What an oaf! Came to study Latin at the age of twenty! Lomonosov was a tall strong fellow and he studied along with children 7-10 years old who often laughed at him. He had a heavy character - a thorn in everyone’s side, besides liking an occasional drink. Crushed the furniture, broke the mirror as well as chopped up the door with a rapier… so much so that five guardsmen only just managed to lock Lomonosov up. There was another nuance – they were wed in a Lutheran church. His wife was not a sociable woman at all. When Empress Elizabeth came to visit the newly built laboratory and Lomonosov began to demonstrate his experiments, Elizabeth said: “You know, Mikhail Vasilievich, it’s all very much interesting, but please do not bother me with this anymore as I trust you completely.” It’s not because he is Peter’s son; it’s because he’s simply a genius. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century Good day, dear friends. I’m happy to see you again in a new season of our stories from Russian history on Culture TV channel. As you know, our lectures are then aired on the Internet because the main principle of our lecture hall is universal and free history education. Today’s narration is dedicated to a hero, of whom, I initially didn’t plan to speak at all. It’s only due, as was usually said on Soviet television, to numerous requests from viewers – many times did you ask me to tell you about Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov; however, frankly speaking, I didn’t think this topic to be that interesting. Lomonosov to us seems like something abstract, something very vague. What do we know about him? Looks like he founded Moscow University or at least came up with such an initiative; wrote some heavy and complicated lyrics – was kind of a poet; was kind of a scientist, but it’s not very clear what inventions he made and, basically, what sciences he practiced; was a kind of an artist – he created huge mosaic panels, only one of which springs to mind: ‘Poltava Battle’, and we immediately picture Peter the Great in profile on a horse with a saber; he seemed to have studied history and had serious arguments with Germans, as one of our humourists said: “in his agitated debate with Miller, Lomonosov broke his nose” (in Russian Lomonosov means ‘nose breaker’). Well, that’s basically it. In the course of my preparation for this lecture I read an article by an American historian in which he wrote: “Look who this Lomonosov is: an absolutely hyped and propagandised by Russian and especially Soviet science character. Russians needed to create a national hero in the scientific sphere and, because they couldn’t find any figure to fit, they chose Lomonosov, Peter the Great’s analogue in science. Well, what kind of scientist is he? He didn’t create or discover anything, didn’t have any followers or leave any scientific heritage nor did he start a scientific school – an artificially inflated personality.” So, I took personal offence and decided to immerse into the subject more deeply. At the end of the 80’s, there appeared an interesting TV series called ‘Mikhailo Lomonosov’, an epic film about Lomonosov’s life. The title was no mistake as Lomonosov didn’t like to be addressed to as Mikhail and called himself emphatically Mikhailo to stress his truly Russian folk origin from up north, from the Archangel pomors (coast-dwellers). In reality, from the ethnic point of view, Lomonosov was no pomor as pomors were just groups of fishermen who lived along the sea coast – people united by their mode of life and professional activities. So, in this regard, having been born not far from Kholmogory settlement in Archangel province into a state peasant family, Mikhail Lomonosov could technically be, in this sense, called a pomor. By the way, many years down the road, Lomonosov, taking pride in his folk origins, made fun of Duke Kurakin in this relation. The Duke once, in the presence of many people, ironically asked him: “Herr Professor, and who do you hail from?” Lomonosov, who at the moment was arguing that the Normans had played absolutely no role in the establishment of the Russian statehood, that we had had our own home rule and this version of historical events had been specifically invented, we’ll come back to this later, looked down in a peculiar way from all his height at Duke Kurakin and replied: “You know, my genealogical books have all drowned in the Great Flood.” Lomonosov’s father, Vasiliy Dorofeevich, and I draw your attention to this - Vasiliy Dorofeevich Lomonosov - as serfs then didn’t have patronymic names, possessed large plots of arable land; of course, the cost of land there in the north was not high but it cost plenty. He also owned a fishing business and called himself an industrialist – the main source of money in the north was fishery, fishing and selling, so he built himself not just a usual northern koch (small boat), but a bona fide European-style schooner, a big vessel then also called galleon, and dubbed it ‘Saint Archangel Michael’. So, he was quite a wealthy man, so much so that when the village church burned down, he made a donation about twenty times greater than any other towards the restoration of God’s abode. Therefore, Lomonosov didn’t come from just any ordinary family. However, most important was the atmosphere of the place where he was born, where he worked from childhood. Since he was ten, Lomonosov worked together with his father at sea – it was hard labour to bring in the fish, and as he himself later described it, his father had built all his wealth through ‘bloody sweat’. It was hard work, but it was hard work of a free man. So, these pomors as we shall call these people, united by their mode of life, not ethnically, living on the banks of the Northern Dvina river and along the White Sea coast were former natives of Novgorod who governed themselves, and never knew serfdom, indeed there was no nobility because there were no serfs. Indeed, from among these families of free and very industrious people could appear such individuals as Lomonosov. When exactly he was born, we do not know, we can only suppose that it was in the year of 1711, because the church birth records didn’t survive. For historical reference, the Poltava Battle happened in 1709, two years prior to his birth, and Lomonosov turned fourteen at the time of Peter I’s death in 1725. Afterwards, Lomonosov himself gave slightly different years of his birth, and it seems that he did it on purpose and for reasons only known to him. In general, his early biography is full of mysteries of which we will talk later. We don’t know if his father was literate. Most pomors were, but his father didn’t teach Lomonosov to read and write and he didn’t attend school as there were none at the time – he was taught by a literate neighbour and priest of the same local village church. Legend has it that this local priest soon fell down to his knees before the young Lomonosov in humble reverence admitting that he had nothing more to teach him as the lad had surpassed him in knowledge. It’s a legend, of course, but a nice one, you will agree. However, the neighbour had a small library at home where young Mikhailo, future member of the Science Academy, had found, as he later mentioned in his memoirs and letters, the ‘gates of wisdom’. In essence, these ‘gates of wisdom’ consisted of two books: Smotritskiy’s ‘Grammar’ and Magnitskiy’s famous ‘Arithmetic’ that was a popular manual not just on arithmetic but also on geometry, physics, geography and astronomy – basically, on all natural sciences. So, he knew mathematics even back then. And in answer to my children’s question as to why they have to study mathematics, I cite Lomonosov: “Mathematics needs to be studied just because it puts your mind in order.” It’s worth remembering. