The world: historical and actual . herights andinterests ofhis subjectswere ruth-lessly sacri-ficed tii im-perial am-bition, andwhateverlie thoughtserved toaggrandizethe materi-al welfareof Russiawas to bepurchasedat any cost. The happiness, the moral improvement, the lib-erties of the people, were utterly unimportant tothis purchaser of civilization. Notwithstanding allhis reforms, his subjects were left to the mercy ofwhatever any tyrant like himself might do. Helooked upon Russia as a great estate hereditary inthe family of the Romanoffs. The civilization ofwhich he was the author was preca
The world: historical and actual . herights andinterests ofhis subjectswere ruth-lessly sacri-ficed tii im-perial am-bition, andwhateverlie thoughtserved toaggrandizethe materi-al welfareof Russiawas to bepurchasedat any cost. The happiness, the moral improvement, the lib-erties of the people, were utterly unimportant tothis purchaser of civilization. Notwithstanding allhis reforms, his subjects were left to the mercy ofwhatever any tyrant like himself might do. Helooked upon Russia as a great estate hereditary inthe family of the Romanoffs. The civilization ofwhich he was the author was precarious, not to sayspurious and pernicious. The reign of Peter theGreat was from 1G89 to 1725. Hitherto Russia had been more oriental than oc-cidental in ambition and ideas, but henceforth its< mtlook was towards the West. The first of his suc-cessors to rise to prominence was Catharine assumed the title of Emperor of Russia, andCatharine was every inch an empress. Her reignextended from 1762 to 179G. Those were eventful. PETER THE GREAT years. Frederick the Great ruled Prussia, Voltairewas in all his glory, and the independence of America was achieved. Catharine connived with Fred-erick to partition unhappy Poland ; she sympathizedwith Voltaire in his skepticism and cynicism, whilecallous to his appeals for justice and liberty withinher own border, quite content, however, to haveEngland lose her colonial possessions. She was amonster of licentiousness, albeit a woman of mightyintellect. She was comprehensive in her plans andstrong in execution. Catharine the Great was succeeded by her son Paul, whocontinuedsomewhatthe policyof Peterand Cath-arine. Thethrone towhich hesucceededhad by thattime aspir-ed to a rankamong thegreat pow-ers; and itimproy edsomewhatunder the rule of Alexander I. (1801-1825) Russia was thebalance of power in Europe. Ho was an able andliberal man, without being great in statesmanshipor philanthropy. He may be called the father of theH
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