a regular Code of Laws,--and
Judges to be depended on for doing justice. He "destroyed monopolies;"
"lowered the price of salt." To the joy of everybody, he had hastened
(January 18th, second week of reign) to abolish the SECRET CHANCERY,--a
horrid Spanish-Inquisition engine of domestic politics. His Nobility he
had determined should be noble: January 28th (third week of reign just
beginning), he absolved the Nobility from all servile duties to him:
"You can travel when and where you please; you are not obliged to serve
in my Armies; you may serve in anybody's not at war with me!" under
plaudits loud and universal from that Order of men. And was petitioned
by a grateful Petersburg world: "Permit us, magnanimous Czar, to raise
a statue of your Majesty in solid Gold!" "Don't at all!" answered
Peter: "Ah, if by good governing I could raise a memorial in my People's
hearts; that would be the Statue for me!" [Hermann, v. 248.] Poor
headlong Peter!--It was a less lucky step that of informing the Clergy
(date not given), That in the Czarship lay Spiritual Sovereignty as well
as Temporal, and that HE would henceforth administer their rich Abbey
Lands and the like:--this gave a sad shock to the upper strata of
Priesthood, extending gradually to the lower, and ultimately raising an
ominous general thought (perhaps worse than a general cry) of "Church in
Danger! Alas, is our Czar regardless of Holy Religion, then? Perhaps, at
heart still Lutheran, and has no Religion?" This, and his too headlong
Prussian tendencies, are counted to have done him infinite mischief.

HERR BUSCHING SEES THE CZAR ON HORSEBACK. "When the Czar's own Regiment
of Cuirassiers came to Petersburg, the Czar, dressed in the uniform
of the regiment, rode out to meet it; and returning at its head, rode
repeatedly through certain quarters of the Town. His helmet was buckled
tight with leather straps under the chin; he sat his horse as upright
and stiff as a wooden image; held his sabre in equally stiff manner;
turned fixedly his eyes to the right; and never by a hair's-breadth
changed that posture. In such attitude he twice passed my house with his
regiment, without changing a feature at sight of the many persons who
crowded the windows. To me [in my privately austere judgment] he seemed
so KLEINGEISTISCH, so small-minded a person, that I"--in fact, knew not
what to think of it. [Busching, _Beitrage,_ vi. 464.]

HORDT SEES THE DECEASED CZARINA LYING IN STATE. "On