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century Now, the first mystery is when Lomonosov was born and the second is what made a young lad from a free wealthy agro-and-fishing business family drop everything, secretly abandon his family and leave all alone for Moscow. What kind of strange curiosity? Everyone else would have inherited his father’s business, his family land, a big schooner. I reckon it was this curiosity for life that drove Lomonosov - when he went out at sea with his father, and gazed at the horizon he kept asking himself where those ice floes came from, how ice itself formed and why the Sun couldn’t melt it, why seasons of the year changed and what lay beyond those northern sea boundaries. Once again, this was a land of free and inquisitive people. If we assume that, statistically, geniuses are born one in a million, there still has to be a million coincidences that would allow their geniality to transpire. Say, a brilliant physicist is born somewhere in a Mongolian desert – he will have no opportunity whatsoever to realise himself, and thus, this genius will be lost to humanity. In case of Lomonosov, his natural curiosity was combined with a great number of subjective factors. His mother died early, his father remarried twice afterwards and the boy’s relationships with both his stepmothers didn’t work out at all. With time, his relationship with his father also deteriorated – his father saw him as an heir to his fishing business, though the boy didn’t want to follow in his footsteps. In the end, it was decided to wed the lad against his will - after all he was nineteen years old, already a grown up. It was believed he would thus come to his senses, build a family, have children… but Mikhailo didn’t want it; he wanted to study. Drowning in everyday family life seemed like the sinking of all his hopes. At the end of 1730, as he later wrote in his biography, the following happened: “A caravan with frozen fish set off from the settlement for Moscow. The following night when everyone in the father’s household was asleep, he put on two shirts and a sheepskin coat for warmth and ran away to catch up with the caravan.” Lomonosov caught up with it on the third day and it took a long, long time to persuade the caravan leader to take him along to Moscow. Mystery number three: so, he arrived in Moscow, a peasant’s son, on his own and without money, besides his clothes he only brought three books: Psalter and the aforementioned ‘Grammar’ and ‘Arithmetic’. In theory, he should have been detained, but no, he had a passport on him which would have been prepared well in advance. So, this wasn’t an emotional escapade after all? Never after did Lomonosov mention or explain this. And then another mystery: he entered a higher educational establishment, in fact, the only one available then – Slavo-Greek-Latin Academy situated in the monastery in Nikolskaya street that was affiliated to the Synodal Department. However, it was strictly forbidden, by decree of the Holy Synod, to “admit peasant’s children, as well as those of unknown origin and malevolent character” because there were very few scholarship vacancies that provided not only free education, but also living quarters for the alumni and paid food allowance. Nonetheless, Lomonosov enrolled and was admitted to this Academy having somehow pleaded that he was a nobleman’s son, at first, but later that he was the son of a priest - and no one bothered to expose him! Well, it’s another mystery… So, he starts from elementary class, beginning class as it was named then, and he is nineteen. Lomonosov was a tall strong fellow and he studied together with children 7-10 years old who often laughed at him. “What oaf – as he later reminisced of himself - came to study Latin at the age of twenty!” It was nothing though - strong character withstood all the ridicule. Lomonosov studied in such a rhythm that allowed him to complete a one-year programme in half a year, so after one year he was in third grade and in five years, he had completed the full curriculum. In fact, from the very beginning he stood out for his abilities and diligence. Lomonosov lived modestly and later recalled that his allowance at the Greek-Latin Academy amounted to three kopecks per day: one kopeck he spent on kvas (rye drink), half a kopeck on bread and the remaining money was just enough to buy clothes and various household items. Basically, he lived half-starved and in order to make ends meet student Lomonosov wrote letters and petitions for other people, chopped wood, worked as stevedore, helped to conduct funeral services at church and undertook everything that paid money. This financial shortage would run like a red thread through his whole life. Lomonosov was permanently in debt and it went on until his death. For this reason, I will continually speak of money and his earnings. You see, he had no serfs or an estate, no prize money for successful warfare, nothing… this man had always lived off his great mind and hard work. Another mystery is this - a wide spectrum of academic subjects was being taught at the Academy: natural sciences, mathematics and, naturally, theology, and Lomonosov was actually being prepared to become a priest, but at some stage, the deception that he was not a noble’s or a clergyman’s son became uncovered. So, what should follow? Expulsion with disgrace? No, somehow Lomonosov managed to break through for an audience to Feofan Prokopovich himself, Vice President of the Holy Synod and closest associate of Peter the Great, then already deceased, and the man liked him and stood up for him. Moreover, some time after Lomonosov had managed, or maybe had got specifically chosen as one of the best students, to continue his education at Saint Petersburg Academic University. It’s important to understand that at the time this University, being a very small educational establishment, pertained to the Academy of Sciences, founded by Peter I, which was such an exclusive closed circle of scientists financed by the State and all professorial staff at the Academy was foreign without exception. You see, Peter I wished for the Science Academy to get operational as soon as possible, but scientists were nowhere to be found as secular academic science was then simply non-existent in Russia. There were either very talented but self-educated mechanics like Nartov and Kulibin or good teachers like Magnitskiy, but natural scientists, in the European sense, were just absent. So, Peter invited foreigners, mostly from Germany. And the task of the Science Academy was to nurture domestic scientific cadre at the University. However, it was not prestigious for noblemen to go into science, they remained uninterested and only strived for a career in military or government service. And serfs were denied access whatsoever. Thus, the University eked out a rather miserable existence, and in order to at least keep the educational institution alive, a dozen students from Moscow gets transferred over to Saint Petersburg. For this purpose, the Senate allocates five rubles a month for the maintenance of one such student. For Lomonosov, this already means some progress. Soon, due to the fact that he spoke good German and had