Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith].

  • John Jay Smith
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    553/612 (page 543)
    The sagacious monarch, who saw through the disguise into his son's heart, was not to be so imposed upon by him: he sent him this writing, which he intituled his last admonition. My sickness has hindered me, till now, from answering yours, and ex- plaining to you my final intention. You speak only of the succession, as if I needed your consent in the disposal thereof; I reproached you with the aversion you had to business, and signified to you, that I was highly dissa- tisfied with your conduct in general: as to these particulars you have given me no answer. Your silence is a declaration that you have no mind to re- form: my paternal exhortations make no impression upon you; wherefore I was determined to write to you this once for the last time. If you despise the advices I give you while I am alive, what regard will you pay to them after my death 1 What dependence can there be upon your oaths, when your heart appears so hardened 1 David has said, every man is a liar; but though you had the inclination at present to be true to your promises, a cor- rupt priesthood will be able to turn you at pleasure, and force you to falsify them. As they see themselves deprived at present of the places of honour, whereof they have rendered themselves unworthy, by their lewdness and dissolute morals* they have no dependence but upon you; and the warm side which you show to them already, makes them hope that you will one day alter their conUition for the better. Have you ever weighed the obligations which you owe to me as your father, who have given you your being, and neglected nothing for your edu- cation ] Did you share with him the pains and anxieties he endured for you since you arrived at the age of maturity] You censure, you condemn, my most laudable actions, the sole aim whereof is the good of my people, and which I undertake at the expense of my health ; whence I have ground to conclude, that, instead of watching for their preservation, you will be their destroyer, if you survive me. This calamity it is my duty to prevent, by obliging you to form other sentiments. I cannot bear that you should live like an amphibious creature, that is neither flesh nor fish ; for I cannot other- wise define that kind of life you lead. Take your choice ; either labour to make yourself worthy of the crown, or embrace a monastic state. My health is upon the decay, so that I am impatient to know your resolution. I expect your answer either by writing or word of mouth. If you show me no satis- faction in these points, I will show you no regard, but will treat you as a malefactor. PETER. But the prince was far from answering his father's design ; he wrote to him as follows: Most gracious sovereign and father,—Yesterday morning I received your letter of the 19th of this month. My indisposition hinders me from writing to you at large: I am willing to embrace the monastic state, and I begr your gracious eonsent thereto. Your servant, ALEXIS. The czar at that time had resolved to travel through Europe, there to ac- quire such improvements in knowledge as might qualify him for civilizing the manners of his people, and introducing arts and sciences into his empire. Before his departure, he went to the prince, whom he found in bed, and asked him again, what resolution he had taken; and the czarowitz confirmed to him, by horrid oaths, his former declaration, that he would retire into a monastery. The czar, however, was resolved to oblige his son, whatever it should cost, to choose one of the two proposals he had put in his offer: he had waited hitherto in regard to the princess of the crown, his spouse; but that