flittraturr. [From the Edinburgh Review] THE EMPREECATHERINE. By LORD Bnoucnau.

, The two male conspirators against the liberties l of mankind, the rights of nations, the peace of l the world, have now been painted,‘ but in cm I ' r - lodrs far more subdued than the natural hues of l

their crime. It remains, that the most profligate ofthe three should be pourtrayed, and she a womanl—ibut‘a woman in. whom the lust of power, united with the more vulgar profligacy of our kind, had efi'aced all traces of the softer nature that marks the sex, and left an image of h i commanding talents and prodigious firmness of v a soul, the capacities which constitute a great character, blended with unrelenting fierceiiess of disposition, unscrupulous p‘roneness to fraud, -» unrestrained indulgence of the passions, all the ' weakness; and all the wickedness, which can debase the worst of the human race.

The Princess Sophia, of Anhalt Zerbet, one of the smallest of the petty principalitiesin which i V Nofthern Germany abounds, was married to Peter III., nephew and heir presumptive to the Rilsslan crown, and she took the name of Cathe- , rine,’ according to the custom of that barbarous ‘ nation. The profligacy of Elizabeth, then on , the throne ofthe Czars, was little repugnant to ' the crap'ulous life which her future successor led, or to his consort. Following their joint example, l

the young'bride, accordingly,soon fell into the debauched habits ofthe court, and she improved upon them; for having, more than once, changed the accomplices of her adulterous indulgences, I almost as swiftly as Elizabeth did, she had her i husband murdered by her paramour; and hav- ‘ ing gained over the guards and the mob of ; Petersburgh, she usurped the crown, to which " she could pretend no earthly title. To refute the reports that were current, and to satisfy all ; inquiries as to the cause of Peter’s death, she ordered his body to be exposed to public view, and stationed guards to prevent any one from approaching near enough to see the livid hue which the process of strangling had spread over his features.

The reign, thus happily begun, was continued 1 in the constant practiceof debauchery, and the I occasional commission of convenient murder. Lover after lover was admitted to the embraces f of the Messalina of the North, until soldiers of ' the guards were employed in fatiguing an appetite l which could not be satiated. Sometimes’the l favourite of the day would be raised to the con- ' fidence and.influence ofPrime Minister; but, after a while, he ceased to please, as the para- mour, though he retained Ministerial functions, , One of the Princes of the blood, having been pitched on by a party to be their leader, was

party put forward pretences to the throne on his behalf, the Imperial Jezebel had him murdered in'his dungeon, as the shortest way of terminating all controversy on his account, and all uneasi- s ness. The mediocrity of her son Paul’s talents gave her no umbrage, especially joined to the eccentricity ofhis nature, and his life was spared. Had he given his tigress mother a moment’s , alarm, he would speedily have followed his un- , 1 happy father to the regions were profligacy and l : _ parricide are unknown. Although Catherine l was thus abandoned in all her indulgences, and unscrupulous in choosing the means ofgratifying ‘; her ambition, especially, yet she did not give her- ; self up to either the one kind ofvice or the other, , either to cruelty or to lust, with the weakness l which, in little minds, lends those abominable propensities an entire and undivided control. Her lovers never were her rulers; her licentious— }. ness interfered not with her public conduct; her i cruelties were not numerous and wanton; nor the result of caprice, or the occupation of a wicked and malignant nature, but the expedients, the unjustifiable, the detestable expedients, to which she had recourse, when a great end was to be attained.