learned Greek and Latin as well, had established himself as a diligent person with an inquisitive mind, he made his way to a select group for study abroad. Three top students of Saint Petersburg University were sent to study mining and chemistry at one of the best European universities of the time in Marburg, Germany. Demand for mining engineers was colossal back then, and Mikhail Lomonosov was among the chosen three. This time his documents reflect the truth: peasant’s son from Archangel province, 22 years of age. Never mind that he was 25 – he tried to lower his age by all means so as not to look such an overgrown youth. Each student receives a huge amount of money in advance before departure – three hundred rubles. Just imagine, in his time at the Greek-Latin Academy he had been paid one ruble a month allowance and here he’d picked up a fortune. Thus, he paid off all his debts. He’d always owed money but then he always paid it back. The remaining two hundred rubles he converted into German currency. One German reichsthaler then equaled approximately eighty kopecks, more or less the same as one US dollar equaled sixty kopecks in Soviet times; however, it was impossible to make such an exchange in the USSR, it was more of a virtual exchange rate. It’s interesting how Lomonosov had spent this money according to a fiscal report he sent to Saint Petersburg; here goes: Transportation cost from Lubeck to Marburg – 37 thalers (transport was expensive back then); One suit – 50 thalers (it’s not today’s clothes made in China - every item was hand-sewn back then, material was expensive and tailor’s work was worth even more); Firewood for the whole winter period – 8 thalers;
Fencing teacher – 5 thalers for the first month;
Art teacher - 4 thalers;
French language teacher - 9 thalers a month (interesting that a language teacher received twice as much as a fencing teacher); A wig, laundry, shoes, stockings - 28 thalers (well, shoes were as expensive as clothes); Books were expensive back then and Lomonosov purchased a whole library - books in German, Latin and French. He read all the time. His usual study day was as follows: from 9 o’clock to 10 o’clock – physics, from 10 to 11 – drawing, from 11 to 12 – theoretical physics, lunch break. Classes after lunch: metaphysics, logic, French language and in the evening dancing or fencing classes. Notwithstanding a busy study day, Lomonosov was no angel and was part of the student brotherhood. Germany was a student country and students were even allowed to wear a sword like the nobility back in Russia. Therefore, duels were quite frequent. Lomonosov was a reveller and a brawler; he accrued a lot of debts, same as his fellow companions. By the way, one of the students who travelled abroad with Lomonosov, a younger man of course, was Dmitriy Vinogradov – founder of the famous Imperial porcelain factory. He was the very same scientist who revealed the secret of fine сhina and launched the manufacture of Russian porcelain of no less quality than Chinese. Lomonosov was lucky with his tutor as it happened to be a German professor, von Wolff, a true big star of European science, who singled out Lomonosov by stating: “This Russian guy is a bright head”. Von Wolff not only welcomed Lomonosov at his home and provided him with meals, but also covered his debts, lent money and otherwise helped him out. Much later, Lomonosov, having become a full professor of the Science Academy back home, would eventually pay off all debts to his former tutor and benefactor. Indeed, it was a stroke of luck that, having originally made his way into the theological education system, Lomonosov then went to Germany where he immersed into physics, chemistry, mining, languages, mathematics and would soon become a true scientist of the new era, and a Russian scientist at that, who managed to best his teachers. It’s a pity I haven’t had time to watch again this Soviet TV series, but I reckon that a hundred-episode series could be filmed based on Lomonosov’s life story, ten seasons at least that would obscure the likes of ‘The House of Cards’. His life was like a solid adventure novel. The years of study in Germany seemed like an endless stream of adventures with such twists in the plot that the screenwriters do not even need to invent anything and just follow his life movements. For example, here is an excerpt from his academic biography: at some stage student Lomonosov happened to have been recruited as a foot soldier in the Prussian army. This is how it came about – once he stayed the night at an inn and came across a Prussian officer who was on recruitment mission accompanied by several soldiers. Here a strange thing happened – the officer most politely invited Lomonosov to sit down and join him and his subordinates for dinner and a few drinks. Over dinner, he began to praise the royal military service and got our traveller so drunk that he couldn’t remember the subsequent events of that night. Having come round in the morning, Lomonosov found several Prussian coins in his pocket. The officer then called him a brave soldier and said that he would be happy serving in the Prussian army to which Lomonosov cried out in despair: “How so?! But I’m a Russian!” The soldiers replied: “Well, don’t you remember that last night you joined the Prussian army, shook hands with our lieutenant to seal the deal and fraternised with us over drinks? No worries, soldier, you’ll love it there”. In fact, that was a classic modus operandi of the Prussian army recruiters – get strong young men senselessly drunk in a pub and lull them into raising a toast to the King’s health, which in itself equalled to pledging allegiance and commitment to enlist in professional military service, from which in Prussia, there was absolutely no way back at that time. But not for Lomonosov. He somehow managed to ingratiate himself into the confidence and lull the vigilance of officers and field sergeants in the Prussian training camp. And good for him because the main principle in Friedrich’s army was: “Be afraid of the sergeant’s stick more than the enemy’s bullets”. Another secret is that we don’t know how long Lomonosov stayed in the Prussian army camp as there are no sources that could tell us this information. Maybe a month, maybe half a year. One way or the other the vigilance of the guardians had been lulled and one night he escaped. He crawled out of the barracks, climbed the six-meter-high rampart surrounding the camp, jumped off without breaking his legs, swam across the moat and then ran as fast as he could for seven and a half kilometers, sensing pursuit behind his back. Why seven and a half kilometers? Because it was exactly this distance to the Prussian border and the chasing horsemen couldn’t go beyond it. So, Lomonosov escaped after all. At the age of thirty, after several years of education in Germany and time full of adventures and moves to and fro, for he took his studies in a number of towns, Mikhail Lomonosov eventually came back to Saint Petersburg. He arrived home a very well educated and knowledgeable specialist of the widest profile and entered service in the Academy of Sciences where he was gladly received as a learned man with at least two higher European degrees who had returned to his homeland and would work at the Academy. However, everyone’s joy was rather premature, because they had yet to discover his heavy character. Lomonosov turned out to be a thorn in everyone’s side as he was a man who cared about everything, his talent