s> 1 N UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00022228723 y > .f •I 1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil http://archive.org/details/biographyforschoOOrobb BIOGRAPHY FOR SCHOOLS; OR, GOOD EXAMPLES FOR YOUNG PERSONS. BY THE AUTHOR OF AMERICAN POPULAR LESSONS. " Friends of the world, and fathers of mankind." URIAH HUNT, 101 MARKET STREET. AND FOR SALE BY THE BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY THROUGH- OUT THE UNITED STATES. 183 6. Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1836, by Uriah Hunt, in the clerk's office of the district court for the east- ern district of Pennsylvania. . STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN PHILADELPHIA. PREFACE. Biography for schools has never been attempted in this country. In Germany, authentic examples of what is excel- lent and commendable in human action are made a part of academic and popular instruction. In the Prussian schools a series of books under the title, Examples of Virtue, are in constant use. These examples are taken from different ages of the world, and teach the virtues proper to our nature and social state from the representations of fact. We give our children History long before they can under- stand it. History represents collective society — large num- bers of men — the interests of great numbers — the transac- tions of great numbers — the disputed principles of parties — politics, the most obscure of sciences — and negotiations of states — all which have nothing to do with the natural curi- osity, or sympathy, or duties of the young. There is know- ledge which our popular education entirely neglects, that is infinitely more desirable and interesting— it is that which records individual man. By means of this knowledge, we may lead the young from particulars to generals. We may show how every distinguished man belongs to his age — to others, his contemporaries. Columbus would not have been the man he was, but for the circumstances he was placed in ; or being the same man, he could not have run the same ca- reer, but for the motives and opportunities which the then 3 iV PREFACE. existing state of human knowledge, of government, and of religion opened to him. He illustrates his age. When the history of Luther is first presented to a young person, what a wide view of the most important truth does it open ! The individual is presented in all his ardour for the cause of truth — the principle which animates him is ex- alted at once by his zeal and courage in declaring it ; and then the authority of old error — its origin and progress — all the power which defends it, together with that which op- poses it ; the influences of false and of true religion upon society ; the power of the human will and conscience over all other powers, extending themselves beyond the fearless soul which announces their dictates to contemporary minds, and succeeding generations— all exhibit to the young the moral dignity of man — the ages and the multitudes that lay in darkness — the renewing of light to mankind — and by comparison with present times, its shining more and more to perfect day. In a similar way the relations of every great and good man or woman to the age in which he or she lives, makes the individual a nucleus of accumulated facts, which form the true history of mankind. In our common mode of teach- ing, that which is first should be last. " How can we rea- son but from what we know V In very early life we know individuals — private men, and private relations only. The connexion of these with the whole frame of society — of our own times with preceding, backward through antiquity — and the remarkable differences of savage and civilized man, are all comprehended by means of comparisons. Wisdom and Charity will both be enlarged by teaching History and • Ethics in such a connexion. I have written this little book with the view to induce teachers to discipline the minds of the young in this way. To inculcate the principles of duty by actual examples, and to extend the knowledge of mankind through the demon- strated influence of individuals upon large numbers, in dif- ferent ages and countries. This is a very small specimen of what is practicable in such a course of instruction ; but I was restricted to this experiment by the discretion of my publisher. I have, with more perseverance than success, during many years, endeavoured to furnish to the public the instru- ments of a truly moral education of the people. I honour all physical science for its excellent uses, and wish to see the young so far initiated by primary instruction, that they may find in it the interpretation of God's laws, and a constant facility in all the operations of art and industry. I desire to see the reasoning faculty exercised, so that truth and false- hood, expediency and inutility, may be plain before them ; but, above all, I wish to see the principles of a right conduct made perfectly clear by actual instruction. In a fictibn taken from antiquity,* Education personified, thus exhorts the learner to receive the benefits she would communicate : " If thou wilt be persuaded by me, I will display to thee many works of wise men, reporting to thee their admirable words and actions. And the soul, thy better part, I will * Lucian's Dream. Vi PREFACE. adorn with many ornaments — with temperance, justice, and holiness ; with gentleness, equity, and prudence ; with forti- tude, with love of honourable things, and with zeal for im- portant things. For these truly are the unblemished orna- ments of the soul." Thus in the words of a sceptic philoso- pher, we recognize the christian doctrine, "Whatsoever things are pure, lovely, &c, think on those things." If we have neglected the christian counsel heretofore, shall not this admonition reprove us 1 It is the best function of educa- tion to furnish the young with such elements of thought. God grant that others, better skilled than I am, may furnish them more acceptably and abundantly. ELIZA ROBBINS. Philadelphia, July, 1836. The following School-books have been prepared by the author of Biography for Schools. INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR LESSONS. AMERICAN POPULAR LESSONS, SEQUEL TO POPULAR LESSONS, PRIMARY DICTIONARY, TALES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY, POETRY FOR SCHOOLS, GRECIAN HISTORY, ENGLISH HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY FOR SCHOOLS. CONTENTS. Great Men, and Wise Men Page 9 James Brindley 12 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus 31 Peter the Great 40 Sir Matthew Hale 88 Mary Evelyn 107 Sir William Phipps 117 John Howard 137 William Roscoe 149 William Penn 179 John Frederic Oberlin 209 Louisa Schepler 237 George Cuvier 243 b GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. " Francis, how do you like the book I gave you when I went away V 9 said Mr. Carleton to his son, a boy of twelve years old, being just returned to his family after' some months of absence. " Evenings at Home, you mean, Father," said Francis ; " you told me it was full of instruction and entertain- ment — you said, this book will do you good as long as you live ; you will never forget its beautiful lessons. Be- cause you praised the book so much I began to read it immediately, and I have read it, little by little, ever since ; and I have never been l^red of it, though I do not under- stand all the conversations, and some of the stories, in the last volume." " Some of those stories are designed for young per- sons older than you are," remarked the good father, " but you will grow older fast enough, and you will then understand and enjoy them. Tell me of one that you have read without perfectly understanding it." " A discourse on Great Men, I did not quite under- stand, because I did not know enough of the persons mentioned in it to comprehend the remarks upon them," replied Francis ; and he went to the book-shelves that stood near, and took down the volume which he had 10 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. carefully preserved from all injury. At his father's request, he then began to read "Great Men," as fol- lows — " I will show you a great man" said Mr. C. one day to his son, at the time the Duke of Bridgewater's canal was making. He accordingly took him to a place where a number of workmen were employed in raising a pro- digious mound, or bank of earth and stones, on the top 'of which the canal was to be carried across a deep valley. In the midst of them was a plain- dressed man, of an ordinary appearance — in short, a person resem- bling those by whom he was surrounded. He had a paper in his hand — the plan of the work the men were engaged in — and he was giving directions to the people about him how to proceed in their labour, at the same time that he surveyed the whole with the most profound attention. This gentleman, Ai^hur, said Mr. C. is the great Mr. Brindley. What, cried Arthur, is that & great man? Mr. C. Yes, a very great man. Why are you sur- prised ? A. I do not know, but I should have expected a great man to have looked very differently. Mr. C. It matters little how a man looks, if he can perform great things. That person whom you see yonder, without any advantages of education, has become, by the force of his own genius, the first engineer of the age. He is doing things that were never done nor even thought of in England before; he pierces hills, builds GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 11 bridges over valleys, makes aqueducts across navigable rivers, and has introduced improvements that cannot be calculated. When Mr. Brindley is sometimes at a loss to accom- plish what he has begun, he does not go to other people for advice, but he consults the wonderful faculties of his own mind — he retires from every body, and thinks upon the subject, until, at length, the way to overcome his difficulties becomes plain before him, and he then sets himself to work to finish his undertaking ; w T hich he has never yet failed to do in the most perfect manner. He looks, it is true, like a man of the common order, but he has such a mind as is not granted to one in a million of the human race." Francis stopped at this period : " Father," said he, " I should understand the propriety of all this praise of Mr. Brindley if I really knew w r ho he was, and what he performed. The book says he w T as an eminent engineer, and planned the Duke of Bridgewater's canal, but I should like to know more of his history." " That is rational curiosity," answered Mr. Carleton. " Now I will put you in a way to gratify it, and also to exercise your skill in the art or writing. I will lend you the second volume of Aikin's Biographical Dictionary, and you shall read there the life of Mr. Brindley, and write an abstract of it as well as you can. It will fix in your memory the facts contained in that article. You need not, however, often write out what you have read; but rather impress it upon your mind, itself, by thinking 12 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. about what you read, which is the habit of reflection : without that you will learn very little. "The desire you have shown to follow out of one book into another what you have imperfectly learned in the first, is a good sign — a sign that you are not satis- fied with imperfect informations ; and I have shown you a way in which, where books abound, you may gratify your inclination for thorough knowledge upon almost any subject. When you have not just such books in your possession as you want, in all considerable places there are libraries that contain books which you will be allowed to consult. Those libraries are collected on purpose to preserve knowledge, and furnish it to those who desire to obtain it." JAMES BRINDLEY. James Brindley was born at Tunsted, in Derbyshire, in 1716. The poverty of his father's family was so extreme, that young Brindley was totally neglected; and instead .of receiving even the common rudiments of education, was forced to resort to such employments as are followed by children of the most indigent people. At the age of seventeen he bound himself apprentice to Mr. Bennet, a mill-wright, in Cheshire, and, in a short time, became expert in the business. He was not only very skilful at his work, but his whole conduct was re- markable for steadiness and prudence. Mr. Bennet soon learned to depend upon his intelligence and faith- GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 13 fulness ; and left him, for weeks together, without par- ticular instructions, to execute work commenced under his own inspection. This he would finish in his ow r n way, and with such improvements upon former practice, that Brindley's work soon came to be much preferred to any other person's. Mr. Bennet grew old and too infirm for business, but James Brindley did not quit him, and for some years maintained him and his family. An instance of Brindley's extraordinary activity, and zeal to procure knowledge is mentioned to his honour. Mr. Bennet was employed to build a paper-mill upon a new plan, after the model of the first and only one known in that part of the country. Brindley was engaged in other w T ork, and Mr. Bennet went on with his mill, expecting to make it operate like the model-mill. While he was engaged in this undertaking, another mill-wright, who happened to travel near the place, told the neighbours that Mr. Bennet could not make the mill, which he was constructing, -work as he expect- ed, and that he was .throwing away his employer's money. This report being repeated to Brindley, that he might know whether Mr. Bennet could produce the effect required of him, he determined to see the models mill himself. He could not discharge himself from labour on the working-days of the week ; and, being too poor to hire a conveyance, could only ' employ the Sunday to fulfil his intention : accordingly, he started on foot, on a Satur- 14 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. day evening for the mill, surveyed it, and accomplished a journey of fifty miles, and back again on Monday morning in time to commence work at the usual hour. From what Mr. Brindley observed of the mill, he was convinced that the travelling mill-wright had mis- chievously, or