1797+] 
ftein, which alfo had given rife to certain 
difputes. Both the uncle and nephew 
were equally anxious to obtain a complete. 
recognition of the rights of Denmark, and 
confequently an enure dereliétion of thofe 
of Ruffia. But how was it poflible to obrain 
this > Catherine was the moft tenacious of 
fovereigns, and, inftead of relinquifhing 
old claims, was perpetually en*rcing 
mew ones. Her favourites too, of all 
men, were the leaft likely to counte- 
nance fuch a meafure, as the territory in 
queftion had been the fruitful fource-of 
prefents and compenfations. What the 
moralift blufhes to countenance, the moft 
fcrupulous ftatefman often achieves with- 
out a pang. It was fo in the prefent 
inftance :—the pride of the emprefs was 
continually fuggefting ideas of aggran- 
difement: an appeal to this-very pride 
confirmed the German dorhinions of Den- 
mark to their ancient mafters. The cor- 
ruption of her favourites inftilled the 
wifh of a perpetual controverfy: it was 
in this very corruption that thé two 
minifters founded their hopes of enfran- 
“ehifement. To Catherine it was accord- 
ingly reprefented as unworthy the dig- 
nity of fo great a princefs to poffefs a 
petty territory, Which would neceffarily 
render her dependent on the empire of 
Germany. Of the members of the then 
eabinet, the affent of {ome was gained, 
the filence of others was purchafed, and 
the acquiefcence of all fo fecured, that-a 
final * treaty was actually concluded at 
Kiel, on the 16th of November, 1773. 
This event was celebrated by public 
feftivals throughout Denmark, and oc- 
cafioned the greateft joy at Copenhagen 
in particular. It was otherwife at Peterf- 
burgh. Her imperial Majefty foon per- 
ceived, that notwithftanding her great 
talents for negociating, fhe had on this 
eccafion been fairly outwitted by the. 
new minifter; and Saldern, on whom 
the weight of her indignation fell, was 
actually difgraced. Being unwilling, how- 
ever, to revoke her fignature, fhe con- 
foled herfelf with the affurance that this 
conceffion had fecured her a faithful ally in 
Denmark, who would be always ready 
to check the hoftile defigns of Sweden, 
and here fhe was not miftaken. 
Another obje&, equally worthy of 
Bernftorif, foon excited and engroffed his 


* The widow of the old Count de Bern- 
Storff received many marks of royal favour on 
this occafion ; and was prefented with a gold 
medal; the legend of which was '* 4 PAcnneur 
fu tO Novembre, 1773.” 
Original Anecdotes—Count de Bernfiorff 
461 
whole attention. Ata period when the 
flame of liberty was nearly exting& 
throughout Europe, it all of a fudden 
became the fafhion for arbitrary power, 
in the: plenitude of its indulgence, to 
concede {ome of its pretenfions, and aétu- 
ally bufy itfelf about the welfare of its 
flaves! We accordingly find that three 
of the greateft defpots on the continent 
(for they prefided over three military go- 
vernments, and a military government 
is the very climax of defpotifm) con- 
ceived the idea of becoming legiflators. 
Thefe were Catharine of Ruflia, Fre- 
derick of Pruffia, and Jofeph of Auftria, 
and their refpective codes, excellent in 
theory, but ({uch is the nature of tyran- 
ny!) unattainable in practice, ftill exitt 
in the libraries of the curious. Ir was 
in 1775 that the emprefs ordered her 
new laws to be printed at Peterfburgh, 
and adopted provifionally, and by way 
of trial, throughout the governments of 
Smolenfkoe and Tver. It cannot be de-~ 
nied that the regulations for the fhorten- 
ing of law-fuits were excellent; the 
expences of litigation were leffened; the 
provincial tribunals were empowered to 
determine in the firft inftance; an appeal 
indeed was allowed, but if the former 
decree happened to be confirmed, the 
appellant was fubjeéted to. cofts of fuit, 
and a fine. Ae ; 
Bernftorff,-on his part, was nof.unat~ 
tentive to the progrefs of knowledge ; 
he ambitioned greatly to introduce ufeful 
reforms into Denmark, but he was con- 
ftantly reminded of the fate of his pre- 
deceffor, Count de Struenfee, and often 
found it prudent to defit. There was 
lefs danger, however, in_refpeét to any 
innovation that might be attempted in 
Norway, as the nobility. poffeffed bur. . 
few fiets there, and the peafantry having 
generally leafes for life, had acquired a 
great fuperiority in point of Knowledge 
over their original conquerors, the Danes. 
lt was his opinion that,it was far better 
to prevent law-fuits than to regulate 
them, and eafier to render them unne- 
ceflary than unexpenfive: he thus ftruck 
at the root of the evil, while his imperial 
and royal colleagues only aimed random 
firokes at the branches. He knew that 
contefts of this kind ufually originated im 
mifcomprehenfions he accordingly en-:: 
joined a meeting of the parties. He was 
aware that decifions often arofe out of 
influence, and fometimes out of ‘corryp- 
tion; hé therefore had récourfe te the 
trial by jury, a godlike inftitution, con+ 
i 7 genial 