enormous, but uncomfortable to many. Before we carry on with Lomonosov’s work at the Academy a few words have to be said about his marital status. He married when in Germany. She was a young girl, daughter of the lady who owned the house where he quartered. The girl’s name was Elizabeth, she had a brother and her father was a respectable man, a brewer and a local churchwarden. There was a wedding and a daughter was born, but when leaving for Saint Petersburg, Lomonosov leaves his wife and daughter behind. Why? Those who dislike Lomonosov say that he simply abandoned his family. More serious researchers say that he just couldn’t possibly have brought them along because he simply couldn’t afford it for he was returning to the unknown and wasn’t sure he would get a job and be able to provide for them. Therefore, he supposed he should settle down first, earn some money and only then bring his family over. There was another nuance – they were wed in a Lutheran church. Of course, Lutherans were not Catholics and Russians were tolerant towards protestants, but for an Orthodox person to get wed in a Lutheran church… this could have lamentable consequences. And so Lomonosov preferred to keep it to himself. Thus, only after some time did his family join him in Saint Petersburg and it remains unknown whether it was Lomonosov himself who had initiated the move or his spouse. Besides, it’s not clear how he could have gotten away with this Lutheran marriage back then, which is another mystery. However, Empress Elizabeth didn’t just let it pass but also gave some upstart money and a royal present for the newly-weds as they, naturally, had to re-wed in the Russian tradition. Upon conversion to Orthodoxy, Lomonosov’s wife became Elizaveta Andreevna and her brother Ivan Andreevich. She turned out to be a good woman and they lived happily. We know little of her though. Lomonosov was immersed into his work. Unfortunately, their first daughter passed away in infancy and in Saint Petersburg, she gave birth to another girl. Elizaveta Andreevna was not a sociable woman at all. She didn’t like balls and Lomonosov only occasionally managed to drag her out to social events because he, having become a leading scientist and a prominent administrator, had to maintain this social interaction with the authorities and public. It was not comme il faut to show up alone at a ball when one was married. When his wife arrived in Saint Petersburg with their child and her brother, Lomonosov happened to be under arrest. In fact, he was put under arrest on several occasions, both under house arrest and in actual prison, although not for long. The reason behind his detentions was his explosive temper. Lomonosov was a hot-tempered man, besides liking an occasional drink. And when a strong Russian guy has a good drink, never mind an Associate of the Academy of Sciences, and enters into argument with someone, it’s better he be avoided. Here’s a description of events that actually led to one of his arrests… Once, he couldn’t find his coat and in search of it called on his neighbour, gardener Johann Sturm - after there would circulate information on how Lomonosov quarreled and fought with German academics on scientific and historical issues, but this is an example of how it could be in ordinary life. So, Lomonosov drops in on the gardener who happened to be holding a party. Naturally, his house was full of Germans. Upon seeing a Russian barbarian, one of the guests made a comment to this regard, which Lomonosov heard and then showed what an enraged Scyth really looked like. Whilst the host was running around in search of the city guards, Lomonosov fell on his guests with all his Scythian merciless might. He grabbed a wooden wig stand (other sources ascertained it was a coat hanger), by means of which he ran off everyone present into the street, crushed the furniture, broke a mirror and chopped up a door with a rapier… So much so that five guardsmen only just managed to overpower and lock up Lomonosov, who was spitting blood, had bruised knee and crushed chest, but kept rushing into battle. As a result, he was charged with dishonourable conduct and knotched up several more such charges during his first few years at the Academy. Once, he faced dismissal from the Academy and corporal punishment by whipping; however, I quote, “The Senate heard the outraged report of the Inquiry Commission and decided the following: for his insulting conduct the said adjunct (he was not yet a professor then) must deliver his apologies to the professors and receive half of the monthly salary”. And that was all. Again, a mystery – Lomonosov kept getting away with his outrageousness. Anyone else would have long lost his job, especially since the Germans wrote collective complaints against him. However, here you heard the decision of the Senate i.e. the supreme judicial authority. Another episode shows that the spirit never left the young scientist, even in the hardest of troubles. Sometime in the early 1740’s, so he was in his thirties, Lomonosov was taking a stroll somewhere in the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. There he was taking a walk when three sailors jumped out of the bushes and assaulted him. The sailors were foreign, I must mention. There was no one around. Lomonosov hit one of the assailants so that he couldn’t get up, hit another sailor in the face and he ran back into the bushes dripping blood. The third one he pinned to the ground and menacingly yelled in his face that he would kill him if the sailor didn’t tell him all their names and why they had attacked him. The perpetrator admitted that they had planned nothing else but to rob him and then let him go. Lomonosov said: “You rascal, so you are robbers! In which case, I will rob you myself in return”. He made the assailant take off his coat, jacket, shirt and pants, then kicked him hard in the teeth so that the guy hit the ground, carefully tied up those clothes in a bundle and triumphantly stating that it was his trophy headed proudly for home with the loot. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century Jokes aside, let’s seriously dwell on what Lomonosov was first in. Practically in everything. In those times, he was well-known as a poet. He was a master at composing odes. For instance, his brilliant Ode to the Empress Elizabeth – she liked it so much, especially the bit about her “ascending to the throne, daughter of Peter…” where he proceeds to compare her with the rising Sun and “the waters of the Neva reflect her beauty and greatness…” Elizabeth was deeply touched, as any woman would be, and Lomonosov earned a feather in his cap and a huge award of two thousand rubles. At last, he was able to pay off all his debts, yet again. The trouble was that at the moment the Treasury didn’t have this amount in silver coin and Lomonosov was asked to wait until the worthy coin would appear. But of course, he couldn’t wait. As always, he had big debts and agreed to take his prize money in copper, i.e. small coin. Two thousand rubles turned out to be a huge cart with a load of copper coins, which Lomonosov collected and rode home on. This situation reminded me of the story from the Swedish children’s tales about Karlsson. In one of them, Karlsson gets spotted when he was in the sky above the city and taken for a Russian spy that was flying around Stockholm and taking intelligence photographs. When the local newspaper announced a big reward, Karlsson immediately turned up at the editorial office, declared