The Czar being determined to crown the Empress Catharine, publishes a Proclamation on that Occafion. Erects an Academy of Sciences, and the Belles-Lettres. The Ceremonies of the Empress's Coronation. The Emperor falls fick at Petersburgh; caufes the Oath to be renewed that was taken in Favour of the Emprefs. Makes fome new Regulations, particu larly in the Method of adminiftering Justice. Dies. His Epitaph.

H

IS Imperial Majefty having eftablished Peace on every Side of his wide-extended Empire, began to think of putting the Defign in Execution, which he had long formed, of caufing his beloved Confort, the Empress Catharine, to

be

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be folemnly crowned in his antient City of Mofcow; preparatory to which he published the following Proclamation:

66

WE

E PETER the First, Emperor and Autocrator of Muscovy, &c. be it known to all the Clergy, Civil and Military Officers, and all others of the Ruffian Nation, our good Subjects.

No body is ignorant of the established Cuftom which has been obferved constantly and perpetually in Christendom, for the Princes to crown their Princeffes, as is now actually, and has for several Ages paft been, the Practice of the Emperors of the true Greek Religion, viz. the Emperor Bafilicus, who caused the Crown to be fet on the Head of his Wife Zenobia; the Emperor Juftinian, who did the fame for his Spouse Lupicina; the Emperor Heraclius for Martinea; the Emperor Leo the Philosopher, for his Wife Mary; befides many others, who have in like Manner caused the Imperial Crown to be placed on the Heads of their Conforts, whom it would be too tedious to mention here.

'Tis alfo well known how much we have exposed our own Perfon, and faced the most apparent Dangers, for the Sake of our Country, during the late War, for twenty one Years together; which, by the Help of God, we have concluded, in a Manner fo honourable and advantageous, that Ruffia never obtained fuch a Peace, nor acquired fo much Glory as was gained by this War: The Empress Catharine, our dearest Spouse, was a great Help to us in all thefe Dangers, not only in the faid War, but in other Expeditions, in which the accompanied

us

us voluntarily, and served us with her Counsel, as much as was poffible, notwithstanding the Weakness of her Sex; particularly at the Battle of Pruth, where our Army was reduced to twenty-two thoufand Men, while the Turks were two hundred and twenty thousand strong. It was in this defperate Circumftance, above all others, that fhe fignalized her Zeal, by a Courage fuperior to her Sex, as is known to the whole Army throughout the whole Empire. For these Caufes, and by Virtue of that Power which God has given us, we are refolved to honour our Spouse with the Imperial Crown, in Acknowledgment for all her Fatigues, which, God willing, fhall be performed this Winter at Mofcow; and we hereby give notice of it to all our loving Subjects, to whom our Imperial Affection is unalterable, &c."

Moft magnificent Preparations were made for this grand Ceremony, and his Majefty having invited the foreign Ministers to Court on that Account, entered the Room where they were, accompanied by Count Golofskin, his GreatChancellor, and Meffieurs Tolstoi and Osterman Counsellors of State; where, taking his Place in an armed Chair, he fpoke to them to the following Effect in the Dutch Language:

"You know, Gentlemen, that I had refolved " for fome Time to take a Journey to Moscow, "with the Emprefs my Spoufe, which has "been prevented by Illnefs; but it having

pleafed God to reftore my Health, I am "now in a Condition to undertake it, and am "willing, before my Departure, to defire you, "Gentlemen, on my Part, to affure your

"auguft

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"auguft Mafters of my very fincere Friend-
fhip, and that I will lofe no Opportunity
"of cultivating the fame with them. If any
"one among you has any Commiffion to exe-
"cute, he may apply to my Chancellor. I do
"not doubt but you have received Orders to
"follow me to Moscow; all neceffary Pre-
"parations are made for your own Convey-
"ance thither, and that of
your Domefticks."

But this Journey was again deferred for fome Time, on Account of the Affairs of Turky, where Things ftill feemed unfettled, notwithstanding the last Treaty, and warlike Preparations were still making on the Sides of the Don and the Pruth. However, the Ruffian Emperor never ceafing a Moment from the glorious Labour of improving the Minds and Manners of his People, and making Establishments for the future Happinefs and Glory of his The Czar fets Country, drew up the following Plan of an up an Aca- Academy of Sciences and the Belles-Lettres, demy of which he took from the Accounts he had reSciences. ceived of Inftitutions of the like Kind in England, France, and other Places. It confifted of eleven Articles.

TH

I.THE Academy is to be composed of twelve Members, one Secretary, and one Library - Keeper, four Interpreters, and twelve Pupils.

II. The Sciences to be taught in this Academy are divided into three Claffes; in the first the Students will be inftructed in all the Parts of Mathematicks; in the fecond they shall study Phyfick, and in the third all Sorts of polite Learning.

III. Every

III. Every one is to dive into thofe Sciences, and to improve that in particular which he has made his peculiar Study. All the Members are to examine the Discoveries that fhall be proposed to them, either by Order of the Emperor, or by any other Man of Learning; and they are to declare fincerely, whether they are new, ufeful, and really fuch for what they are given out. They are to make Extracts out of the Books printed in Ruffia and abroad, which they fhall think proper for the Improvement of Sciences and Literature, which they are to put into the Hands of the Secretary, with their Remarks upon every Subject.

IV. And to the End that every one may reap the Benefit of other Mens Learning and Remarks, all the Members are to meet once a Week in private, and three Times a Year in publick.

V. Whereas by this Foundation the Emperor has not only in View to favour the Academy of Sciences, but alfo to make it ufeful to the whole. Nation; his Majefty's Pleasure is, That each Member of this Academy fhall write a Syftem of the Science he profeffes, and have a publick Lecture once a Day; they may also have private Lectures, and make their Advantage that way.

VI. To fill up the Places that will become vacant, every Member is to have under Direction a Pupil who is already advanced in Learning, and who fhall have a Penfion allowed him for his Maintenance; and if he makes confiderable Progreffes in the Science he has applied himfelf to, he is to fucceed his Tutor.

VII. In

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