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at the same time, to keep the mes senger waiting, as he intended to take his despatches himself on going out. He soon after made his appearance, pretended not to perceive the messenger, vaulted on his horse, and set forward at full gallop, to join the columns of his army.

"The Russians scaled the intrenchments with intrepidity. The Turks opposed to them a vigorous resistance; but the fortifications were carried. A dreadful conflict immediately began in the town. In short, after ten hours of the most sanguina ry, and almost unparalleled assault, victory declared for the Russians.

"Souworow, now victorious, surrounded by his general officers, who were congratulating him, perceives Potemkin's messenger: Who art thou, brother?' says he, addressing him. 'It is I,' answered the officer, 'who yesterday evening brought despatches from prince Potemkin.' Souworow then pretended to be in a great passion. Thou bringest me,' said he, 'orders from my sovereign; thou art here since yesterday; and thou hast not delivered them to me!' He immediately took the letter, and threatening the messenger with the severest chastisement, handed it to one of his generals, to read it aloud. "When that communication had been made, Souworow turned towards his officers, smiling and crossing himself: Thanks be to God' said he, 'Ismaïloff is taken; but for that I had been a lost man.'—The answer he immediately returned to prince Potemkin deserves to be known, from its heroick conciseness:

"The Russian standard floats on the walls of Ismaïloff.-SOUWOROW."

He gave that letter to the messenger; and sent him off that very in

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from agreeable; but his look was full of fire, quick, and above all, it was penetrating. It was impossible to see more wrinkles, or more expressive, than those on his forehead. At the age of sixty four, his head, whitened by age, and by the fatigues of war, retained but few of its hairs.

Though, to all appearance, of a weak and delicate frame, he was blessed with a very robust and vigorous constitution; which he had constantly strengthened by a sober, hardy, and active life. Being seldom or never sick, he supported fatigue better, perhaps, than men of a stronger make. Yet such was his want of bodily strength, at the age already mentioned, that even the bare weight of his sabre made him stoop.

Souworow, in his temper, was hasty and vehement. When he was deeply affected, his countenance became stern, commanding, and even terrible; it portrayed the sensations of his heart. But this seldom happened; and never without powerful motives.

On one point, this old warriour showed a weakness. It respected his age. He could not bear to be put in mind of it, and carefully avoided whatever might recall it to his memory. For this reason, looking-glasses were taken away, or covered, in his apartments, or wherever he went on a visit. Nothing was more comical than to see him pass before a lookingglass. When, by mischance, he perceived one, he would run, shutting his eyes, and making all kind of wry faces, till he was out of the room.

"It would be a great mistake, however," observes the author, "to consider this oddity, as produced by snperannuated pretensions to beauty. The marshal himself often made merry with his own countenance; and as to his singular aversion for looking glasses, I have heard him repeat, frequently, that he never looked at himself, in order to avoid being made sensible of the havock of time; and that he might continue to

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believe himself still able to execute the entertainment was composed of the same military enterprises as in cossack-ragouts, excessively bad; but

; his youth; for the same reason when- which nobody presumed to notice as ever he found a chair in his way, he such. Each dish went round, and conwould leap over it, to show that he tained a separate mess for each guest. retained his activity. It was also for As Souworow was like no one, his the same cause that he seldom walk- mode of dress must of course, be uted, but always ran; particularly when terly unlike that of every body else.

. coming into, or going out of, his Jockey boots, half cleaned, ill made, apartment Nor was he deterred from and slouching, with knee pieces co

. so doing by the most numerous com- ming up very high; breeches of white pany. He would even redouble his dimity; a jacket of the same, with a capers, and his anticks of every kind, cape and facings of green linen; a before strangers of high rank; to con- white waistcoat underneath, and a vince them, that he was able, not- small woollen helmet, withstanding his age, to bear the fa. fringes. Such was his dress when tigues of war, fully as well as when a with the army, in all seasons of the young man."

year. What made this apparel still Marshal Souworow was in the ha- more whimsical, was the circumbit of rising, the whole year round, at stance of his having two old wounds, four o'clock in the morning; but one in the knee, and the other in the sometimes at iwelve at night. On ri- leg, which often incommoded hirn, sing, he went out of his tent, and had and compelled him, now and then, to several pails of cold water thrown on wear his boot on one leg only; having his naked body. Neither his advanced the knee band loosened, and the age, nor the inclemency of seasons, stocking down, on the other. Add to ever made him relax from this singu- this, a huge sabre hanging down to lar practice. He usually dined at eight the ground. He was so thin and sleno'clock in the morning in winter; and der, that this light dress seemed at seven in summer. Dinner was his hardly to hang on his person. When, principal meal. It was his only time however, the cold was excessively infor recreation; and he accordingly, tense, he would exchange the dimity indulged often in long sittings at ta- dress, for one of white cloth, exactly ble, where he sometimes forgot him- of the same fashion; but this was but self, for a longer time han he could seldom. In this singular costume, have wished. He never sat down to Souworow commanded, inspected, table, or rose from it, without saying addressed, and encamped his soldiers a previous grace, or returning thanks, on the frozen plains of Russia. He to which he sometimes added a short had obtained a great quantity of deblessing for his guests. It they diunot corations and diamonds, in recomünswer amen, he would say, jokingly, pense of his numerous victories. On *those who have not said amen shall occasions of important ceremony, he have no brandy.” Although he was was covered with them, and on those very fond of wine, and of liquors, yet occasions only, would he display his he never was seen intoxicated. He splendid uniform of field-marshal, ate and drank a great deal, because he but, in private, or at the head of his had naturally a great appetite; and, troops, of all his orders, he only wore besides, dinner was his only meal. the riband of the third class, of that of The rest of the day, he would take St. Andrew. only some cups of tea or of coffee. He Although this extreme external was in the habit of sleeping an hour simplicity had all the appearance of or two alter his dinner, according to

