farcaftically to the 
furrounding officers ; “I ftill am able to 
jump !” All eafily comprehended his 
meaning ; for he had been promoted over 
the heads of feveral fenior officers, among 
whom was Repnin. Ona march he ufed 
formerly to be ufually dreffed like a com-. 
mon foldier : bur when I faw him, namely 
at Warfaw, he was always in full uniform, 
and fometimes decorated with the infignia 
of orders of knighthood and with precious 
ftones. He is pretty rich ; his ftyle of 
living is however far from {plendid; at 
leaft compared with the truly fatrapean 
fiate and luxury of the other Ruffian -ge- 
nerals. Neverthelefs he does not hoard ; 
for he is very generous and indulgent. 
it is well known that he has preferved his 
laconic franknefs and fincerity of {peech 
even towards the prefent emperor, and 
that Paul was at laft obliged to indulge him 
therein. This proves the worth of the man. 
He likewife fpoke with energy againtt the 
changes in the army. The laft letter from 
the emperor to him, before he fet out for 
Ktaly, which was publifhed in the new(- 
papers, fets the affair in its true light. 
On the acceffion of the prefent emperor, 
a great number of officers had been arbi- 
trarily and without trial or inveftigation 
difmiffed, and the names of fome ftruck 
off the military roll without even the for- 
mality of adifcharge. Suwarrow received 
them kindly, gave many of them appoint- 
ments in the army under’ his command, 
and kept others of them in his houfe till 
he fhould be ableto provide for them, and 
treated them with the greateft gencrofity. 
On being informed of this, the emperor 
was highly incenfed, that the field-mar- 
thal fhould dare to a& thus publicly in 
contradiétion to his exprefs commands, 
and demanded of him an explanation of his 
conduct. Suwarrow replied: <* I per- 
fe&tly know thefe men: they are honett 
and brave. They have committed no 
fault at all, or at leat none that deferved 
fo fevere a punifhment. They are poor 
and helplefs. Shall they become beggars 
or robbers? That, as a good Ruffian, 
J cannot fuffer: I have given them a 
triendly reception.” ‘The emperor, 
ftruck with the noblenefs of his determined 
{pirit, examined no farther into the affair ; 
and many ot the officers were in the fe- 
quel reappointe to their ftations through 
the recommendation of the field-mar- 
« e 
Anecdote of Suwarrow. 
wi 
559 
The accufation, that under his: command, 
excefles and cruelties have been committed, 
is frequently brought againft him even in 
Rufhia : and there are not wanting in the 
army too, officers of diftintion who en- 
tertain no very high opinion of his military 
talents. That fuch an opinion fhould be 
entertained, always appeared ftrange to 
me. As for the accufation relative to the 
excefies, in molt inftances it affects the fub- 
ordinate commanders, much more than the 
general-in-chief, who often cannot help 
it, if the grenadiers commit outrages ; 
but the colonel and the captain, who have 
them more immediately under their eye, 
can and fhould prevent excefies. 
Suwarrow is faid to be well read in: all 
branches of {cience, thofe efpecially that 
relate to the art of war, ‘This much is 
certain, that he {peaks feveral languages 
with tolerable fluency and correétnefs. IL, 
have heard him converfe with Pruffian 
officers ; and it would have been difficult 
to determine who {poke the German lan- 
guage the beft, the Ruffian or the Pruffian. 
French he {peaks as well as can be expected 
from a man of his profeflion ; and better 
than many others fimilarly circamftanced. 
The Turkifh and Tartarian languages heis 
faid to {peak like a native Turk or Tartar ; 
having pafled a great part of his life in 
warring againft thefe nations. Ofthenice 
difcernment of his eye l had my(elf a proof. 
Several Ruffians had complimented me on 
my refembling them fo much in my man- 
ners, difpofition, countenance, and drefs, 
that I might pafs foranative of the country. 
As I then wore the Ruffian uniform, this 
compliment greatly pleafed me, and I en- 
deavoured to deferve it. But Suwarrow, 
the firft time hé faw me onthe parade, 
immediately, without being informed who 
T was, or whence I came, addreffed me in 
French as he ufually does foreigners ; thus 
proving to me, that I had not yet nationa- 
lized my(elf even in external appearance. 
I confider Suwarrow to furpafs moft of 
his contemporary public men in firmnefs of 
character, in energy, and comprehenfive 
views, joined to true perfonal integrity and 
humanity. The laft word feems a paradox 
to you: but on a clofer examination it 
would certainly appear to be founded in 
truth. - You muft reflect, that he was 
employed for the moft part in defperate 
enterprifes, and that he thus had the mif- 
fortune, while executing the orders of 
others, to appear tovbe what Potemkin 
really was. 
One particular more I muft relate to 
you of old Suwarrow, which is contrary 
to the cuftom of moft great men both in _ 
4Cz the 
