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Article THE LIFE. OF PRINCE POTEMKIN. ← Page 3 of 6 →
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The Life. Of Prince Potemkin.
' On succeeding OrlofFin favour , Potemkin ventured to tread in the ; same steps , and form the same designs with his predecessor , iu asrnring to obtain the hand of Catharine . But he was awed by . Panin ' s frankness , his persuasive eloquence , his art for intrigue , . of which , in spite of his indolence , tlie old Minister could still make a skilful use .
What strange metamorphoses will not ambition effcdt ! Potemkin , the most arrogant man of all Russia ; he who seemed the least calculated to submit to the bridle of restraint , and who himself , ' devoid of the slig htest tincture of religion , had ridiculed every mo . de of faith , all at once assumed the exterior of a rigid piety . At the be-, inning of Lenthe was seen to bid adieu to the iinhlgence of good
g , cheer , which no one loved better than himself , to feed upon roots , and drink only water ; he went to confession almost every day . He had taken care to make choice of her Majesty ' s confessor , to whom he revealed his illicit intercourse : at the same time begged him to . inform his royal mistress that , alarmed by the terrors qf conscience , he could no longer indulge an affection when not sanctioned by mar- ,
riage . Whether the monk had been gained over or not , he faithfully executed his commission . Catharine came to no explanation with him ; but easily guessing the motive of Potemkin ' s scruples , she sent for her lover , and spoke to him with tenderness , but at the same
time with dignity . She said , that , notwithstanding her regard for him , passion should not subdue her resolution ; and if he were resolved no longer to fill the post of favourite another might easil y suc ^ ceed in his place . Potemkin , humbled and confounded , found it impossible to conceal his vexation from the perception of the courtiers . Pie was even , heard to declare that he would take holy ordersand cause himself
, to be consecrated Archbishop . But Catharine returned to Petersburg . * Potemkin followed her , and soon buried his hypocritical devotion in the pursuits of ambition , and the boundless enjoyments of pleasure .
In 177 6 , upon Catharine ' s return from Moscow , to whrcli city she had paid a visit in order to gratify a spirit of generosity , which was one of her most splendid virtues , for no Monarch was ever more profuse in recompensing Generals , or in heaping presents . upon fa- ^ vourites , Potemkin ceased to be the object of her affection . She loaded him witli benefits ; she seemed to want honours and dignities h to confer upon him ; she promised him . the sole
enoug possession of her love ; but her heart already decided in favour of another . A young Ukrainian , named ZawadoiTsky , possessed her secret smiles . She began by appointing him her Secretary . Her Majesty shortly after openly called him her favourite . This change VOL . XI . F f
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life. Of Prince Potemkin.
' On succeeding OrlofFin favour , Potemkin ventured to tread in the ; same steps , and form the same designs with his predecessor , iu asrnring to obtain the hand of Catharine . But he was awed by . Panin ' s frankness , his persuasive eloquence , his art for intrigue , . of which , in spite of his indolence , tlie old Minister could still make a skilful use .
What strange metamorphoses will not ambition effcdt ! Potemkin , the most arrogant man of all Russia ; he who seemed the least calculated to submit to the bridle of restraint , and who himself , ' devoid of the slig htest tincture of religion , had ridiculed every mo . de of faith , all at once assumed the exterior of a rigid piety . At the be-, inning of Lenthe was seen to bid adieu to the iinhlgence of good
g , cheer , which no one loved better than himself , to feed upon roots , and drink only water ; he went to confession almost every day . He had taken care to make choice of her Majesty ' s confessor , to whom he revealed his illicit intercourse : at the same time begged him to . inform his royal mistress that , alarmed by the terrors qf conscience , he could no longer indulge an affection when not sanctioned by mar- ,
riage . Whether the monk had been gained over or not , he faithfully executed his commission . Catharine came to no explanation with him ; but easily guessing the motive of Potemkin ' s scruples , she sent for her lover , and spoke to him with tenderness , but at the same
time with dignity . She said , that , notwithstanding her regard for him , passion should not subdue her resolution ; and if he were resolved no longer to fill the post of favourite another might easil y suc ^ ceed in his place . Potemkin , humbled and confounded , found it impossible to conceal his vexation from the perception of the courtiers . Pie was even , heard to declare that he would take holy ordersand cause himself
, to be consecrated Archbishop . But Catharine returned to Petersburg . * Potemkin followed her , and soon buried his hypocritical devotion in the pursuits of ambition , and the boundless enjoyments of pleasure .
In 177 6 , upon Catharine ' s return from Moscow , to whrcli city she had paid a visit in order to gratify a spirit of generosity , which was one of her most splendid virtues , for no Monarch was ever more profuse in recompensing Generals , or in heaping presents . upon fa- ^ vourites , Potemkin ceased to be the object of her affection . She loaded him witli benefits ; she seemed to want honours and dignities h to confer upon him ; she promised him . the sole
enoug possession of her love ; but her heart already decided in favour of another . A young Ukrainian , named ZawadoiTsky , possessed her secret smiles . She began by appointing him her Secretary . Her Majesty shortly after openly called him her favourite . This change VOL . XI . F f