ignorantly, misrepresented Mr. Bennet's work ; and he encouraged the latter to proceed as he had begun, which he did very successfully. About the year 1750, silk-mills, and all machinery used in water-works and manufactures, began to be in great request in England, and to be improved by new inventions. When Mr. Brindley's skill as a workman came to be known, he was much consulted in these improvements, and he invented many himself. Among his useful contrivances was a water-engine for draining coal-mines — reels for winding in silk-mills — wheels to accomplish work that had been done before by hand, and a new method of grinding flints in potteries. The industry of man would be of small use without facilities of transportation. If the productions of the field — the cloth wrought in the loom — the ore disengaged from the mine, could not be conveyed from one district to another, there could be no exchange of the different pro- ducts of nature and of human labour. Each district would have a superfluity of one article and a want of an- other, so that all would be in need of some things in the midst of abundance of others. By means of navigation, of canals, and of roads, with the invention of steam-boats and carriages, and the as- GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 15 sistance of draught animals, a free interchange of all God's gifts to mankind is carried on. Thus he who adds to those already in use, a good road, a navigable canal, or a manageable engine which moves vessels or car- riages over land and water, renders a great service to society : he facilitates the labours of man, and multiplies his conveniences and comforts. James Brindley was capable of all this. In the middle of the last century, the Duke of Bridge- water became one of the wealthiest men in Britain by means of Mr. Brindley's operations. Seven miles from the city of Manchester, the duke had a large estate, rich in mines of coal ; but the coal was useless, because no cheap mode of conveying it to market had been con- trived. In order to obtain one, the duke consulted Mr. Brind- ley upon the practicability of constructing a canal from Worsley, where the coal lay, to Manchester ; and that gentleman, after surveying the ground, declared that the canal might be made, though not without great labour and expense. Satisfied with this information, the duke, after consent of parliament was obtained, employed Mr. Brindley to prosecute the enterprise. It was afterwards ascertained that the canal would be more advantageous if it should be considerably extend- ed ; and it was found necessary to carry it over rivers, and large and deep valleys — in one place over a river thirty-nine feet above the water, through an aqueduct, or long trough. Such an undertaking had then never been 16 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. accomplished, never even been heard of; and the bare mention of it caused it be derided and opposed. Mr. Brindley's genius, however, foresaw every diffi- culty, and how to surmount them all ; and his firm mind could equally disregard the ridicule and distrust that met him everywhere. The Duke of Bridgewater was very rich, and promised him as much money as he should find necessary. The confidence of his employer, and the use of his fortune, were all that Mr. Brindley required. The work was begun in September, 1760, and the first boat sailed over it on the 17th of July, 1761. From that time this astonishing success of the great engineer became an object of general admiration. The news- papers described the work ; people discussed it in com- mon conversation ; and travellers visited it with emotions of astonishment and delight. The complete operation of the Duke of Bridgewater's canal encouraged other undertakings of the like nature, and Mr. Brindley was employed to the end of his days upon works of inland navigation. His greatest enter- prise, was the canal from the Trent to the Mersey, which was ninety-three miles in length, and was finished by Mr. Brindley's brother-in-law, after his decease, in 1777, eleven years from the commencement of it. The most difficult part of this canal was its five tun- nels, or perforation of hills, for conveyance of water. The most remarkable of these, through Air-castle hill, was 2880 yards in length, and more than seventy yards below the summit of the hill. GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 17 These, Mr. Brindley's chief works, are only a part of his astonishing operations as surveyor and director of canals, which, in every part of England where they were needed, were laid out and completed in conse- quence of the important uses demonstrated by the first canal of the Duke of Bridgewater. If it be asked if Mr. Brindley was nothing but a ma- chinist and a projector of roads and canals — it may be replied, that to be this, was to be a great man — to be capable of designing and doing great good to society. But he was capable of much more : his heart was full of benevolence and patriotism ; and, though he seldom talked much, he sometimes expressed lively satisfaction in his pursuits because they were to be of great use to society. Mr. Brindley knew that his roads, canals, and ma- chines would diminish the toil of man, distribute the good things of the world, and multiply and interchange the comforts of life; and would, moreover, greatly increase the wealth of his native country: and he re- joiced in bright anticipations of the magnificent results of his unwearied study, exertion, and fatigue.* The achievements of his thoughts, of his vigilance and perseverance against all obstacles and discouragements, raise him above kings and conquerors ; and his history should encourage the youth of genius, that he' may de- vote his faculties to the benefit of society, and obtain * See Aikin's Biographical Diet. 2 18 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. his reward in the completion of his plans and in the re- spect of mankind. Mr. Brindley's useful and honourable life was not prolonged to old age. He died of a hectic fever, September 27th, 1772. When Francis had finished the preceding brief ac- count of Mr. Brindley, he said, " I wonder that the canals mentioned in this history should have been so much admired, and that Mr. Brindley's genius was thought so extraordinary, when we, in America, have a canal of three hundred miles in length, all the way from lake Erie to the Hudson, which is far longer than the longest canal of Mr. Brindley, and we have others be- sides that are greater works than his." Mr. Carleton. Mr. Brindley's works were so much admired because they proved, for the first time, that such attempts to overcome obstacles and expedite busi v ness could be effectual. It was matter of surprise and admiration throughout Europe, three centuries ago, that Columbus could explore the Atlantic ; that he had found out another continent, and brought back intelligence of his discovery to the old world. In the present age, innumerable vessels cross the same ocean without ex- citing the, least admiration. What man has done, man may do ; but some men seem born to lead, and others to follow them — to have the benefit of their discoveries and their inventions. GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 19 Mr. Brindley was a leader : he ventured upon untried undertakings. He saw by his genius, his great sagacity, and observation of the laws of nature, what art might be capable of; but he could not be certain till he had tried, and made experiments : and, if he should succeed, it would be very easy for others to learn of him and imitate him — adapting their operations to larger works which might be found necessary in other countries. Be- cause he was an inventor and experimenter, and not a mere imitator, Mr. Brindley must be regarded as a great man. Francis. I perceive the difference between an in- ventor and an imitator ; and I see that great inventors and discoverers are great men ; but I was never told so until now. All the great men I remember to have heard about were kings or generals, or in some high station or other. Mr. Carleton. Kings, generals, and other men in high stations are called great men because they are known to all persons — because they have an opportunity to do a great deal — because great numbers of men depend upon them for many things. But a high station cannot make a truly great man. The mind which designs and foresees great effects from something to be done, is great. Francis. I understand that Columbus was great when he planned the discovery of America, and when he per- severed in it ; and in all his conduct, being abused as he was by wicked and selfish men, his enemies, he displayed the greatness* of his mind, and his disinterestedness. 20 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. Mr. Carhton. Columbus is a true example of great- ness. Those who invent useful arts, and discover truths which may promote the comfort and happiness of man- kind at a long distance of time from that in which they live themselves, are much greater benefactors to society than mere conquerors. Their greatness consists much in meaning to do good, and not evil — in designing the benefit of others much more than their own profit or glory. Francis. But a person may mean to do much good and never be able to do it : such a person may not have in his power others whom he can employ, or who will assist him. Then, how will it be known that he is a great man? Mr. Carhton. It may not be known to every body, but such a person will still be great : and his conversa- tion and sentiments will express his great and noble understanding and disposition, even if his conduct does not show it. " The world knows nothing of its greatest men :" says a poem that I have read lately. Francis. I see how that might be. Bonaparte appeared to be a wonderfully great man after he had been crowned emperor; and every body remembered that not long before he was only an army officer, not much distin- guished. But Bonaparte at St Helena does not appear to be a great man, though he was the same one that had gained so many battles. Now, if he had been born a GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 21 day-labourer, and had lived where there were no wars in which he could have been distinguished, his greatness could never have been known ; still he would have had the same great mind. Mr. Carleton. Nothing like the same greatness could have appeared in his actions, but he would have been distinguished among his fellows for the decision of his conduct, for perseverance in whatever he undertook, and for authority over other men's minds. He was a man of great talents ; but his character stood in need of virtue to render him truly great. I will tell you of a man that was always great, though he was in a humble condition of life — that was Socrates. Francis. I have read his history. Socrates was the son of a sculptor at Athens : he loved truth and good- ness above all things. He taught moral philosophy to every person who would listen to him ; and, when his enemies put him to death, because he reproved their vices, he exhibited the utmost patience, and forgave them freely. He was poisoned with hemlock, 400 years before Christ. Mr. Carleton. Socrates was an example of true great- ness ; and, now that he has been dead 2200 years, men are honouring his principles and his example as much as if he were living- among us. Moral greatness is true greatness. Bonaparte was a great man, I admit, because he had a great mind — great energy of character ; and, if it had not been for his enormous selfishness, and his disregard of the moral welfare and real improvement of 22 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. mankind, he might have done the greatest good of any man of his age. Francis. But it appears that he did not understand that sort of service to mankind. He chiefly wished to make the men of all Europe submit to his will, without making them wiser or happier ; and it was well for them that his power w T as taken from him, and that the nations have been suffered to govern themselves in their own way : and it appears that they have been growing better and happier ever since. Francis. Father, after our conversation upon great men, I understood better a verse which I read in Gray's Elegy in a country church-yard : — " Some village Hamptlen, that, with dauntless breast The little tyrant of his fields withstood : Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood." In this humble church-yard were interred the men of the village and of the neighbourhood. They had spent their humble lives in labouring in their fields; at their own firesides with their own families ; or in such little affairs as happened in their native village. They had no opportunity to know or do more than could be seen and done there. GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 23 Mr. Carleton. Tell me the particular meaning of the lines. Francis. I will tell you as well as I can. Among those humble men that lie here interred, there may rest those who would not submit to wrong and injury more patiently than the patriotic Hampden: there may be poets who never wrote a verse, who, had they been educated like Milton, might have been eminent as he was : and there may also be reposing here some men as ambitious as Oliver Cromwell, but who never had an opportunity to take the life of fellow-creatures that stood in their way as he did. Mr. Carleton. You understand the verse, I perceive. Did you learn who Hampden, Milton, and Cromwell were ? Francis. I did. I read some account of them in Aikin's Dictionary ; but that is not enough. I shall read more of Hampden and Cromwell in English history, and be better acquainted with Milton when I read his poetry. John Hampden was an English patriot, who resisted the arbitrary measures of Charles I. king of England. Oliver Cromwell lived at the same time, and was at the head of a party in England that chose to govern the kingdom in a manner different from the old laws of the country. He made himself commander-in-chief of the army ; and, after Charles I. was beheaded, he ruled over England in place of the king, styling himself the Pro- tector, and the government the Commonwealth. Crom- well was in many respects a