(_Concluded from page 303._)
His attention was forcibly attracted to the magnificent building of
Greenwich Hospital, which, until he had visited it, and seen the old
pensioners, he had some difficulty in believing to be any thing but a
royal palace. King William having one day asked him how he liked his
hospital for decayed seamen, the Tzar answered, "If I were the adviser
of your Majesty, I should counsel you to remove your court to
Greenwich, and convert St. James's into a hospital."
It being term time while the Tzar was in London, he was taken into
Westminster Hall; he inquired who all those busy people in black gowns
and flowing wigs were, and what they were about? Being answered, "They
are lawyers, sir;"--"Lawyers!" said he, with marks of astonishment,
"why, I have but _two_ in my whole dominions, and I believe I shall
hang one of them the moment I get home."[1]
[1] Gentleman's Mag. vol. vii.
In the first week of March, vice-admiral Mitchell was ordered to
repair forthwith to Spithead, and, taking several ships (eleven in
number) under his command, hoist the blue flag at the fore-topmast
head of one of them. It is not stated for what purpose these vessels
were put under his command, nor was any public order given. But the
_Postman_,[2] under date of 26th March, says, "On Tuesday the Tzar of
Muscovy went on board admiral Mitchell, in his Majesty's ship the
Humber, who presently hoisted sail and put to sea from Spithead, as
did also his Majesty's ships the Restauration, Chichester, Defiance,
Swiftsure, York, Monmouth, Dover, Kingston, Coventry, Seaforth, and
Swan." And the _Flying-post_, or _Postmaster_,[3] has the following
intelligence: "The representation of a sea engagement was excellently
performed before the Tzar of Muscovy, and continued a considerable
time, each ship having twelve pounds of powder allowed; but all their
bullets were locked up in the hold, for fear the sailors should
mistake." It is stated in the logs of the Humber and the Kingston that
they had two sham fights; that the ships were divided into two
squadrons, and every ship took her opposite and fired three
broad-sides _aloft and one alow_ without shot. The Tzar was extremely
pleased with the performance. It is said, indeed, he was so much
delighted with every thing he saw in the British navy, that he told
admiral Mitchell he considered the condition of an English admiral
happier than that of a Tzar of Russia.[4]
[2] Postman, No. 441.
[3] Postmaster, No. 449.
[4] Nestesuranoi. Mottley.
On returning from Portsmouth, Peter and his party stopped at Godalming
for the night, where, it would appear, from the bill of fare, they
feasted lustily. Among the papers of Ballard's Collection, in the
Bodleian Library, is one from Mr. Humphrey Wanley[5] to Dr.
Charlett,[6] which contains the following passage:--"I cannot vouch
for the following bill of fare, which the Tzar and his company,
thirteen at table, and twenty-one in all, ate up at Godalming (or
Godliming), in Surrey, in their way home, but it is averred for truth
by an eye-witness, who saw them eating, and had this bill from the
landlord. At breakfast--half a sheep, a quarter of lamb, ten pullets,
twelve chickens, three quarts of brandy, six quarts of mulled wine,
seven dozen of eggs, with salad in proportion. At dinner:--five ribs
of beef, weight three stone; one sheep, fifty-six pounds; three
quarters of lamb, a shoulder and loin of veal boiled, eight pullets,
eight rabbits, two dozen and a half of sack, one dozen of claret."[7]
[5] Author of "Wonders of the little World."
[6] Master of University College.
[7] There are among our countrymen those who are scarcely
outdone by the Tzar of Russia and his companions. At the
same place, and probably at the same house, long known as
_Moon's_, two noble dukes, the one dead, the other yet
living, stopped, as they intended, for a moment, while
sitting in their carriages, to eat a mutton chop, which
they found so good that they each of them devoured
_eighteen_, and drank five bottles of claret.
It would appear, indeed, from all accounts, that the Tzar was a
prodigiously hard drinker, in his younger days. In a letter from Mr.
A. Bertie to Dr. Charlett, and in the same collection, he says, "The
Tzar lay the other night at Mr. James Herbert's, being come from
Deptford to see the Redoubt,[8] which the justices have suppressed, by
placing six constables at the door. Upon that disappointment he fell
to drinking hard at one Mr. Morley's; and the Marquess of Carmarthen,
it being late, resolved to lodge him at his brother-in-law's, where he
dined the next day; drank a pint of brandy and a bottle of sherry for
his morning draught; and after that about eight more bottles of sack
and so went to the playhouse."[9]
[8] It is presumed some notorious place of ill fame.
[9] Ballard's Collection. Bodleian.
The King having given a grand ball at St. James's, in honour of the
Princess's birthday, Peter was invited; but instead of mixing with the
company, he was put into a small room, from whence he could see all
that passed without being himself seen. This extraordinary aversion
for a crowd kept him away from all great assemblies. Once, indeed, he
attempted to subdue it, from a desire to hear the debates in the House
of Commons, but even then the Marquess of Carmarthen could not prevail
on him to go into the body of the house.
