edy. The narrative of it forms a very
dark and melancholy chapter in the history of his father's reign.

Alexis was born in the year 1690. In the early part of his life his
father took great interest in him, and made him the centre of a great
many ambitious hopes and projects. Of course, he expected that Alexis
would be his successor on the imperial throne, and he took great
interest in qualifying him for the duties that would devolve upon him
in that exalted station. While he was a child his father was proud of
him as his son and heir, and as he grew up he hoped that he would
inherit his own ambition and energy, and he took great pains to inspire
him with the lofty sentiments appropriate to his position, and to train
him to a knowledge of the art of war.

But Alexis had no taste for these things, and his father could not, in
any possible way, induce him to take any interest in them whatever. He
was idle and spiritless, and nothing could arouse him to make any
exertion. He spent his time in indolence and in vicious indulgences.
These habits had the effect of undermining his health, and increasing
more and more his distaste for the duties which his father wished him
to perform.

The Czar tried every possible means to produce a change in the
character of his son, and to awaken in him something like an honorable
ambition. To this end he took Alexis with him in his journeys to
foreign countries, and introduced him to the reigning princes of
eastern Europe, showed him their capitals, explained to him the various
military systems which were adopted by the different powers, and made
him acquainted with the principal personages in their courts. But all
was of no avail. Alexis could not be aroused to take an interest in
any thing but idle indulgences and vice.

At length, when Alexis was about twenty years of age, that is, in the
year 1710, his father conceived the idea of trying the effect of
marriage upon him. So he directed his son to make choice of a wife.
It is not improbable that he himself really selected the lady. At any
rate, he controlled the selection, for Alexis was quite indifferent in
respect to the affair, and only acceded to the plan in obedience to his
father's commands.

The lady chosen for the bride was a Polish princess, named Charlotta
Christina Sophia, Princess of Wolfenbuttel, and a marriage contract,
binding the parties to each other, was executed with all due formality.

Two years after