great man, and governed 24 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. with wisdom ; but he was not upright and sincere, so that a moral person cannot respect him, however he may- admire his abilities. Milton, the great poet, was contemporary w r ith Crom- well and Hampden ; a republican and a friend of civil liberty. Milton was blind all the latter part of his life, but he exhibited the most Christian patience in this his affliction. Milton died 1674. * Mr. Carleton. This is a brief account; my son, but it shows industry and thoroughness — that you know how to cultivate your mind, and that you are willing to do it. When you are older, you will find great use from studying in this w 7 ay. WISE MEN. Francis Carleton read Wise Men in Evenings at Home ; and while they were taking a w^alk one day, his father and he discussed the subject, returning first to great men. Mr. Carleton. Francis, what do you understand by a great man or icoman, for there have been great women ? Francis. I understand that a great man is one who has great talents, and produces great effects in the world ; or? if he has no opportunity to perform great actions, and therefore cannot perform them, would achieve them if he had an opportunity to do so. He knows what is great, and how to execute great enterprises. If such a man is good, then he is more truly great. GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 25 Mr. Carleton. Let me hear you describe a wise man as he is described in the book you have been reading. Francis. The wise man is one that knows how to make himself happy without injuring others ; how to employ his time usefully and agreeably ; to improve his mind, and do good to other people ; and he wishes to do them good. Mr. Carleton. Then wisdom includes goodness. "The wise man means to do good, and knows how to do it" If he did not knpw how to do good, he would be a well-meaning man, but not a wise one. What was the character of the wise man in Evenings at Home ? Francis. Mr. Freeland was not a rich man, but he took the best possible care of what property he had. He lived with economy and frugality — did not spend more than he could afford in his house, food, or clothes ; but, at the same time, he afforded himself innocent pleasures. He sometimes purchased books, and indulged himself in journeys, I suppose. These, you know, are gratifications to persons that can afford them. He endeavoured to make people about him happy — gave advice to ignorant persons when they would take it, and reconciled those who quarrelled. He was so far acquainted with the laws as to give counsel to his neigh- bours in many of their difficulties. He was just, and paid what he owed punctually : he also assisted in be- nevolent objects — in plans to make people wiser and better; and he observed decorum and order in all his conduct. The rich respected, and the poor loved him* 26 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. Mr. Carleton. It appears, by this account of Mr. Freeland, that a wise man makes other people happy as well as himself — that the more happiness he bestows the more he enjoys — that great part of his happiness is the goodness, the gratitude, and good-will of others — that the true use of living is to confer as much happi- ness upon others as we can procure for them. However learned, accomplished, or entertaining a man may be, if he is not truly benevolent, he is not truly wise nor good. Francis. From the same book, I learned that a truly wise man, who seeks for wisdom, and teaches it to others, is a philosopher. Socrates and Dr. Franklin were both philosophers. Mr. Carleton. You gave me an account of Socrates the other day. You may read it more at length in Xeno- phon's Memorabilia — properly Xenophon's recollections of Socrates. The Memorabilia is translated from Greek into English, and gives the history of the philosopher. Francis. I should like to read it very much, and the Life of Dr. Franklin, also. Mr. Carleton. Franklin was an American, who was born in Boston, 1706, and died at Philadelphia in 1790. His history is very entertaining : I will not tell it to you, for you can easily get the book which contains his life written by himself. I believe Franklin ow T ed a great deal to his father, who was a wise man without being a great one ; for he knew the true end of living, and GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 27 instructed his son in good principles — gave him good books, and set a good example before him. Francis. Who was Dr. Franklin's father ? Mr. Carleton. He was a tallow-chandler and soap- boiler, and a very worthy man, as his son has described him ; indeed, he was an extraordinary man. They had reached home, and the conversation ceased. The next day Francis enquired further concerning Franklin's father; and Mr. Carleton readily answered the question, "How was Josiah Franklin extraordi- nary V Mr. Carleton. He was a man of extraordinary inform- ation and good sense. Francis. How happened that 1 I heard a man say that a tallow-chandler's was a low business. I thought low business made low people. Mr. Carleton. I doubt not that you heard that foolish remark. There is no such thing as a low business, except it be followed by low people ; and low people are low-minded people — those who prefer low pleasures and gratifications to higher and purer ones. Francis. But would you make no difference between a labourer and a gentleman 1 Mr. Carleton. I should make no difference in esteem- ing them. The labourer's virtues, his honesty and industry, would command my respect as much as the 28 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. gentleman's honesty and industry. I should make a companion and friend of him whose habits and feelings resembled my own, because we choose friends and companions from resemblance and sympathy; but I shall always honour goodness, and show respect for it wherever it exists. Francis. The bible says, God is no respecter of per- sons — he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him. Mr. Carleton. That signifies that God has no esteem for a man's wealth or his high station. Whenever God bestows great wealth or great talents, he requires of his creatures to make use of their talents. Those who have much knowledge can teach much know- ledge — those who have much money can give much to those that need. Francis. Did Franklin's father do much good? Mr. Carleton. Yes ; I think he did much good when he educated his eminent son, taking great care to give him good habits and principles ; and he had his reward. He lived in peace, and was respected by his fellow- citizens ; and after his death, Benjamin Franklin placed a monumental stone upon his grave, in honour of Josiah Franklin, and Abiah Folger, his venerated parents. Francis. I shall always remember Franklin's filial piety ; and remember, with veneration for his goodness, that the great philosopher was a good son, as well as a wise man. Mr. Carleton. I am pleased that you begin to pay GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. 29 attention to character— to distinguish good and evil — wisdom and folly. This is mora] discrimination. One of my friends has written a few lives of eminent persons, for the instruction of the young. This little volume is called Biography for Schools, or Good Examples for Young Persons. Francis was delighted with the antici- pation of the new book ; and, in due time, he received it QUESTIONS. Where was James Brindley born, and how was he educated ? — Was Brindley faithful to his employer 1 — Was he successful in his labour i — What remarkable instance is given of Brindley's interest in business. Of what use was this extraordinary exertion of Brindley 1 — What improvements in machinery were made by Mr. Brindley] — Of what service is transportation to mankind ! — What services does an engineer render to society ! — Why were the Duke of Bridge- water's coal-mines of no use 1 — Where was the Duke of Bridge- water's canal 1 Was the construction of this canal ever believed to be impracti- cable I — When was the canal begun and finished 1 — What other great enterprise did Mr. Brindley engage in ? — What was the most difficult of Mr. B.'s operations 1 — What was the consequence of Mr. B.'s successful enterprises 1 What were Mr. B.'s moral qualities'? — Did Mr. B. rejoice in the benefits he was conferring upon society 1 — How does such a bene- factor to mankind compare with conquerors'? — What greater works than Brindley's have been accomplished in America'? — Why are some smaller enterprises honoured more than greater? Is an inventor superior to an imitator] — Are great minds or 30 GREAT MEN AND WISE MEN. high stations more honourable] — What makes a great man 7 — Why was Columbus a great man? — Who are benefactors to society % — If a man has no power to do great actions, can he be great 1 Did Bonaparte always appear to be a great man ? — Was Bona- parte a great man? — Was Socrates a great man? — What is the difference between Bonaparte and Socrates ? — What has been the condition of Europe since the fall of Bonaparte ? What verse of Gray's Elegy describes the greatness of obscure men? — What is the meaning of that verse? — Where may be found accounts of Milton, Hampden, and Cromwell ? — Who were Hamp- den, Cromwell, and Milton ? What did Francis understand by the phrase, " a great man" ? — How did he describe a wise man ? — How did Mr. Freeland show his wisdom? — How did Mr. F. show his goodness? — How does any man exhibit wisdom and goodness ? — Who is a philosopher ? — Who was Dr. Franklin ? — Was Franklin's father a wise man ? Was Josiah Franklin an extraordinary man ? — What business is honourable ? — What difference exists between the labourer and the gentleman? — How does God regard the station of men? — Was Josiah Franklin repaid for the care he took in forming his son's character ? ■ j. ( 31 ) MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. Goodness and wisdom belong to no particular age of the world — to no particular nation — to no station in life, exclusively. There are men that love truth and work righteousness, everywhere, at all times. Some persons despise kings and princes, and seem to believe that they are all wicked : they ought not to forget Charlemagne, Alfred, and Peter of Russia, and a multitude more that have governed smaller states with the purest purpose to civilize and exalt their subjects, and have exhibited equal love to man, and piety to God. I Modern princes, who are taught the doctrines of Christianity, might be expected to rule according to the laws of Christianity; but none have yet taken these laws for the exact rule of their government, or of their own lives, though some have been excellent men. Among the rulers of the earth, there are few that have left behind them more beautiful sentiments, and a more vir- tuous example, than the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. The Roman Empire comprehended all the countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, which surround the Medi- terranean. The inhabitants of these countries paid 32 MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. taxes or tribute to Rome ; some served in the Roman armies, and others had Roman soldiers stationed among them to keep them in order. _ The head of this vast empire usually resided at Rome. Some of the Emperors were excessively wicked ; and others were virtuous and wise. Among them, Nerva, Trajan, and Adrian, governed with great wisdom: these, and the two Antonines — Pius, and Marcus Anto- ninus — are sometimes called the five good Emperors. Of these, Adrian adopted Antoninus Pius for his son and successor ; and the latter adopted Marcus Aurelius, the nephew of his wife, the Empress Faustina. Marcus was born a. d. 121. His father died when he was a child, and his education was the best then given to young persons. He had masters in all the sciences then known — was taught music and painting, rhetoric and philosophy, and all manly and martial exercises; but, of all learning, he preferred the Stoic philosophy. This philosophy was learned by the Romans from the Greeks. In many respects it resembled Christianity — commanding men to submit to Providence, to do justly, and to love mercy ; though it was very imperfect compared with the teach- ings of the gospel. Antoninus is famous chiefly for his virtues, and for the wisdom proper to every station in life. Before he was called to govern he conducted himself with the sim- plicity and moderation of a private person ; and when he became Emperor, he never permitted his love of MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 33 study and retirement to interfere with his paternal care of the empire. He was never instructed in Christianity; and sometimes engaged in wars to keep revolted pro- vinces in subjection ; but he set small value upon military glory and warlike achievements. " The spider," said he, " triumphs in having ensnared a poor fly, — the sportsman, a timid hare, — the fisherman, a sturgeon ; and the soldier delights in seizing a party of poor Sarmatians. Now, are not all these equally rob- bers?" Marcus was remarkable for docility in his youth, and for gratitude to the benefactors of his mind. He profited by their counsels, and has left an interesting record of his obligations to them. He was mild and amiable in his manners towards all, and was distinguished by his candour and general humanity. Marcus Aurelius died, after a short illness, in his fifty- ninth year, at Vindebonum, on the Danube — now Vienna. He had gone there to subdue some of the northern tribes, who had rebelled against the Roman authority. The Romans were grateful to their good Emperors. To manifest their affection, they caused medals of them to be struck, and statues and busts to be erected in honour of them ; and, among these, the image of Marcus Aure- lius was most dear to the Roman people. Marcus wrote in Greek several books of Meditations, which are still preserved, as affording valuable lessons to men of all countries. Some memorials of his friends, 3 34 MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. found in the Meditations, will be instructive to young people of the present time. "By my grandfather Verus," says Marcus, in his