“But what most enlivened the whole entertainment, was the unaffected ease and affability of the empress herself.  Each of her guests had a share of her attention and politeness.  The conversation was kept up with freedom and cheerfulness to be expected rather from persons of the same rank, than from subjects admitted to the honor of their sovereign’s company.”

The empress after conversing with Dr. Dimsdale, decided to introduce the practice of small-pox inoculation[20] into Russia, and heroically resolved that the experiment should first be tried upon herself.  Dr. Dimsdale, oppressed by the immense responsibility thus thrown upon him, for though the disease, thus introduced, was generally mild, in not a few cases it proved fatal, requested the assistance of the court physicians.

[Footnote 20:  Vaccination, or inoculation with the cow-pox, was not introduced to Europe until many years after this.  The celebrated treatise of Jenner, entitled An inquiry into the causes and effects of Variolae Vaccinae, was published in 1798.]

“It is not necessary,” the empress replied; “you come well recommended.  The conversation I have had increases my confidence in you.  It is impossible that my physicians should have much skill in this operation.  My life is my own, and with the utmost cheerfulness I entrust myself to your care.  I wish to be inoculated as soon as you judge it convenient, and desire to have it kept a secret.”

The anxious physician begged that the experiment might first be tried by inoculating some of her own sex and age, and, as near as possible, of her own constitutional habits.  The empress replied,

“The practice is not novel, and no doubt remains of its general success.  It is, therefore, not necessary that there should be any delay on that account.”

Catharine was inoculated on the 12th of October, 1768, and went immediately to a secluded private palace at some distance from the city, under the pretense that she wished to superintend some repairs.  She took with her only the necessary attendants.  Soon, however, several of the nobility, some of whom she suspected had not had the small-pox, followed.  As a week was to elapse after the operation before the disease would begin to manifest itself, the empress said to Dr. Dimsdale,

“I must rely on you to give me notice when it is possible for me to communicate the disease.  Though I could wish to keep my inoculation a secret, yet far be it from me to conceal it a moment when it may become hazardous to others.”

In the mean time she took part in every amusement with her wonted affability and without the slightest indication of alarm.  She dined with the rest of the company, and enlivened the whole court with those conversational charms for which she was distinguished.  The disease proved light, and she was carried through it very successfully.  Soon after, she wrote to Voltaire,