parmi eux, ont été plus contens de leurs mœurs que among them, have been more contented of their manners than among them, were better pleased with their manners than

de celles des anciens Moscovites.

of those of-the ancient with those of the ancient

Muscovites.
Muscovites.

Pierre Alexiowitz avoit reçu une éducation qui

Peter
Peter Alexiowitz had

Alexiowitz + had received an

education which

received an education which

tendoit à augmenter encore la barbarie de cette

+ tended to to-augment tended to increase

partie du monde. part of-the world. part of the world.

still the barbarism of this the barbarism of this

Son naturel lui fit d'abord aimer

His disposition to-him made at first to-love
His natural disposition inclined him to like

les étrangers, avant qu'il sût à quel point ils pou

the

strangers, before that he might-know to what point they werestrangers, before he knew to what a degree they

voient lui être utiles.

able to-him to-be useful.

might be useful to him.

Un jeune Génevois nommé

A

young

Genevese named A young Genevese named

Le Fort, d'une ancienne famille de Genève, fils d'un ancient family of Geneva, son old family,

Le Fort, of an

Le Fort, of an

the son

of a

of a

marchand droguiste, fut le premier instrument dont merchant druggist, was the

first

druggist, was the first

instrument of-which instrument

il se servit pour changer depuis la face de la Mos

he himself availed for to-change since the face of the Mushe made use of to change

covy. This young man, who had been sent by his

père pour être facteur à Copenhague, quitta son

father for to-be factor at

father

Copenhagen,

quitted his to be a factor at Copenhagen, quitted his

commerce, et suivit un ambassadeur Danois à Mos

13

toujours ceux qui se sentent "3 au-dessus de leur always those who themselves feel who feel themselves superior to their condition always

état.

to-the above of their

Il lui prit envie d'apprendre la langue RusIt to-him took wish of to-learn the tongue Rusexperience. He was seized with a desire to learn the Russian lan

-state.

sienne.

sian.

guage.

Les progrès rapides

The progresses rapid
The rapid progress

qu'il y fit, ex

which he there made, exwhich he made in it, ex

citèrent la curiosité du Czar, encore jeune. Il en cited the curiosity of-the Czar, still young. He of-him cited the curiosity of the youthful Czar. He became

fut connu.

Il

s'insinua dans sa familiarité, et He himself insinuated into his familiarity, and known to him. He insinuated himself into his familiarity, and

was known.

often

passa bientôt à son service. Il lui parloit souvent passed well-soon to his service. He to-him + spoke soon entered his service. He used frequently to talk to him des avantages du commerce et de la navigation; il of-the advantages of-the commerce and of the navigation; he of the advantages of commerce and navigation; he

lui disoit comment la Hollande, qui n'eut pas la

to-him † said

how

told him how

the Holland, which

not had

Holland, which possessed not the

centième partie des états de la Moscovie, faisoit, par hundredth part of-the states of the Muscovy, + made

hundredth part of the territory of Muscovy,

figure dans l'Europe que les Espagnes, dont elle in the Europe as the Spains,

méprisée. despised.

of the policy

despised province. He conversed with him on the refined

raffinée des princes de l'Europe, de la discipline de refined of-the princes of the Europe, of the disclipine of policy of the princes of Europe, on the discipline of

leurs troupes, de la police de leurs villes; du nomof the police of their cities; on the police of their cities,

their their

troops, troops,

of-the num

on the infibre infini des manufactures, des arts et des sciences

ber infinite of-the manufactures, nite number of the manufactures,

of-the arts and of-the sciences sciences

arts and

qui rendent les Européens puissans et heureux.

which render the

Europeans powerful and happy. which render the inhabitants of Europe powerful and happy.

Ces discours éveillèrent le jeune Empereur, comme awakened the young Emperor, These conversations aroused the young Emperor,

These discourses

as

as

d'une profonde léthargie; son puissant génie, qu'une from a profound lethargy; his powerful genius, which an from a profound lethargy; his mighty genius, which a

éducation barbare avoit retenu et n'avoit

education barbarous † had barbarous education had

pu décramped but could not

restrained and not had been-able to

truire, se développa presque tout-à-coup. Il résolut destroy, himself developed almost destroy, unfolded itself almost instantaneously. He resolved

all-at-stroke. He resolved

and of

d'être homme, de commander à des hommes, et de of to-command to of-the men, to be a man, to

of to-be

man,

avant lui renoncé à des couronnes, par dégoût pour

before him renounced to of-the crowns, by disgust for him had renounced their crowns, from disgust at

le poids des affaires; mais aucun n'avoit cessé d'être the weight of-the affairs; but

any not had ceased of to-be had ceased to be a

the burden of public business; but not one

roi pour apprendre mieux à régner. C'est ce que fit

king for

to-learn

better to to-reign.

king that he might the better learn to reign.

Pierre le Grand.

Peter the Great.

the Great did.

Il quitta la Moscovie en

He quitted the Muscovy in
He left

It is this that did

This Peter

Muscovy in one thousand six hundred and

vingt dix-huit, n'ayant encore régné que deux années, twenty eighteen, not having yet reigned than two

ninety-eight,

having

years,

reigned but two years,

et alla en Hollande, déguisé sous un nom vulgaire,

and went into Holland, and went to Holland,

disguised under a disguised under a

name vulgar, common name,

comme s'il avoit été un domestique de ce même M.

as if he had been a

domestic
servant

to the States general. As soon as he arrived at Am

sterdam, il se fit inscrire dans le rôle

sterdam, he himself made to-inscribe sterdam, he got himself entered

Peter Michaëloff; he was, however, commonly l'appeloit Peter-Bas, ou maître Pierre. Il travailloit

him † called Peter Bas, or master called Peter Bas, or master

Dans les intervalles de son travail il apprenoit les

In the intervals of his
In the intervals of his

work he + learnt labour he

the learned those

parties des mathématiques qui peuvent être utiles à

parts of-the

mathematics

which are-able to-be useful to

parts of the mathematics which are likely to be

un prince; les fortifications, la navigation, a prince; the fortifications, the navigation,

a prince;

fortification,

useful to

l'art de

the art of

navigation, and the art of

lever des plans. Il entroit dans les boutiques des

to-raise of-the plans.
drawing plans. He went into the

He entered into the

shops of-the workmen's

science de la construction des vaisseaux ; il repassa science of the construction of-the vessels; he passed-again art of he then returned

ship-building;

en Hollande, vit tout ce qui pouvoit tourner à l'avan

into Holland, saw all that which was-able to Holland, and inspected whatever might

to-turn to the advanturn to the advan

tage de son pays. Enfin, après deux ans de voyages tage of his country. At-last, after two tage of his country. At length, after two years of

years of

travels

travel

et de travaux, auxquels nul autre homme que lui

and of labours, to-the-which no

and labour, to which no

other

man man

than he but himself

Muscovy,

n'eût voulu se soumettre, il reparut en Moscovie, not might-have willed himself to-submit, he re-appeared in would have voluntarily submitted, he re-appeared in Muscovy,

amenant

leading leading

avec lui les arts de l'Europe.

with him the arts

of the Europe.

the arts of Europe in his train.

Des

Of-the