Having dined with the King at Kensington, he was prevailed on to see
the ceremony of his Majesty passing four bills; but, it appears from a
note of Lord Dartmouth, that here, as in the Commons, he avoided going
into the house. His Lordship says, "He had a great dislike to being
looked at, but had a mind to see the King in parliament; in order to
which he was placed in a gutter upon the house-top, to peep in at the
window, where he made so ridiculous a figure, that neither king nor
people could forbear laughing, which obliged him to retire sooner than
he intended."
From the same authority we learn that Peter was, at another time,
placed in an awkward situation. "The King made the Tzar a visit, in
which an odd incident happened. The Tzar had a favourite monkey, which
sat upon the back of his chair; as soon as the King was sat down, the
monkey jumped upon him, in some wrath, which discomposed the whole
ceremonial, and most of the time was afterwards spent in apologies for
the monkey's misbehaviour."[10]
[10] Lord Dartmouth.--Note in Burnet's History of his own
Times.
The Tzar is said to have paid a visit to the University of Oxford; but
not a trace appears on any of the records of that university of his
having ever done so. His body physician, Posnikof, who stayed in
England some months behind his master, is, however, known to have been
there. Mr. Wanley writes thus, from London, to Dr. Charlett;--"I will
wait on the doctor (Posnikof,) and if you had been pleased to have
given me orders, I would have been at Oxford before now, for his sake,
and returned hither with him again. His master (the Tzar) gave the
King's servants, at his departure, one hundred and twenty guineas,
which was more than they deserved, they being very rude to him; but to
the King he presented a rough ruby, which the greatest jewellers of
Amsterdam (as well Jews as Christians) valued at ten thousand pounds
sterling. 'Tis bored through, and when it is cut and polished, it must
be set upon the top of the imperial crown of England."[11]
[11] Ballard's Collection. Bodleian. With plain downright
simplicity and free from all ostentation Peter carried
this valuable ruby to the king in his waistcoat pocket,
and presented it wrapped up in a piece of brown paper.
He was introduced to the archbishop of Canterbury, at his palace of
Lambeth, and having expressed a desire to see the different churches
of the capital, and to observe the mode in which the service was
conducted, the archbishop recommended bishop Burnet to gratify his
curiosity in this respect; and to give him all the information, of
which none was more capable, that he might require on ecclesiastical
matters. From this dignitary of the church we have some information
respecting the manner and appearance of this extraordinary character.
The bishop says he wrought much with his own hands, and made all about
him work at the models of ships. Who he had with him, besides
Menzikoff and Golownin, does not anywhere appear, but the
_Postman_[12] of the 29th March says, "The Tzar of Muscovy is returned
from Portsmouth to Deptford, where his second ambassador is arrived
from Holland." The two principal Russian workmen in Holland, of rank,
were Menzikoff and the Prince Siberski, the latter of whom is said to
have been able to rig a ship from top to bottom. The object in
remaining at Deptford would appear to have been, as before stated,
chiefly to gain instruction how to lay off the lines of ships, and cut
out the moulds; though it is said, on the testimony of an old man, a
workman of Deptford yard some forty years ago, that he had heard his
father[13] say, the Tzar of Muscovy worked with his own hands as hard
as any man in the yard. If so, it could only have been for a very
short time, and probably for no other purpose than to show the
builders, that he knew how to handle the adze as well as themselves.
[12] No. 442.
[13] Mr. James Sibbon, who was a journeyman shipwright in
Deptford yard when the Tzar was there; he died in 1769,
aged 105 years.--_Annual Register_ for 1769.
When residing at Deptford he requested to see the celebrated Dr.
Halley, to whom he communicated his plans of building a fleet, and in
general of introducing the arts and sciences into his country, and
asked his opinion and advice on various subjects; the doctor spoke
German fluently, and the Tzar was so much pleased with the
philosopher's conversation and remarks, that he had him frequently to
dine with him; and in his company he visited the Royal Observatory in
Greenwich Park.
As in Amsterdam, so also in London, he visited the manufactories and
workshops of various artificers, and purchased whatever he deemed
either curious or useful; and among other things "he bought the famous
geographical clock made by Mr. John Carte, watchmaker, at the sign of
the Dial and Crown, near Essex-street in the Strand, which clock tells
what o'clock it is in any part of the world, whether it is day or
night, the sun's rising and setting throughout the year, its entrance
into the signs of the zodiac; the arch which they and the sun in them
makes above or below the horizon, with several other curious
motions."[14] He was very curious in examining the mechanism of a
watch, and it is said he could take one of these ingenious machines to
pieces, and put it together again, before he left London.
[14] Postman, No. 136.
The king had promised Peter that there should be no impediment in his
way of engaging, and taking with him to Russia, such English
artificers, and scientific men, as he might desire, with such
instruments as their trade or profession required.
