b o o k This treatife afforded me great fatisfadtion in the perufal;
— .— »becaufe the author, while he demonftrates the advantages
o f landed property to the peafant, does not conceal the
difficulties which muff neceffarily occur in realizing an object
o f fuch confequenee. He is not one o f thofe fpeculative
theorifts, who are for haftily changing the fundamental laws
o f a kingdom; but recommends the legiflaturetoconfer upon
the pealants a gradual-fucceffion of privileges, and to follow
the flow, but fit re -method o f inftrudtion and improvement.
This and feveral other effays upon the fame fubjedt have
been printed atPeteriburgh; and will certainly tend to excite
a candid fpirit o f inquiry, and to diffufe fuch principles o f
benevolence, as cannot fail o f being in time produdtive o f
fome good effedts.
The following judicious refledtion o f Catharine II. perhaps
comprehends in a few words the fum of the beff arguments,
which may be advanced on this fubjedt. “ L ’Agriculture ne
“ pourra jamais profperer la ou l’agriculteur ne poffede rien
i! en propre
From this general review o f the various inhabitants o f
Ruffia, it may be perceived, that though they are proceeding
towards civilization, they are ftill far removed from that ftate;
that a general improvement cannot take place while the
greateft part continue in abfolute vaffalage; nor can any effectual
change be introduced in the national manners, until
the people enjoy a -full fecurity in their perfons and property;
for what fhould encourage them to fucceed in any art, when
they do not'themfelves reap the benefits o f their labour, but
are taxed in proportion to their profits and induftry ?■
* A g r ic u ltu r e can never flouriHi in that p ro p e r ty . In f lrn f lio n s . & c . pou r le N o u -
■ n a tt„n where the huib-.iudman pofltffes no -vcau Cod e de L o ix , p . 83.
6 C H A P.
G ]
C H A- P.. VL -
Academy offciences.— Its origin and injiitution.— Tranfa&ions.--
— Members.— Library.— Mufeum.— FoJfiL bones o f elephants
and other animals found in '. Siberia.— Native copper
and iron.— Golden ornaments from feveral antient fepul-
chres.— Ruffian coins.— Waxen figure, o f Peter the Great.
— Celejlial globe o f Gottorp.— Academy o f arts.— Society
. for. the promotion, o f agriculture.-.— Corps de.cadets.— Cou
vent des demoifelles nobles..
^THhE Imperial Academy of'Sciences owes its inffitution to c h a p .
Peter the Great.. That great monarch, having during " VI-
his travels obferved'the advantage of publick focieties for the
encouragement and promotion o f literature, formed the de-
fign o f founding an academy o f fciences at St. Peteriburgli.
By the advice o f Wolf and Leibnitz, whom he confulted on
this occalion, the fociety was regulated, and feveral learned
foreigners were invited to become members. Peter himfelf
drew the plan, and figned it on the i oth o f February, i 7 24,
but was prevented, by the fuddennefs of his death, from
carrying it into execution. His deceafe, however, did not
prevent its completion ; for on the 21ft of December, 172 q,
Catharine I. eflabli'fhed it according to Peter’s plan ; and on
the 27 th o f the fame month the fociety was fifft affembled;
On the 1 ft o f Auguft, 1 7 26, Catharine honoured the meeting
with her prefence, when profeffor Bulfinger, a German
naturaliff o f great eminence, pronounced an oration upon the
' advances