his death are well known; but as we have received them through the medium of his accufers, we ought to be very careful in giving credit to all the charges with which his memory has been ftigmatifed. One fact is incentrovertible, that his education was moft fha efully neglected, and that he was a stranger to the restraints neceflary at his age, until the time of introducing proper habitudes had almost elapfed. He was committed to the care of women, and to the inftruction of the Ruffian priefts, the lowest and most ignorant of men; who inftilled into him all the prejudices of their religion, and were continually inveighing against his father for the abolition of many barbarous cuf toms, which they had long confidered with a reverential awe. Nor was he releafed from this wretched fpecies of tuition before his eleventh year; when Baron Huyfen, a man of great merit and ability, was appointed his governor. Under this judicious inftructor he feems to have made no inconfiderable progrefs; and his early prejudices might gradually have worn away, if Prince Mentfhikof had not contrived to remove from him the only person who was likely to inftil into him the proper principles of action, and taken upon himself the fuperintendence of his education. But as that prince fcarcely ever faw him, and placed about him the moft improper perfons, he seems to have intentionally given him a full scope to his vicious inclinations, and to have abandoned him to the company of the loweft wretches, by whom he was encouraged to continual ebriety, and to every kind of the loweft excefs: yet this defigning minifter artfully extorted from the Tzarovitch, in prifon, a confeflion, that he was the only perfon who had taken any care of his education. It appears from feveral facts, that Peter had conceived a very early prejudice against his fon; and infpired him with fuch terror, that, in order to avoid drawing before his father, the young prince once difcharged a piftol againft his own right hand. All perfons however join in condemning the imprudence and obftinacy of Alexéi, which feem to have warped his judgment, and, at times, to have tranfported him to a degree of infanity. Bruce, who knew him well, gives the following account of his perfon and manners; and as he was not prejudiced againft him, his teftimony must be efteemed more valued than all the laboured accufations of his enemies. "The Tzarovitch arrived in Mofco this winter [1714], where I saw him for the first time. He kept a mean Findlandish girl for his mistress. I went often with the general to wait on him; and he came frequently to the general's houfe, attended by very mean and low perfons. He was very flovenly in his drefs; his perfon was tall, well made, of a brown complexion, black hair and eyes, of a flern countenance and ftrong voice. He frequently did me the honour to talk with me in German, being fully matter of that language; he was adored by the populace, but little refpected by the fuperior ranks, for whom he never thewed the leaft regard; he was always furrounded by a number of debauched ignorant priefts, and other mean perfons of bad character; in whofe company he always reflected on his father's conduct for abolishing the antient cuftoms of the country, declaring that as foon as he came to fucceed, he thould foon reftore Ruffia to its former fiate; and threatening to deftroy, without referve, all his father's favourites. This he did fo often, and with fo little referve, that it

could

Could not mifs reaching the Emperor's ears; and it was generally thought he now laid the foundation of that ruin he afterwards met with." And again: "It was very remarkable, that the prince never appeared at any of the public meetings, when his Majefty was attended by all perfons of quality and rank, fuch as birth-days, celebrating of victories, laurching of fhips, &c. General Bruce, who lived next door to the Prince, had orders always to give the Prince notice the day before of fuch public days or meetings, and I had the honour to carry and deliver the meffage; but his Highnefs, to avoid appearing in public, either took phyfic or let blood, always making his excufe, that he could not attend for want of health; when, at the fame time, it was notoriously known that he got drunk in very bad company, when he used conftantly to condemn all his father's actions." Being inflamed by continual drunkenness, and worn out by a series of perfecutions, he was driven to a ftate of defperation; and at length, in the year 1716, fuddenly renouncing his right of fucceffion, in favour of Peter's fon by Catherine, he demanded permiffion to retire into a convent. But, foon afterwards, adopting the advice of his principal adherents, he made his escape to Vienna; where he put himself under the protection of Charles VI. That Emperor, in order to shelter him from the refentment of his father, fent him firft to Infpruck in the Tyrolefe; and afterwards removed him, for ftill greater fecurity, to the caftle of St. Elmo at Naples. Being fecretly betrayed by his Finlandish mistress, whom he is reported to have married, and influenced by the most folemn promifes of perfect forgiveness, he was prevailed upon, by the emiffaries of his father, to return to Mofco. Having there folemnly renounced all right of fucceffion to the crown, he was conveyed to Peterburg, thrown into the fortress, tried by a felect committee, and condemned to fuffer death. The acts of his procefs and condemnation are well known, being published by order of the Emperor, and are to be found in feveral authors.-Whatever prejudices we may have entertained against Alexéi, we cannot peruse the trial without being shocked at the cruel and unjuft mode with which it was conducted: when his merciless perfecutors eagerly laid hold of every advantage which was afforded by his youth and fimplicity; when his Finlandish mistress, who was afterwards penfioned for her atteftations, depofed every angry expreffion againft his father which the ever recollected to have fallen from him in the most unguarded moments; when not only his words and actions were brought to witness against him; but his very thoughts were fcrutinized; and his own confellion extorted from him in prifon employed to convict him. Indeed many of his own depofitions, which tended moft to criminate him, by discovering intentions of rebellion, were not openly acknowledged, but only figned by him in prifon; and a fignal difference is remarkable between his confeffions during his first examination at Mofco, which was more public, and thofe made at Petersburg, when his trial was chiefly carried on in private before Peter and his immediate confidents: circumftances which feem to prove the infliction of torture. With respect to Alexéi's death, there are two prevailing opinions; one advanced in the manifefto of Peter, that he was feized with an apoplectic fit, and died of convulfions occafioned by the violent paffions of his mind and the

