have taken poffeffion of his mind. In this refpect he ftrongly resembles Charles XII. whofe intrepidity rofe to fuch an height, that it excited a fufpicion of infanity. Suwarrow, however, has not been accused of proceeding to fuch lengths, though his bravery, on many occa. fions, has excited no fmall degree of astonishment.

With a reference to the intrepidity of this brave general, the ingenious Mr. Tooke, in his Life of the Emprefs Catharine II. remarks, speaking of the wars between the Ruffians and Turks, "SUVAROFF," for this is his real name, "beat the Turks completely at Fakfhani, then hearing that the Auftrian army, commanded by the Prince of Saxe-Cobourg, was preffed hard by that of the Grand Vizir, he put himfelf at the head of 8,000 Ruffians, and ran to affift the Auftrians. The latter, to the number of 30,000, were already flying before the Turks, who had attacked them with an army of 100,000 men. The intrepid SUVAROFF came up and changed the whole fortune of arms, "My friends," cried he to his foldiers, "never look at the eyes of your enemies. Fix your view at their breasts; it is there that you must thrust your bayonets." At that inftant falling on the Turks, they were routed with a horrible carnage, and he remained mafter of the field of battle. This victory, gained near the river Rimnifkus, procured SUVAROFF the firname of Rimnifky, and the double title of Count of the Holy Roman Empire, and of the Ruffian Empire." This anecdote, alone, fufficiently fhews the boldness, the perfeverance, and the undaunted intrepidity of which this wonderful man is poffeffed.

Simplicity of manners alfo is to be reckoned among the other ingredients which make up this fingular character. He affects no pomp-he ftudies no parade. Perhaps he carries this trait to a degree bordering on affectation. When he vifits his friends, he has been known to have refufed a bed, and to have reclined, during the night, on a carpet, in the corner of the room

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where he has spent the day. One time when the Emprefs Catharine, pleafed with fome of his recent exploits, afked him in what way the fhould fhew her regard for him; he replied, with great fimplicity, that he only wanted means of paying for his lodgings, which, it feems, amounted to no more than a few fhillings! And another circumftance of a fimilar kind occurred during his campaign in Italy. He is partial, after the usual manner of the Ruffians, to a vapour bath, and while thus engaged one morning, an alarm of the approach of the enemy refounded through the camp. He inftantly threw on part of his clothes, mounted his horfe without coat and waistcoat, rode through the ranks, infpirited the troops, and led them on to victory. Carelefs of the manner in which he was arrayed, he was intent only on the defeat of the foe, which he abundantly accom plished.

SUWARROW, we are likewife affured, by Mr. Tooke, is as fingular for the brevity of his style as for the rapidity of his conquefts. Upon the taking poffeffion of Tutukay, in Bulgaria, he wrote to the Empress no more than four lines of Rufs poetry, which fignify➡ "Glory to God! Praifes to Catharine! Tutukay is taken! SUVAROFF is in it!" Greater brevity could not have been displayed; and furely the reader cannot with propriety charge this communication with a want of expreffion.

With SUWARROW alfo, a carelessness of his person is a concomitant of his fimplicity of manners. In the mili tary profeffion, neatnefs of appearance is inceffantly inculcated. The propriety of fuch a measure is unqueftionable. It not only refreshes the mind and invigorates the body, but impreffes the fpectator with refpectability. This great man, however, is not over-nice in his drefs. He will often wear his linen till it becomes unpleasant to him. Of the beau he entertains no idea, and the petit-maitre he holds in juft abhorrence. But he is not merely

merely not studious of dress, he is even grossly negligent of exterior embellishments. Whatever reasons may be affigned for this inattention, the reality cannot be queftioned. Whether he deems it unneceffary, or whether his mind be bent on higher objects, such is the fact. A curious inftance of this kind has been adduced, and is to be found in a work of authenticity-The Life of the Emprefs of Ruffia, by Mr. Tooke already mentioned: he tells us that this extraordinary officer" has been feen, fometimes, to take off his fhirt among the Kozacks, bidding them to hold it to the fire, faying, that it was the beft way of killing vermin!" The writer who men'tions this anecdote, at the fame time obferves, that it is ftrange that to fuch a perfon, on a certain victory, the Empress should have given, not only a magnificent gold hilted fword, richly fet with diamonds, but a gorgeous plume of brilliants to wear in his hat. But it must be remembered that on this occafion "Eftares, lots of peafants, and fums of money, were distributed to the other commanders; gold hilted fwords were fhowered on the other officers, down to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and major; the widow of an artillery colonel, who was flain in the attack, was with her children confoled with a good eftate; promotion was extended to officers of a lower order, and even the non-commiffioned fubalterns and common foldiers, who had entered Otchakoff, were ornamented with filver medals." The profufion of thefe gifts accounts for their having beftowed on SuWARROW a fpecies of diftinction in which he took fo little delight. But it was not for him to dictate to his fovereign what kind of honours should be conferred upon him. He was to confider the favour in which thefe marks of complacency originated-to deem his efforts thus amply rewarded, and to regard them as ftill further incitements to increafing activity and glory!

