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MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF ST. CLOUD - V7
MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF ST. CLOUD - V7 STEWARTON [NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks or pointers at the end of the
file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an
entire meal of them. D.W.]
MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF ST. CLOUD
Being Secret Letters from a Gentleman at Paris to a Nobleman in London
BOOK 7
LETTER XXIV.
PARIS October 1805.
MY LORD:--Though loudly complained of by the Cabinet of St. Cloud the
Cabinet of St. Petersburg has conducted itself in these critical times
with prudence without weakness and with firmness without obstinacy.
In its connections with our Government it has never lost sight of its
own dignity and therefore never endured without resentment those
impertinent innovations in the etiquette of our Court and in the manner
and language of our Emperor to the representatives of legitimate
Sovereigns. Had similar becoming sentiments directed the councils of all
other Princes and the behaviour of their Ambassadors here spirited
remonstrances might have moderated the pretensions or passions of upstart
vanity while a forbearance and silence equally impolitic and shameful
have augmented insolence by flattering the pride of an insupportable and
outrageous ambition.
The Emperor of Russia would not have been so well represented here had
he not been so wisely served and advised in his council chamber at St.
Petersburg. Ignorance and folly commonly select fools for their agents
while genius and capacity employ men of their own mould and of their own
cast. It is a remarkable truth that notwithstanding the frequent
revolutions in Russia since the death of Peter the First the ministerial
helm has always been in able hands; the progressive and uninterrupted
increase of the real and relative power of the Russian Empire evinces the
reality of this assertion.
The Russian Chancellor Count Alexander Woronzoff may be justly called
the chief of political veterans whether his talents or long services are
considered. Catherine II. though a voluptuous Princess was a great
Sovereign and a competent judge of merit; and it was her unbiased choice
that seated Count Woronzoff while yet young in her councils. Though
the intrigues of favourites have sometimes removed him he always retired
with the esteem of his Sovereign and was recalled without caballing or
cringing to return. He is admired by all who have the honour of
approaching him as much for his obliging condescension as for his great
information. No petty views no petty caprices no petty vengeances find
room in his generous bosom. He is known to have conferred benefactions
not only on his enemies but on those who at the very time were
meditating his destruction. His opinion is that a patriotic Minister
should regard no others as his enemies but those conspiring against their
country and acknowledge no friends or favourites incapable of well
serving the State. Prince de Z-------- waited on him one day and after
hesitating some time began to compliment him on his liberal sentiments
and concluded by asking the place of a governor for his cousin with whom
he had reason to suppose the Count much offended. "I am happy" said His
Excellency "to oblige you and to do my duty at the same time. Here is
a libel he wrote against me and presented to the Empress who graciously
has communicated it to me in answer to my recommendation of him
yesterday to the place you ask for him to-day. Read what I have written
on the libel and you will be convinced that it will not be my fault if
he is not to-day a governor." In two hours afterwards the nomination was
announced to Prince de Z-------- who was himself at the head of a cabal
against the Minister. In any country such an act would have been
laudable but where despotism rules with unopposed sway it is both
honourable and praiseworthy.
Prince Adam Czartorinsky the assistant of Count Woronzoff and Minister
of the foreign department unites with the vigour of youth the
experience of age. He has travelled in most countries of Europe not
solely to figure at Courts to dance at balls to look at pictures or to
collect curiosities but to study the character of the people the laws
by which they are governed and their moral or social influence with
regard to their comforts or misery. He therefore brought back with him a
stock of knowledge not to be acquired from books but only found in the
world by frequenting different and opposite societies with observation
penetration and genius. With manners as polished as his mind is well
informed he not only possesses the favour but the friendship of his
Prince and what is still more rare is worthy of both. All Sovereigns
have favourites few ever had any friends; because it is more easy to
flatter vanity than to display a liberal disinterestedness; to bow
meanly than to instruct or to guide with delicacy and dignity; to abuse
the confidence of the Prince than to use it to his honour and to the
advantage of his Government.
That such a Monarch as an Alexander and such Ministers as Count
Woronzoff and Prince Czartorinsky should appoint a Count Markof to a
high and important post was not unexpected by any one not ignorant of
his merit.
Count Markof was early in the reign of Catherine II. employed in the
office of the foreign department at St. Petersburg and was whilst
young entrusted with several important negotiations at the Courts of
Berlin and Vienna. when Prussia had proposed the first partition of
Poland. He afterward went on his travels from which he was recalled to
fill the place of an Ambassador to the late King of Sweden Gustavus III.
He was succeeded in 1784 at Stockholm by Count Muschin Puschin after
being appointed a Secretary of State in his own country a post he
occupied with distinction until the death of Catherine II. when Paul
the First revenged upon him as well as on most others of the faithful
servants of this Princess his discontent with his mother. He was then
exiled to his estates where he retired with the esteem of all those who
had known him. In 1801 immediately after his accession to the throne
Alexander invited Count Markof to his Court and Council and the trusty
but difficult task of representing a legitimate Sovereign at the Court of
our upstart usurper was conferred on him. I imagine that I see the great
surprise of this nobleman when for the first time he entered the
audience-chamber of our little great man and saw him fretting staring
swearing abusing to right and to left for one smile conferring twenty
frowns and for one civil word making use of fifty hard expressions
marching in the diplomatic audience as at the head of his troops and
commanding foreign Ambassadors as his French soldiers. I have heard that
the report of Count Markof to his Court describing this new and rare
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