avarice, those would be egregiously the ordinary pracuce in Russia. His mistaken whocould suspect Souworow Lable was in general, far from delicate; of that mean vice. He always mani

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fested a stoical contempt for money. refunded into the military chest, out When he spoke about it, which was of my own property. It is but fair that rarely, it was always in way I should be answerable for the officers which induced the belief, that he had which I employ." almost completely forgot its value. Souworow always delighted in reHe never carried any about him; was taining soldier-like manners. When unacquainted with the price of every saluting any one, he would stop, turn article; and never paid for any thing his toes out, stand erect, put back his himself

. An old soldier, named Ti- shoulders, as on parade, and carry chinka, who had saved his life, and his right hand opened to the right whom he had attached to his person, side of his little helmet, as soldiers by making him his private aide-de- do, when saluting one of their com. camp, was at the same time, his ma- manders. When he wanted to show it jor-domo, his steward, his caterer, higher degree of copsideration, he and had exclusively the care of all would stoop very low, with a tolerably his expenditure. He never carried ill grace, without altering the posiabout him watch or jewels, except in

tion of his arms, or feel. grand ceremonies, when he would His simplicity was not remarkable deck himself with all the diamonds in his dress only; it was equally conhe had received from the generosity spicuous in his food, in his lodgings, of several sovereigns, on account of and generally, in all his habits. his victories. Even then he consider- “ The simplest apartment,” says ed them as monuments of his glory, the author, “was always the one he and not as trappings of vanity. The preferred. Care was taken, consefinest diamonds could have no value quently, to remove every costly artiin his eyes, unless they were the re- cle of furniture from the place he was compense of some brilliant military to inhabit. He rarely slept in a house, achievement Accordingly, if, when when bis army was encamped. His glittering with all those riches, he tent was dressed at head-quarters, in chanced to be near a stranger, he acornerof the garden. There he would would take delight in showing him stay the whole night, and the greater every decoration, one after the other, part of the day; and hardly ever did telling him: “At such an action, I he enter the house where his staff obtained this order; at such another, was, but at the hour of dinner. His this, &c.” This enumeration, doubt- tent was that of a subaltern officer. less very excusable, was the only Never, during the whole of his miligratification of which his mind was tary career, did he spend a whole susceptible, at the sight of all these night in a bed. A few bundles of hay, treasures.

neatly spread on the ground, was his The author quotes many instan- most sumptuous couch. Such was ces of Souworow's disinterestedness, his usual bed, wherever he was lodg highly creditable to his principles, ed, even in the empress's palace. and to his loyalty. We shall notice “He had neither equipage nor only the following:

horses, either for draught or saddle; “ An officer of his staff lost, by gam- in short, he had no retinue. A single bling, sixty thousand roubles, belong- servant was employed on his personal ing to the military chest (about ten attendance; for the momentary serthousand guineas) Souworow imme. vice of his house, he used to engage diately sent for the officer, punished as many soldiers, or cossacks, as him, and wrote to the empress: were wanting. His coach, which was officer has taken sixty thousand rou- a plain kibitk, was drawn by post (or bles from the treasury of the army; impressed) horses. When going to but before your majesty shall receive command his troops, either in mathis letter, the money will have been næuvres, or in battle, he would ride

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the first horse he could find; some of the first of virtues, bore, above all times that of a cossack, but, general. other things, the stamp of his oddity ly, Tichinka, his aide-de-camp, would of mind. After passing part of the lend him one."

night with his wife, which, by the Among marshal Souworow's qua- by happened but seldom, he would lities, none was oftener conspicuous suddenly withdraw, to receive the than his uniform and real good nature. usual affusion of sundry pails of He never met with children without water on his naked body, as already kissing them, and giving them his related. blessing. He was, all his life, an affec- The marshal was remarkable, tionate relative; a true friend; and a above all other things, by his unregood father. He, however, considered served frankness of speech. From his it as the duty of a warriour, to indulge feelings on this subject, he could not, the affections of the soul, only in without being shocked, listen to those those moments, which could not be equivocal phrases, those ambiguous employed in pursuit of glory. These answers dictated by Aattery, fear, or principles were the invariable rule of baseness. Accordingly, any officer his conduct; the following anecdote who unluckily answered him in that proves