The number of all descriptions of persons that finally left England,
when the Tzar returned to Holland, is stated to have been nearly as
follows:--Three captains of ships of war, twenty-five captains of
merchant ships, thirty pilots, thirty surgeons, two hundred gunners,
four mast-makers, four boat-builders, two master sail-makers and
twenty workmen, two compass-makers, two carvers, two anchor-smiths,
two lock-smiths, two copper-smiths and two tinmen; making, with some
others, not much less than five hundred persons. However uncouth the
manners of Peter may have been, he was a great favourite with King
William, and the Tzar had also a high opinion of his Majesty, whom he
visited frequently, and consulted on all important occasions. The king
engaged him to sit for his portrait to Sir Godfrey Kneller, who
painted a very good picture, said to be a strong likeness, which is
now at Windsor, and the portrait at the head of this volume is
engraved from it.
(The reader will recollect Peter at Zaandam. In after-life he visited
this place,) and the little cottage in which some nineteen years
before he had dwelt, when learning the art of ship-building: he found
it kept up in neat order, and dignified with the name of the _Prince's
House_. This little cottage is still carefully preserved. It is
surrounded by a neat building with large arched windows, having the
appearance of a conservatory or green-house, which was erected in 1823
by order of the present Princess of Orange, sister to the late Emperor
Alexander, who purchased it to secure its preservation. In the first
room you still see the little oak table and three chairs which
constituted its furniture when Peter occupied it. Over the
chimney-piece is inscribed
PETRO MAGNO
ALEXANDER,
and in the Russian and Dutch,
"_To a Great Man nothing is little._"
The ladder to the loft still remains, and in the second little room
below are some models and several of his working-tools. Thousands of
names are scribbled over every part of this once humble residence of
Peter the Great.
On entering this cottage, Peter is said to have been evidently
affected. Recovering himself, he ascended the loft, where was a small
closet, in which he had been accustomed to perform his devotions and
remained there alone a full half-hour; with what various emotions his
mind must have been affected while in this situation, could be known
only to himself, but might easily be imagined. It could hardly fail to
recall to his recollection the happy period when he "communed with his
own heart" in this sacred little chamber, and "remembered his Creator
in the days of his youth,"--days which he might naturally enough be
led to compare and contrast with those of the last nineteen years of
his life, filled up as they had been with many and varied incidents,
painful, hazardous, disastrous and glorious.
Every one was anxious to bring to his recollection any little
circumstance in which he had been concerned,--among others, a
beautiful boat was brought to him as a present, in the building of
which he himself had done "yeoman service." He was delighted to see
that this ancient piece of the workmanship of his own hands had been
preserved with such care. He caused it to be put on board a ship bound
for Petersburg, but she was unfortunately captured by the Swedes; and
the boat is still kept in the arsenal of Stockholm.
With his old acquaintance, Kist, the blacksmith, he visited the
smithy, which was so dirty that the gentleman of his suite who
attended him was retreating, but Peter stopped him to blow the bellows
and heat a piece of iron, which, when so done, he beat out with the
great hammer. Kist was still but a journeyman blacksmith, and the Tzar
out of compassion for his old acquaintance made him a handsome
present.
[The Editor's conclusion, or brief summary, is sketched as follows.]
The character of Peter the Great, as has been shown in the course of
this memoir, was a strange compound of contradictions. Owing to the
circumstances in which he was placed, and the determination to execute
the plan he had conceived of remodelling the customs and institutions
of his country, he had to maintain a constant struggle between his
good and evil genius. Nothing was too great, nothing too little for
his comprehensive mind. The noblest undertakings were mixed with the
most farcical amusements; the most laudable institutions, for the
benefit and improvement of his subjects, were followed by shaving
their beards and docking their skirts;--kind-hearted, benevolent, and
humane, he set no value on human life. Owing to these, and many other
incongruities, his character has necessarily been represented in
various points of view and in various colours by his biographers. Of
him, however, it can scarcely be said, that
The evil which men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones.
With the exception of a few foreign writers, who have generally
compiled their memoirs from polluted sources, the reverse of the
aphorism may be applied to Peter. His memory, among his countrymen,
who ought to be the best judges, and of whom he was at once the
scourge and the benefactor, is held in the highest veneration, and is
consecrated in their history and their public monuments to everlasting
fame. The magnificent equestrian statue, erected by Catharine II.; the
waxen figure of Peter in the museum of the Academy founded by himself;
the dress, the sword, and the hat, which he wore at the battle of
Pultowa, the last pierced through with a ball: the horse that he rode
in that battle; the trousers, worsted stockings, shoes, and cap, which
he wore at Zaandam, all in the same apartment; his two favourite dogs,
his turning-lathe and tools, with specimens of his workmanship; the
iron bar which he forged with his own hand at Olonitz; the Little
Grandsire, so carefully preserved, as the first germ of the Russian
navy; and the wooden hut in which he lived while superintending the
first foundation of Petersburg;--these, and a thousand other tangible
memorials, all preserved with the utmost care, speak in most
intelligible language the opinion which the Russians hold of _the
Father of his Country_.
* * * * *