to their side the one next in succession to the crown,
so much the better. To this end it is for their interest to foment a
quarrel in the royal family, or, if the germ of a quarrel appears,
arising from some domestic or other cause, to widen the breach as much
as possible, and avail themselves of the dissension to secure the name
and the influence of the prince or princess thus alienated from the
king as their rallying-point and centre of action.

This was just the case in the present instance. The old Muscovite
party, as it was called, that is, the party opposed to the reforms and
changes which Peter had made, and to the foreign influences which he
had introduced into the realm, gathered around Alexis. Some of them,
it was said, began secretly to form conspiracies for deposing Peter,
raising Alexis nominally to the throne, and restoring the old order of
things. Peter knew all this, and the fears which these rumors excited
in his mind greatly increased his anxiety in respect to the course
which Alexis was pursuing and the exasperation which he felt against
his son. Indeed, there was reason to believe that Alexis himself, so
far as he had any political opinions, had adopted the views of the
malcontents. It was natural that he should do so, for the old order of
things was much better adapted to the wishes and desires of a selfish
and dissolute despot, who only valued his exaltation and power for the
means of unlimited indulgence in sensuality and vice which they
afforded. It was this supposed bias of Alexis's mind against his
father's policy of reform that Peter referred to in his letter when he
spoke of Alexis's desire to thwart him in his measures and undo all
that he had done.

When he received Alexis's letter informing him that he was ready to
enter upon the monastic life whenever his father pleased, Peter was for
a time at a loss what to do. He had no intention of taking Alexis at
his word, for in threatening to make a monk of him he had only meant to
frighten him. For a time, therefore, after receiving this reply, he
did nothing, but only vented his anger in useless imprecations and
mutterings.

Peter was engaged at this time in very important public affairs arising
out of the wars in which he was engaged with some foreign nations, and
important negotiations which were going on with others. Not long after
receiving the short letter from Alexis last cited, he was called upon
to leave Russia for a time,