that he was that flying object over the city and demanded the reward for himself. And since Karlsson didn’t recognize paper money he said he would collect the amount due to him in 5 öre copper coins. The coins were loaded on a wheel cart and he proudly rolled it home. In the Soviet cartoon series about Karlsson, this episode isn’t reflected but it somehow makes me draw a parallel to Lomonosov who rode that big cart loaded with copper money. Surely, he did flatter the Empress but this flattery was very much reasonable and rational for thus he tried to bring Elizabeth to supporting science, promoting education. He hinted in a subtle way that Peter the Great indeed had built a new Russia, Peter did found the Academy of Sciences, Peter did open numerous educational institutions and that she, daughter of Peter, should be worthy of her great father and render her support to science. Exactly how Dale Carnegie taught. So, Lomonosov was the first poet. Next, at the age of 34 he became the first Professor of Chemistry. At the same time along with Lomonosov, one of the founders of the Russian poetry, Vasiliy Trediakovskiy, was promoted to Professor of Eloquence. Thus, after twenty years since the foundation of the Academy of Sciences, two natural Russians at last took their places among the Academicians. Another bit of luck for Lomonosov was in the fact that Duke Kirill Razumovskiy, younger brother of Elizabeth’s current favourite, Alexey Razumovskiy, soon became President of the Science Academy. Duke Kirill was a well-educated young man and had only recently returned from his European travels. He held great respect for Lomonosov and started to support his projects. The following year, the first public scientific lecture was delivered in the lecture hall within the Academy walls. And, quite naturally, Lomonosov was the one who delivered it. It was an event previously unseen and it collected a full house. In attendance were not only students and academics, but there was also a representation from the Royal Court and a number of cadets from Shlyakhetskiy Cadet Corps. On 24th June, a recount of this landmark event was published in the newspaper Saint Petersburg Vedomosti; it read: “This 20th day of June, by commission of the President of the Academy of Sciences, Duke Kirill Razumovskiy, Professor Lomonosov of the said Academy commenced to read public lectures on experimental physics in Russian language. Besides the presence of numerous military and civilian ranks, the President of the Academy himself was in attendance along with certain court cavaliers and other notable persons.” Lomonosov launched the first scientific research laboratory in the history of our country – it was a chemical laboratory. I will go into more detail because it was an occurrence very much characteristic of our Russian system. To start with, for five years Lomonosov had been writing petitions to anyone who would listen, in which he insisted that Russia needed its own full-fledged chemical laboratory, but to no avail. I should say that chemistry was his favourite discipline. Then Razumovskiy, who held personal respect for the scientist, stepped in as the Academy’s President and Lomonosov eventually managed to persuade the young Duke to sanction the construction and equipment of the said laboratory at the state’s expense. It took another year to get the project and cost estimates approved and funding confirmed. In the end, when everything was signed off, the contract was taken on by a certain Mikhail Gorbunov, peasant from Yaroslavl, who had won the tender (as we see, all was done in accordance with Federal Law # 44). The total cost of construction amounted to one thousand three hundred and forty-four rubles – a big sum. The facility was built by the contractor and equipped in three months. So, think of it - five years of petitions, one year of project approvals and three months of construction. This chemical laboratory became one of the best in Europe and I’m sure that its experimental precision couldn’t be disputed even today, even by the most meticulous of experimenters. For example, the sensitivity of so-called experimental scales, made for Lomonosov by the armourers of Sestroretsk, when tested by Soviet scientists two centuries later, didn’t exceed 0,000005. Frankly speaking, I don’t understand what this figure with lots of zeros after the decimal point actually means but it says a lot about the level of craftsmanship. Even the smallest of weights were made of silver that is considered to give maximum precision. Sets of weights were stored is special boxes and only tweezers were permitted when using them. The smallest weight available in the laboratory allowed to weigh chemical substances with a precision of up to 0.0003g. I can’t even imagine this. Once, Empress Elizabeth came to visit the newly built laboratory and Lomonosov began to show her various experiments, reactions, equipment etc. The Empress was a kind woman and not very much advanced in sciences. As is known, until her death Elizabeth believed that it was possible to get to England by land without leaving a carriage. She said: “You know, Mikhail Vasilievich, it’s all very much interesting but please do not bother me with this anymore as I trust you completely. Go ahead and practice your chemistry. However, if you want my opinion, it would be better if you composed poetry and wrote down those verses of yours. You write them so well!” Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century Besides the first scientific laboratory, Lomonosov was the first to fight against ‘brain drain’ or, using modern language, he fought against scientific relocation. All was pretty much easy back then – if you wanted to go abroad to study or work and it was not a trip arranged and paid for by a university, all you had to do was find guarantors. Once these guarantors vouched for you with their name and property, you could receive a subsidy from the Treasury, go study wherever you wanted, then come back and, say, work from home. And then one day Lomonosov was approached by one of the employees of the Academy with a request to act as a guarantor. He was supposed to be going to Germany for studies and professional development at one of the universities for a period of one year. However, at the end of this study leave he did not return to Russia and instead, sent a letter to Razumovskiy, Academy President, in which he informed that he planned to stay in Germany for he had been appointed Professor of the local university. Nothing was said about repayment of the money. The Academy then began to withhold half of Lomonosov's salary because he was the guarantor. Lomonosov wrote an indignant letter to the non-returnee in his own vivid expressions: “I truly do not cease to be surprised at how you have broken your promises, contract and oath without any shame and conscience, and have forgotten both the benevolence and love and respect that you enjoyed in Russia”. Of course, the atmosphere at the Academy was not easy, after all there were almost no Russian professors except Lomonosov and Trediakovsky. The Germans were different, though many of them, by the way, took Russian citizenship. There are always intrigues and disputes in the scientific world. One of the pillars of the Academy of Sciences was Johann Schumacher, a well-known enemy and opponent of Lomonosov. Lomonosov exposed him as a thief, saying that he spent budget funds irrationally. Schumacher in his turn accused Lomonosov of being engaged in