Meditations, "I was taught to command my temper. From my Father, I learned to behave with modesty and firmness. " My mother, Domitia Lucilla, set before me the example of true piety and a generous temper ; and I was taught by her, not only to refrain from every wicked action, but from indulging so much as a wicked thought By her, I was accustomed to simple food, to abstain from the luxuries of the table, and from excessive indulgence of any desire or inclination. " From the Governor who had the charge of my edu- cation, I learned to avoid disputes in the Circus or the Amphitheatres, the Chariot races, or the combats of Gladiators." These disputes were concerning the merits of combatants who engaged in the games practised in the public spectacles, in which the Romans delighted — not unlike boat-races and horse-races in modern times, except that, in those ancient contests, men combated with each other, and took each other's lives. " My Governor also taught me to wait upon myself on most occasions; not to interfere impertinently in other people's affairs, nor readily to listen to calumnies and slander. " My friend, Diognetus, cautioned me against credulity and superstition — not to give heed to pretended prophets and sorcerers. He also took me to hear lectures on MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 35 philosophy ; and, while I was a boy, he set me to write exercises, that I might learn to express my thoughts with ease and propriety. " By Rusticus, another friend, I was taught humility. He told me that I had faults which only myself could cure. When I was instructed in the Stoic philosophy, he commended to me to forbear from disputes — from frequent harangues on moral subjects — and from seek- ing praise for any knowledge I might possess, or any good action I might perform. " He also commended to me not to cherish too much fondness for poetry and rhetoric, or any ornamental learning — not to assume importance on account of rich apparel, or the high station which Providence had placed me in. " He particularly urged me to cultivate a placable disposition — to forgive all who should injure or provoke me, as soon as they should be disposed to return to their duty. Rusticus instructed me, besides, to read, with care and attention, and to reflect upon whatever I read. " Apollonius taught me to rule my feelings on trying occasions; under acute pain, tedious sickness, or death of those I loved. By his living example, he showed me that a man may be rigid in his principles, and amiable and gentle in his manners — that he may be a proficient in philosophy and all learning, and yet take no pride in concealing or explaining what he knows. " From Apollonius I learned how to confer, and how 36 MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. to receive a favour — to do the former freely, without ostentation; and to receive kindness with cordial and grateful expressions, yet without being humbled by the sense of obligation. " In Sextus, the grandson of the excellent Plutarch, I had an example of true benevolence, and of a family governed with paternal care and affection. From him, I learned to study the wishes of my friends, and to bear with the ignorant ; in conversation, to hear them with- out impatience and pride, and to condescend to their weakness. " Sextus never discovered any symptoms of anger or agitation of mind ; but he manifested, notwithstanding, the most lively affections, and the sincerest attachment to his friends and relatives. " Catulus admonished me to cherish my friends, and carefully to avoid all provocation of them. He taught me, likewise, to feel, and to show respect to those who should be my instructors in any truth. " My kinsman, Severus, introduced me to the know- ledge of many excellent men. He gave me a true no- tion of a commonwealth, w T here public affairs are regu- lated by regard to all men -equally. From him, I learned beneficence and liberality. " From the example of Claudius Maximus, I was taught to observe in my behaviour a proper mixture of dignity and condescension — to perform readily, and with grace, whatever I am convinced is right, and expedient to be done. MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 37 "Claudius was so esteemed by all who knew him, that whatever he said they were convinced was true ; and whatever he did they ascribed always to good inten- tion. He was ever ready to do a good-natured office, and to forget an ill-natured one. " To the Gods my thanks are due, that I had two excellent grandfathers, excellent parents, a good sister, good preceptors, kind relations, faithful friends, in short, for all the blessings that life can afford ; and that I have not done any thing to offend my friends, nor ever de- prived myself of their favour and affection. " I rejoice that I was bred up under the wise Anto- ninus — a father and a fJTince — who was the most proper person in the world to extinguish in me every spark of pride, and to convince me that one who represents in his own person the majesty of a sovereign, may yet preserve the simple dignity of man, without guards, robes of state, and all mere parade of a high station. " It is a blessing for which I am grateful, that I enjoy the friendship of wise men ; and I rejoice that I have avoided the evil counsels of the wicked. I am also grateful that I have lost no time in superfluous studies, and that I am inclined to such as are profitable. All these blessings must have been bestowed by the favour of an over-ruling Providence." It is written in the New Testament, " to the pure all things are pure." Antoninus lived among depraved and 38 MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. wicked men. Evil examples, corrupt conversation, and great vices, were always before him ; but he turned, from his first childhood, away from all these to the pious counsels of the good Domitia — to the excellent lessons of rational books — to the dictates of his own conscience — to the conversation of the wise and prudent — to that voice of God in the soul which reproves what is wrong in men's actions, and inspires what is true, and good, and benevolent. Thus was this great man of antiquity saved from all the temptations that surrounded him, and disposed to every good word and work; and thus will every young mind which seeks wisdom from the wise — which en- quires sincerely what is right and wrong — which studies things pure, lovely, and of good report, become a fol- lower and a partaker of those things. It has been mentioned that the Romans commemo- rated their good emperors in medals. In Rome there was no printing, so there could be no newspapers ; but medals served to give information like a gazette. When- ever a great event occurred, a medal was struck, and great numbers were sent all over the empire. A medal resembled our dollars and cents. It was of gold, brass, and copper ; on one side was stamped the head of some great person, with a superscription of his name, and the date of the year. On the reverse, or other side of the medal, some other MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 39 figures were stamped. When Judea was taken by the Romans, the medal which commemorated the victory bore the figure of a woman in tears, sitting under a palm-tree. The palm-tree was a native of the country, and the woman weeping represented the afflicted nation that had been conquered. " Beneath her palm, see sad Judea weep," said an English poet, concerning this medal. The Romans used to preserve these medals ; indeed, very many of them still exist, and are kept in collections that are much valued by curious people. QUESTIONS. Are wisdom and virtue found in every station in life 1 — What was the character of Marcus Aurelius] — What countries formed the Roman Empire'?— Who were the five good emperors of Rome? — Who educated Marcus 1 — How was Marcus educated] — In what philosophy ] — How did Marcus profit by his education ! To what did Marcus compare military glory 2 — Was Marcus grateful to his teachers] — When did Marcus Antoninus die J — Did the Roman people respect their good emperors? What book did Marcus leave ] — What did he learn from his father and grandfather ? — What was taught to Marcus by his mother ! . Who warned Marcus against frivolous dissipation] — Who taught him self-dependence, and respect and charity towards others] — Who warned him against superstition, and tauoftt him to cultivate his own mind] — What was taught him by Rusncus, — of humility of apparel, &c., — of placability, and of reflection 1 — What were the instructions and example of Apollonius] — concerning favours] What was the example of Sextus] — Did Sextus govern his 40 PETER OF RUSSIA. temper? — What counsel was given to Marcus by Catulus? — What service was rendered to Marcus by Severus? — and by Claudius Maximus? — Was Claudius generous and placable? — Whom did the wise heathen praise for all benefits ? Did Antoninus Pius respect human nature ? — Did Marcus An- toninus acknowledge Divine Providence? — Was Marcus good himself, besides being well-taught ? — How may any young person emulate the example of Marcus Antoninus? What is a medal, and what was its use ? — What design com- memorated the conquest of Judea by the Romans? — What use did the Romans make of medals ? PETER OF RUSSIA. The history of Peter of Russia is both entertaining and instructive. Peter was a great monarch, and did great good to his subjects. In order to be useful to his people, he knew that he must improve himself, and be informed of the arts and sciences which he wished them to understand and practise. Peter was the sovereign of a vast empire, and could do much more good than a private person ; but still his conduct may he imitated by the humblest individual. His desire of knowledge, his activity, and his zeal to improve others, form an example which every youth and every man and woman can follow if they will. PETER OF RUSSIA. 41 Perfectly to understand the merits of Peter, it is ne- cessary to know something of the empire over which he reigned for more than forty years. Russia is the largest country of Europe ; and, besides that portion of the empire which lies in Europe, it extends across northern Asia to the Pacific ocean, and includes part of the north- western coast of America. These vast regions, with their inhabitants, are ruled by the Emperor of all the Russias — such is his title. Peter's dominions did not include Poland nor Russian America. His subjects were, probably, about fourteen millions. The Emperor of Russia is an absolute prince ; that is, whatever he commands to be done must be done without consulting any book of laws ; though there are written laws in Russia, and magistrates to enforce them. But, though the Emperor is an absolute monarch, he takes advice from a council of state, composed of some of the chief men in the empire. European Russia is divided into fifty-three provinces, and each of these provinces has a governor and courts of justice. The Emperor and his officers used formerly to inflict very cruel and unjust punishments for slight offences, and sometimes out of mere abuse of power, — such as sending persons to Siberia for life, or condemn- ing them to work in the mines, besides the most cruel infliction of blows. European Russia affords metals, salt, wood, grain, and all the domestic animals that we use, besides the 42 PETER OF RUSSIA. Rein-deer, which is so particularly valuable in northern European countries. Agriculture, manufactures, fish- eries, and trade of all kinds, flourish in Russia ; though the Russians are still the least civilised people in Europe. It is said that the Russian dominions contain eighty- distinct nations — different in manners, language, customs, knowledge, and ingenuity. The hunter and fisher, with- out lands or money — the shepherd, dwelling in his move- able tent, possessing nothing but his flock, and exchanging its fleece for the necessaries of life — the industrious husbandman, and the skilful artisan, are all found in this vast country, together with the great nobleman, who holds the labourer as his property and slave. The numerous tribes scattered over the face of Rus- sia many centuries ago, governed themselves separately, in a very rude way. A tribe that dwelt along the Danube, called the Sclavonians, became stronger than the others, and overran and conquered several of the southern provinces in the ninth century. One of the Sclavonic princes (Rubric), first called his dominions Russia. The whole country is often called Muscovy. A Sclavonian prince married a Greek princess of Constantinople; and, in that city, became acquainted with the Christian religion. The Christians of Con- stantinople had formed what is called the Greek Church. The government and worship of the Greek Chuch re- semble the Roman Catholic. Vladimir, the Russian prince just mentioned, was a religious man, and prayed to God that he might be the PETER OF RUSSIA. 43 means of converting his subjects from heathenism to true religion; and he succeeded in putting down the worship of idols, and establishing the Greek Church, which continues to be the principal religion of Russia. In 1238 the Tartars from middle Asia ravaged Rus- sia, and established themselves in it as conquerors. They divided the territory and its inhabitants among themselves. The chief men became lords of the soil, or nobility ; and the poor natives were made to cultivate it for these new masters as serfs or slaves. In 1476, Ivan, a native prince, conquered the northern provinces, and expelled the Tartars; that is, he over- threw some that pretended to reign over the country, though he could not dispossess the great lords, nor did he alter the institution of nobility and serfs, which con- tinues to this day. Ivan was acknowledged as the sovereign from the White Sea to the Danube, and was the first called Czar or Tzar : this word signifies the great. This Ivan, and his son and successor, learned the useful and peace- ful arts in Constantinople; and, from this time, the Russians cultivated some of these arts among themselves, being encouraged by their sovereign, and instructed according to his directions. The Tzars who succeeded Ivan I. and II. proceeded with the civilisation of Russia. The people began to purchase goods brought into their country by land from other neighbouring nations more civilised than they, and to exchange their own commodities with foreigners. 