MENZIKOFF, 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 1708 and 1709; but in 1713 he was accused of embezzling the public money, and fined in three hundred thousand crowns. The Czar remitted the fine; and having restored him to favour, gave him the command of an army in Ukraine in 1719, and sent him as his ambassador into Poland in 1722. Being constantly occupied with the means of preserving his influence after the death of his master, who was then evidently on the decline, Menz,ikoff 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 rose higher in favour than ever, because, upon 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. as 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 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 two hundred and fifty leagues from Moscow. Having had the imprudence to leave the capital with the splendour 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, and the officer who commanded them having made him alight from his chariot, which he sent back to Moscow, 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 had died on the journey; he had also the misfortune to lose one of his daughters by the small-pox; and his other two children were seized with the .same disease, but recovered. He sunk under his misfortunes on the 2d of November 1729, and was buried beside bis daughter, in. a little chapel which he had built. His misfortunes inspired him with sentiments of devotion, which, amidst the splendour of his former situation, he had altogether neglected.