1794.

Calla Ethiopica-respecting the Larch tree. 387 have now left, "Hoc autem publicæ utilitatis causa

constitutum est, ut Inst. L. 4. Tit. 12."

litium aliquis efset finis. Vin. ad

I remain with the utmost respect,

your lordships most obedient, and most hnmble servant,

LENTULUS.

SIR,

CALLA ETHIOPICA.

To the Editor of the Bee.

You mention in your Bee, (vol. 12th, p. 258) that the plant called Calla æthiopica is capable of withstanding the rigour of our climate; we have the same plant now (January 17.) standing in the botanic gardens at Edinburgh, exposed to the open air, with seven or eight strong flower buds upon it. Were the naturalists of the age to pay more attention to the culture, qualities and constitution of plants, they would be of more use to their country than by indulging their present insatiable thirst for new discoveries. I am your obedient. servant, Observator.

ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON THE LARCH

WOOD.

To the many uses specified, (Bee, vol. xvii.) of larch wood, I have to add the following facts communicated bya gentleman who dined in company with admiral Greig, last time he was in Scotland. The admiral at that time was extremly warm in praises of that wood, and mentioned in particular that for fhip plank nothing could equal it: He also said that he had seen many a peasant's hut in the northern parts of Russia, that having been covered with chingles of larch wood, had been known to remain perfect

Jan: 21. ly sound, without needing the smallest repair for more than a hundred years; of the rapidity of its vegetation, the following fact is very satisfactory.

Account of two larch trees, now growing at Dunkeld, communicated by Mr Scougal, gardener to the Duke of Athol.

THE larch trees are fifty years old; they are 120 feet high, three feet and a half in diameter, one yard above the ground; and are said to contain 110 cubic feet of wood each, in the trunk, exclusive of the branches. We, generally plant from 150 to 200 thousand larches every year. The young larches here have in general grown three feet this summer over all the plantations. They thrive better on the heights than the Scotish firs.. November 10th. 1793.

ANECDOTE OF PETER THE GREAT,

Commu cated by Arcticus.

For the Bee.

WHILST the Czar worked incognito as a fhip-wright at Sardam in Holland, to acquire that knowledge which must ever cover him with immortal honour, he contracted a sort of friendship with a blunt honest skipper named Weebes who had a ship building there, and on which the emperor occasionally worked.

During the construction of his vessel, Peter inquired of Weebesfor which trade he intended her when ready, and was answered by theseaman, that he had heard so much of the great encouragement offered by the Czar of Moscvy to those who frequented his new port and city, that he had so me thoughts of naming his ship the St Petersburgh, and making his first voyage there, more especially as that measure was strongly commended by his merchant Mr Lufses of Amsterdam, who had in that case promised him a letter to his correspondent in Rufsia Mr Jeremy Meyer*, who would procure him a good cargo. This scheme gaev

*Mr Randolph meyer son to the gentleman named in the anecdote is still living here, and is an acquaintance of Arcticus.

much pleasure to the Czar, as he liked the, man, so that he not only encouraged him in it, but likewise gave him a letter to a particular friend in St Petersburgh, who would show him every civility, and make him acquainted with his family, a set of plain honest mercantile people who would co-operate with Mr Meyer in furnishing the cargo, and give him for certain, a hearty welcome if he was not arrived to do it himself. Weebes thanked the Russian fhip-wright for his kindness with a hearty squeeze by the hand, and actually did arrive at St Peterburgh soon after the emperor, who was working in his admirality on the south bank of the river, and communicating to his people the knowledge he had so nobly acquired, when a new Holland ship saluted it, which he instantly recollected to be the same he had worked on at Sardam commanded by his favourite tar. Peter hurried immediately home in his working dress, a garb well suited to the scene he was going to act, and had arrived at his cottage palace not far from the old change, (still entered with reverence by those who admire real greatness,) before Weebes had got all ready to come afhore.

A Mr Blane captain of the port, the same to whom Peter had recommended the Skipper, went on board without discovering his function, and after inquiring the name of the ship &c. asked if he had not a letter for him from a friend who had now got home himself, and would show him those civilities in person, which he had at Sardam committed to the care of another Weebes was highly delighted to find he had a friend and acquaintance in a strange country, and hurried with Blane to see him, after begging that gentleman to help him to smuggle afhore a few presents to Michailof's family, (the Czar's travelling sir name.) Peter was waiting with impatience on the quay for his debarkation, and after kindly embracing Skipper Weebes, conducted him to his humble dwelling, which indeed the Hollander found so much so, from the furniture and every thing around him, that he had no high idea of his power to procure the promised cargo, and seemed soon impatient to see Mr Meyer, by way of having two strings to his bow.