44 PETER OF RUSSIA. They obtained information in this way from Germany and Italy ; and the Tzar Alexis at length invited learned and enterprising foreigners to settle in Russia. The Russians, for four centuries, have been slowly acquiring knowledge from the civilised nations of Europe; and Peter, of all their princes, in procuring this know- ledge for them, rendered the most important services to his people. The inhabitants of Russia are still divided into No- bility, Serfs, and the Middle Class. The middle class con- sists of clergymen, merchants, and those who cultivate learning and science. The nobility own the soil, and claim as their property the serfs that labour upon it. The serfs may be sold with an estate, but not into a foreign country, nor to any other purchaser than a nobleman. The landlord is obliged to maintain the serf when he becomes old and infirm, and also to support his children. The serfs, like all slaves, are very ignorant. This brief account of Russia has been written to explain the following memoir of Peter the Great. The Tzar Peter, commonly called Peter the Great, was born in 1672. His father, Alexis Michaelovitz, was an able prince : he knew that his subjects were rude and ignorant, and he endeavoured as much as possible to civilise them. Alexis died in 1677, when Peter, the youngest of his children, was about five years old. PETER OF RUSSIA. 45 Peter's eldest brother, Theodore, died at the age of twenty-two, and John, the younger, was unfit to reign, so that Peter became Tzar when he was very young; but his sister, the princess Sophia, opposed him, and created much disturbance in the country. Notwithstand- ing the intrigues of his sister, when Peter came to be eighteen years of age, he was acknowledged the Tzar by the nation. Peter did not receive a very careful education, but he was taught enough to know that he could cultivate his own mind, and that his duty required of him to cul- tivate his people, and make them happier and wiser than he found them. The discipline of his army seemed to him a very important matter. . An army is a large number of officers and soldiers, kept in order, and paid, and taught how to fight — that is, how to kill their fellow-beings. At the present time, in every civilised country, the best people know that war is a great crime, and very unnecessary ; and war does not happen so often as it did one or two centuries ago. Russia bordered upon Turkey and Tartary ; and the Turks and Tartars would have entered and devastated the country, had they not been afraid to do so: and nothing would make them afraid but a powerful army. Peter's father had been careful to train soldiers, and his son was equally anxious to keep up the military power. Peter was concerned also to promote the arts of peace, and he encouraged some Germans to come into 46 PETER OF RUSSIA. Russia and begin manufactures and trades; he also invited ship-carpenters and ship-captains from Holland to enter his service ; and, being fond of the water, he learned to navigate a vessel himself. When he was a child, Peter was afraid of water; but, as he grew old enough to know that his fear was foolish, he resolved to overcome it. A Dutchman by the name of Brandt built him a little vessel, and a Dutch sailor was employed to teach him to navigate her. He succeeded admirably, and soon took a voyage on the sea. He embarked at Archangel, and sailed one hundred and fifty miles on the Frozen Ocean. He told Musch, the captain of the ship, that he had learned the military service like a common soldier, and would learn to be a sailor in the same way. He would perform the whole duty himself, and then the young Russian nobles could not complain when they should be commanded to do it. It must have been a curious sight to see a sovereign prince sweep a cabin, light and keep up the fire of a stove, and serve at table. He next learned to obey the captain's orders as a sailor — to go aloft, loose the sails, and do whatever else belonged to the sailor's business. Musch, when he saw Peter climb to the mast-head, was greatly alarmed lest he should fall and break his neck ; but Peter persisted. He did all this as an exam- ple to others, and was grateful to the captain for his instructions, and did not forget to reward him by hand- some presents. PETER OF RUSSIA. 47 The skipper, Musch, died soon after, and Peter sent his widow a considerable sum of money. Another instance of his good disposition deserves mention. Once, when out at sea, a storm arose while Peter held the helm, though the proper helmsman thought he knew best how to guide the vessel. " Stand out of my way," called out the impatient seaman, pushing Peter aside, and seizing the helm as he spoke : " I," said he, impa- tiently, " must know better than you how to steer a vessel." Peter gave up the helm, and the man soon succeeded in bringing the ship through a dangerous pas- sage among rocks to safe anchor. He then remembered how disrespectfully he had spoken to Peter, and imme- diately begged his forgiveness. " There is nothing to forgive," said the Tzar ; " I owe you nothing out thanks, — not only that you rescued me from danger, but also gave me a proper rebuke." He then made the man a present of his drenched clothes, and gave him a small pension. This treatment of the honest sailor was no more than was due to him, so far as the kind answer goes ; but a very little justice and benevolence in princes is account- ed often, though not justly, of more worth than the same courtesy or benevolence in common men. Peter often felt that a sovereign prince is only a man, and that other men were his brothers and friends. In thinking and acting thus, he showed his wisdom and goodness. 48 PETER OF RUSSIA. Peter could not have known how to improve his army, and his subjects in general, if he had no adviser and assistant. He was so happy as to find one in a Swiss gentleman from Geneva. His name was Le Fort. This young man had been educated for a soldier — had served as one in Holland — and had come to Russia to obtain some commission in the military service there. A Danish gentleman, residing at Moscow, became acquainted with Le Fort ; he also knew Peter, then only eighteen years of age : and had learned from that young prince his ardent desire to improve his subjects. Le Fort seemed to that gentleman a proper person to give information to Peter, and he introduced him to the Tzar. Le Fort possessed a fund of useful knowledge; he had observed the manners and arts of the more polished nations of Europe, and was also acquainted with military affairs. The Tzar was so much delighted and instructed by his conversation, that he became his most attached favourite, and accompanied him wherever he went. Le Fort gave Peter the information he needed — taught him how to discipline his soldiers and establish a. navy ; and how to obtain money from the people in a way that should not distress them, and which they should not be unwilling to pay for the public benefit. By obtaining money for Peter, Le Fort enabled him to do whatever he wished. That which can be paid for, of art and labour, can generally be obtained,- sooner or later. On one occasion, when Peter was offended at Le PETER OF RUSSIA. 49 Port, he drew his sword, and commanded him to defend himself. " Far be it from me," said Le Fort ; " rather let me die by the hand of my sovereign." Peter, not reproved by this forbearance, raised his sword ; but one of his attendants, Von Prinsen, caught hold of his arm, and probably saved the life of Le Fort. Peter was immediately convinced of his folly, and showed the same concern for it which Alexander ex- pressed after the murder of Clytus; for he instantly asked pardon of Le Fort, and remarked — " My greatest desire is to reform my subjects ; I am ashamed that I cannot reform myself." It is apparent that he did not much try to reform himself. Self-discipline, or the constant endeavour to do right, is a duty before all others — one of which no man, or youth, ought to say — " I cannot do it." The peninsula of Crimea, which forms the southern extremity of Russia, was then occupied by the Tartars, who could easily march northward, and ravage the adjacent territory. Peter determined to dispossess them, and to enjoy the navigation of the Black Sea undisturbed. There he placed ships ; and, by means of his army and navy, took the port of Azoph, and established his own power at sea : but he did not obtain the Crimea, though he put the Tartars in fear of his power. How much he was indebted to the counsels of Le Fort for all this is not exactly known ; but that gentle- man conferred on him a higher benefit — he taught him, in some measure, to practise humanity when he was 4 50 PETER OF RUSSIA. provoked to inflict wrong; for his temper was out- rageous, and he had never been taught from the Scrip- tures that, " he that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." It must be remembered that Peter was a despotic sovereign, and could take the life or property of his subjects whenever he pleased. This sort of power tempts a man to do much evil, if he has the least incli- nation to be unjust or cruel. Whenever Peter was angry with a person, he would, without any shame, strike him at the moment, or order him to be beaten, or beheaded ; just as he might happen to be provoked. Le Fort was accustomed to see his fellow-men more humanely treated; and he used his influence over the Tzar to mitigate his ferocious passions. Sometimes Peter would order a boyar, or nobleman, and some- times a poor workman, who had offended him, to be beaten with the knout, or put to death for slight cause. On such occasions, Le Fort would entreat the en- raged monarch rather to inflict the punishment upon him than commit such injustice ; or to suspend the punish* ment till he could reflect upon what he was ordering. In this way, he would soften his wrath, and save the intended victim ; and thus, by his humanity and good offices, he became a universal favourite among all classes in Russia. The city of Azoph had been taken by following the advice of General Patrick Gordon, a Scotch officer, who # PETER OF RUSSIA. 51 commanded in the Russian army. The benefits that Peter derived from the services of Le Fort and General Gordon convinced him that the natives of Western Europe were greatly superior to his own barbarous subjects, and he resolved to obtain for some of the young nobles of Russia an education that should elevate them to equality with the men of other countries. In pursuance of this design, Peter ordered Le Fort to select sixty young men to travel abroad for informa- tion ; and this number was sent, at the public expense, into Italy, Germany, and Holland. Nor did he limit this education to his subjects — he determined to pro- cure it for himself, and at the age of twenty-five, departed for Holland. The priests of Russia were extremely ignorant at that time, and declared it was an abomination before the Lord for a Tzar of Russia to go into foreign and bar- barous parts, as they called the rest of the world. Peter, however, did not pay much respect to this opinion, and, in 1697, left Russia.* Before his departure, Peter took measures to keep his people in order, and left Moscow under command of General Gordon, at the head of four thousand soldiers. Forethought, or caution, was among the virtues of Peter. The prudence which preserves what our labour or wisdom has gained, is necessary to complete any good work we have begun. 52 PETER OF RUSSIA. , When Peter went to Holland, he accompanied an embassy from Russia. The nature of an embassy may not be understood by every young reader. An ambas- sador is a messenger from one country to another, sent by the king or government to some other, to transact business which concerns the two states. The kings of Europe keep what is called a Court. There they receive visits from foreign ambassadors, and from such of their subjects as are of a high station. Some persons consider it a high honour to be presented at court, or introduced there among the nobles of many lands. European ambassadors are usually attended with a large train, or retinue of gentlemen and servants. They are all splendidly dressed, and have fine horses and coaches, and are furnished with money to live in luxury. The richer the country which sends out the ambassa- dor, the more sumptuously is the whole embassy fitted out. Peter's embassy to Holland consisted of two hundred persons. At the present time, ambassadors from Europe to America do not live with much state. They are attended by two or three gentlemen — one commonly called the Secretary of Legation — and are treated with respect every way, but without needless parade. Great ex- pense for mere show is now accounted, by all persons of good sense, to be frivolous and useless. American ambassadors live in foreign countries without ostentation or prodigal expense. PETER OF RUSSIA. 53 It would have been very inconvenient to Peter to have appeared like a sovereign when, in fact, he went abroad to become a pupil : not to receive attention as a great man, but to acknowledge his inferiority to architects, shipwrights, and manufacturers, and to take lessons from them: so he only travelled with the embassy, and was known in Holland by the name of Peter Before the embassy reached Amsterdam, Peter left it, with a few followers, and repaired to Zaandam.* As the boat in which Peter and his party were, approached the land, one of the party recognised, in a sma]l fishing- boat, a man by the name of Kist, who had worked as a smith in Russia, and immediately hailed him. Kist answered and came up. He knew the Tzar, and was exceedingly surprised to see the lord of all the Russias sailing in a little boat, dressed like a Dutch skipper, in a red jacket and white linen trowsers. Peter told Kist he wanted lodgings, and should like to take them with him. Kist was a poor man, and had no disposition to take such a lodger ; and he told Peter that he could not make him comfortable in his humble dwelling : but the Tzar persisted, and accompanied Kist to his hut, where, however, he did not remain. A poor widow lived in a very mean house behind Kist's, and she was persuaded to give it up to the royal stranger, who took a liking to it. * A village three miles from Amsterdam. 