The King of Prussia, in his correspondence with Voltaire, relates the
following anecdote of the Czar Peter, as illustrative of Russian
despotism:--"I knew Printz, the great marshal of the court of Prussia,
who had been ambassador to the Czar Peter, in the reign of the late
king. The commission with which he was charged proving very acceptable,
the prince was desirous of giving him conspicuous marks of his
satisfaction, and for this purpose a sumptuous banquet was prepared, and
to which Printz was invited. They drank brandy, as is customary with the
Russians, and they drank it to a brutal excess. The Czar, who wished to
give a particular grace to the entertainment, sent for twenty of the
Strelitz Guards, who were confined in the prisons of Petersburgh, and
for every large bumper which they drank, this hideous monster struck-off
the head of one of these wretches. As a particular mark of respect, this
unnatural prince was desirous of procuring the ambassador the pleasure
(as he called it) of trying his skill upon these miserable creatures.
The Czar was disposed to be angry at his refusal, and could not help
betraying signs of his displeasure."

W.G.C.

* * * * *


POSTHUMOUS HONOURS.


Poliarchus, the Athenian, according to Ælian, when any of the dogs or
cocks that he particularly loved, happened to die, was so foolish as to