The Czar in the mean time said he must call his wife Kate before they proceeded any further, who would be happy to see a friend who had been kind to him at Sardam; and that amiable princefs appeared on being sent for, with refreshments on a salver in the stile of Ruisia, i. e. amongst the class of people, the imperial couple were representing, and with all that native dignity and grace, for which the

1

was so remarkable. Weebes was more struck with the fair Cathrine than with any thing he yet had seen, and taking his pipe out of his mouth, which he was smoaking according to custom, not only gave her a hearty smack, but a familiar slap on the fhoulder, exclaiming that Peter was a lucky dog and had made no bad choice.

The presents were now lugged out from his own, and Blane's pockets, and thrown into the Frow's lap, telling her at the same time that a piece of Holland in the number, would make such thirts as never yet had covered her fair back, and that she would lick her lips after an excellent cheese made by his own Frow for the occasion.

Whilst Peter and Cathrine were highly enjoying this natural scene, his favourite prince Menchikoff, whom none durst stop, abruptly entered the room on some prefsing business dressed in his ribbon, star,

c. and had like to have spoiled all, as the Skipper jumped up, and afked the emperor in a whisper who the great man was, and what he wanted. Money, replyed Peter in the same low voice, for some timber we have got from his estate, as you know these gentry are always needy; and under pretence of paying him --nt out for a moment, and dispatched the prince. However he was not equally fortunate in keeping up the de ception a fhort time afterwards, when the guard being relieved, a circumstance the emperor had forgot to prevent, although he had ordered it to keep out of sight, the field marshal Butterline then captain of the guards marched into the room, and announced the change in the loud voice of military etiquette. This second unexpected interruption overcame Peters patience, in so much, that he forgot himself so far, as to give a stamp with his foot, which sent the marshal to the right about faster than he came in; but the sport was over, for on looking round, Peter saw his Sardam mesmate, stuck up against the wall with his cap in his hand, and his pipe dropt at his feet; and all he could now say could no longer persuade him that he was the hip building merchant: he had so long pafsed for no said the honest tar, I see that I have been making so free with the Czar himself, and am quite unhappy at the smack and slap I gave the Emprefs; for it must have been her whom I treated so rudely. Peter after a hearty laugh, soon dispelled his fears, by sending for Cathrine to receive his apology, on condition he took another kifs at the end of it, and stayed dinner with him, when he would conduct him to change, and introduce him to his merchant.

The Czar was better than his word both here and in Holland, for he not only presented Weebes in person to Mr Meyer, on public

change as his particular friend, but made him a present of his first cargo, sending at the same time an imperial edict to the custom-house, that the hip St Petersbnrgh on which the Czar had worked, fhould have liberty as long as he could float, to bring each voyage to the amount of 1000 rubles worth of merchandize free of all duties; and this vessel did actually frequent our port on these terms under three different skippers, Weebes, Aukezeibles, and Wolkezcibles, the last of whom was here in her as late as the year 1776, as is well remembered by your correspondent,

ARCTICUS.

I have now given you, Mr Editor, several anecdotes to illustrate the real character of the great man, whose works and great designs I have so long been admiring on the spot ; and which it certainly was a great lofs to his subjects, that he did not live to finish, as a long interval of time elapsed between his death, and the reign of the present enlightened sovereign who has done so much. And I cannot help thinking, but that it is from such traits of character that we must now judge of the dispositions of a man, whom it has been a sort of fashion amongst the present philanthropic republicans to decry as a tyrant, because he cut off the heads of some of the old Russian pretorian guards, or Strelits, (so much like the new parisian,) whom he caught in the sacred duty of rebelling against their lawful sovereign, who was attempting to discipline and civilize them; and because he carried a cudgel, with which he belaboured the levellers of that day, when he found them dividing property that did not belong to them.

For my own part, Sir, I have long considered Peter the Great, with regard to the use of his dubeen, as the knight errant of a barbarous empire, carrying a cudgel instead of a lance, for the protection of widows, orphans, and the oppressed in general, and from which neither riches, birth nor rank put a culprit in safety: nay it was only tothe great that the Dubeen was formidable, for I never heard of his condescen ding to use it on the peasants, a clafs of men he governed and kept to their duty, rather by example than severity, putting his own hand to every work, joking and conversing with them familiarly on all occasions, so that never was a sovereign more beloved and popular amongst the lower clafs of his subjects, nor more feared by the highèr.