The particular mode which this general adopts for conciliating the affection of his foldiers, is another trait by which his conduct ftands characterifed. His know

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ledge of human nature fhews him the neceffity of accomodating himself to the difpofitions and even humours of thofe perfons with whom he is more immediately con cerned. His fimplicity of manners preferves him from cherishing a fullen referve towards any individuals. In private life it feems he is of a humorous turn, and to entertain his friends has not unfrequently exercised him, felf in feats of agility. Jumping over chairs, and throwing his limbs into every poffible form, is one of his favourite amusements. The fame familiar temper he manifefts towards his foldiers, and this circumftance has wonderfully cemented their attachment to him. Nor let it be fuppofed that this fpecies of deportment is deftructive of that authority which is indifpenfably ne ceffary for the preservation of order among the foldiery. For the fupreme authority which in Ruffia a commander poffeffes, even over the life of his men, fecures them from taking any unwarrantable liberties with the officers to whofe care they are committed. A general there has it in his power at any time to fend for the head of any one of his men, without affigning any reafon for fo bar barous an action. This fummary mode of punishment keeps the foldiers in awe of their fuperiors, and leads them to behave towards them, on every occafion, with the greatest refpe&t and propriety.

The last trait in the character of this fingular hero, which we fhall mention, is his religious bigotry and fu perftition. Enthufiafm, it has been remarked, is the infirmity of weak minds, and fuperftition the infirmity of ftrong minds. Who was more fuperftitious than the great Johnfon? What more convincing proof of it can be given than that of his being difturbed because he put milk into his tea on Good Friday? SuWAR, ROW, we are affured, gives himself up to all the trivial fuperftitions of the Greek or Ruffian church. Bowing to the crefs, fpitting at the name of the devil, &c. he obferves with the most devout fcrupulofity. The Greek church abounds in thefe ftrange obfervances, and incul cates them on its votaries by the most folemn injunctions.

Whether

Whether this eccentric general is convinced of their utility to himself, or adopts them to fecure and extend his influence over vulgar minds, we are unable to say. But it is a fact, that he regards thefe minutia, with an unceafing attention. He has been often feen in the bufy obfervance of these ritual parts of his religion, and even prides himself on his fcrupulous attention to them. In his army he has found this conduct of great fervice to him-it has endeared him to his men, who are greatly attached to these ceremonies, and who on this account entertain an high opinion of his fanctity.

This fuperftitious turn of mind has been mentioned as an extenuation of his conduct in the maffacre of Ifmael -the fuburbs of Prague, where 20,000 of the poor Poles were put to death in cold blood! They had arisen under the celebrated Kofciufko, but had been overpowered by numbers. To butcher them in this horrible manner was an execrable deed, and will ever be beheld in this light by pofterity. But it has been infinuated that SUWARROW and his men thought they were doing God fervice by the extirpation of perfons who were not within the pale of their own church. If it be fo, it fhews, in a strong light, the sad effects of a false religion. It demonftrates the indifputable utility of forming juft opinions of the character of the Deity, who delights not in blood and cruelty. It points out the indifpenfable neceffity of inculcating the love of human kind—recollecting that we are one great family, by whom mutual affection fhould at all times and on all occafions be indulged. Such leffons are taught by pure Chriftianity and the diffufion of fuck a religion would contribute to the happiness and dignity of the human race.

We conclude this sketch by obferving, that it appears from these anecdotes (on the authenticity of which the reader may depend) that General SUWARROW is one of the most extraordinary characters of modern times, In his compofition are united qualities of the most con

tradictory