ALEXANDER, was originally an apprentice to a pastry-cook near the palace of Moscow; but by a fortunate circumstance was drawn from that situation in early life, and placed in the household of Peter the Great. Having made himself master of several languages, and being formed for war and for business, he first rendered himself agreeable, and afterwards became necessary to his master. He assisted Peter in all his projects; and was rewarded for his services with the government of Ingria, the rank of prince, and the title of major-general. He signalized himself in Poland in 1718 and 1790; but in 1713 he was accused of embezzling the public money, and fined in 300,000 crowns. The czar remitted the fine; and having restored him to favour, gave him the command of an army in the Ukraine in 1719, and sent him as his ambassador into Poland in 1722. Constantly employed about the means of preserving his influence after the death of his master, who was then evidently on the decline, Menzikoff discovered the person to whom the czar intended to leave the succession. The emperor was highly offended, and his penetration cost him the principality of Plescoff. Under the czarina Catherine, however, he was higher in favour than ever; because, on the death of the czar in 1725, he was active in bringing different parties in Russia to agree to her succession. This princess was not ungrateful. In appointing her son-in-law Peter II. to be her successor, she commanded him to marry the daughter of Menzikoff, and gave the czar's sister to his son. The parties were actually betrothed: and Menzikoff was made duke of Cozel and grand steward to the czar. But this summit of elevation was the prelude to his fall. The Dolgoroukis, favourites of the czar, had influence enough to procure his banishment, together with that of his family, to one of his own estates at the distance of 250 leagues from Moscow. He had the imprudence to leave the capital with the splendor and magnificence of a governor going to take possession of his province. His enemies took advantage of this circumstance to inflame the indignation of the czar. At some distance from Moscow he was overtaken by a detachment of soldiers. The officer who commanded them made him alight from his chariot, which he sent back to Moscow; and placed him and his whole family in covered waggons, to be conducted into Siberia, in the habit of peasants. When he arrived at the place of his destination, he was presented with cows and sheep big with young, and poultry, without knowing from whom he received the favour. His house was a simple cottage; and his employment was to cultivate the ground, or to superintend its cultivation. New causes of sorrow were added to the severities of exile. His wife died in the journey; he had the misfortune to lose Menziokoff one of his daughters by the smallpox; and his other two children were seized with the same disease, but recovered. He sunk under his misfortunes, November 2, 1729; and was buried beside his daughter, in a little chapel which he had built. His misfortunes had inspired him with sentiments of devotion, which, amid the splendor of his former situation, he had altogether neglected. His two surviving children enjoyed greater liberty after the death of their father. The officer permitted them to attend public worship on Sundays by turns. One day when his daughter was returning from the village, she heard herself accosted by a peasant from the window of a cottage, and, to her great surprise, recognized in this peasant the persecutor of her family, Dolgorouki; who, in his turn, had fallen a sacrifice to the intrigues of the court. She communicated this intelligence to her brother, who could not behold, without emotion, this new instance of the vanity and instability of honours and power. Young Menziokoff and his sister were soon after recalled to Moscow by the czarina Anna; and left Dolgorouki in possession of their cottage. He was made captain of the guards, and received the fifth part of his father's possessions. His sister was appointed maid of honour to the empress, and afterwards married to great advantage.