Her capacity was of an exalted order. Her judgment was clear and sure, her sagacity pene- trating; her providence and circumspection comprehensive. To fear, hesitation, vacillation, she was an utter stranger; and the adoption of a design was with her, its instant execution. But her plans differed widely from those of her com- panion, Joseph 11., or of her neighbour, Gustavus 111. They resembled far more those of her long headed accomplice of Prussia. They were ; deeply laid in general, and for the most part, ; well digested; formed as to their object, with no i regard to principle, but only to her aggrandize- ‘ merit and glory; framed, as to their execution, ‘ With no regard to the rights or mercy for the

sufferings of her fellow creatures. Over their execution the same dauntless, reckless, heartless feelings presided; nor was she ever to be turned from her pursuits by difficulties and perils, or abated in her desire of success by langour and delay, or quelled in her course by the least rem- nant ofthe humane feelings that mark the softer sex, ‘extinct in her bold, masculine and flinty bosom. But as it was incomparably more easy for an abeolute Sovereign, at the head of forty millions ;. of slave subjects,-with a vast, impregnable,.almost unapproachable dominion, if ruled by no princi- ples, to subdue other countries, than to improve her own, to extend the number of her vas- sals,. than to increase their happiness or their civilization, she failed in all the more harmless or beneficent parts of her schemes, while she un- happin succeeded in many of her warlike and unprincipled proyects: and ' she rested easily satisfied with the name of civil wisdom, and the ‘ mere outward semblance of plans for internal _ improvement, while she enjoyed the sad reality 1.. of territorial aggrandizement through cruelty and violence. The court she paid to men. of

' Gustavus III, and the Emperor Joseph.

thrown into prison; and when the zeal ofthat v

i:

n ,

4 letters obtained i'a‘pro‘mpt p’ayine'nto- in flattery;

and they lavished upon her never-ending, never- executed plans of administration, the praisesto which a persevering and successfulexecution of them would alone have given her atitle. Pleased, satisfied with those sounds, she thought no more of the matter, and her name has come down_to our times, though close adjoining her own, stript of every title of respect for excellence in any one department'of civil wisdom, while her unprin- cipled policy in foreign affairs has surVived her, and still afllicts mankind. «

A woman of her commanding" talents, how- ever, had other holds over the favour of literary

bled her to dispense. Besides maintaining a kind ofliterary envby at Paris, in the persOn ' of Grimm, she invited Diderot to St. Petersburgh, and purchased D'Alembeit’s library, patronised the illustrious Euler, and gratified others of less fame, by admitting them to the familiar society ’of a great monarch; but she had abilities and information enough to relish their conversation, and to bear her part in it upon nearly equal terms—She bad the manly ‘sense, too, sofar superior to the demeanour of Frederick, and the other spoilt children of royal nurseries, that no

breach of etiquette, no unbecoming familiarity

of her lettered guests, ever offended her pride, or roused her official dignity, for an instant. DI- derot used to go so far, in the heat of argument, as to slap her on the shoulder or knee with the ‘ emportcment’ of a French ‘savant,’ and he only excited a smile in the well natured and truly Superior person, whose rank, and even sex, be had, for the moment, forgotten. Her writings, too, are by no means despicable; but the dif- ficulty of ascertaining that any work published by an empress-regnant proceeds from her own pen, deprives criticism-of all interest, as con- nected with her literary reputation.‘

On the whole, the history of princes affords few examples of such talents, and such force of character, on a throne, so diverted from all good purposes, and perverted to the working of so much mischief. There have been few abler monarchs in any part of the world. ‘ It may well be doubted, ifthere has been one as bad in all the important particulars in which theworth or the wickedness of rulers tells the most power- fully upon the happinessof the world. .

The accidental circumstance of sex has sometimes led to instituting comparisons of Ca- therine with our Elizabeth; but the points of resemblance were few. Both possessed a yery strong, masculine understanding; both Joined to comprehensive views the firm resolu- tion, without which nothing great is * ever afihlel’e‘l; both united a vehement love of power With a. determination never to brook their autho- rity being questioned; and both were prepared, though in very different degrees, to sacrifice, unscrupulously, those whom they regarded as obstacles in the way of its gratification. Whe- ther Elizabeth, in the place of Catherine, might not have become more daring, and, throwmg off all the restraints imposed by the Ecclesiastical and Parliamentary Constitution of her country, have attained, by open force, those ends which she was obliged to compass by intrigtte, is a mat- ter of more doubtful consideration. Certainly, her reign 'is sullied by none of those atrocious crimes which cast so dark a shade on the me- mory of Catherine; nor Can any comparison be fairly made between the act which approaches nearest the enormities of the Northern tyrant, and even the least of those mighty transgres~ eions.

