herself, only interfered when the scandal became so public that she felt herself obliged to do so, and Catharine was forbidden to see Poniatowski. Although jealously watched by Peter, the Grand-duchess contrived to evade these orders, and Poniatowski often visited her in disguise.
In consequence of the many disagreements between them, as soon as Peter ascended the throne, rendered vacant by the death of Elizabeth on the 26th. of December, 1761, he talked of repudiating Catharine, then residing in retirement at Peterhoff, near St. Petersburgh, and. marrying his mistress, the Countess Woronzoff. Catharine determined to anticipate him by a bolder movement.
Although on his first accession Peter had shown, in many of his acts, true greatness and generosity of mind, yet he soon relapsed into his old habits of idleness and dissipation. While he was shut up with his favourites and mistress, the empress kept her court with mingled dignity and sweetness, studying especially to attract every man distinguished for his talents and courage. Hearing that the Emperor was about to declare her son illegitimate, and adopt as his heir the unfortunate Prince Ivan, whom Elizabeth had supplanted and kept in confinement since his infancy, she formed a confederacy, in which several noblemen, officers, and ladies, joined; among others, her new favourite, Gregory Orloff, and the Princess Daschkoff, sister to the Countess Woronzoff, a young widow of eighteen, celebrated for her abilities, courage, and warlike disposition; the regiments of the garrison were gained by bribes and promises; the emperor was arrested, and Catharine was proclaimed sole Empress of all the Russias, under the title of Catharine the Second. In July, 1762, after having reigned only six months, Peter signed an act of abdication. Six days afterwards, the conspirators, fearing a reaction in the army, went to Ropscha, where Peter was confined, and while drinking with him, fell suddenly upon him and strangled him. It does not appear that Catharine actually ordered the murder, but she showed no sorrow for it, and continued her favour to the murderers. She was solemnly crowned at Moscow, in 1762.
The first effort of the new empress was to establish peace with the foreign powers; her next was to secure the internal tranquillity of the empire. Although the nobles, incensed at the arrogance of the favourite, Alexis Orloff, raised a very serious rebellion, in which, but for Catharine's indomitable courage and presence of mind, she would have shared the fate of her husband, yet she contrived to suppress it, without even summoning a council. Combining policy with firmness, she found means to soothe the clergy, whom her ingratitude had incensed, and to restore quiet to her dominions. though fond of pleasure, she never suffered amusement to interfere with business, or the pursuits of ambition. Her firmness was remarkable. "We should be constant in our plans," said she, "it is better to do amiss, than to change our purposes. None but fools are irresolute." Her fame soon spread all over Europe.
Catharine abolished the secret-inquisition chancery, a court which had exercised the most dreadful power, and the use of torture. And, during her long reign, she avoided as much as possible capital punishment. She also, by a manifesto, published in August, 1763, declared that colonists should find welcome and support in Russia; she founded several hospitals, and a medical college at St. Peters-
