492 
R U S 
authors, both on the natural and civil history of Kaucasus, 
and has corrected their statements by his own observations on 
the spot, so that his work presents a complete statistical and 
historical description of a country little known in Europe, 
but extremely interesting on many accounts. The moun¬ 
tains, rivers, and natural productions of the country are 
described with spirit and accuracy 5 the population, revenue 
and trade of the inhabitants, are fully stated, as are their 
customs, manners, laws, and religion. “Ponteschestvrie 
vokrong Sveta,” &c., published at St. Petersburgh in 1822, 
contains the voyage of Capt. Golovnin round the world, in 
the brig of war Kamptchaka, in 1817, 1818, and 1819. 
This voyage is already well known to the English reader. 
The Russian work is divided into two parts—one containing 
a simple narrative of the voyage, with a description of the 
countries visited, excluding as much as possible all technical 
expressions; the other describing those things, and offering 
those observations which peculiarly relate to seamen and 
maritime matters. M. Timkovsky, a person holding an 
important post in the Asiatic department of the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, published, in 1824, the 1st volume of a 
work, called “ Ponteschestvie v’ Kitai,” &c., or a Journey 
to China by way of Mogul Tartary. This volume contains 
the traveller’s journal from the time of his leaving Kiachta 
till his arrival at Pekin. The second volume is to contain an 
account of his residence in the Chinese capital; and the 
third is to give a sketch of the occurrences on his return, 
with a description of Mongolia, its inhabitants, and the re¬ 
ligion of Buddha which they profess. Some time previously 
M. Mouravieff published a description of Turkomania and 
Kchiva. Baron Meyendorf, who accompanied the Russian 
Embassy to Bucharia, in 1820 and 1821, has drawn up an 
account of his travels; and, lastly, another geographical 
work, in Russian, is announced for publication, containing 
a complete description of the Steppes of the Kirguises. 
There is at Moscow a “ Society of Russian History and An¬ 
tiquities,” which has charged M. Kalaidovitch with the task 
of publishing the most ancient Russian Chronicle extant, 
being that which is commonly called the “Chronicle of 
Nestor,” from the name of the transcriber. This chronicle, 
which is also called the “ Chronicle of Pouschkin,” and the 
“Chronicle of Souzdale,” was composed in 1377, by a 
monk named Lavrenti, for the Grand Duke Constantinovich. 
In 1811, the above-mentioned society commissioned Pro¬ 
fessor Timkovsky to publish this work. The professor care¬ 
fully copied the whole, and had proceeded so far as to print 
thirteen sheets, when the greater part of the impression, 
together with the Society’s library, was burnt in the confla¬ 
gration of Moscow, in 1811. M. Kalaidovitch has pub¬ 
lished so much' of the copy as comes down to A. D. 1019, 
and is to proceed with, the rest. Nicolas Gretch has written 
an abridged History of Russian Literature, (“Opite kratkoi 
Istorii,” &c.) published in Russian, at St. Petersburgh, in 
1822. The author divides his history into two parts; the first 
reaching from the middle of the ninth to the end of the 
seventeenth century ; the second reaching to the present time. 
This work is dedicated to Count Romanzoff, the enlightened 
and zealous patron of literature and the arts: it has already 
been translated into the Polish language, and is about to be 
translated into German and French. Prince Tzertelef is 
engaged on a work of a similar kind, of which some por- 
tionshave been inserted in a periodical Russian publication. 
The periodicals of Russia amount to seventy. 
