b o o k c o w b o o k s , e x t r a c t s f r o m c h r o n i c l e s , a n d a f e w f t a t e - p a p e r s
— .— I b u t a s b e c o u ld n o t o b t a in t h e n e c e f la r y - d o c u m e n t s as w e l l
a s i f h e h a d b e e n u p o n t h e fp o t , h i s p e r f o rm a n c e u n a v o id a
b l y c o n t a in s o c c a f io n a l e r r o r s , m a n y o f w h i c h t h e ju d i c io u s
e d i t o r h a s p o in t e d o u t a n d c o r r e c t e d .
About the time o f K h ilk o f’s death, another-native commenced
a fimilar work upon a much larger fcale, and who
had more opportunities of obtaining information. This
:perfon was Vaffili Tatifichef, who, in 17 20,- began to col led
,,-materials for a-.complete hiftory o f Ruffia ; and continued
his refearches-without intermiffion for the fpace o f 30 years.
;The indefatigable compiler finiihed his account to the
reign, o f Feodor Ivanovitch ; and was bringing it down to
this century, when heath put a period to his labours. Part
o f this great work-w-as confumedin.a fire.; and the remainder
■was publiihed after the author’s death by Mr. Muller. It
-conflits o f three large volumes in quarto. The firit contains
-feveral-curious differtations relative, to the antiquity o f the
-Sclavonian nation ; while the fécond and third comprife the
. hiftory o f the-Ruffian empire, from its earlieft origin to the
year 12 3 7 .
It can hardly'be called a regular hiftory, but Is rather a
conne£ted feries o f chronicles, whofe antiquated Sclavonian
dialeits are only changed into the Ruffian idiom ; and the
author is. juftly cenfured for not regularly citing the various
annalifts as he abridges or new mcylels them, and for not
affigning the reafons which induced him to prefer the
writers whofe relations he has adopted, , to tliofe which he
has reje£ted ffl
* Bach. .Ruff. Bib. for 1774, p. 4 3 ; alfo for. -17.75, p. 316. L ’ Eyefque, Wb1. 1.
;a>. X X X I . , •
Since
h i s t o r i a n s . >93
Since Tatifchef, feveral writers * have publiihed collections c^ p'
o f ftate papers and other documents ; but the honour of>— <— >
compofing a complete hiftory o f this country is probably re-
ferved for prince Sherebatof, who, i f we except Mr. Muller,
has contributed more than any other perfon towards il-
luftrating the Ruffian annals.
This learned nobleman is editor o f the following works :
A journal o f Peter the Great in 2 vols, quarto, which
he found in the archives, and publiihed by order o f the
emprefs. It conflits o f eight books, five o f which were
corrected by Peter himfelf. The firit volume begins with
the infurreCtion o f the Strelitz in 1698, and finiihes with the
year 1 7 1 4 ; and the fécond concludes with the peace o f
Nyftadt in 17 21. Thelearned editor has added feveral remarks,
and fome important pieces from the Ruffian archives.—-The
Ruffian Hiftory, by- an Antient Annalift, from the beginning
of the reign of Volodimir Monomoka in 1 1 1 4 , to 147 2, in
which the author particularly dwells upon the civil feuds in
the city o f Novogorod, and its fubjeCtion to Ivan Vaffilievitçh I.
— The Life o f Peter the Great, in the Ruffian language, firft
publiihed at Venice; which the prince reprinted in 1774,
and, according to his ufual cuftom, enriched with many hif-
torical obfervations.—— His own works are, an Account o f the
Ruffian Impoftors : amongft thefe is the Life o f Demetrius,
which is chiefly drawn from the fame fources as thofe which
Mr. Muller confultSd in his relation o f the fame period.-— But
this noble author’s great work now comes under confideration,
* Particularly N o v ik o f , in his antient has alfo p u b liih ed an H iito rica l Journa^
Ruffian L ib ra ry , in ten volumes, a work' ev e ry mon th , from 1 7 5 5 1 0 1 7 6 5 . I t c o n -
thu8 cJtiara£ler(ifed b y L ’Evefque : “ Re cu e il lifts o f 20 volumes,. o<5tavo, an d contains
“ de pieces originales e t au th en tique s, t i- “ un g ran d n omb re de m o rce au x h ifto-
“ rées dé s cabinets et des archives ; on y “ riques très intéreffans, dont la p lu p a r t ont
‘ trouve des mo rce au x très importantes.” , “ é té compofés p a r le favan t M u lle r .’ *
V o l. I . x x i v . T h e acad emy o f fciences Ib id .
Vol. II. C e his