pseudoscience. And so, Schumacher, in an attempt to remove Lomonosov from his professorship and, accordingly, from membership in the Academy, sent Lomonosov's large scientific article, or, in modern language, a dissertation, for review to the world luminary of that time, a foreign member of the Academy of Sciences, the great mathematician, Euler. However, contrary to expectations, Euler's review of Lomonosov's dissertation was very enthusiastic, which, by the way, forever suppressed doubts about Lomonosov's scientific competence. Do not think that in our Academy scientific thought was somehow cooking in its own juice. By no means, there was actually a pan-European scientific space. Academic collections with scientific articles and experimental results were published. They were published in Latin and then sent out to all European universities. Our Academy also subscribed to scientific journals, publications and almanacs of other European universities. One of the most famous laws formulated by Lomonosov is the law of conservation of matter or conservation of mass. It has different names but is more commonly known as the Lomonosov-Lavoisier law, although the French scientist only just experimentally confirmed Lomonosov's hypotheses and experiments, which, by the way, had been formulated in the famous letter to Euler. In its modern formulation the law sounds like this: “The weight of all substances entering into a reaction is equal to the weight of all reaction products.” It seems obvious to us now, but then it was a real scientific breakthrough. I can imagine what sort of questions was being asked then: What does it mean that matter cannot appear out of nowhere? How's that? And how did the Lord create the material world out of nothing? And in six days? It wasn't all that simple to comprehend back then. Lomonosov conducted chemical experiments that confirmed this law. And it is quite possible that Lavoisier, who twenty years later also experimentally confirmed the law, read all those scientific publications and almanacs where Lomonosov had published his works. So we don't know, maybe he just copied it. Lomonosov became the first scientist who, thanks to his intelligence and knowledge, made a worthy official and social career in the Russian Empire - he received a noble title, and at the end of his days a general's rank. In 1751, when Lomonosov was forty years old, the Senate issued a decree on the promotion of Professor Lomonosov to the rank of Collegiate Adviser with a salary of 1200 rubles a year, i.e. 100 rubles a month. Let's just compare this with his student scholarship of one ruble. This meant that Lomonosov had become a nobleman - an event of exceptional importance for the son of a peasant, albeit a free one. After all, academic positions and titles did not come with any class privileges. However, with a noble title he also received the opportunity to start his own business, purchase a factory or an estate - only a nobleman could do this. In the same year he appealed to the Senate with the following petition: "For the benefit of the Empire, I wish to start a factory for production of multicolored glass, glass beads and other haberdashery goods using the technology I have invented." So, Lomonosov was also the first inventor-cum-industrialist. He opened a glass factory that produced various kinds of special colored glass and mosaics. Count Shuvalov helped him with this. He later wrote: "On his behalf I begged the Empress for a village with forty serfs somewhere beyond Oranienbaum, but once Mikhailo settled there he just vanished out of life..." In addition, Shuvalov also arranged for Lomonosov an interest-free loan as starting capital for his enterprise and, of course, the right to have serfs as assigned workers to the factory, which only the Empress could sanction. It was there that the most famous mosaic "Poltava Battle" was made. All in all, about fifty mosaics of various kinds were created in this factory. In fact, Lomonosov nurtured the idea of using mosaics as monumental propaganda, because mosaics were not just very beautiful and unusual, but also durable. Mind you, back then it was the most cutting-edge technology. Lomonosov proposed to perpetuate all major and significant historical events in huge mosaics. It's a pity that it didn't work out and that almost all of Lomonosov's mosaics were either lost or crumbled and fell beyond repair. Actually, the factory itself was shut down upon his death, the serf factory workers were converted back into land farmers, the master specialists who were free men remained out of work and no one was left to pass the secrets of craftsmanship on to. It is impossible to imagine, but until now modern technologists cannot recreate all those shades of colors and the composition of various glasses that Lomonosov manufactured at his factory. But the fact that after all the factory was closed... As always, without a passionate leadership it would be the end of any business. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century We started talking about the inventor Lomonosov. I don't want to step on thin ice here, because I'm afraid to make a mistake in scientific terms, especially when talking about physics, chemistry or mineralogy. Therefore, so that we understand each other on how our overseas critics are unfair to the point of absurdity, in the broadest strokes, let me say just a few words about Lomonosov's inventions and innovations during those ten or twelve years that he actively worked at Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences. He formulated the basics of the kinetic theory of gases, explained the mystery of thunderstorms and revealed the secret of the Northern lights, because he had been very interested in this since he was a boy. As he said himself: "I've always wanted to understand what the Northern lights are." He figured it out and described it. Astronomer Lomonosov discovered that Venus had an atmosphere. Navigator Lomonosov believed that Russia needed to explore and develop the Northern Sea Route. So, he projected a maritime expedition along the Northern Sea Route around Russia and further to North America and India. At the level of reflection and intuition, he predicted that there was only ice and no land at the North Pole. But at the South Pole land would definitely be discovered - an unknown continent. The geologist Lomonosov expressed the idea of the evolution of nature, the fact that mountains and sea basins had changed places many times before due to the rise and fall of the earth's surface, which is, in fact, the basis of modern geology. Lomonosov suggested that amber is the resin of ancient plants, which insects sometimes got into at a time when the resin was still liquid. He correctly pointed out the role of ancient organisms in the formation of peat, coal and oil. Dokuchaev, our leading academic, a specialist in soil science, later recalled in his correspondence with Vernadsky: "You know, I read Lomonosov's work and was surprised to find that Mikhail Lomonosov discovered and explained everything that I’ve been trying to defend and actually defended in my doctoral dissertation, only a hundred years ago and much better, simpler and clearer.” Engineer Lomonosov created the whole science of glass, developed the theory and practice of glass production, studied the chemical composition of ores and glasses as well as made colored glasses and paints. Artist Lomonosov created dozens of mosaics. Engineer Lomonosov built fundamentally new optical