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Memoirs Of Her Late Imperial Majesty, Catharine Ii.
polar sea , she has opened a vast source of wealth by the trade with the natives of those inhospitable regions . And by the subjugation of the Cossacks and Tartars inhabiting the shores of the Caspian Sea and the river Oxus , she has opened a direct trade with India , and rendered the communication safe and complete between the frozen shores of Lapland and the frontiers of China . On her acquisitions
in Poland , history would wish to be silent ; but the pen that records the splendour of conquest , must not forget the achievements of rapine and injustice . We have thus far considered Catharine in her public character ; but as every particular relative to so extraordinary a woman must be interesting , we shall give a brief -account of her person and manners
in private life . Catharine II . was , in person , of a middle stature ; during the latter years of her life rather inclined to be corpulent ; in her deportment and manner she possessed much dignity and majesty ; but they were tempered with a graciousness and affability which strongly impressed themselves on every beholder . Her countenance expressed all that vigour of intellect and all that comprehension of
mind which she possessed . In a word she was great , and always appeared so . Of the private life of Catharine , so good an account is g iven b } an enlightened writer , Mr . Coxe , who was himself a witness to many of the facts he relates , that we cannot forbear extracting the whole of it from his Travels into Russia .
' Her majesty usually rises about six , and is engaged till eight or nine in public business with her secretaty . At ten she generally begins her toilet ; and while her hair is dressing , the ministers of state , and her aid-de-camps in waiting , pay their respects and receive their orders . Beingdressed about eleven , she sends for her grand-children , the young princes Alexander and Constantine , or visits them in their own apartment . Before dinneivshe receives a visit from the
greatduke and duchess ; and sits down to table rather before one . She has always company at dinner , usually about nine persons , consisting of the generals and lords in waiting , a lady of the bed-chamber , a maid of honour , and t \ yo or three of the Russian nobility , whom-she invites . Their imperial highnesses dine with her three times in the weekon which days the party is encreased to eighteen persons . The
, lord of the bed-chamber in waiting , who always sits opposite to the empress , carves one dish and presents it to her ; an attention , which , after once politely accepting , she afterwards dispenses with . Her majesty is remarkably temperate , and is seldom at table more than an hour . From thence she retires to her own apartment ; and about three frequently repairs' to her library in the Hermitage . At five she
goes to the theatre , or to a private concert ; and , when there is no court in the evening , has a private party at cards . She seldom sups ; generally retires at half past ten ; and is usually in bed before eleven . ' The particulars of the death of this great woman must be too fresh in the memory of every one to need any recapitulation here ; it is .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Memoirs Of Her Late Imperial Majesty, Catharine Ii.
polar sea , she has opened a vast source of wealth by the trade with the natives of those inhospitable regions . And by the subjugation of the Cossacks and Tartars inhabiting the shores of the Caspian Sea and the river Oxus , she has opened a direct trade with India , and rendered the communication safe and complete between the frozen shores of Lapland and the frontiers of China . On her acquisitions
in Poland , history would wish to be silent ; but the pen that records the splendour of conquest , must not forget the achievements of rapine and injustice . We have thus far considered Catharine in her public character ; but as every particular relative to so extraordinary a woman must be interesting , we shall give a brief -account of her person and manners
in private life . Catharine II . was , in person , of a middle stature ; during the latter years of her life rather inclined to be corpulent ; in her deportment and manner she possessed much dignity and majesty ; but they were tempered with a graciousness and affability which strongly impressed themselves on every beholder . Her countenance expressed all that vigour of intellect and all that comprehension of
mind which she possessed . In a word she was great , and always appeared so . Of the private life of Catharine , so good an account is g iven b } an enlightened writer , Mr . Coxe , who was himself a witness to many of the facts he relates , that we cannot forbear extracting the whole of it from his Travels into Russia .
' Her majesty usually rises about six , and is engaged till eight or nine in public business with her secretaty . At ten she generally begins her toilet ; and while her hair is dressing , the ministers of state , and her aid-de-camps in waiting , pay their respects and receive their orders . Beingdressed about eleven , she sends for her grand-children , the young princes Alexander and Constantine , or visits them in their own apartment . Before dinneivshe receives a visit from the
greatduke and duchess ; and sits down to table rather before one . She has always company at dinner , usually about nine persons , consisting of the generals and lords in waiting , a lady of the bed-chamber , a maid of honour , and t \ yo or three of the Russian nobility , whom-she invites . Their imperial highnesses dine with her three times in the weekon which days the party is encreased to eighteen persons . The
, lord of the bed-chamber in waiting , who always sits opposite to the empress , carves one dish and presents it to her ; an attention , which , after once politely accepting , she afterwards dispenses with . Her majesty is remarkably temperate , and is seldom at table more than an hour . From thence she retires to her own apartment ; and about three frequently repairs' to her library in the Hermitage . At five she
goes to the theatre , or to a private concert ; and , when there is no court in the evening , has a private party at cards . She seldom sups ; generally retires at half past ten ; and is usually in bed before eleven . ' The particulars of the death of this great woman must be too fresh in the memory of every one to need any recapitulation here ; it is .