54 PETER OF RUSSIA. The widow's premises consisted of two rooms, a loft over them, and an adjoining shed. There Peter estab- lished himself, giving Kist strict injunctions to tell no- body who he was ; but a crowd of men soon surrounded the house, eager to know who the strangers were, for Peter's companions wore the rich dresses to which they were accustomed. Peter spoke Dutch fluently, and told the inquisitive people, in order to satisfy them, that he and his companions were ship-carpenters, come to look for work at Zaandam. The crowd did not believe this, but went away without other information. The first business that Peter went upon, exhibited an excellent trait in his character: he enquired out the families and the widows of the Dutch seamen, and car- penters, whom he had seen and worked with in Russia, representing himself to them as a fellow- workman with their relatives in his country. This misrepresentation of himself is not commendable ; but his civility and kind- ness to these humble and obscure persons was a proof of his humanity, and reproves the foolish pride of those who disdain and neglect the poor. Among those visited by Peter was the widow of Musch, to whom he had previously sent money. This poor woman told her visiter, she was afraid she never could be thankful enough to the Tzar for his great kind- ness, and entreated Peter Baas, if he should ever come into the presence of his majesty, that he would tell him how welcome was his bounty, and how gratefully she PETER OF RUSSIA. 55 remembered it. Peter assured the widow that the Tzar should know how thankful she was. Peter next visited the shops of artisans, and purchased tools for himself and his attendants, whom he directed to dress themselves like labourers in the dock-yard, and prepare to work at ship-building as well as himself. But all these disguises could not hinder the people of Zaandam from following the Russians in crowds, which was very annoying to Peter, who had a strong antipathy to a multitude. It happened that a Dutchman, residing in Archangel, had written home to his friends that Peter was about to visit Holland ; and, after giving some description of his person, he enclosed a small likeness of him in his letter. A barber of Amsterdam, who had seen the letter and the print, recognised the Tzar as soon as he saw him. Peter spent most of his time in the dock-yards ; and the shipwrights were astonished to see him labour till the sweat ran down his face. He purchased a vessel at Zaandam, made a new bowsprit for her with his own hands, and fitted her for sea; and he appointed Gerrit Musch, the brother of his friend at Archangel, his captain. Peter might daily be seen at work in the ship-yard ; and, when any one wished to speak with him, he would go with his* adze in his hand, and sit down on a log of timber for a short time ; but he seemed anxious to re- sume his work. At this time, he. wrote to the Patriarch 56 PETER OF RUSSIA. of Russia — the chief priest, — that he was now obedient to the command — " In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread." Peter, when he was in Russia, before this time, had shown his capacity for labour. Once, visiting an iron manufactory, he forged several bars, and marked them with his own name. He made his companions blow the bellows, stir the fire, carry coals, and do all the work of journeymen blacksmiths. He then demanded pay- ment for what he had done ; and, having received the money, he said, " This will buy me a pair of shoes ;" and showed that those he wore had been soled. He afterwards bought a pair of shoes at a neighbouring shop, saying, " He had earned them with the hammer and anvil." Peter's companions w r ere not so fond of labour. One of them, Menzikoff, complained that work made his hands sore : being soon tired of heaving and hammer- ing, they all got themselves excused, and spent their time in feasting and frolicking. Peter did not confine his attention to ship-building, but observed every thing that could be useful to his people. This curiosity was by no means unprofitable. He visited whale-ships, and investigated the whole matter of obtaining and manufacturing oil — he also visited mills of all sorts — those for grinding grain, or pressing oil, or making paper, and examined the principles on which they were constructed. "What is that?" he asked twenty times in a day ; . and as often he said, when told PETER OF RUSSIA. 57 of something new, " I shall see that." He even learned to let blood and draw teeth. In relating these particulars of the history of Peter, it is not intended to commend to every one to take up the hammer or the adze, but to exhibit curiosity and perseverance, as good traits of character, and means of usefulness to ourselves and others. The sovereign of an instructed people might have been better employed ; but the civiliser of a barbarous nation wisely concluded that necessaries are before luxuries, and that skill in the useful arts must precede excellence in the fine arts, or any great refinements in society; and that to learn and teach the useful arts himself, would most effectually introduce them among the ignorant people he hoped to benefit. Peter, while he resided in Holland, did not confine his notice to the mechanic arts ; but he was introduced to all learned men, and attended a course of anatomy. He visited all museums of natural history at Amsterdam, and was delighted with the microscopes of Leuwen- hoeck: he also attended courts of justice. On one occasion, though it disputed his will, Peter experienced the benefits of law in Holland. Two of his own people offended him, and he caused them to be loaded with irons, and ordered them to be put to death. The burgomasters, the principal magistrates of the city, interfered, and informed the imperial despot that, in that country, and in their city, no such proceeding could be allowed ; and they urged him to release the prisoners. 58 PETER OF RUSSIA. He refused, except on condition that one should be sent to Batavia, and the other to Surinam ; far from all that they knew or loved. William III., king of England, being in Holland, had an interview with Peter, and invited him to pay him a visit ; and sent over two ships of war and a yacht to convey him and his suite to London, where he arrived in January, 1698. There he made no secret of his rank, but requested to be treated like a private gentleman. The great crowds of people in London disturbed Peter, and he took up his residence at Deptford, on the Thames, where was one of the king's dock-yards. Peter remained four months in England, and used the same means to obtain knowledge there that he had done in Holland, except that he no longer worked at ship-building, but travelled a little about the country, and examined the more delicate mechanic arts — watch- making, &c. He also visited the royal observatory at Greenwich, and conversed with Dr. Halley, an eminent astronomer of that day. , Perhaps the greatest advantage of Peter's visit to England was derived from the large number of persons, not less than five hundred, who went, at his request, into Russia, as professors of science, or as practical me- chanics. Among these were engineers, who were em- ployed as superintendents of public works, and in the construction of bridges and canals ; together with PETER OF RUSSIA. 59 architects, surgeons, ship-masters, and artisans of other occupations. The best science which the English carried into Russia was common arithmetic. The Russians were ignorant of the figures which we use to express num- bers, called the Arabic numerals — so slow were they to obtain the benefit of that excellent invention. By means of these numerals, as many of the Russians as can read and write are enabled to practise arithmetic as we do. It does not appear that the English were very liberally or kindly treated when they were settled in Russia. The natives were much displeased at the introduction of foreigners, and did much to annoy and mortify them. Peter did not witness the disrespect they suffered. Igno- rant people are apt to dislike those who are greatly superior to themselves in knowledge. One of the uses of knowledge is, that it enables one to understand and value it in others. It is related that a young Scotchman, named Best, accompanied Peter to Russia. The word best, in the Russian language, signifies beast; and this name served the Russians to treat the young man with ridicule. Best complained to the Tzar that his name made him ridicu- lous to his acquaintance. " You shall be called Bestu- chef" said the Tzar, " and then you will be as good a Russian as myself." This relieved the young man. The son of this Bestuchef afterwards became Grand Chan- cellor, a station of high dignity in the empire. Before Peter finished his tour, he visited Vienna, and 60 PETER OF RUSSIA. k would have gone into Italy, but he received intelligence of the revolt of some of his troops, and he hastened to Moscow to put down his enemies, who were, it appeared, already defeated by General Gordon. Thus concluded this memorable journey. " It was a thing unparalleled in history, either ancient or modern," says an eminent writer, " for a sovereign of five-and-twenty years of age to withdraw from his kingdom for the sole purpose of learning how to govern." Peter exhibited no generosity or lenity in the punish- ment of his enemies; he meant to be feared — to be obeyed — and to introduce a new order of things. He knew that ignorant people are much attached to their customs, and unwilling to adopt new ones ; and he chose rather to govern them than to be regulated himself by their habits and will; therefore, he made them know that his will was law. He first commanded the men to shave their beards, and to dress in the garb of the more civilised countries ; and levied a small fine upon those who persisted in wearing long beards and long coats. The greater part of the people chose rather to retain their beards and their coats, so that the tax paid for this privilege formed a considerable revenue. In 1699, Peter caused printing-presses to be set up, and translations of many books to be printed in the Russian language. He founded a school for the marine, PETER OF RUSSIA. 61 and for other arts and sciences ; and schools for Latin, German, and other languages. He permitted his sub- jects to trade with foreign countries, which the laws had prohibited ; and commanded those to go abroad who were inclined. He also commenced the year in January, like the other nations of Europe. Before his time, the Russians commenced their year in September. But the most important improvement commenced by Peter was, the respect he endeavoured to obtain for the female sex. Savages never show the same respect for females that highly civilised and Christian men pay to them. The former compel women to hard labour or to useless idleness — they do not admit that they are worthy to enjoy whatever rational beings can enjoy, and that they deserve all the respect which belongs to the wise and the good. It had been the custom in Russia for ladies not to associate with the men at their entertainments; and, when they were admitted to the same apartment, they sat at a separate table. When a young girl was to be married, her parents contracted her to her future husband, and she never saw him till the ceremony was to take place. Sometimes, when a young nobleman wanted a wife, a large number of young ladies would be collected, and he would go in among them, and choose the one who might best please him at the moment. Peter abolished these customs, and caused both sexes to asso- ciate in the manner of other countries — thus he rescued 62 PETER OF RUSSIA. the female part of the nation from a condition little better than slavery. Peter was ambitious to open a free trade between Russia and other states ; but he could not do this, be- cause the country round the Black Sea did not belong to him. Riga, on the gulf of that name, belonged then to Sweden; and the whole province of Finland, in- cluding the Neva and the west coast of Lake Ladoga, also belonged to the Swedes : so that Peter had no port but Archangel, which was too far north to accommo- date the intercourse which he wished to establish with foreign countries. Some of the Russian provinces, Esthonia, Livonia, Ingria, and Carelia, belonged to the King of Sweden ; and Peter wished exceedingly to dispossess him of dominions which would be so valuable to Russia. This was exactly as if one private person should desire to possess the shipping, warehouses, and lands of another ; and should endeavour to seize and keep them. But Peter and the people of his time did not understand, that the law which teaches persons in common life to respect their neighbour's rights, is made for kings as well as private persons. It would not be very instructive to describe all the battles between Peter's army and that of the King of Sweden, Charles XII. ; they ended in securing to Peter the territory and the sea-ports which he desired to obtain. A circumstance occurred at the surrender of 'ER OF RUSSIA. 