related in the
first chapter, one of the first sources of uneasiness for her, in
respect to the continuance of her power, was the probability that Peter
would grow up to be a talented and energetic young man, and would
sooner or later take the government into his own hands. She revolved
in her mind many plans for preventing this. The one which seemed to
her most feasible at first was to attempt to spoil the boy by
indulgence and luxury.

She accordingly, it is said, attempted to induce Menesius to alter the
arrangements which he had made for Peter, so as to release him from
restraint, and allow him to do as he pleased. Her plan was also to
supply him with means of pleasure and indulgence very freely, thinking
that a boy of his age would not have the good sense or the resolution
to resist these temptations. Thus she thought that his progress in
study would be effectually impeded, and that, perhaps, he would
undermine his health and destroy his constitution by eating and
drinking, or by other hurtful indulgences.

But Sophia found that she could not induce General Menesius to
co-operate with her in any such plans. He had set his heart on making
his pupil a virtuous and an accomplished man, and he knew very well
that the system of laxity and indulgence which Sophia recommended would
end in his ruin. After a considerable contest, Sophia, finding that
Menesius was inflexible, manoeuvred to cause him to be dismissed from
his office, and to have another arrangement made for the boy, by which
she thought her ends would be attained. So Menesius bade his young
charge farewell, not, however, without giving him, in parting, most
urgent counsels to persevere, as he had begun, in the faithful
performance of his duty, to resist every temptation to idleness or
excess, and to devote himself, while young, with patience,
perseverance, and industry to the work of storing his mind with useful
knowledge, and of acquiring every possible art and accomplishment which
could be of advantage to him when he became a man.

After General Menesius had been dismissed, Sophia adopted an entirely
new system for the management of Peter. Before this time Theodore had
died, and Peter, in conjunction with John, had been proclaimed emperor,
Sophia governing as regent in their names. The princess now made an
arrangement for establishing Peter in a household of his own, at a
palace situated in a small village at some distance from Moscow, and
she