lent workmanship. It is built under the superintendance of Monsieur le Brun; who has transferred himself from the Ottoman to the Russian service. Ships of this magnitude, when they are launched, proceed with ballast to Cronstadt, where. they take in their guns, are rigged, and fully appointed for sea.

The mouth of the Neva is rendered very shallow by the shoals; consequently, ships drawing so much water as these firstrates of necessity do, can only clear it by artificial means. The camel, an ingeniously constructed machine, is the invention to which the mariners resort. It was the fruit of a Dutchman's genius, Mr. Bakker, a burgomaster of Amsterdam, who, in the year 1690, constructed it for the purpose of raising vessels over the Pampus, a passage between two sandbanks in the mouth of the Amsterdam river. The machine consists of two half ships, built in such a manner that they can be applied, below water, to each side of the hull of a large vessel. On the deck of these half ships, which form the camel (called so from its being used to bear), there are a great many horizontal windlasses, from which ropes proceed through one moiety of the camel, and being carried under the keel of the vessel, enter similar apertures in the other, from which they are conveyed to the windlasses on its deck. When the machines are to be used, as much water as may be necessary is suffered to run into them; all the ropes are cast loose; the vessel is conducted between the two parts; and large beams are placed horizontally through the portholes, with their ends resting on the camel, which is on each side. When the ropes are made fast, so that the ship is secured betwixt its supporters, the water is pumped from the machine, and it raises the ship along with it. Each half of the camel is generally one hundred and twenty seven feet in length; the breadth at the one end twenty two feet; and, at the other, thirteen. The hold is divided into several compartments, that it may be kept in equipoise while the water is flowing into it. A vessel that draws fifteen feet of water can, by the help of this machine, be made to draw only eleven: and the heaviest ships of war, of ninety or a hundred guns, can be so much lightened as to pass over the sandbanks without obstruction. However, it is found, that when the camel is applied to any ves

sels belonging to the navy, they unavoidably sustain some injury; as it is observed that the parts of a ship which has been raised in this way, are always so strained, as never afterwards to allow of being closely shut. The principle on which the machine acts is that of specific gravity.

The tzar Peter founded this naval yard before Cronstadt was in a state to commence marine works: and to render it secure, he fortified 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 showed 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 is a view of

t

Cronstadt, with fleets of men of war and merchant ships, to show 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 eminent 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, recals the past; and if the epic poem teaches true greatness by describing it, why may not the historic picture inculcate the same, by showing, 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 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 shown 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 ambassador 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 eyewitness, 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 swordbelt 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 ambassador the medium, to the imperial Peter; I shall leave you in so enviable a tête à tête, and once more say adieu!

LETTER XXVII.

St. Petersburgh, August, 1806.

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 Versailles or St. Cloud will ever impress the beholder with those awful respects for royalty with which he is struck when entering the courts of Windsor? How do the shades of our renowned Edwards and Henries rise before him! Their mighty souls were framed to fill such a place; and as we stand under a roof worthy to contain the monarch of the British empire, all the inspiration of the scene animates our hearts; with redoubled ardour we would repeat our vows of loyalty to our king, and rush into the field to defend his life and crown. Vaster palaces I have seen, and more gorgeous than Windsor, but never one so truly regal and sublime. It unites