63 Marienburgh, in Livonia, of deep interest to the happi- ness of Peter, which may be related in this place. ft The inhabitants of Marienburgh, when that city was taken from the Swedes, entreated leave to quit the town without being disturbed in their departure, and the Russian general consented. The officer before whom all these unfortunate people passed out was General Bauer, a man of great mildness and humanity. Among the Marienburghers, he noticed one that greatly interested him by her appearance; she was a very young girl, deeply afflicted — for tears flowed without restraint from her eyes. Bauer, after he had steadfastly, and with the utmost compassion observed her, desired that the young girl should be detained till he could have leisure to converse with her. When Martha, so she was then called, appeared before the General, he was delighted with her modesty, and the account she gave of herself. Her story was simply this : — Martha was born at Ringen, a small village in Livo- nia. Her mother was a poor woman, who lived on the estate of Count Rosen. Her mother and Count Rosen died nearly at the same time ; and the young orphan, then about three years old, was taken by the clerk of the parish, who kept a school, and intended to instruct her with the children of his charge, but she was taken out of his hands. ; It happened that Dr. Gluck, the Lutheran minister of Marienburgh, observed the child, and enquired who she 64 PETER OF RUSSIA. was. When he had learned her history, he persuaded his clerk to part with her, and took her home to his own house. There she was treated with tenderness, made herself useful, and became a great favourite with the whole family. At first she knew only the Sclavonian dialect of Livonia, but she was afterwards made ac- quainted with the German language. When Martha was about fifteen, a young man, an army serjeant, made her a proposal of marriage. The serjeant had a good character. Dr. Gluck consented to the match, and himself performed the marriage ceremony only the day before the taking of Marienburgh. It was supposed that Martha's husband was killed at that time, for she never saw nor heard of him after- wards. General Bauer, when he learned the misfortunes of Martha, offered her an asylum in his house ; and there he allotted her some feminine occupation. In this situa- tion, she was greatly beloved by the whole household. At General Bauer's, Prince Menzikoff became acquainted with her; and, admiring her person and manners, he begged that officer to part with her to him. Martha was not rudely compelled to leave the home she had gained, but was consulted kindly by General Bauer. He called her into the presence of Menzikoff, and assured her that the prince was better able to pro- tect and serve her than himself: Martha made a pro- found courtesy, and spoke not a word ; but it was un- derstood that she consented to the proposal which had PETER OF RUSSIA. 65 been made ; and the next day she was in the palace of Menzikoff. At the palace of Menzikoff, the Tzar first saw the peasant of Livonia ; and she appeared to him all that was desirable in a wife. He first privately, and after- wards publicly, married her. This woman, after the death of Peter, became empress — autocratrix of all the Russias. " There have been instances," says Voltaire, " before this, of private persons being raised to the throne; nothing was more common in Russia, and in all the Asiatic kingdoms, than marriages between sove- reigns and their subjects; but that a poor stranger, who had been discovered amid the ruins of a plundered town, should become the absolute sovereign of that very empire into which she was led captive, is an incident which fortune and merit have never before produced in the annals of the world." Peter had been married in his youth, in the Russian fashion, without esteem or affection for his bride ; and, though his wife became the mother of a son, the prince Alexis, he afterwards repudiated, or put her away. His marriage with Catherine, so she was then called, was solemnly declared, March, 1711. In all Peter's military expeditions, Catherine accompanied him ; and, in every situation, was tenderly regarded by him. The cheerfulness and sweetness of Catherine's temper, her agreeable manners and conversation, so charmed her husband, that he was never so happy as when she 5 66 PETER OF RUSSIA. was near his person. Peter was liable to a disease # called catalepsy. — It throws the whole body into con- vulsions ; and the patient becomes unable to control his own motions. Whenever Peter was affected in this way, Catherine was called, and her presence soon restored him to his accustomed tranquillity, as the sweet tones of David's harp drove out «the evil spirit that tor- mented the king of Israel. Catherine accompanied Peter in his most hazardous enterprises, and was the idol of the army, on account of the tenderness and compassion she showed to the sick and wounded. Nor was she deficient in gratitude, — she did not forget the benefactors of her youth. Gluck died before she could confer any favour upon him ; but she pensioned his widow, portioned his daughters, and made his son a page. The great reason why the Tzar loved her so much, said General Gordon, was her exceeding good temper : she was never out of humour — obliging and civil to all, and never forgetful of her former humble state ; and, in her greatest prosperity, she never excited the envy or ill-will of those around her. Many a wretch escaped the effects of Peter's dis- pleasure by Catherine's generous interference. Peter, as has been remarked, was a man of violent passions. When he was offended, he would sometimes command the most unjust punishments to be inflicted upon the person who had provoked him. " Catherine," says Vol- taire, " saved more backs from the knout, and more PETER OF RUSSIA. 67 heads from the block, than General Le Fort had ever done." The knout. — This was a knotted leathern thong, with which persons who had displeased the emperor, or had committed certain offences, were publicly beaten — always with great cruelty, and sometimes to death. The block — is a term for decapitation, or beheading. The unhappy persons who are sentenced to lose their heads lie down, and their heads being placed on a block, are severed from their bodies. It is sometimes necessary that persons who have been guilty of great crimes should be removed from society, that they may not repeat the same injury to their fellow- being ; but, under a humane government, the infliction of blows, and the taking of life are not permitted; except that, in cases of perjury and murder, death is sometimes inflicted. The cruel and insulting treatment of criminals-is only practised by barbarous people. The Russians, at the present time, are more humane than they were in the days of Peter. When Peter had expelled the Swedes from the banks of the Neva, he commenced the greatest undertaking of his extraordinary reign ; — it was no less than the foun- dation of a new capital of his dominions. Moscow, in 68 PETER OF RUSSIA. the interior, was the ancient capital, and was a large and wealthy city ; but it was not conveniently situated for purposes of trade. Petersburg, the new capital, was so called in honour of its founder : it lies on the banks of the Neva, and is now one of the most beautiful cities of Europe, though its foundations were laid only one hundred and thirty years ago, (1836). The site of Petersburg is low and marshy, and it was built upon with immense labour and loss of human life. According to Captain Perry, an English engineer, who was a witness of the work, the workmen were not furnished with necessary tools, such as pick-axes, spades, and shovels, and wheelbarrows were unknown to them ; so that the soil, which they brought from a great dis- tance, was carried in bags, aprons, and skirts of gar- ments. But, notwithstanding these difficulties, in the course of one twelvemonth, no less than thirty thousand huts and wooden houses were built up in the new city. To perform all this labour, Peter collected people from all parts of his dominions, — Calmucks, Cossacks, In- grians, and Finlanders. These he employed in great numbers in digging canals to carry off the water which overflowed the marshes, and to raise the soil which had been drained. This severe labour, with scanty fare of the worst kind, caused such a mortality that one hundred thousand persons are supposed to have died at Peters- burg, of famine, sickness, and fatigue, during the year mentioned. PETER OF RUSSIA. 69 Peter himself superintended this great work, and took up his abode in a little hut upon the spot. This hut is still preserved, being carefully enclosed, and shown to strangers as a memorial of the great king. It must be lamented that Peter, when he had such noble purposes in view, did not, or could not accomplish them with greater kindness towards persons employed in his enter- prises. « The Russian priests and nobles were not pleased with the erection of a new capital. Moscow was a comfort- able residence, and the climate milder than that of Petersburg. But Peter knew that the best way to im- prove his subjects was, to bring his capital as near as possible to other civilised people ; so that foreigners might come to it without being forced to take a long land journey, and thus his own subjects might become acquainted with strangers who should resort to Russia for purposes of trade and business. The court and the commercial capital being the same, brought persons of every class together. About five months after the foundation of Petersburg was laid, a report was brought to Peter that a large vessel, with Dutch colours, was coming up the river. This was the first foreign vessel that had appeared in a Russian port, except some that had been at Archangel. Till then, Russia had no other port except Azoph, recently taken ; for Riga still belonged to the Swedes. No sooner did Peter learn the approach of the Dutch vessel, than he hastened to meet the welcome stranger. 70 PETER OF RUSSIA. The skipper, that is the captain, was invited to the house of MenzikofF, Peter's favourite minister and friend, and was placed next the Tzar at table. Peter was delighted to find that the ship belonged to an old friend of his, Cornelius Calf, of Zaandam, with whom he had resided in Holland. Nothing could be more acceptable to the inhabitants of the new city than the cargo of the Dutch vessel. It brought butter, cheese, hams, and gin — the very articles they stood in need of, particularly gin, as they thought ; for in that day it was not known that labouring men are more injured than benefited by strong drink. Peter bestowed a handsome premium upon Auke Wibes, the skipper, who made a profitable adventure of his first voyage to Petersburg. From that time to this, the Baltic has been open for the ships of all commercial nations. It was after this time that Peter, in many battles, by sea and land, defeated the Swedes completely, established his power all over Russia, and carried on more exten- sively his projects of improvement. Peter's moderation after the siege of Narva has been much admired. Colonel Trumbull, an American artist, has made an excellent picture on tli^ subject. The following account has been given of the scene alluded to : — The Russian soldiers entered Narva, and fell to plundering the helpless inhabitants, whom they insulted, pillaged, and slaughtered. Peter, seeing his men thus cruelly employed in assailing the rights and PETER OF RUSSIA. 71 lives of others, commanded them to forbear ; and, when they disregarded his orders, without compunction, he killed with his own hand, some of those who did not obey him. At length he proceeded to the town-hall, where great numbers of the unfortunate citizens had taken refuge. He there threw down his sword, reeking with blood, declaring to the people, " My sword is not stained with the blood of the inhabitants of this city, but with that of my own soldiers, which I have not hesitated to spill that I might save your lives." That man should shed blood at all — that he should ever take the life of his fellow-man, is wholly contrary to humanity and Christianity. That a great general should arrest the progress of destruction is indeed praise- worthy ; that he should never engage in it would be a higher degree of virtue. It may be hoped that all kings and governments will one day come to this conclusion, and never attack the lives or property of others, any more than citizens and neighbours burn the houses and murder the children of those who dwell in the same street or city. The number of lives lost in the wars between Peter and Charles XII. of Sweden, cannot be known now ; it must have been hundreds of thousands of men, whose wives were widowed, whose children were made or- phans, and whose parents were left childless, to gratify the selfishness of two men, who, had they been truly wise, would have agreed together which should do the 72 PETER OF RUSSIA. most good to each other, and to their respective sub- jects. The battle of Pultowa was that in which Charles sus- tained his most signal defeat. The whole Swedish force surrendered themselves to the victorious arms of Russia. When Peter saw the unfortunate men reduced to the condition of prisoners, he seemed affected ; but his emotion did not prevent him from sending the greater part of them to Siberia. Siberia is a cold region of Asiatic Russia, north of Tartary, and buried, in some parts, in eternal snows. It was then wild, uninhabited, and barren; and it was considered the severest of punishments to be banished to the desolate Siberia — far from all the comforts of life, and forever separated from all agreeable- society. But so great has been the number of these exiles, that they and their descendants have made some parts of that dreaed country not only an agreeable, but desirable residence. Immediately after the battle of Pultowa, Riga was taken, (July 1710); and the whole province of Livonia, which had formerly belonged to Russia, was restored to that empire. It is presumed that, of 80,000 men belonging to the Swedish armies, not more than one in a thousand ever returned to his country and his friends. Peter did not follow immediately, for Charles XII. escaped into Turkey, and persuaded the Turks to make war with Peter. During this war, the Turks took Azoph ; but at length, PETER OF RUSSIA. 