Nations lately become Literary. 303 



have become literary, are Russia, Germany, and 

 the United States of America. To each of these 

 some attention will be separately directed. 



RUSSIA. 



At the beginning of the eighteenth century, 

 Russia had scarcely a literary existence. Almost 

 entirely without learned men, and destitute of the 

 means of acquiring knowledge, the whole Empire 

 may be said, with little exception, to have been 

 sunk in ignorance and barbarism. The language 

 of the country was in a miserably confused and 

 chaotic state, without rules, and with scarcely 

 any fixed character; and, of course, no writers of 

 taste in that language had appeared. It is true, 

 the art of printing was introduced into Russia as 

 early as the sixteenth century, and some feeble ef- 

 forts were made, about the same time, to enlighten 

 and civilize the people. Efforts still more vigorous 

 and extensive, to effect the same purpose, were 

 made in the seventeenth century; but they w r ere 

 soon relaxed, and little was done in this way until 

 Peter the Great ascended the imperial throne. 



The crown devolving on Peter, at the close of 

 the seventeenth century, he early formed the de- 

 sign of introducing into his empire, as far as pos- 

 sible, the various arts of civilized life, and that 

 attention to letters and science which he found to 

 be so useful in other nations. For this purpose he 

 travelled into foreign countries; made himself ac- 

 quainted with their literary and scientific institu- 

 tions ; sent some of the most conspicuous young 

 noblemen in his dominions into different parts of 

 Europe, for the purpose of improving themselves 

 in literature; and invited many foreigners of dis- 

 tinction to settle at his court. He established a 

 printing-office in Petersburgh, for publishing books 



