man. A modern French writer enumerates 95 authors who have treated of
his actions, and concludes the list with _et cetera_ threefold.
What a field for the editors of the compilation libraries--wherein they
may store their little garners or volumes to advantage. Such has the
editor of the _Family Library_ done in the volume before us; although
he has only consulted one-fourth of the above number of authorities
for his memoir of the life of the Tzar. He prefaces with the modest
observation that he has done little more than bring together and arrange
the scattered fragments of Histories, Lives, Anecdotes, and Notices, in
manuscript and in print, "of one of the most extraordinary characters
that ever appeared on the great theatre of the world, in any age or
country;--a Being full of contradictions, yet consistent in all that he
did; a promoter of literature, arts, and sciences, yet without education
himself; the civilizer of his people, 'he gave a polish,' says Voltaire,
'to his nation, and was Himself a savage; he taught his people the art
of war, of which he was himself ignorant; from the first glance of a
small cock-boat, at the distance of five hundred miles of the nearest
sea, he became an expert ship-builder, created a powerful fleet, partly
constructed with his own hands, made himself an active and expert
sailor, a skilful pilot, a great captain: in short, he changed the
manners, the habits, the laws of the people, and very face of the
country." How different is this course of activity to the usual
luxurious lives of the sovereigns of civilized countries: how ill
assort Peter's "savage" notions with the accomplished ease and personal
elegance of a succeeding autocrat: how wide is the contrast between
Peter's ship-building education, and the youth of a prince passed
amidst court corruptionists--or pilotage over the boundless ocean, and
launching gilded pleasure-boats upon an unruffled lake; personally
watching the welfare of his subjects, or slinking into retirement, and
leaving their interests to the intrigues of party. Yet, such are a few