73 after much unprofitable fighting, it was restored, and a treaty of peace followed. In 1713, Peter, with a large naval force, took the whole coast of Finland as far as Abo. Abo had a university and a considerable library. This library Peter sent to Petersburg, where it became the foundation of the present library of Petersburg. This was clearly a robbery. A public library is a great privilege to any people. It is collected with a great deal of care and expense, and is the means of much instruction and pleasure to those who have leisure and means to improve it. When Peter ordered away the library of Abo to his new capital, he did not do to others as he would have them act towards himself, or his people. This law is meant for governments and states in their treatment of others as much as for private persons. It is believed that no prince or army at the present time would do such an act of injustice, and violence. Men are learning more and more to respect one another's rights. This is the progress of society. The knowledge that all men gain of what belongs to all, and the respect and love they show to one another more and more in every country, is the advancement and improvement of the human race. In 1714 and 1715, Petersburg was greatly improved; large numbers of brick houses were erected, and forty thousand labourers were employed upon wharves, ships, 74 PETER OF RUSSIA. and other works. These suffered as formerly from disease and cold,- but the benevolent Catherine dis- tributed money, food, and clothing among them to the extent of her power. Being secure in his conquests, in 1715, Peter resolved to make a second tour in Europe, and to take with him his best friend and counsellor, the prudent Catherine. This tour was perhaps not so instructive to the Tzar as the first, but it must have been very entertaining. Many little circumstances served to show him how a great prince was regarded by ordinary men. Above all princes, Peter appears to have felt the natural sympathy of man with man. Peter must have been diverted by the following inci- dent. Sleeping one night at Nymagen, on the Elbe, he arrived late, in a chaise, with only two attendants: Catherine was not with him. Having made a supper of eggs and some bread and cheese, he retired to rest. His companions had a bottle of wine. Starting the next morning, at an early hour, he asked what was to pay? "One hundred ducats;" was the answer. "What!" cried the astonished Russian. " One hundred ducats," replied the host ; " for my part, I should be glad to give a thousand if I was Tzar of Russia." Peter asked the man if eggs were so very scarce in that place. " No ;" said the innkeeper, " but emperors are." One of his first visits was to the little cottage where, nineteen years before, he had learned the art of ship- building. He found it in order, and dignified with the PETER OF RUSSIA. 75 name of the Prince's House. This building still exists, enclosed within a neat building, with arched windows, having the appearance of a conservatory or green-house. This was erected in 1823, by Elizabeth, princess of Orange, sister to the Emperor Alexander. In the first room stands the ink-table, and the three chairs with which it was furnished when occupied by Peter. Over the chimney-piece is inscribed, PETRO MAGNO ALEXANDER, and, in the Russian and Dutch languages, " To a Great Man, nothing is little''' In the second are some models and several tools used by Peter. Peter, in his second visit to Holland, did not forget his old friend Kist, the blacksmith. His smithy was so dirty when he went there that one of his gentle- men attendants would have retreated, but Peter stopped him to blow the bellows and heat a piece of iron, which Peter beat out himself with the hammer. Kist was only a journeyman, and Peter, as became him, made him a handsome present. It may be imagined that he was joyfully received by the tradesmen, seamen, and shipwrights of Zaandam. It was no sooner known that his yacht was arrived than the whole quay was crowded, and " Welkom, wel- kom, Peter Baas," resounded from a thousand mouths. A respectable woman rushed forth to greet him as he stepped on shore. " My good lady," said he, " how do 76 PETER OF RUSSIA. you know me V " Nineteen years ago, your majesty often sat at my table. I am the wife of Baas Bool," answered the woman. He immediately recognised her ; and, kissing her on the forehead, invited himself to dine with her that very day. Great preparations were made in Paris for the recep- tion and entertainment of the Tzar, who left Catherine behind him in Holland; but Peter preferred a good hotel to the palace of the Louvre. — " I am a soldier : I prefer small apartments to large ones. A little bread and beer satisfy me. I have no desire to be attended with pomp and ceremony :" was the reply of the great autocrat to those who offered him the luxuries usually bestowed upon kings. In France, Peter saw all that was curious for mag- nificence, ingenuity, and utility — the works of sculpture and painting, and all the productions of the smith and the tool-maker : nor was he indifferent to men of genius, living and dead. In Paris, he paid a visit to the splendid tomb of Richelieu, one of the greatest men that France has produced. At sight of the noble statue of Richelieu, he is said to have exclaimed, " Thou great man ! I would have given thee one-half of my dominions . to learn of thee how to govern the other half." It was the custom of Peter to enquire everywhere, in every city, town, and village, if there was any thing remarkable to be seen ; and, being informed, he would go in search of the curious object. L In Wittemberg, in Saxony, he asked the innkeeper PETER OP RUSSIA. 77 what was to be seen there. " Not much," answered the man, " except the palace of the Elector ; there you may- see the apartment and study of Martin Luther. His monument is in the church." While his dinner was preparing, Peter hurried away to the church. There he saw the tomb of Luther, adorned by the statue in bronze of the Reformer. " This is not too much," • said he, " for so great a man." In Luther's apartment, on the wall, may be seen an ink- spot, made by dashing his inkstand against the wall. Luther was a prisoner in this place ; and, perhaps, in his grief and impatience, he did this : commonly he governed his feelings better. The smoky walls of this room were covered with names. " I must add mine," said Peter : and, taking a piece of chalk from his pocket, he wrote " Pitr" in Russian characters, close to the spot of ink : this name was afterwards enclosed in a little box inserted in the wall to preserve it. . On his return to Holland, Peter purchased some valu- able pictures, procured a considerable number of books, and some articles of curiosity to form a collection for the Imperial Academy of Sciences, which he had pre- viously founded. The leading facts in Peter's life, and the principal traits of his character, have been shown in the preceding narrative ; it only remains to relate one act more blameable than any other attributed to him. The Tzarovitz Alexis, the son of Peter's first mar- riage, grew up to manhood, and became one of the most 78 PETER OF RUSSIA. profligate men of the age. Peter was engaged in so many public concerns, that he took no care for the cul- tivation of his son's mind ; and the young man, listening to the counsel of his father's enemies, was suspected of some treason against the state ; that is, of designing to set himself up as successor, without consent of his father. Peter conceived a bitter resentment against his son, and feared that he might live to undo much that he had done, — that, after his death, he would succeed to the throne, and pay no regard to the undertakings he had commenced. To keep Alexis under his own eye, he forbade him to leave Russia ; but Alexis, in that matter, as in all others, did as he pleased, and went into Ger- many. The law of Russia permitted the Tzar to punish his son with death, for quitting Russia against his consent : and, therefore, Peter might, if he thought it necessary, takevthe life of his son without transgressing his admitted rights as a parent and a sovereign. Alexis had some- times said, he wished his father was dead; and this inconsiderate speech was made to appear as a design to take his life. There can be no doubt that Alexis had not capacity to govern a great empire; and that, had he come to the throne, he might have created much disorder, and would not have been able to do any good. Still his weakness or his wickedness was not such as to make it right PETER OF RUSSIA. 79 and just that his life should be taken away by a legal act. Peter stated the whole that he knew or believed of his son's guilt to the judges of the land, and to the chief ecclesiastics ; but both refused to judge the case. The clergy, however, recommended the unfortunate Alexis to the clemency of his father, suggesting that Christ showed mercy to the wicked, and that David, the Hebrew king, entreated the commanders of his army to spare Absalom, his rebellious son. This merciful mediation had no effect upon Peter. He collected all the proofs he could find of his son's misconduct, and then submitted to one hundred and twenty-four persons — ministers of state, generals, and senators — the whole case ; and they unanimously con- demned Alexis to death. No mode of execution was expressed in this sentence, and the sudden death of Alexis in prison prevented the horrid spectacle of the legal murder of a son by the abused power of his father, one of the greatest princes of the age and of the world. Peter believed, if Alexis succeeded him, that Russia, at his death, would be plunged anew into barbarism ; and that, as he had often ventured his own life for the good of his country, it became him to sacrifice the life of his son rather than the prosperity of his people. " I would rather commit my subjects to the care of an entire stranger," he would say, "worthy of the trust, than leave them to one of my own children, undeserving of 80 PETER OF RUSSIA. it" But the taking the life of a son admits of no de- fence ; and such an act must forever tarnish the good fame of Peter the Great. Peter, to the end of his days, continued the policy which has been shown to have governed him in the former part of his reign. He improved Moscow and Petersburg, patronised voyages of discovery, employed learned travellers to explore his dominions, restricted gaming, established uniform weights and measures, pro- tected meritorious strangers, admonished the young to travel abroad, encouraged the working of mines, the erection of mills, and the manufactory of cloth; and commanded respect to women, and a rational education of them. No man had a higher sense of the duties of religion than Peter, as he understood it. Religion is a sentiment of the heart : it is belief in the existence of God, and in the authority of his will. It is also a social and public institution for instruction and the worship of God. So far as the public observance forms a part of religion, Peter was a religious man. Religion is full of love and mercy. Peter understood that very imperfectly. No man performed his devotions with more regularity than Peter I. of Russia. He never gained nor lost a bcttle that he did not offer thanks to God — in the former instance, for victory, in the latter, for preservation and deliverance. In all his travels, he never failed to attend PETER OF RUSSIA. 81 divine service, whether Catholic or Protestant. When in England, he attended the Quaker meeting, and cour- teously received the visits of Penn and other leaders among those excellent people the Friends. In 1724, Peter, being at peace with all the world, determined to give his subjects the last proof of his respect to Catherine, by crowning her empress in the ancient city of Moscow — a mark of esteem which the whole nation acknowledged to be her due. Accord- ingly, in a public manifesto, he declared that, after the custom of all Christian princes of the Greek church, he took a convenient opportunity to crown his august wife, the Empress Catherine, as a mark of his high respect for her. To this he added, " The Empress Catherine, our dearest consort, has been an important help to us in all dangers; not of war only, but in other expeditions, serving us with her counsel, as well as by her zeal and courage. For these reasons, and in virtue of that power which God has given us, we are resolved to honour her with the imperial crown, in acknowledgment of her merits and services." This ceremony took place in the grand cathedral of Moscow. The foreign ministers, and the chief lords and ladies of the empire, with the clergy, and a great multitude, of every degree, were present on this occa- sion. Catherine knelt upon a cushion ; the Archbishop of Novogorod requested her to repeat the creed of the church ; and, when she had finished, he pronounced a 6 82 PETER OF RUSSIA. blessing upon her, and then recited a prayer which concluded thus : — "Let her heart always incline to fear Thee; let her will be always obedient to thine; let her judge thy people righteously, do justice to the afflicted, relieve the children of the poor, and, at last, let her obtain thy heavenly kingdom." This act of Peter was regarded as the appointment of a successor, in the person of Catherine, though it did not altogether meet the wishes of the nation. The son of the deceased Alexis was an amiable and promising child ; and many regretted that the young prince should not succeed his grandfather, who, soon after the corona- tion of Catherine, was unexpectedly called to relinquish all his earthly honours. Peter had long been in ill-health; but, being well enough to enjoy a short voyage, he went as far as Lachta, on the Gulf of Finland. He had scarcely anchored in port, when a boat full of soldiers and sailors was seen to be dashed on the rocks by the violence of the waves. Peter ordered out a small vessel for their assistance ; but, with the ardour and impatience inherent in his character, thinking the men sent did not sufficiently exert themselves, took his own boat to assist them himself. — Not being able to advance near enough on account of a sand-bank, he waded up to his knees in water to get at the boat that was aground, and by his able assistance, at length saved the poor people. This act of generous self-exposure cost Peter his life. PETER OF RUSSIA. 83 At night, he was seized with a fever : he was conveyed as soon as possible to St. Petersburg, and the best medi- cal assistance was employed, but in vain. Acute and unmitigable pain never ceased, and rapidly wasted the vigorous frame of the emperor. He bore his sufferings with heroic firmness, and expired January 28th, 1725, in the fifty-fourth year of his age. Peter, as has been shown in his history, was a man of great virtues and great talents. His mind devised immense benefits for his fellow-men, and his energy of character carried them into effect in as large measure as any man could do in the short space of little more than thirty years. He found his subjects in great ignorance and degra- dation, but he let in new light upon their minds ; gave