Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

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 Alexiowitz + had received an education which
Peter Alexiowitz had 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 pouthe strangers, before that he might-know to what point they wereknew to what a degree they

strangers, before he

voient lui être utiles. Un jeune Génevois nommé

able to-him to be useful.

might be useful to him.

A

A

young Genevese named young Genevese named

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

old family,

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

covie. Ce jeune homme,

covy.

This young

man,

the face of Mus

envoyé

sent

covy. This young man, who had been sent

père pour être facteur à Copenhague, father for to-be factor at Copenhagen, father

par son

by his by his

quitta son

quitted his

to be a factor at Copenhagen, quitted his

commerce, et suivit un

ambassadeur Danois à Moscou, par cette inquiétude d'esprit qu'éprouvent

commerce, and followed an

ambassador

Danish to Mos

business, and followed a

Danish ambassador to Mos

Cow, by that inquietude cow, through that

restlessness

of mind which experience of mind which those

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

état.

-state.

Il lui prit envie d'apprendre la langue Rus-
It to-him took wish of to-learn the tongue

Rus

experience. He was seized with a desire to learn the Russian lan

[blocks in formation]

en

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

fut connu.

was known.

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

passa bientôt à son service. Il lui parloit souvent passed well-soon to his service. He to-him † spoke

often

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

how

to-him † said
told him how

the Holland, which

not had

*

the

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,

by

by

by

[blocks in formation]

Il l'entretenoit de la politique

méprisée. despised. He him† entertained 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 nomtroops, of the police of their cities; of-the num troops, on the police of their cities, on the infi

their

their

bre 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

These discourses awakened the young Emperor,
These conversations aroused the young Emperor,

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 pu

déeducation barbarous † had restrained and not had been-able tobarbarous education had

cramped but could not

truire, se développa presque tout-à-coup. Il résolut

all-at-stroke. He resolved

destroy, himself developed almost destroy, unfolded itself almost instantaneously. He resolved d'être homme, de commander à des hommes, et de

of to-be

man,

of to-command to of-the men, to be a man, to govern

men,

and of and to

créer une nation nouvelle. Plusieurs princes avoient

a

new.

to-create
nation
create a new nation.

Many princes + had
Many princes before

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 the burden of public business; but not one had ceased to be a

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
Muscovy in one

It is this that did
This Peter

[blocks in formation]

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

reigned but two years,

et alla en Hollande, déguisé sous un nom vulgaire, and went into Holland, disguised under and went to Holland, disguised under a

a

name vulgar, common name,

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

Le Fort, qu'il envoyoit ambassadeur-extraordinaire

as if he had been

a.

domestic

of this same M.

as

a

servant

of this

Μ.

Le Fort, whom he † sent

sent

ambassador

ambassador

general.

extraordinary

extraordinary

Arrivé à Am

Le Fort, whom he

**auprès des États-généraux.

to-the-near of-the States

Arrived at Am

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

[blocks in formation]

l'amirauté des Indes, sous le

the admiralty of-the Indies, under the penters belonging to the admiralty of the Indies, under the

nom de Pierre Michaëloff; mais communément on commonly one

[blocks in formation]

name of Peter Michaëloff; he was, however, commonly

l'appeloit Peter-Bas, ou maître Pierre. Il travailloit him called Peter Bas, or master Peter.

t

He † worked

called Peter Bas, or master Peter. He worked dans le chantier comme les autres charpentiers.

in

the dock-yard in the dock-yard

as

the other

carpenters. like the other carpenters.

Dans les intervalles de son travail il apprenoit les

In the
intervals
In the intervals of his labour he

of his work he + learnt

the learned those

parties des mathématiques qui peuvent être utiles à

parts of-the parts of the mathematics which are likely to be useful to

mathematics which are-able to-be useful to

un prince; les fortifications, la navigation,

a

prince; the fortifications, the navigation,

a prince;

l'art de

the art of

fortification, navigation, and the art of

lever des plans. Il entroit dans les boutiques des to-raise of-the plans. He entered into the shops of-the drawing plans. He went into the workmen's

ouvriers, examinoit toutes les manufactures; rien

workmen, † examined shops, examined

all the manufactures; nothing all their manufactures; nothing

n'échappoit à ses observations. De-là il passa

not † escaped to his observations.

From-there he passed

[blocks in formation]

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 years of travels tage of his country. At length, after two years of travel

et de travaux, auxquels nul autre homme que lui

and of labours, to-the-which no other and labour, to which no

man than he man but himself

n'eût voulu se soumettre, il reparut en Moscovie,

Muscovy,

not might-have willed himself to-submit, he re-appeared in would have voluntarily submitted, he re-appeared in Muscovy,

avec lui les arts de l'Europe.

Des

amenant

leading with him the arts of the Europe. leading the arts of Europe in his train.

Of-the

« ForrigeFortsæt »