The passions that most influence the sex, pre- sent remarkable poiuts both of contrast and of resemblance, in’the kind ofempire which they exercised over these two great sovereigns. The one was the victim of sensual propensities, ‘over which she exercised no kind of controul; the other carefully avoided even every appear- ance of such excesses. So differently were they constituted, morally as well as physically, that it is more than doubtful if Catherineever felt the passion of love, or Elizabeth that of sex, while the latter was in love with some favourite or other all herlife, and the existence of the for- mer was a succession of the grossest amours.---- But, in this, both pursued the same course, that the favourite of the Woman in either case never obtained any sway over the Queen; and that the sensual appetites of the one, and the tender sentiments of the other, were alike indulged, without, for a moment, breaking in upon the schemes of their political lives.

Catherine, who had walked to supreme power over her husband’s corpse, easily defended hei- sceptre by the same instruments which had en- abled her to grasp it. The single instance in which Elizabeth shed a rival’s blood, for her own safety, admitted of extenuation, if it could not be justified by the conspiracy detected against her life; and the times she-lived in, ren- dering assassination perilous, instead of murder- ing her rival in a dungeon, she, at least, brought her charges openly into a court of inquiry, and had her tried, judged, executed, under colour oflaw, before the face of the world.

In one thing, and in one alone,.the inferiority of the Englishwoman to the Russian must be admitted; and this arose from the different circumstances of the two sovereigns, and the feeble authority with which the former was in- vested. Through her whole reign, she was a dissembler, apretender, a hypocrite. Whether in steering her crooked way between rival sects, orin accommodating herself to conflicting fac- tions, or in pursuing the course she had resolved to follow, amidst the various opinions of the peo- ple, she ever displayed a degree of cunning and faithlessness which ' it is impossible id 'conrem- plate Without disgust. But, if there be any one passage of her life which calls forth this sent]. ment more than another it is her‘v-ile conduct respecting the execution of, Mary, Stuart'_._her

hateful duplicity} her execrable treachery mw'ar‘dg the instruments she used and’sacrificed, lief any.

3+

men than the patronage ‘whichher station ena-Z

ardly-skulking behind those instruments, toes:-

cape the censures of the world. This bvyasfrglllig crowning act of a whole life of despica fe son- and hypocrisy; and from the necessny o re , set ing to this, Catherine’s more absolute power n. her free; not that the Empresss history {:7 1:] n accompanied with traits of 'a like kindrw .. 3v her troops had sacked the suburbs of arsah , and consummated the partition oprland, by}: (t; butchery of thousands of her Victims, she 31 the blasphemous effrontery to celebrate a e Deumin the metropolitan cathedral, and _to prod mulgate an address to the people professmg hto cherish for them the tender feelings of a mot El;- towardsflher offspring." It yexes the faith 0 pious men to witness scenes like these, and not see the fires of heaven descend to smite the a ' and im ious actors. . . ‘ buIlliyfiually, viie apply to these two sovereigns the surest test of genius, and the best measure-of success in their exalted station-«the comparative merits of the men by whom they were served-~- the Russian sinks into insignificance, fiwhile the, Eng‘lishjwoman Shines with surpassmg'lustrer-r- Among the: Ministers who served Catherine, it would be difficult to name one of whom the lapse of forty years has left any remembrance; but, as, Elizabeth never had a man of inferior, hardly one of middling capacity in her serv1ce, so, to this day, at the distance of between two and three centuries, when any one would refer to the greatest statesmen in the history of England, he turns instinctively to the good times of the Virgin

