222 Alexander Petrunkez'itch, Ph.D., 



from the Eng^Iishman not in language and nationality alone, but 

 in all qualities of mind as well, so the national character may be 

 traced, broadly speaking, not only in the sphere of politics, trade 

 or business, but also in other branches of mental activity. If 

 the average quality of the German scientist is heavy thorough- 

 ness, that of the Frenchman clearness and lucidity of thought 

 combined with an impulse to treat science as art, that of the 

 British extraordinary positivity and that of the American an 

 ability to combine specialization with mass production, then the 

 distinctive character of the Russian may be seen in the restless- 

 ness of his spirit and the striving to embrace a wide field of 

 knowledge, to find answers to questions which are ever present 

 in his thoughts and which once raised may not be lightly put 

 aside, but must be settled the one way or the other, if only for the 

 satisfaction of his own soul. 



These cjualities have been manifested already by the father of 

 Russian science, Michail Vassilievitch Lomonossofi^, who came of 

 peasant stock and gradually rose to the distinction of being the 

 foremost man of science and letters in Russia. He was born 

 in 171 1 in a small village of the Government of Archangel in the 

 dreary north, far from any civilization. He learned reading 

 with the aid of books given him by some villagers who took 

 interest in him and when 19 years old, in 1730, went to Moscow 

 to study at the so-called Slavo-Latin Academy. Here he spent 

 five years, living in poverty and studying with grim determina- 

 tion amidst boys many years his juniors, who laughed at the big, 

 ignorant fellow. A glimpse of this period may be gained from 

 Lomonossoif's letter to Shuvalofif written in 1753. "With an 

 allowance of three pennies (altyn) a day, I was not able to spend 

 more than a penny for bread, a penny for kvas (a Russian bever- 

 age) and a penny for paper, footwear and other necessaries. 

 Thus I lived during five years, yet I did not give up my studies." 

 From Moscow LomonossotTt' went to Germany where he studied 

 mathematics, physics and philosophy with Wolff, chemistry and 

 metallurgy with Henkel. He spent five years in Germany and 

 returned to Russia in 1741. The following year Empress Eliza- 

 beth appointed him Adjunct in Physics to the Imperial Academy. 

 In 1745 he was appointed Professor of Chemistry in the Aca- 

 demic University the foundation of which was due mostly to his 

 influence. There he created the first Ivussian Chemical Labora- 



