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CHAPTER IV.
St. Petersburg and the Hague.

• Diderot’s resolution to visit the Empress of Russia 84
• The Princess Dashkow 84
• Prince Galitzin 85
• Diderot in Holland (1773) 86
• St. Petersburg and Russian civilisation 89
• The Empress 91
• Accounts of her by men of affairs 92
• Her pursuit of French culture 94
• Her interest in the French philosophic party 96
• Partly the result of political calculation 98
• The philosophers and the Partition of Poland 101
• Rulhière’s narrative of Catherine’s accession 102
• Falconet, the first Frenchman welcomed by her 104
• Diderot arrives at St. Petersburg (1773) 106
• His conversations with the Empress 107
• Not successful as a politician 108
• General impression of him 109
• Grimm outstrips him in court favour 110
• Diderot’s return to the Hague