Queen. . >

To SELL or to LET, ‘ . ‘ To which an unquestionable Title will be green,

I HE FARM of BROWNSTON, situate on Lot 49,

fronting the Pisqmd Road, and one mile from ver- non River Inn. It contains 434 acres ofthe best descrip— tion ofLand .in this Island, having abundance of Fire‘- wood, pine, spruCe and fencing ‘poles. .Fif'ty serfs are under cultivation, and in the best condition, and l. wenty additional‘acres are enclosed of natural pasture, which could be easily cleared for the plough, the'growth of wood being only young bushes. There is a large Garden and Orchard, planted witbrapple, plum andcher- ry trees, _&c. of 5 years’ standing. The whole is well fenced, and there are gates on every enclosure, 'as well as the court-yard. The House is very comfortable for a small family, and contains kitchen, small parlour, good bedroom, servant’s sleeping room, closets, and a cellar underneath. The House is as good as new, as are the offices, which consist ofa large Barn, a Stable, and Cow- house, Poultry-house, Dairy, and Green-houses for pota- toes and turnips; 'an excellent Spring of Water is near the House, and the fields are watered by a brook running through them. ’ .

The whole will be let together, or in one Farm, for such term ofyears and on such conditions :as may be agreed on; or the property will be divided into Farms, to suit the views of ofi’erers; or,gifpreferred,‘the one half (217 acres), including all the improvements, “ll” be sold

e aratel . A l to ' S p y pp y DAVID ROSS. Hillsborough River, May 14,1840. ' '

VALUABLE FREEHOLD FARM FOR SALE.

HE Subscriber offers for Sale a ‘Tract of 100 Acres ofsuperior Land, adjoining the Bedeque House Farm, having a front of about 20 chains on Wil- mot Creek. From eight to ten acres are cleared, and the remainder is well stocked with Firewood and Fencing stufi'. There is also a small stream of water running through the premises, sufiipient to drive a Carding and Threshing Mill. The situation is well adapted for'a Shipbuilding establishment. " For terms of Sale, apply to Mr.‘ Solomon Desbrisay,

Charlottetown, or to _ JOSEPH POPE. Bedeque, 18th May, 1840.

TO BE LET, and POSSESSION given IMME- DIATE .

HE whole or a part of that well-knoWn Dwelling House and Premises in Pownal Street, lately occupied by Mrs. Rebecea Miller. This House comprises four Rooms on the first floor, in one of which (31) feet by 24), the Meetings of the Mechanics' In- stitute are field; four Rooms on the second floor, one of which is the same size as the one mentioned abové, and a large garret. There is a commodious and ex- cellent Cellar. under the whole. A Stable, and other out houses, together with a small Garden, are attached to the premises. Rent moderate. apply at the Herald Office, or to CHARLOTTE

BAGNALL. Pownal Street, 1st May, 1840. '

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. ‘ ‘ TO BE SOLD, by private Contract, an ex-

tensive and valuable FREEHOLD ESTATE, consisting of' nearly »

I 18,000 Acres of Land, situate in the preferable ’part of Ktivc’s COUNTY, being contiguous to GEORGETOWN, WINCHESTER, deceased, a Bankrupt, and now belonging to his Asstg'nees. .Vessels ofany burden may'go up and down Cardigan River, by which it is bounded '0n the Southern extremity. ' a

The Estate is delineated on the Plan of the Island, kept in the Plantation Ofiice, Whitehall, and the Sur- vgyozfigneral’s Office of the said Island, as Lot or Town« 5 ip . — . v I For prlinted Plans of the Estate, are, app y at the Offices of Mr. Brig s, 55 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and MrrBelcher, Official Assiggriee, King’s Arms Yard, London; the Hon. Samuel Cunard, Halifax, Nova Scotla; and James Peters, Esq., Charlottetoan in the said Island—to either of whom terms in writing: for

the purchase ma b d tember next} y e ma 6 on or before the 1st ofSep.

and further particu-

CAUTION. To the Editor of the Colonial Herald.

