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Article ANECDOTES OF PETER THE GREAT, ← Page 2 of 5 →
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Anecdotes Of Peter The Great,
sketched out plans for schools and academies , he opened new roads to commerce ; in fine , he laid the foundation of that ever increasing grandeur , which threatens the greatest part of Europe with invasion . We know with what eagerness Peter I . early in his youth attached himself to Lefort , a native of Geneva , with' whom he accidentally became acquainted at the Envoy of Denmark's house , in Moscow , and who afterwards became a Baron and General of the Russian armies . Notwithstanding the disparity of their age , the Czar found in Lefort ideas , and a conformity of character , so very similar to his own , that he made him the confident of his vast projects ; and feeling
the superiority of his friend , he submitted always to his opinion . He had even charged him to restrain his impetuosity , and subject him to the government of reason in the wild excesses of anger , which were frequent in their attacks , and which , sometimes receiving strengtn from inebriety , occasioned by strong liquors , rendered him furious . In these paroxysms , Lefort , alone , d . irst speak to him ; and reproaching him for his intemperance and delirium , he seized him as a
refractory child , and often had recourse to violence . It is true , Lefort ran the risque of becoming a victim to this hardy zeal -bordering on temerity . Peter once was upon the point of stabbing him with ; t dagger ; but having recovered from his derangement , he embraced Lefort , and asked his pardon . The Russiatrs feel all they owe to Peter I . and , in their eulogies upon the singular features of his character , are never exhausted .
Many anecdotes of this singular man , you know , have been already published . Some I will relate to you that are less known . For the idea at once so grand and successful , of forming a marine in his states , Peter I . was indebted to chance . In his early youth he perceived , as he was walking in a village near Moscow , a shallop , which a Hollander named Brandt had constructed in the reign of Alexis Michaeluwitsch . His curiosity wished to be satisfied why
this shallop was built so different from other boats that he had seen ; he was informed that she might be navigatad against the wind . This reply augmented rather than satisfied his spirit of enquiry . Brandt was on a sudden sent for , and the shallop , supplied with masts and sails , received the young Czar , who , to his great surprise , worked her with Brandt in the river Yaoussa .
Brandt afterwards received Peter ' s commancl to build him a yatcnt , which was launched in Moscovy in 1691 ; and , soon after , the Hollander built on the borders of the lake PerilofF , under the Czar ' s directions , several small vessels carrying cannon , with which the Prince , in triumph , returned to Moscow . The death of Brandt did not diminish in the Czar his ardour for a marine . Hesome years afterwent to Holland himselfto learn
, , , naval architecture . From thence he passed over to England , and when lie had acquired sufficient information to judge of the nautical skill of both nations , he , to the construction of tha English , added , in his own ships , the rigg ing of the Dutch , which they have still retained .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Anecdotes Of Peter The Great,
sketched out plans for schools and academies , he opened new roads to commerce ; in fine , he laid the foundation of that ever increasing grandeur , which threatens the greatest part of Europe with invasion . We know with what eagerness Peter I . early in his youth attached himself to Lefort , a native of Geneva , with' whom he accidentally became acquainted at the Envoy of Denmark's house , in Moscow , and who afterwards became a Baron and General of the Russian armies . Notwithstanding the disparity of their age , the Czar found in Lefort ideas , and a conformity of character , so very similar to his own , that he made him the confident of his vast projects ; and feeling
the superiority of his friend , he submitted always to his opinion . He had even charged him to restrain his impetuosity , and subject him to the government of reason in the wild excesses of anger , which were frequent in their attacks , and which , sometimes receiving strengtn from inebriety , occasioned by strong liquors , rendered him furious . In these paroxysms , Lefort , alone , d . irst speak to him ; and reproaching him for his intemperance and delirium , he seized him as a
refractory child , and often had recourse to violence . It is true , Lefort ran the risque of becoming a victim to this hardy zeal -bordering on temerity . Peter once was upon the point of stabbing him with ; t dagger ; but having recovered from his derangement , he embraced Lefort , and asked his pardon . The Russiatrs feel all they owe to Peter I . and , in their eulogies upon the singular features of his character , are never exhausted .
Many anecdotes of this singular man , you know , have been already published . Some I will relate to you that are less known . For the idea at once so grand and successful , of forming a marine in his states , Peter I . was indebted to chance . In his early youth he perceived , as he was walking in a village near Moscow , a shallop , which a Hollander named Brandt had constructed in the reign of Alexis Michaeluwitsch . His curiosity wished to be satisfied why
this shallop was built so different from other boats that he had seen ; he was informed that she might be navigatad against the wind . This reply augmented rather than satisfied his spirit of enquiry . Brandt was on a sudden sent for , and the shallop , supplied with masts and sails , received the young Czar , who , to his great surprise , worked her with Brandt in the river Yaoussa .
Brandt afterwards received Peter ' s commancl to build him a yatcnt , which was launched in Moscovy in 1691 ; and , soon after , the Hollander built on the borders of the lake PerilofF , under the Czar ' s directions , several small vessels carrying cannon , with which the Prince , in triumph , returned to Moscow . The death of Brandt did not diminish in the Czar his ardour for a marine . Hesome years afterwent to Holland himselfto learn
, , , naval architecture . From thence he passed over to England , and when lie had acquired sufficient information to judge of the nautical skill of both nations , he , to the construction of tha English , added , in his own ships , the rigg ing of the Dutch , which they have still retained .