book The prophecy, however, o f Sumorokof, which his entliu-
v! > fiafm for the theatrical abilities o f this great a£tor, or his affedtion
for the memory of his friend, led him to utter,, is far
from being fulfilled. The ftage, though it has fuffered a
confiderable lofs by the death o f Volkof, itiM fubfifts and
profpers under the aufpices and protedlion o f her prefent
majefty ; and from the fpecimens which I faw among the
foundlings at Mofcow, and in other femmaries, there feems
no reafon to apprehend the want of a future fupply.
To return from this digreffion, Alexander Sumorokof
was the fon o f Peter Sumorokof, a Ruffian nobleman, and
was born at Mofcow on the 14th o f November, 17 27 *. He
received the firft rudiments o f learning in his father’s houfe,
where, befide a grammatical knowledge o f his native tongue,
he was well grounded in the Latin language. Being removed
to the feminary o f the Cadets at St. Peterfburgh, he
profecuted his ftudies with unwearied application, and gave
very early proofs o f his genius for poetry. Even on holy-
days he would retire from his companions, who were engaged
in play, and devote his whole time to the perufal o f the Latin
and French writers; nor was it long before he himfelf attempted
to compofe.
The firft efforts o f his genius were love-fongs, whofe tender-
nefs and beauties, till then unexprefled in the Ruffian tongue,
were greatly admired, and confidered as certain prognofticks
o f his future fame. Upon quitting the feminary, he was
appointed adjutant, firft to count Golovkin, and afterwards
to count Rofomoufki; and being foon noticed and patronized
by count Ivan Shuvalof, he was introduced by that
Maecenas to the emprefs Elizabeth, who took him under her
* T h is a c count o f Sum o rok o f is ch iefly “ P e trow itch Sumo rok o f,” in Journ, St.
taken from “ K u r z e N a c h r ich t von den P e t . fo r 1778.
“ Leben und de r S chriften des, A le x an d e r
7 protedtion.
protection. About the 29 th year o f his age, an enthufiaftick Cy * p'
fondnefs he had contracted for the works o f Racine turned v—v-1-
his genius to the drama, and he wrote the tragedy o f Koref,
which laid the foundation o f the Ruffian theatre.
This piece Was firft adted by fome o f his former fchool-
mates the cadets, who had previoufly exercifed their talents
in declamations, and in adting a French play. The emprefs
Elizabeth, informed o f this new phaenomenon in the the~
atrical world, ordered the tragedy to be exhibited in her prefence
upon a fmall theatre o f the court, where German, Italian,
and French plays had been performed. The applaufe
and diftindtion which the author received on this occafion, -
encouraged him to. follow the bent o f his genius ; and he
produced fucceffively Hamlet, Ariftona, Sinaf and Truvor,
Zemira, Dimifa, Vitihelaf, the Falfe Demetrius, andMiciflaf.
Nor was his- mufe lefs fertile in comedies ; which are, Trif-
fotinus the Judge ; the Difpute between the Huiband and
Wife ; the Guardian ; the Portion acquired by Fraud ; the -
EnviousMan; Tartuffe; the Imaginary Cuckold ; the Mother
who rivals her Daughter; the Goffip; and the Three-
Rival; Brothers; He wrote alfo the operas o f Aleeftes, and •
Cephalus and Procris.
With refpedl to his tragedies Racine * was his model ; ;
and the Ruffian biographer o f Sumorokof, who feems a
competent judge o f his merit, allows, that “ though in fome
“ inftances he has attained all the excellence o f the French •
* .* * E le g ant comme R a c in e il tâcha d ’ i-
‘ miter la con d uite de fes plans 5 mais il ne
« Pl\f p én étre r le fecre t de n o tre inimitable
P°^te» I l voulut ê tre fag e comme lu i, il
fut froid, e t fa fcène manqua du mou ve-
M ment.” L 'E v e fq u e , V . p. 342.
« \ l En vo^ ant rap ro ch e r de R a cin e flans
y la conduite de fes p lan s , S um o ro k o f s’é-
oigna dans l ’aétion ; fouvent il e it fro id
dans les fcénes où R a c in e ele é lr ife les
■ coeurs e t les ames. L e s vers t ra g iq u es de
** Sum o rok o f ap p ro ch en t de la d ou ceu r , de *
u l’é lég an ce, e t de l ’ha rmonie de ceu x de
“ R a c in e , mais il s’en fau t bien q u ’ ils en
aient l ’am e .” L e C le r c , p . 7 6 .
His traged ies are w r it ten in rh ym e , in
th e A le x an d r in e v e r fe , th e fame as, the
F ren ch H e ro ick . His comedies are in profe.
I poet,