T 2

terrors

terrors of death; and the other, that he was fecretly executed in pri fon. The latter feems most entitled to belief, notwithstanding the affertions of Peter, and the apology of his panegyrifts, particularly of Voltaire, who has fupported his innocence with the most plaufible arguments." Vol. i, p. 252.

The life of Lord Clive is alfo entirely new, and well deferves attention. With this we fhall conclude our account for this month.

"CLIVE (ROBERT), fon of Richard Clive, Efq, was born on the 29th of September 1725, at Styche, the feat of his ancestors, in the parish of Moreton-Say, near Market Drayton. His father, who pof feffed but a finall eftate by inheritance, had, to increase his income, engaged in the profeffion of the law. At an early period of his youth, Robert was fent for his education to a private school at Lostock in Cheshire. The mafter, Dr. Eaton, foon difcovered in his scholar a fuperior courage and fagacity which prognofticated the future hero. If this lad," he would fay," fhould live to be a man, and an op portunity be given for the exertion of his talents, few names will be greater than his."

"At the age of eleven he was removed from Loftock to a school at Market Drayton, of which the Reverend Mr. Burflem was the mafter. On the fide of a high hill in that town is an antient church, with à lofty fteeple, from nearly the top of which is an old stone fpout, pro jecting in the form of a dragon's head. Young Clive afcended this fteeple, and, to the astonishment of the spectators below, feated himself on the spout.

"Having remained but a fhort time at Mr. Burflem's fchool, he was placed in that of Merchant Taylor's at London, which, however, did not long retain him as a fcholar. His father having reverted to what feems to have been a predilection for private schools, committed him to the care of Mr. Sterling at Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordhire, with whom he continued till, in 1743, he received an appointment as a writer to the Eaft-India Company.

"From the frequency of his removals, to which perhaps was added an intractable difpofition, he obtained no applaufe, but rather the reverfe, from the feveral mafters to whom the care of his education had been entrusted.

"To fulfil his engagement in the fervice to which he had been appointed, he embarked in one of the fhips belonging to the Eaft-India Company, and arrived at Madras in 1744. In his new employment he however difcovered the fame diflike to application, and the fame averfion to controul, by which his character had hitherto been distinguished. This intractable difpofition proved as difagreeable to his fuperiors as it must have been the occafion of much inconvenience to himtelf. One inftance is related. Having acted or neglected fome. thing inconfiftenths with the difcipline of his office, his mifconduct was reported to the Governor, who commanded him to afk pardon of the Secretary whom he had offended. He made his fubmiffion in terms of contempt, which the Secretary mistaking for a compliment, invited

him to dinner." No, Sir," replied Clive," the Governor did not command me to dine with you.'

"When in 1746 Madras was furrendered to the French, under the command of their Admiral M. de la Bourdonnais, the officers both civil and military, who had ferved under the Eaft-India Company, became prifoners on parole. M. Dupleix, however, who was Chief Commander of the military forces in India, not having been prefent at the furrender, refufed to ratify the treaty, unless they would take another parole under the new Governor. The English, in confequence of this new ftipulation, thought themselves released from their engagements with Bourdonnais, and at liberty not only to make their escape, but to take up arms, if they fhould find an opportunity. Mr. Clive, accordingly, difguised as a Moor, in the drefs of the country, efcaped with a few others to St. David's, a fortrefs which is fituated to the fouth of Madras, at about the diftance of 21 miles.