devices, among which were: the first night vision device - his famous "night vision tube", telescopes working on a completely different principle and the first periscope ever built in Russia. In general, as a scientist, Lomonosov had achieved incredibly much. Whatever he did, the scope of his interests was truly limitless. It is obvious that back then it was as if he started off his scientific endeavours with a clean slate and gradually filled it up with valuable content thanks to his incredible curiosity in all spheres of knowledge. And, of course, only for this should we be infinitely grateful to him. On top of everything else Lomonosov was also an organiser of education, a proponent of enlightenment and founder of the Moscow State University that now bears his name. Along with his work at the Academy and at the factory, he ardently advocated the establishment of a university in Moscow to Shuvalov and eventually convinced him. Shuvalov submitted to the Senate the final draft of a project that was actually based on a document drawn up by Lomonosov. And by the way, who was Ivan Shuvalov? The young favourite of Empress Elizabeth, he was an amazing man, absolutely not vain and not greedy. He devoted himself entirely to support and promotion of the arts, being curator of the Russian Academy of Arts, and the sciences, being the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences and patron of Lomonosov and other academics. According to the Charter of the Moscow University, people of any social class could study there. Lomonosov wanted the University to enjoy maximum self-government and be free from decisions of local authorities, so that the University students were not liable to anyone but the Empress, the Senate and, directly, to Shuvalov, Curator of the University. On January 12th, i.e. January 25th (new style) in the year of 1755, on Tatiana's Day, Empress Elizabeth signed off the Lomonosov-Shuvalov project, which became known as the ‘Decree on the Establishment of a University and Two Gymnasiums in Moscow’. By the same decree, Shuvalov was appointed Curator of Moscow University. Why January 12th/25th? Because it was Shuvalov’s mom's nameday and her name was Tatiana. He founded the University on her name day and thereby made his mother feel good. Looks like Shuvalov's mother brought up a good son. Well, here we have, of course, a collision - another Lomonosov paradox. Moscow University is everywhere declared to be the first ever university in our country, named after Lomonosov. It was founded by Lomonosov, who in turn was a student of the St. Petersburg Academic University. However, those at modern Saint Petersburg University are deeply convinced that it is their university that is, in reality, the first ever. We will not get into this dispute because otherwise we are bound to acquire a lot of enemies. But that's how it turned out - a graduate of St. Petersburg University founded the first Moscow University in the country. Indeed, nothing is simple in Russia. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century In addition to everything aforesaid about Lomonosov, I can’t fail to mention about Lomonosov the historian, the great historian. I'm referring to his dispute with the Normanists, i.e. supporters of the Norman theory. In fact, the story was rather simple. In 1749, a good German scientist, Gerhard Miller, a Russian citizen by the way, published an article (some sources call it dissertation) titled ‘On the origin of the name and the people of the Russian ethnos’. In this publication, Miller tried to prove that Rurik originally came from Scandinavia, and that the name of the country that Rurik's descendants conquered, i.e. Russia, derived from the self-name of one of the Scandinavian tribes called Rus. If we talk about the scientific side of the dispute, well, it’s veiled in historical mist. Rurik, if he existed at all, with a high degree of probability, may have been a Scandinavian. As for the Scandinavian origin of the name ‘Russia’, in this regard there is a never-ending controversy among the contemporary historians. However back then, having read Miller’s publication Lomonosov just hit the roof. He made accusations that Miller allegedly considered Russians incapable of self-government and independent state-building. As a consequence, Miller was demoted and his salary reduced. Thus, Lomonosov waged a war against the ‘German Normanism’ with all the violence of his temper. He cursed, scolded opponents with obscene words, accused them of disrespect for the Slavs and, oh dear, of State treason. He insisted that the Varangians were not Scandinavians at all, but either Baltic Slavs or Prussians, meaning that indeed they were also Slavs. Mikhail Vasilyevich went even further in his vehemence and brought up proof that Russians had participated in the Trojan War, settled in the Italian region of Veneto (area around Venice) and that they were very close to the Etruscans. Here, of course, Lomonosov ran ahead of the hounds, so to say, because many contemporary Ukrainian scientists would surely tell you differently: it was not Russians, but ancient Ukrainians who took part in the Trojan War. Ultimately, Shuvalov addressed Lomonosov with these words: "You know, Mikhail Vasilyevich, do write the history yourself." And with all his fervour Lomonosov began to write the history of the Russian state which he named ‘Ancient History from the Origins of the Russian Ethnos to the Death of Grand Duke Yaroslav or until 1054.’ A thorough work, but this pinnacle of Lomonosov’s historical warfare against the Normanists saw the light only after his death. To be serious, there was quite a lot of politics involved. Lomonosov felt with his skin this German dominance in the scientific environment and tried in every way to expand the sphere of his own control and of Russian scientists in general. When being accused of disliking Germans, he replied: "How can I possibly dislike the Germans?! I studied in Germany for many years and my wife is German." He himself spoke German as a native. There was nothing nationalistic or chauvinistic about it - it was all just a big in-house intrigue. With the ascension of Catherine to the throne, Shuvalov got suspended from the Academy affairs and intrigues of a different order began. After a short but bright reign of Peter the Third, the Germans at the Academy raised their heads and Lomonosov found himself at a loose end. In addition, he fell very ill and suffered bouts of depression coupled with a sense of his own uselessness, which eventually made him submit a letter of resignation in the name of Empress Catherine: "... now I am most unbearably offended that Herr Taubert, who is in the same office with me and is younger than me, has received promotion to State Councilor ahead of me and without any greater merit, and I would be correct to say that this promotion came not for his service, but rather for misservice for he constantly persecutes Russian scientists, oppresses students and puts all sorts of obstacles in my way. I can't fight anymore and one enemy that is my old age is enough for me. I have no wish for anything anymore, neither for power nor for high office, my only wish now is to be discharged from service, for the purpose of which I am submitting my petition this day..." It was said that Grigoriy Orlov had stood up in Lomonosov’s defense and then Catherine looked into the matter. In the end, Lomonosov got everything he wanted including rank of State Councilor with a salary of almost