While from a mass, so late but breathing earth, See, social commerce swell with new-born pride, Shake off its languor,---court the ardent tide* ; * On the accession of his Majesty, several politic arrangements were made for the revival of commerce, which had sunk into the most unprofitable inactivity. The American Company was nearly annihilated, when his Majesty purchased a thousand shares of their stock; several of the nobles followed his example, and thus infused such energy and spirit into the undertaking, that within a period of two years, its funds became so flourishing, as to be worth 156 rubles per share. The establishments of this company extend from Cook's River on the north-west coast of America, to Norfolk Sound. At Prince William's Sound they have a dock, in which a vessel of 250 tons has been built by an English shipwright, who is now employed in building other vessels. These establishments are, however, wholly dependant on foreign supply for every article of consumption except wood, neither the coast nor the Aleutian islands producing corn, hemp, iron, &c. The necessary stores have hitherto been derived through Jakutsk and Ochotzk (a thousand miles asunder), and the vast distance, the risk and difficulty attending the carriage of them, in which 4000 horses and 350 drivers are annually employed, raise the price of the articles, even at Ochotzk, 560 per cent. The present expedition is an experiment of the advantage of sending these articles from Cronstadt. To a nation possessing a less enterprizing spirit than the Russians, the difficulties which have attended their commerce on the American coast, must have been fatal to it; it has, however, surmounted them, and now promises amply to recompense their perseverance and industry. The navigation of the Mediterranean opened new sources of wealth to the Russians; and the Emperor, by the establishment of commercial schools at Odessa, Nicclayef, &c. and the most Already see th' impetuous sails unfurl'd*, equitable regulations, has taken effectual means to render the advantage permanent and extensive. The exports of Petersburgh, which in 1742 did not amount to two millions and a half of rubles, in 1802 exceeded thirty millions. * The allusion here is to the expedition lately sent out by his Imperial Majesty on a voyage of discovery in the Pacific Ocean, and the embassy of M. de Resanoff, to the Emperor of Japan. This expedition, which has been appointed with great care, and the utmost munificence, comprises two British-built ships of 470 and 430 tons, formerly the Leander and Thames, now called the Nadeshda (the Hope), and the Neva, and purchased here by the Russian agent M. Rasumof. M. Von Krusenstern, who has the command of this little squadron, is a man in every respect qualified for the trust reposed in him he has visited Japan and China, and served several years in the British navy; -we may say of him in the words of Lucaa Quâ nullam meliûs, pelago turbante, carinæ Crastina, seu Phœbum videat, seu cornua Lunæ, Captain Liskanski commands the Neva.-The scientific men attached to this expedition, are-M. Tilesius and Dr. Langsdorf, as naturalists; Dr. Epenberg and Dr. Labaud, surgeons, &c.; Drs. Horner and Churchman, astronomers. M. Krusenstern arrived in the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, in Kamtschatka, on the 14th of July, in five mouths and a half from the coast of Brazil. On one of the Marquèsa islands he found an Englishman and a Frenchman, who had been wrecked in an American vessel near that island five years before, and who had adopted the manners, dress, (or rather The hallow'd ensign of blest peace to bear, undress) of the natives. On the 24th of August, M. Krusenstern was preparing to depart for Japan. Count Golofkin's embassy to China comprises General Suchtenlen, as historiographer; Ruttoffsky, as botanist; Schubert, as astronomer, &c. The embassy of Count Potocki to China overland, is not less for scientific researches than to promote commercial intercourse. The Count is attended by several gentlemen distinguished by their talents-by Adams, who explored Mount Caucasus, as zoologist and naturalist; by Redowsky, as botanist; by Pansner, as mineralogist and geologist; by Schubert, as astronomer; by young Klaproth, as philologist, &c. The literati, with their assistants, painters, artists, artificers, and a guard of fifty soldiers, in all about one hundred, set out on the 14th of May. Their route lies through Moscow, Nischney-Nowgorod, Kasan, Ekatarinenburg, to the south of Tobolsk, to Omsk, Kolywan, Irkutsk, as far as Kyachta, the Russian Staple on the border of Chinese Tartary. Here they were to wait for the Ambassador and the Chinese Ta-dschins, who are to escort them through the desert of Yobi and Kellow, Mongolia.Count Potocki followed about six weeks after his whole retinue comprized nearly three thousand persons*. * Alexander has invited men of genius from every country to settle in his dominions, and afforded them the most liberal protection. The German universities have been ransacked-agents have been sent to this country (Mr. Fletcher Campbell in par By subsequent accounts we have been informed that this enlightened commission has not been allowed to proceed, owing to the jealousy of the Chinese government :---it has consequently to retrace its steps.--Ed. Affrighted, fled the ruthless shock of war, And cherish'd there, with mild enforcement shines; ticular,) and even America has been searched for persons competent to fill the newly-established professorships. Amongst the numerous acquisitions thus obtained, are M. Tilesius, from Leipsic; Dr. Langsdorf, from Gottingen; Dr. Schneegas, from Gotha; Dr. Horner, from Hamburgh; Churchman, from America; the younger Klaproth, from Berlin, &c. His Ma jesty has established a school, which was last year opened with great solemnity, for the education of teachers of schools, and has sent a considerable number of youths, who have given proof of capacity and diligence, to the most celebrated universities, to pursue their studies, and to qualify themselves for professorships at home. His Majesty has founded two new universities at Dorpat and at Charkoff; and has, in imitation of the policy of Charlemagne, established at Petersburg public lectures on mathematics, physic, chemistry, &c. for the artillery corps; and the officers are under the necessity of attending them, as their pro motion is rendered dependant on their proficiency in these sciences. At Moscow, &c. besides the usual lectures to the students, his Majesty has ordered that there be read for the public at large, lectures adapted to their capacity, on history, physic, commerce, and the history of the European states; and to these persons of both sexes are invited and with a view to Neglected Wilna* gladdens at the sight, the farther extension of useful knowledge, the Imperial Academy of Science is required to publish two volumes annually, of a Technological Journal, containing the latest discoveries in the arts, together with their uses. His Majesty has revived the university of Wilna, which he has organized on the German system, and has granted 105,000 rubles in silver annually for its support. The professors have salaries of 1000 rubles in silver, and 500 more for each supplementary course; and foreigners entering it, are exempt from certain duties and restrictions on arriving in or leaving Russia. The benevolent example of the Sovereign has animated the nobility and clergy throughout the country to devote them. selves to the sacred duties of humanity. M. Von Demidoff, of Moscow, has given an estate, comprising 3578 peasants, and 300,000 rubles, towards the support of places of public instruction. Counsellor Jude'nkow has contributed 40,000 rubles towards the endowment of schools in Little Russia; the nobility in Podolia have formed a fund competent to the erection and support of seminaries in that province; and the superiors of most of the Basilian Monasteries have appropriated a considerable portion of their revenues for the instruction of the poor in their respective dioceses. The minister of public instruction, in his report for the last year, states, that the number of schools created, or supported from the royal treasury, amount to 494, containing 1425 teachers, and 33,484 male pupils, at an annual expense to his majesty of 1,727,732 rubles, or 215,9661. sterling. In. dependent of these, there are numerous civil and military acadamies, and a considerable number for the instruction of females, exclusive of several hundreds which are established in the different provinces by public or private benefactions. The |