At Moscow are published two newspapers; The Moscow’ 
Gazette, and The Senate Advertiser, and seven journals, be¬ 
sides the Journal of the Imperial Society of Agriculture, and 
the Memoirs of the Society of Belles Lettres, of the Imperial 
Society of Natural Hsitory, and of the Physico-Medical So¬ 
ciety. At Petersburgh the following newspapers are pub¬ 
lished : The Petersburgh Gazette, in Russ and in German, 
(separate); The Russian Invalid, in Russ and in German, 
(separate); The Senate Gazette; The Senate Advertiser; the 
Price Current; and Le Conscrvateur Impartial, and eleven 
journals, besides the Transactions of the Academy of 
Sciences, of the Free Economical Society, and of the So- 
S I A. 
ciety of Belles Lettres. In these journals, almost every sub¬ 
ject is treated of with respect to arts and sciences and general 
literature, especially history, statistics, geography, and natural 
history. With respect to politics, only such information is 
made known to the public as the government, through its 
organs the censors, may please. 
The number of universities, of academies, of gymnasia, of 
public schools, of private schools, of Bible Societies, and of 
other similar institutions in Russia, taken collectively, and 
in connection with the above facts, shows that a mighty en¬ 
gine is at work in the civilization of that empire. 
In the seven Russian universities, there are at present 3000 
students, 220 professors, lecturers, &c. But the students are 
organized in almost a military manner, wear a uniform, and 
are under a very strict superintendence. 
The adoption of the Lancasterian system of education has 
also taken place. It is put in practice in the army, among 
the Kozaks, and even by some of the noblemen among their 
slaves. The imperial army, amounting to a million of men, 
when better educated, as they are scattered over the Russian 
dominions, cannot fail to have much influence upon the 
manners, and to tend to the illumination of the people. 
When it is also kept in mind, that the number of officers 
of that army amount to above fifty thousand; that many of 
them have received a good education, have served during 
the last campaigns, and have carried back to their country 
some of the learning, of the usages, and of the liberal opi¬ 
nions of other nations, it seems but natural to argue such an 
advance of civilization of the people, as may tend gradually 
to loosen the shackles, if not to break asunder the chains of 
despotism, and to the attainment of a higher rank in the’ 
intellectual world. 
The arts of printing and engraving are making great strides 
in the north, and daily furnish specimens which would do 
honour to any nation. Bookbinding is also arrived at much 
perfection. The art of making paper is likewise astonish¬ 
ingly improved of late years. So that all the agents and 
materials for the composition and publication of books are 
now abundant in Russia; and even the number of authors, 
translators, and compilers, is become superabundant. The 
number of printing presses employed in each of the capitals 
is considerable, and some of them are extensive. Some- 
of the engravers are natives, and others are foreigners. At 
the imperial Depot de Cartes, at Petersburgh, scores of young 
soldiers are daily employed in engraving maps and plans of 
every part of the Russian empire, many of whom have made 
great progress. In this magnificent institution, these maps, 
executed in the most detailed, accurate, and beautiful man¬ 
ner, are sold at very moderate prices. 
Arts and Sciences ,—The arts and sciences were chiefly 
introduced into Russia after the ascent of Peter the Great to 
the throne, and have ever since continued to flourish to a 
certain extent. Their sphere of influence, however, is, in a 
great degree, confined to the universities and academies, at 
which both the professors and the pupils are necessarily Sup¬ 
ported by the crown. 
Education .—The public education of the Russian nobles 
is at the pensions, or boarding-schools, of which some are 
under the patronage of the crown, or of the universities, while 
the greater part are conducted by private individuals. Most 
of the public seminaries have a magnificent and imposing 
appearance, and their syllabuses convey exalted ideas of their 
utility, which are rarely realized. Dr. Lyall has given a 
minute account of some of them, as well as of the universi¬ 
ties, and of the general course of instruction, to which we 
refer the curious reader. We may briefly state, that the plans 
of instruction seem excellent on paper, and, with a few 
changes dictated by necessity, are such as might be adopted 
for the education of youth in any country. The greatest 
part of the private boarding-shools are liable to the same ob¬ 
jections as the public ones, few of them being ably and well 
conducted. Scarcely any of the nobles enter the universities, 
on account of a foolish idea, that such institutions are only 
the sanctuaries of education for those who are afterwards, in 
some way or other, to gain their bread by their talents or 
learning. 
