the whole with a wet ditch; flanked the curtain with earthen bastions ; and threw up strong defences towards the river. However, all this ancient labour is now to be levelled, to make way for an edifice more consonant with the magnificence of the city, and more worthy the character of so great an empire. Admiral Tchichacoff shewed me the elevation of the façade; and certainly it is a fine specimen of the talents of the architect, who is a Russian.

The pictures of mine, which the Emperor did me the honour to approve of, being dedicated to the embellishment of the newly-planned Admiralty, are to be placed in the Great Council Chamber, as soon as that superb saloon is rebuilt. Its design is magnificent; and as the efforts of my pencil are to cover the walls, I shall give you an idea of what I at present intend it shall celebrate. As I proceed, you will see that the frames of my pictures, or rather their envelopements, are to be of the most princely materials. A large full length portrait of the immortal Peter is to be placed at the upper end of this state apartment, under a rich canopy of crimson velvet and gold, draperied in regal style, and surmounted with every insignia of the imperial dignity. I am now painting on this picture. It is ten feet by seven and a half. I represent my illustrious subject surrounded by naval and military trophies. He rests his right hand upon an anchor, also holding in the same charts of the Caspian and Black Seas: on the waves of which he was anxious to see the fleets he was then projecting, command. He lived to be a victor there, and to carry his ships, not only as conquerors but as benefactors, to the neighbouring shores. At his feet lie the colours of his great northern rival, whose fortune he made stoop on the dreadful day of Pultowa; and over his head waves the imperial flag of his marine. The back ground

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is a view of Cronstadt, with fleets of men of war and merchant ships, to shew the progress of arms and commerce under his cherishing auspices.

On each side are to be placed two pictures of eight feet by seven : one, the Emperor saving the lives of a boat's crew who were perishing in the Lake Ladoga: the other, His Imperial Majesty's naval victory over Admiral Ehrenshield. The remaining subjects I have not considered ; but the ceiling of the Council Chamber, which has a circle of twenty-five feet in diameter, is left entirely to my own suggestions. I propose filling it with a design emblematic of Peter calling the empire into existence. The arts, commerce, war, peace, religion, all in their most perfect states, shall be introduced as bursting forth before the genius of this immortal Prince. My other subjects will principally relate to the most cminent acts of his all-glorious life; and so, when finished, if deemed worthy of their hero, they will not unaptly be called the Glories of Peter the Great. Painting, like Poetry, recalls the past; and if the epic poem teaches true greatness by describing it, why may not the historic picture inculcate the same, by shewing, even to the eye, examples of the virtue ? Such use of the arts ennobles them, and very properly places the Muses amongst the Gods.

Independent of the impression which this sublime Monarch's character has made on my mind, of what must have been the outward lineaments of such a glorious being? To make my premeditated portrait as faithful as is possible (the bright original having passed into other worlds), I have occupied myself in collecting every information extant relative to his face and person. And for this purpose, I not only contemplated his

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breathing image in Isaac's-place, but visited the Cabinet of Natural History in the Vassilyostroff, to see some relics of him there. In one room I was shewn a curious library, and all the mechanical instruments which had belonged to the Tzar; also part of his wardrobe, from which I studied the costume for my picture. Here his height also was ascertained to me, by a nail driven in near the door, said to have been at his own request; and according to English measurement, it makes him six feet seven inches high. In this chamber is a waxen figure of the same gigantic stature: it is dressed in the suit he wore when he declared his wife Catherine Empress. The wig on the effigy is recorded to be of his own hair, which he had caused to be cut off during his Persian campaigns ; and, it is added, that he wore this very wig to the day of his death. The face was modelled from his own, by a lady, during his life; and from it Monsieur Falconet drew some of the sublimest features of his statue. I acknowledge myself to be not less obliged to the fair artist.

In the course of my researches after records of this interesting Monarch, I found a very curious tract (written in French), by an embassador resident at the court of Peter, to his own sovereign; who, it seems, had requested his minister to send him a minute account of so extraordinary a man. I copied it carefully, and having made a translation of the part in question, as it lies by me the readiest, and as it must gratify you to see a description by an eye-witness, of one of the most distinguished amongst heroes, I shall tack on beneath :

"Peter the First is of a shape excellently proportioned; his complexion is vivid and highly animated, and his eyes announce the greatest character and genius. His teeth are white and regular; his hair is dark

brown and curling; and his whole physiognomy is pleasing, and bears the testimony in its features of the integrity and sincerity of his heart. He converses amiably with every one; and the serene smile which is naturally seated on his lips, gains the confidence and love of all.”

"The greatest simplicity reigns in the court of the Tzar, as well as in his own habits. His dress is plain, decorated neither with gold nor silver his coat is of the German fashion, with sleeves after the Swedish form, lined with skins of sable and other animals. On the outside of his dress he wears a sword-belt embroidered with gold; and prefers the hat to the cap. He detests splendid distinctions on his own person, but is pleased to see his princes, counsellors, and generals wear them."

Having so properly introduced you, not even neglecting the ceremonial of making an Embassador the medium, to the Imperial Peter; I shall leave you in so enviable a tête-à-tête, and once more say adieu!

BEING informed that after all my researches there still existed in the

Palace of Jutchinna, one portrait of the Tzar Peter I had not seen, I determined to gain sight of it also; although the attempt was rather hopeless, the palace being the property of the Empress Dowager, once the favourite residence of the late Emperor when Archduke, and now constantly closed by his illustrious widow from the eye of curiosity. However, I lost no time in making my application; which being graciously received, a special permission was granted me to visit the apartment, so long consecrated to imperial sorrow.

The palace is about forty-three versts from St. Petersburgh, and is built in a modern castellated taste, of a wide extent; and so admirably situated, that from some points of view it reminds me of Windsor. Yet the resemblance is very faint; merely sufficient to suggest an idea of that august abode of our British Kings. To compare the two would be trifling. Indeed I know of nothing of the sort that would bear the comparison; for I never yet beheld, in any country, a place so fitted by'nature and art, for the residence of a powerful monarch, as Windsor Castle. It stands as the very throne of majesty, whence a great potentate might be supposed to rule the world. There is something very imposing in magnificence, when undebased by the fripperies of ostentation.

What