The next Year his Lordfhip was entrufted with the Affairs of Great Britain at the Congrefs of Cambray, in the Character of Embassador Entraordinary and Plenipotentiary. He returned Home in 1724, and died the next Year at his Houfe in Gerrard-ftreet, London. His Body was interred in Westminster Abbey.

These short Memorials, communicated to me by his Family without any Oftentation, are all I have been able to recover of a Man fo useful to his Country; who befides the following little Piece, which muft retrieve and preferve his Character from Oblivion, has left many Volumes of State-letters and Papers in the Poffeffion of his Relations. One little Anecdote of him I was told by the late Sir Luke Schaub, who had it from himfelf: Lord Whitworth had had a perfonal Intimacy with the famous Czarina Catherine, at a Time when her Favours were not purchased nor rewarded at so extravagant a Rate as that of a Diadem. When he had compromised the Rupture between the Court of England and the Czar, he was invited to a Ball at Court, and taken out to dance by the Czarina. As they began the Minuet, She fqueezed him by the Hand, and said in a Whis per, Have you forgot little Kate?

It is to be lamented that fo agreeable a Writer as Lord Whitworth, has not left us more ample Accounts of this memorable Woman. Even his Portrait of her Lord is not detailed enough to fatisfy our Curiofity. How ftriking a Picture might an Author

I

of

of Genius form from the Contraft exhibited to Europe by four extraordinary Men at the fame Period! Peter recalled that Image of the Founders of Empires, of whom we read with much Satisfaction and much Incredulity in ancient Story. Charles the Twelfth, of those frantic Heroes of Poesy, of whom we read with perhaps more Satisfaction and no Credulity at all. Romulus and Achilles filled Half our Gazettes, while Lewis the Fourteenth was treading to Univerfal Monarchy with all the Pomp and Policy of these latter Ages. William the Third was oppofing this Modern Xerxes with the fame Arts; and (with perhaps a little of Charles's Jealousy) had the good Fortune to have his Quarrel confounded with that of Europe. While Peter tamed his Savages, raised Cities, invited Arts, converted Forefts into Fleets, Charles was trying to recall the Improvements of War to its firft Principle, brutal Strength; fancying that the Weight of the Turkish Empire was to be overturned by a single Arm, and that heroic Obftinacy might be a Counterpoize to Gun-powder.

A Philofopher in thefe four Men faw at once the great Outlines of what the World had been, and of what it is.

Lord Whitworth's MS. was communicated to me by Richard Owen Cambridge, Efq. having been, purchased by him in a very curious Sett of Books, collected by Monfieur Zolmon, Secretary to the late Stephen Poyntz, Efq. This little Library relates folely to Ruffian Hiftory and Affairs, and contains in

many

many Languages every thing that perhaps has been written on that Country. Mr. Cambridge's known Benevolence, and his Difpofition to encourage every ufeful Undertaking, has made him willing to throw open this Magazine of Curiofity to whoever is inclined to compile a Hiftory, or elucidate the Tranfactions of an Empire, almoft unknown even to its Contemporaries.

AN

ΑΝ

ACCOUNT

OF

RUSSIA

T

In the YEAR 1710.

Ruffian

HE Country of Ruffia has formerly
been fo little frequented by Foreign- Empire.
ers, and their Share in the Affairs

of Europe fo inconfiderable, that, to form any juft Notion thereof, it may be of Ufe, in the present Juncture, to give some general Account of the Czar's Dominions, Revenues, and Forces, which may ferve as a Ground-work, to judge more properly of whatever may happen in the Course of this War.

The Empire of Muscovy is at present of a vaft Extent, bounded on the North by the Extent. Ice-fea, and the unknown Tracts near the Pole, on the Eaft and South-Eaft by China, Great Tartary, the Ufbecque Tartars, and Perfia; on the South by Part of Turkey, Poland, and Lithuania, and on the

2

West

1

Weft by the Baltick-fea, Sweden and Lapland: A Territory almoft equal in Compafs of Ground Nature. to the rest of Europe, but very short of several Kingdoms, in the Riches of the Country, and Number of the People: Moft like the American Plantations on the Continent, the Banks of the feveral Rivers being tolerably inhabited, and Land enough tilled for the Neceffity of Life and the Conveniency of their Trade, as is very obvious from the Frontiers of Lithuania to Mofco; for the Ground is only cleared in Proportion to the Largeness of the Towns or Villages on the Road and the reft Wood on all Sides. In the Southern Parts are very large unfrequented Plains of feveral hundred Miles, extremely fruitful in Grafs, and all Sorts of sweet Herbs and Flowers, but wanting in Wood and good Water, and expofed to the fudden Inroads of the Tartars, against which no Peace or Treaty is any Security.

The Soil is different in Nature and Goodness according to the Climate: That about Mosco Climate. is fandy and not very fruitful, but fufficiently supplied by the Conveniency of the Rivers in Summers, and Cheapnefs of fled Carriage in the Winter, which generally lafts there about fix Months.

The Inhabitants are chiefly those called Moscovites, the reft fwell the Bulk, but add little to the Strength of the Country; the Lap

Inhabitants.

landers and Samoiedes being too heavy and difpirited;

the