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Near the aflies of Peter are depofited thofe of his fecond wife and fucceffor Catha-rine I., the beautiful Livonian , who, by a train of lingular events, was exalted from acottage to unbounded fovereignty *.
In the vault of this church, but without tomb or infcription, lies Alexey, fon of Pe-ter I., who fell a facrifice to the arts of the defigning Mentchikof, and to the refentmentof an inhuman, though perhaps juftly offended father. The recollection of his fatemakes a ftrong impreffion on a feeling mind, and mult hill more forcibly ftrike a fub-jedt of the Britilh empire ; where will is not law, where the heir apparent is as fecureas the fovereign himfelf, and where the right of fuccelfion Hands irrevocable, not to bealtered by the caprice or jealoufy of a reigning monarch. The fpeculative theorift mayindeed argue for Peter, that a power ought to be veiled in the fovereign to exclude anunworthy fucceffor. But, in elfedt, this is rendering the fate of a whole empire de-pendent upon the will of one perfon, who, during his life, may change his heir as oftenas he changes his opinion ; or who, like Peter, may expire without nominating his fuc-ceffor, and leave the throne open to every claimant who can fecure the concurrence ofthe army. The exclufion of Alexey, the decree f fubfequent to his death, and the un-fettled ideas concerning the right of fucceffion introduced by that fatal mandate, oc-caftoned frequent revolutions in the government; and the difpofal of the fceptre hasdepended on the regiments of guards ftationed in the capital. The re-eftab!ifhment ofhereditary right, therefore, may be juftly claffed among the foremoft of thofe excellentregulations which diftinguilh the reign of Catharine the Second.
In the fame vault, which contains the body of the unfortunate Alexey, is placed thatof Charlotte Chriftina Sophia, Princefs of Brunfwick, his no lefs unfortunate wife, whofefate is moffe affli&ing, becaufe Ihe deferved it lefs. She was born in 1694; marriedthe Tzarovitch in 1711, and died on the firft of November, 1715, partly of a brokenheart occafioned by her hulband’s iij-treatment, and partly by the confequences of herdelivery of Peter II. j
Among the imperial fepulchres is that of Anne of Holftein, eldeft daughter of Peterand Catharine, who, though far more deferving of notice, is lefs known than her filterthe Emprefs Elizabeth, becaufe her virtues were not ennobled by a diadem. Anne isdefcribed as a Princefs of majeftic form and expreffive features, of an excellent and im-proved underftanding, and of irreproachable morals. While fhe was very young,Count Apraxin, a Ruffian nobleman , paid his addreffes to her, but was rejected withfcorn. Not daunted with this repulfe, he continued his courtlhip, and finding her oneday alone, threw himfelf at her feet, offered his fword, and entreated her to put an endto his life and mifery. “ Give me the fword,” faid the Princefs, ftretching out herhand, “ you {hall fee that the daughter of your Emperor has ftrength and fpirit fufficientto rid herfelf of a wretch that infults her.” The Count, apprehenfive that (he mightexecute her threat, withdrew the fword, and demanded inftant pardon; and, as thePrincefs told the ftory with great humour, became the derifion of the court §.
* See an account of Catharine I. in chap. viii. of this book.
f “ In the month of February, 1722, a proclamation was made by the found of trumpet, requiringevery natural-born fubjeft of the Ruffian empire, and all foreigners then refiding there, to (wear and fignan oath, * that they will acknowledge, as fucceffor to the empire, the perfon whom His Majeityihall no-minate for their fovereign, after his death.’ This order (truck a damp on the fpirits of every body, whenthey reflefted on the undoubted title of the young Prince Peter, His Majefty’s grandfon, and only remain-ing heir of the imperial family.” Bruce’s Memoirs, p_. 226.
f See an account of this Princefs in chap. viii. of this book. § Baffewitz, 371.
Anne