The great Nevski was already there lying in a cathedral bearing his name, and the Cathedral of Sts.

Peter and Paul was ready to entomb the future Tsars.
And Peter held his court, a poor imitation of Versailles, and gave great entertainments at which the shy and embarrassed ladies in their new costumes kept apart by themselves, and the attempt to introduce the European dances was a very sorry failure.

In 1712 Peter planned a visit to Paris, with two ends in view--a political alliance and a matrimonial one.

He ardently desired to arrange for the future marriage of his little daughter Elizabeth with Louis XV., the infant King of France.

Neither suit was successful, but it is interesting to learn how different was the impression he produced from the one twelve years before.