The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia

Voltaire · en
'I know little or nothing of the emperor,' replied the soldier, 'for I
never saw him but at a distance; but he caused my father's head to be
cut off some time ago, for being concerned in a former rebellion, and it
is the duty of a son to revenge the death of his father, by that of the
person who took away his life. If then the emperor is really so good and
merciful as you have represented him, counsel him, for his own safety
not to pardon me; for were he to restore me my liberty, the first use I
should make of it would be, to engage in some new attempt against his
life, nor should I ever rest till I had accomplished my design;
therefore the securest method he can take, will be to order my head to
be struck off immediately, without which his own life is not in safety.'
The czar in vain used all the arguments he could think of, to set before
this desperado the folly and injustice of such sentiments; he still
persisted in what he had declared, and Peter departed, greatly chagrined
at the bad success of his visit, and gave orders for the execution of
this man and the rest of his accomplices.




    Transcriber's notes:

    The following is a list of changes made to the original.
    The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.

    of procelain, the court magazines, the foundery,
    of porcelain, the court magazines, the foundery,

    and brought martins and black foxes,
    and brought martens and black foxes,

    Labourers in the mines belonging to the crown     300
    Labourers in the mines belonging to the crown    3000

    dicipline by land: nay, the most common
    discipline by land: nay, the most common

    and encouragement on the part of a govornment;
    and encouragement on the part of a government;

    situated on the Driester, and subject to the Turks,
    situated on the Dniester, and subject to the Turks,

    in a word, he was worthy of being the father of
    In a word, he was worthy of being the father of

    to the empire, the reigns of which she intended
    to the empire, the reins of which she intended

    He led a retired life, and died in 1646.
    He led a retired life, and died in 1696.

    retook from Lewis XIV. in 1694. After this,
    retook from Lewis XIV. in 1674. After this,

    up the renegado, Jacob, to the conquerors.
    up the renegade, Jacob, to the conquerors.

    cruizing on the coast of Crim Tartary. The Ottoman
    cruising on the coast of Crim Tartary. The Ottoman

    Marshal Sheremeto, the general Gordons and Schein,
    Marshal Sheremeto, the generals Gordon and Schein,

    Accordingly, in the month of March 1677, he sent
    Accordingly, in the month of March 1697, he sent

    by king Willian with a spectacle worthy such a
    by king William with a spectacle worthy such a

    is signed, and they cad no longer go from their
    is signed, and they can no longer go from their