new capital, and almost before there were houses built or men to inhabit them, made ample provisions for the introduction of science into his dominions.

In the course of his second journey into Holland and France, in the years 1708 and 1717, Peter paid great attention to the state of science and the fine arts in those countries. He examined cabinets of natural history, as well as museums and galleries of paintings. Two of the former, in particular, which enjoyed great reputation in the scientific world at Amsterdam, and which had attracted general attention, seem to have made a deep impression on him. These were the Anatomical Cabinet of Ruysch, a celebrated anatomist, who had worked at it for the space of forty years, and the Zoological Collection of Seba, an Apothecary, containing almost every species of animals then known, and a full description of which, illustrated with engravings, afterwards appeared in four volumes, in folio.

These two collections he purchased, and had them carefully conveyed to St. Petersburgh, where they formed the nucleus of what afterwards became the Museum of Natural History of the Academy of Sciences, an institution founded also by Peter, shortly before his death. A large building of stone, on the bank of the Neva, was assigned for the reception of these new acquisitions, where Peter was in the constant habit of visiting and contemplating them.

In that building, he gave the first audience to an Ambassador from the Court of Vienna. "Let him come hither," observed the Monarch to his Chancellor, who was asking whether the Summer Palace would not be a more appropriate place for receiving that minister:," let him come hither; it must be a matter of indifference to him in which place I first see him. It is to me, and not to one of my houses, that he is sent: whatever he has to commu

nicate, he may impart to me wherever I am." And the audience actually took place in the Cabinet of Natural History.

The collections themselves were no less objects of admiration to Peter's officers and counsellors. He was one day, (whilst engaged in examining those collections) expatiating to his Attorney-general, Paul Ivanovitch Jagouchinsky, and other senators and great lords of his court, on the pleasure as well as the utility of science, when turning to the librarian Schoumacher, he bade him, from that time forward, freely admit all classes of persons to the Museum, taking care to have proper assistants to show and explain to the visitors every object they wished to examine. The man of law having an eye to the expense which the state would incur by an establishment of this nature, suggested that the visitor ought to pay one or two roubles for his admission. "Paul Ivanovitch," was the answer of the Sovereign, "who would take the trouble to come and admire my exotics, if I exhibited them for money? No, no; my intention is, that they should not only be shown gratuitously to all, but also that whenever a party of people come on purpose to visit these cabinets, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, or some other refreshment shall be offered to them at my expense." The latter practice was continued until the death of the Empress Anne.

Peter had a firm conviction that the mere contemplation of the various objects of science, and still more so the study of them, would tend to advance his great work of reform and amelioration among his subjects more than any other means he could devise; he therefore never lost sight of his favourite object; and when he fell ill of the complaint which ultimately put an end to his existence, among other charges, and with his dying breath, he recommended to the Empress Catherine Alexievna, who was to succeed

him, the completion of the work he had so happily begun.

Peter was right; and the future Sovereigns of Russia will only consult their own, and their people's best interest, in cherishing the great love for science which animated their illustrious ancestor. With nearly the same zeal did Peter endeavour to promote literature, and the translation of foreign works, on all subjects of importance, into the Russian language. With the exception of a few ascetic publications, and books of devotion, there was scarcely a printed Russian book in existence, when Peter ascended the throne; certainly none whatever on subjects of sciences and the arts. Peter felt all the inconvenience and prejudicial effects of this deficiency, and the obstacle it presented to the execution of his gigantic projects, and forthwith ordered several important elementary and other foreign works, to be translated into the language of the country. Among other publications which he was desirous of seeing in a Russian dress, Puffendorff's Introduction to his History of the European States was one; and the translation of it the Monarch confided to a learned monk. The expression of remarkable sentiments, to which that translation gave rise on the part of Peter, is almost too well known to be received with indulgence if repeated here; nevertheless it places that Sovereign's mind in so striking a light with regard to his notions of the Russian people, and his great desire to do them service, that it cannot be too often quoted. The monk having completed his task, presented the MS. to the Tzar, who, in his presence, began to turn over the leaves, reading a few passages to himself. Having stopped at a chapter towards the end of the book, the attending officers observed that his face changed colour, and exhibited strong marks of displeasure. "Fool!" said the Tzar, turning to the monk,

"what did I bid you do with the book ""To translate it, Sire!" "Is this then a translation ?" replied the Sovereign, pointing at the same time to a paragraph in the original, where the author had spoken harshly of Russia, and of the character of its inhabitants, but which the goodnatured monk had in part omitted, and in part softened down in the most flattering manner to the nation. "Hence !” added the incensed monarch, "and be careful how thou translatest the work faithfully. It is not to flatter my subjects that I bade thee put the book into Russian and print it; but rather to correct them, by placing under their eye the opinion which foreigners entertain of them, in order that they may at length know what they once were, and what they now are through my exertions."

Nor was the love of Peter for the fine arts less conspicuous. During his second voyage to Amsterdam he visited all the celebrated artists of that city, frequently stopping whole hours to see them paint. Out of his favourite school, the "Flemish," he made a considerable collection of paintings on that occasion, which served to form the picture-gallery at the Imperial country residence of Peterhof, where, as well as in the wooden Summer Palace described in the preceding chapter, he also deposited several sea pieces by Silo, who was then celebrated as a marine painter, particularly in representing naval engagements, having himself been a naval Captain. While in Paris, also, Peter frequented the ateliers of the most distinguished artists, and had several portraits of himself taken in order to possess some specimens of their art. Nigaud and Natoire are the two who succeeded best. The latter painted the Monarch clad in armour, and a portrait also of the Empress Catherine; both works of great merit, which afterwards became the property of the Great Chancellor Woronzow, the grandfather of the General at whose house I was staying in St. Petersburgh.

But his partiality for the best artists of foreign nations served only to increase his desire of seeing the art of painting cultivated in Russia. Having discovered some talent in the young son of his Secretary Natikine, he sent him to Amsterdam, whence he returned a good historical painter: some of his works are justly esteemed, and are to be seen at St. Petersburgh, as well as in different churches in Russia. Matweef, Sacharof, Merkurief and Vodili Vasilewsky, were by Peter sent to Rome to learn the art of painting, while Seruzoff and Geropkin studied architecture there. All of them on their return assisted in decorating or building several churches and other edifices in various parts of Russia.

With such precedents and such foundations it was to be expected that science, literature and the arts would be patronized by Peter's successors, and that what that great man had begun, succeeding Sovereigns would complete; nay, that, in order to promote them, specific establishments and institutions would be erected, properly endowed, and, if necessary, multiplied.

Such has in fact been the case, and it must be admitted that the Russians, as well as those foreign residents who have in a manner become Russians, possess scientific institutions and men capable of instructing them in almost every branch of modern science, equal to those of any other country. In reference to mathematics and astronomy, for example, the services rendered to science by many of the former and one of the present professors of Russian Universities have been acknowledged in every part of civilized Europe. Some of the professional persons, whom I have known, seemed well versed in the collateral branches of science connected with medicine; and even among people of rank and independent fortune, I found a few who had cultivated science for its own sake and the enjoyments it procures. Speaking in a general way, however, I think that I shall not be far wrong, if I state that the present