IR. ;—Having seen in the Colonial Herald of the 20th inst. the_Advertise_ment of the Assignees of the late Henry Winchester, Eq., offering for Sale l18,000 Acres of Land, on Lot or Township No. 54 al- ‘p‘r: Epétiiirough‘tvhe mhedium ofyour paper, to say, ,that . en. me e t Township N2, '54 5 er’ Esq' had "0 giiiiilypgs'i 1:185:21an Ejeetment Were brought u w at was d ‘ ‘ trons] have not been able to' ascertaiutiESlhlfiildgsitafo pay, that after'many years‘ prosecution,~ I. was not. able 0 get ‘One -WltneSS brought forward—wthis is abuse of retilfigrtievancef, and ought to he looked into. . .

v n on reverring to the provision of the Stat it i 32 Henry 8,.cap 9, tbapno one shall sell or purified): agy pri-(p‘tendeid fight or title to land, unless the vendor

\- one he profits’for one whole. ear h f' g:ar}tt,h or bath been-in the'actual possession «335:;ch l$0hasee-yeazedrsron cpr relpiililinder, upon pain that both” the ‘ _-ven ers a‘ each forfe't't ' land to the King and the prosecutor. l .119 valued-inn“

- _‘*. w 4.. ,RQ . Township No. 54" July 27,,” 183%??? MEANS..-

For further particulars.

' T

late the property of Hnunv P

. , ,1,an AND lfismmmfi ’OLICIES will be issuedhyvuma, r r P in either ofthe above departing,” M», reassemble terms. _ ,

wen-anus You . ., ,‘ l g

, “ Erin" andi‘ Assumes” Inumnu€ Charlottetown, Dec. H, 1838.

_ ,TEMPERANCE messy. , .3, gm,

T a General ,Meeting of the Chariot ' .L w a Temperance Society, held on the 6“; Apr-g, .

was unanimously— I r: ‘ My,“ ;

ResoLvED, That a Committee be apporuted, to b

a fund, and make the necessary arrangements for y . .7 Prize for the best ESsay upon the 59 yea of_thg , is , ( Ardent Spirits, as bearing upon the civd,: politicg), .. ; v V I 1 nd h sical interests of this Colony , “3.? a; L more a p y I t ‘ I 3% to be the production of a member of a Temper-angle . v t

y.

in conformity with the abbve Resolution, trig . , mittee beg leave to acquaint the Friends of« ‘ rance, that Subscription’Lists for‘tho put-pangs". ' a Fund for the object mentioned in the said

fr

are now lying for si nature at the Stores'of Mr. C. Welsh, and r. T. :Desbrisay, Qum s ._ 2 ~

Mr,.,John Bovyer’s, Richmond Strget; Mr..GW‘ King's Square, and at the. Colomall’gflfilfl, . ; Office; ‘ ~ 7 ,_ , rile

w x 'F-‘r.

.. ,3“, 1 lamma

“COMMISSION BUSINESS”

HE Subscriber begs leave to airnoutflé ..

his friends, and the publicat Jargon:le farm commenced business as an Auctioneer. and Comm; f Merchant, at the Village at the extremity of Bat, Bridge, 'ver ‘near the premises‘ocqupied‘W'iGil Rankin, & vo.—whererorders will be thank ull -..' , ed and businessrof trustpare'fullysattebded to. from.“ long residence in Bathurst, and; general acquainw l with the business of the country, be Hatters strata that implicit confidence will be reposed'in ‘his punt?! lity and desire to promote the interestsfofhisc ; “

ers. g. ,. v ' WiLhtAM. DEAch-J a. N. B. Febtr4,1840. Mm; ‘

or

Bathurst, Bay tie Chaieur,

DISSOLUTION 0F co-PARTNERsni‘iF.’ ’VOTICE is hereby, given, that the.

partnership hitherto existing between the undoi- ' ‘ f signed, was, on the .first day of‘ March, instantj'dissol‘if“, 5 ved by mutual consent—their term'»liavingout‘fiatrdiy1tii I expired. All persons having dem‘arids-againsttheng‘ firm, are requested to render their accountsflforfid‘ , merit, and ,all‘thpse indebted are requested to. make iin, mediate payment to John Hobs. " ‘ ’ ‘-

r ' JOHN HOBS‘, -' .3 ,IL-‘zrg , DONALD,NICOLSQH_4£“ . Charlottetown, 6th March, 1840., ~ , ,