book « but not of that fublimity of wit, or rather that quicktlefs
«— v—~ o f imagination, which fome people have believed. The
«I great reafon why the czaf was fo fond of her, was her
“ exceeding good temper; (he never was feen peeviih or
“ out of humour; obliging and civil to all, and never for-
« getful of her former condition ; withal, mighty grateful.”
Catharine maintained the pomp of majefty with an air of
eafe and gaandeur united ; and Peter ufed frequently to
exprefs his admiration at the propriety with which ihe fup-
portedher high ftation, without forgetting that ihe was not
born to that dignity *. ».
The following anecdotes will prove that ihe boré her
elevation meekly ; and was never, as Gordon aflerts, forgetful
of her former condition. When Wurmb, who had
been tutor to Gluck’s children at the time that Catharine was
a domeftick in that clergyman’s family, prefented himfelf
before her after her marriage with Peter had been publickly
iolemnized, ihe recolledted and addreffed him with great
complacency, “ What thou good man, are you (till alive !
“ I will provide for you.” And ihe accordingly fettled
upon him a penfion. S-he alfo was np lefs attentive to
the family of her benefactor Gluck, who died a prifoner
at Mofcow : ihe perifioned his widow ; made his fon a page ;■
portioned the two eldeft ^daughters ; , and advanced the
youhgeft to be one of her maids df honour. I f we may'
believe Wéber, ihe frequently inquired after her firft huf-
band, and, when ihe lived with prince Menzikof, ufed fe-
* “ Son épcufe était avec lui, étalant, “ laifer, d’aidmirer les talens qu’elle'poÎTc-
44 conformément à la volonté du monarque, “ dait, felon fon expreffiori, de fe créer im*
** la pompe impériale, qui le gênait, et la “ per'atVice,' fans oublier qu’elle ne le nâ-
“ foutenant avec un air furprenant dé grau- 44 qtift point.” Balfewitz in Buf. p .’3*38.
*<■ deur et d’aifance. Le czar ne pouvait Te f of/Pèter, voL I IL p.' 358.
3 ■ > > ’ ..' n „ ... cretly,
O A T H A R I N E I.
•cretly to fend him fmallfums of money, until, in 1705, he
was killed in a ikirmiih with the enemy. In a conference
with general Schlippenback, who, in 1702, commanded the
Swedilh army,.when ihe was taken captive by the Ruffians,
ihe aiked him “ whether her fpoufe John was not a brave
« foldier ?” Schlippenback returning, “ am not I one alfo?”
Her majefty aniwered in the affirmative : hut, repeating the
queftion, he replied, “ yes, pleafe your majefty ; and I may
“ boaft to have had the honour of having him under thy
“ command*.”
‘ Rut the moft noble part of her charadter was her peculiar
humanity and compaffion for the unfortunate. Motraye
has paid an handfome tribute to this excellence. “ She had
i in fome fort the goverment of all his (Peter’s) paffions ; and
“ even fayed the lives of a great many more perfons than Le
“ Fort was able to do : ihe infpired him with that humanity,
“ which, in the opinion of his fubjedts, nature feemed to
“ have denied him. A word from her mouth in favour of
“ a wretch, juft going to be facrificed to his anger, would
“ difarm him ; -but if he was fully refolved to fatisfy that
“ paffion, he would give orders for the execution when
“ (hé .was. abfent, for fear ihe fhould plead for thè victim, t.”
In a woid, to ufe the expreffion of. the' celebrated Munich,
Elie.étoit proprement la médiatrice, entre le monarque et
“ fss fujets f .” .. . ■ :,,. .
< * Bufchi n g had this anecdote from- a , J Ebauche, &c. p ; 54. 4 4 She was-the4
lady-who was prefent at this conferepce. . 44 mediatrix between the monarch and his
Hitt/Mag-. vol. 111. p. 190/ ' ' “ ’fdbje&Si” . ’ '
f Motraye’s Travels, vol. III. p. 131.
CHAP.
-V II.