Blush, O art! At a hero who ow'd thee nothing! For thine was this prodigy. Peter the I. justly styled, Peter the great, czar and afterwards emperor of Russia, founder of the Russian empire; for though the country was well known, and of great antiquity, yet it had no extent of power, of political influence, or of general commerce, in Europe, till his time. He was born in 1672; and was proclaimed czar when but ten years of age, in exclusion of John his elder brother, who, being of a sickly constitution, was at the same time very weak in his understanding. His half sister Sophia surrounded Peter with every thing that might stifle his natural desire of knowledge, deprave his mind, and enervate it with pleasures. Notwithstanding this, his inclination for military exercises discovered itself in his tenderest years. He formed a company of 50 men, commanded by foreign officers, clothed and exercised after the German manner. He entered himself into the lowest post, that of a drummer; and never rose otherwise than as a soldier of fortune. Herein his design was to teach his nobility, that merit, not birth, was the only title to military employments. The sight of a Dutch vessel, which he had met with on a lake belonging to one of his pleasure houses, made such an impression on his mind, that he conceived the almost impracticable design of forming a navy. His first care was to get some Hollanders to build some small vessels at Moscow; and he passed two successive summers on board English or Dutch ships, which set out from Archangel, that he might instruct himself in every branch of naval affairs. In 1698 he sent an embassy to Holland; and went incognito in the retinue, and visited England as well as Holland; in order to inform himself fully in the art of ship. M building. At Amsterdam he worked in the yard as a privatě ship carpenter, under the name of Peter Michaelof; but he has been often heard to say, that if he had never gone to England, he had still remained ignorant of the art. He formed an army according to the manner of the politest and most experienced nations: he fitted out fleets in all the four seas which border upon Russia! he caused many strong fortresses to be raised after the best plans; and made convenient harbours: he introduced arts and sciences into his dominions, and freed religion from any superstitious abuses: he thade laws, built cities, cut canals, &c. was generous in rewarding, impartial in punishing; faithful, laborious, and humble yet was hot free from a certain roughness of temper natural to his nation. He had indeed cured himself of excess in drinking; but he has been branded with several other vices, particularly cruelty. He died of the strangury in 1725, and left the world with the magnanimity of a hero and the piety of a christian. Peter was tall of stature, and of a bold and majestic aspect, though some times disfigured by convulsions, which altered his features. This deformity was ascribed to poison, given him, as it is said, by his sister Sophia; but it was indeed no other than wine and brandy, which he often drank to excess, relying too much on the strength of his constitution. He conversed with persons in all stations, from the mechanic to the general of an army; and his conversation was neither like that of a Barbarian who makes no distinction between men, nor of a popular prince who seeks to please all the world, but that of a person who aims at instruction. We are told that kings and legislators should never suffer themselves to be transported by passion; but never was any man more passionate than Peter the Great, nor more merciless. In a king, this is more than an infirmity for which he makes no amends by confessing it; but it was generally remarked of Peter, and he himself said to a magistrate of Holland, at his second voyage, "I have reformed my nation, and have not been able to reform myself." It is true, the cru elties with which he is reproached were not novelties at the court of Moscow, any more than at that of Morocco: it was not uncommon to see a czar, with his own royal hand, inflict an hundred lashes on the naked shoulders of a prime officer of the crown, or of a lady of the palace, for failing in their duty, by getting drunk; or to try the goodness of his sabre, by striking off the head of a criminal. Peter had him self performed some of those ceremonies of his country. On the whole, that he was a great man, few will deny, who know what real greatness is; the Russians, if there is any good in civilization, owe to him every thing. On a Letter-Founder, at Oxford. Under this stone lies honest Syl, On a large fat Physician. Take heed, O good trav'ller, and do no tread hard, For here lies Dr. Str-tf-rd in all this church-yard. Cathedral Church-Yard, Winchester. In memory of THOMAS THETCHER, A grenadier in the north battalion of the Hampshire militia, who died of a fever, contracted by drinking small beer when hot, the 12th of May, 1764.-In grateful remembrance of whose universal good will towards his comrades, this stone is placed here at their expence, as a small testimony of their regard and esteem. Here rests in peace a Hampshire grenadier, Bunhill-Fields Burying-Ground. LUCIA SMITH, Died Oct. 6, 1682, Within a day of twelve years old, Who lived much beloved, and died greatly lamented By all her acquaintance: Not having known her equal for natural endowments Reader, pay thy tribute here, Gently let the dust be spread On a Soldier When I was young, in wars I shed my 'blood, Lincoln Cathedral. (ON THE REV. WILLIAM COLE, 1600. Reader, behold the pious pattern here, He sought (God's glory.and the church's good, |