manner, was for ever lost in his opi“ He was going to join the army, nion. He called those kinds of people not knowing when he should return; Niesnaiou, a Russian word, meaning but he ardently wished to embrace his I don't know; possibly; perhaps. children. To satisfy at once his love When he wanted to discover wheof glory and the affections of his ther any individual possessed firmheart, he went out of his road, and ness of mind, he would take a delight without stopping, day or night, be in often putting to him, suddenly, arrived post haste at the door of bis and before every one, the most out residence in Moscow. The whole of the way questions. He thought household was in bed. He precipitate- but little of those, who, through rely alighted from his carriage, gave a serve or timidity, could not answer gentle rap; was admitted, and made him; and, on the contrary, he conhis way, without noise, to his chil- ceived a high esteem for those whose dren's chamber. With a light in his repartees were sprightly, concise, and hand, he gently opened their curtains; wiity. “He," would he say, 6. who is contemplated with emotion those put out of countenance by mere objects of his affections; bestowed on words, is likely to be much more them his blessings, and his kisses; perplexed by an unexpected attack then closed again the curtains, went from the enemy." Frequently, too, down, vaulted in

coach, and he would intrust to his officers the departed without having disturbed duty of writing his official accounts. their repose."

His esteem and his friendship were Souworow remained always proof the rewards of the sagacity and actiagainst the seductions of love. He vity manifested in the execution of considered connexions with the sex that task. These two qualities he as highly prejudicial to military men; imparted to all around him: all felt and as impairing their courage, their the electrical shock. The words I morals, and their health. When in don't know; I cannot; impossible; were some companies he was placed, in blotted out of his dictionary. They spite of himself, near ladies, he avoid- were replaced by these: Learn; do; ed, in a very comical way, casting his try. eyes on them, and, above all, touching After perusing the foregoing, no them. When married, he felt only one will be surprised to learn, that friendship for his wife. His notions Souworow had a great antipathy to of modesty, which he considered as one courtiers. He not only called them all niesnaiou, but he besides chose them nying his singing with many jerks as the constant butts of his sarcasms, and contortions. During his exile at which were the more bitter, as he Novorogod, in his 70th year, Souwostopped at nothing, named every one, row, by a superstitious oddity, would and had a very satirical turn of mind, wreak the indefatigable activity of his and of expression. He was often heard temper on the bells of his village, of to speak openly, truths, which neither which he got himself elected parish the presence of the sovereign, nor clerk. He alone, night and day, rang that of the parties interested, nor, in the peals for the different offices; short, any consideration, could induce which he afterwards sang with the him to repress. This conduct, as priest amidst the peasants. Every mi. might be expected, made him a great nister of worship, he deemed to be number of enemies at court, where entitled to his respects. Often he he was detested. Intrigue and cabal would stop before a simple priest, or followed him into the very midst of a pope, and always before a bishop, camps, struggling to deface his fame. to ask their blessing. After having

Souworow always showed himself received that of the officiating priests, very strict on the score of subordina- he would, in general, turn towards nation. The most trifling fault of dis. his officers, and impart it to them. obedience, was punished by a severe Notwithstanding his regard for clerchastisement; marked with the usual gymen, he very well knew, however, oddity of his temper. He had con- when necessary, how to make a disceited the idea of setting himself up tinction between the priest and the as a pattern of subordination to his individual. In one of his campaigns, army, and he thus proceeded to effect arriving at a village, he perceived the

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clergyman of the place. He immedi“ He told Tichinka, to order him ately alighted from his horse, to ask to leave the table, whenever he his blessing; and a few moments aftershould perceive that through absence wards, on complaints made to him of mind, he continued eating beyond against that ecclesiastick, he ordered his usual appetite. He would then for him a bastinado of fifty stripes. turn towards him with a grave, and, Souworow was deeply learned in at the same time, a comical look, and ancient and modern history; and ask him: By what authority ?'- knew intimately the details of the

By order from marshal Souworow,' private life of the celebrated generals He must be obeyed,' would he say, who had preceded him. He spoke laughing; and instantly leave the ta- eight languages; and expressed himble. The same farce was acted, when self in French with as much facility his occupations kept him too long as if he had been born in France. He confined. Tichinka then ordered him was an utter stranger to all refineto go out. He made the same ques. ment in style. His mode of writing tion: his aide-de-camp made the same and of speaking, was short, concise, answer: and the marshal went imme- energetick, original, and unconnected. diately to take a walk.”

Every one of his phrases of three or This old warriour was very pious. four words formed a complete sense His first care after rising, either at and sentence. But, this laconicism was night or at daybreak, was to say his above the comprehension of many, prayers. He also prayed for a long and especially of foreigners, who saw time in the evening, before going to in it nothing but enigmas. He seldom bed. In common with all Russians, wrote himself; and avoided, above all he had a great reliance on St. Nicho- things, negotiations which were to las. He attended divine service with be carried on in writing. A pen, would much composure; singing the office he say, looks awkward in the hand of along with the priest, and accompa• & soldier. There are, accordingly, but

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