"He had not been long arrived at St. David's, before he loft fome money in a party at cards with two Enfigns, who were detected in the act of cheating. They had won confiderable fums; but as the fraud was evident, the lofers at first refufed payment. At length, however, they were intimidated by the threats of the fuccefsful gamefters. Clive alone perfifted in his refufal, and accepted a challenge from the boldeft of his antagonists. They met each with a fingle pistol. Clive fired without fuccefs. His antagonist, quitting the ground, prefented a piftol to his head, and commanded him to afk his life, with which demand, after fome hesitation, he complied; but, being required to recant his expreffions, he peremp torily refufed. The officer told him, if he perfifted in his refufal, he would fire." Fire and be damned!" replied Clive. "I faid you cheated; I fay fo ftill; nor will I ever pay you." The Enfign finding every expedient to obtain the money ineffectual, threw away the pistol, and declared that his adverfary was a madman. Clive replied to the compliments of fome of his friends on his conduct in this affair: The man has given me my life, and I have no right in future to mention his behaviour at the card table; although I will never pay him, nor ever keep him company." In 1747 Mr. Clive was promoted to the commiffion of an enfign in the military fervice; but had no opportunity of difplaying his talents till the following year, when the fiege of Pondicherry afforded an ample fcope for their exertion. At this memorable attack the young enfign diftinguished himself by his courage in defence of the advanced trench. He received a fhot in his hat, and another in his coat; fome officers in the fame detachment having been killed. The early rains, however, and Admiral Boscawen's want of experience in military operations, compelled the English to raise the fiege, and to return to Fort St. David's.

"On the attack, when the powder was almoft exhaufted, Clive, inftead of fending a ferjeant to procure a fresh fupply, ran to the trench and brought it. In confequence of this action, an officer ventured to infinuate, in his abfence, that he had relinquished his poft through fear. A friend having informed him of this afperfion, was accordingly requested to go with him to the perfon who had thus malignantly de

famed

famed him. The charge, though true, was at firft denied: Clive how ever infifting upon immediate fatisfaction, they withdrew; but while they were retiring, he received a blow from his antagonist, who was following him. Inftantly he drew his fword, as did the other, relying on the interpofition of the company. Both having been put under an arreft, were obliged to fubmit to a court of enquiry, which decided that the officer fhould ask pardon at the head of the batallion, for a caufelefs afperfion, without notice of the blow, for which offence he might otherwife have been difbanded.

Unwilling to injure the fervice, Mr. Clive declined fpeaking of his past quarrel till the return of the army to St. David's, when, calling upon the officer, he reminded him of the late transaction. Admitting that he was fatisfied with the decifion of the court, and the confequent compliance of the officer, he still infifted that he must call him to account for the blow, of which no notice had been taken. The officer, on the contrary, alledged that his compliance with the opinion of the court ought to be admitted as fatisfactory, and refused to make any other conceflion. Mr. Clive accordingly waved his cane over his head, faying, that as he thought him too contemptible a cow ard for beating, he should content himself with inflicting on him that mark of infamy. On the following day the officer refigned his com

miffion.

"When the feafon for military operations was over, the troops remained at St. David's, and before the return of fpring they received news of a ceffation of hoftilities between Great Britain and France. Still however the tenfe of antient rivalfhip, the reciprocal aggravation of recent injuries, an oppofition of interefts, a mutual confidence in ftrength, femed to animate both nations to a renewal of the war. The dominions of the Rajah of Tanjore had at that time been claimed by his brother, with a declaration that he, though depofed by his fubjects, was their rightful fovereign; and that the reigning Rajah was an ufurper. The English of St. David's, convinced by thefe allega tions, determined to etpoufe the caufe of the depofed Rajah. They refolved to begin their attack upon a fort of the Rajah's, called Devi Corah. On their advance, finding the approaches difficult, and the ramparts covered with innumerable forces, they were at first deterred from their e terprize. Clive, however, infifted that the attempt, though dangerous, was not hazardous. He thought the town might eafily be aken by ftorm; recommending only to advance the cannons in the night, as by them the gates might be effectually deftroyed. Captain Cope, the commander, refuted to liften to the advice, as too defperate; ill, after having exhaufted his ammunition by a fruitless cannonade, he was compelled to retreat to Fort St. David's. The difgrace of this difcomfiture; its pernicious influence upon their trade; and the exultation of their common enemy the French, induced the English once more to attempt the reduction of Devi Cotah. The command of this expedition was entrusted to Major Lawrence, an officer at that time but little known, but who was afterwards diftinguished for his abilities in the fervice. As a breach was made in the walls, Clive, who then poffeffed only the rank of a lieutenant, follicited the command of the forlorn hope. Lawrence, willing to preferve