two thousand rubles a year. Empress Catherine came to see Lomonosov at the Academy, had a long chat with him and even ordered a copy of the ‘Atlas of the Russian Lands’, for a Russian Empress should know her country very well. I’ve already given you a gist of Lomonosov's scientific endeavours, his organisational talents and lobbying efforts, the foundation of the University and the development of the Academy. However, little is being said of his one particular merit, namely, his contribution to the making of the literary form of the Russian language. It is believed that contemporary Russian language began with Pushkin. It is true, but only in part. After all, Pushkin had great predecessors: Derzhavin, Sumarokov and Lomonosov, of course, who even wrote a special grammar book of the Russian language. Besides, he was not at all an untalented poet, notable for a trademark rhythm of his lyrics. The language of Lomonosov’s poetry is pretty much plain and simple. What is also important is the fact that Lomonosov introduced a great number of new words and, quite interestingly, scientific terms into modern Russian language that have become an integral part of our everyday speech. This significant lexical block of new words and terms is two-component and consists of words invented by Lomonosov and words transferred by Lomonosov from European languages. And today it is really strange to perceive that these words once didn’t exist in Russian language. Just hear some of the words that were brought in by Lomonosov into our language: atmosphere, matter, plus, minus, microscope, formula, periphery, horizon, proportion, barometer, meteorology, optics, thermometer, saltpeter, ether, diameter, radius, iceberg, equilibrium, refraction of rays, vertical, horizontal, square, acid, specific gravity, spherical, electric, crystallisation and even quicklime and many, many other words. How would we live without them, how would we read textbooks? It is absolutely impossible to imagine. Also, quite a few of Lomonosov's statements have turned into catch phrases or even become proverbial. Unfortunately, nowadays we might not even understand their meaning and depth. As an example, journalists like to quote this phrase: "The wealth and power of Russia will grow through Siberia." However, this is only part of the catch phrase. As I mentioned previously, over the last few years of his life Lomonosov worked on a secret project of a maritime expedition along the Northern Sea Route to North America and India. He came from the north himself and was a navigator, so he knew how it was done. However, this project was never realized, because, for some reason, Elizabeth decided that such an expedition with an aim to establish coastal colonies and outposts of the Russian Empire on the coast of North America would provoke counteraction from France, and the Empress did not want to quarrel with France. But then Lomonosov came up with another proposition that suggested converting the Kuril Islands into a naval base thus making it Russia’s main outpost in the Far East. And it was in this context that he wrote: "This must be done by all means, so that the power of Russia grows though Siberia and the Pacific Ocean and should reach America" – such was the scale of Lomonosov's thought. All of us know these lines: “Hopes feed the young and bring joy to the old.” Actually, it’s a paraphrase of a Lomonosov verse. And the verse itself is far more interesting and it is not about hope. It’s about sciences that Lomonosov loved. And this is how the original verse goes:
“Sciences feed the young
Bring joy to the old
Beautify a happy life
Protect in the hour of need
Console in domestic hardships
And help in faraway travels”
Well said, by the way. Pushkin would have liked it. Stories from Russian history
Vladimir Medinsky
19th Century I’ve said a few words about Lomonosov’s family. Let's now talk about his descendants. Elena Mikhailovna Lomonosova was his only daughter who would marry Empress Catherine’s librarian, Alexey Konstntinov, a former student of the St. Petersburg Science Academy University. They had several children, out of which the most well-known is daughter Sophia who was the wife of the famous 1812 War hero, General Nikolay Raevskiy. General Raevskiy also had several children. Son, Nikolay would become a General and founder of the city of Novorossiysk. Daughter, Ekaterina would be wife of Decembrist, General Orlov, founder of one of the first secret societies of the Decembrists – please refer to my lectures on Decembrists. General Raevskiy’s second daughter, Maria is better known as Maria Volkonskaya and she will follow her husband Sergey Volkonskiy to Siberia. It is about her that the film ‘The Star of Captivating Happiness’ will be about. And it is about her and about Countess Trubetskaya that Nekrasov will write his poem “The Russian Women” about. By the way, it is she who, according to some literary critics, is the prototype of Pushkin's Tatiana Larina. Lomonosov died on 4th April 1765 of pneumonia. And probably the last and most amazing mystery is connected with his death. Not long before his death Empress Catherine will visit him. It is not known for sure what they talked about, but the next day after his death Grigoriy Orlov will personally seal off Lomonosov’s library and confiscate all documents. On the personal orders of the Empress, he will then take everything over to the Palace and since then the entire Lomonosov archive will disappear without a trace. It is impossible to imagine how such an incredibly talented person could appear in remote northern Russia outback who managed to do so much in just 54 years of his life. There were many attempts to explain the phenomenon of Lomonosov. The most popular explanation was that in reality he was not the son of the pomor peasant and fisherman, but he was the son of Peter the Great. You need proof? Here you go. As tall as Peter I. Incredibly strong as Peter I. Round-faced and allegedly had a small foot size, like Peter. Peter's illegitimate son would be allowed to enter a higher educational establishment notwithstanding his peasant background. And he wouldn’t be punished for deception. And he would get away with all his mischief and outrageous behavior. This also explains Empress Elizabeth's inexplicable affection towards him. And how did he become Peter’s son? Well, Peter had been to Archangel many times. Never mind that the last time Peter had been there was several years prior to Lomonosov’s birth. So what that we don’t know Lomonosov’s exact age. Maybe he was deliberately confusing everything and that was why there had been no entry of his birth in the church records. And there is an interesting story related to the fact that in 1711 nine or ten months before Lomonosov’s birth, Peter I was in St. Petersburg and received a delegation of shipbuilders from Archangel. And this delegation allegedly included Lomonosov's uncle, Luka accompanied by a pretty woman, certain Elena Sivkova, who amazed everyone with her beauty and stateliness. Allegedly, she even served lunch to Peter I. So, this Elena Sivkova became Lomonosov’s mother, she came back home already pregnant and was hastily married off to Lomonosov's official father, who suddenly became wealthy soon after that and built himself a European-style fishing schooner as well as bought some land. I'll tell you honestly. You probably have already begun to doubt about the easy answer to all the mysteries of Lomonosov. Well, I'll tell you honestly. It seems to me that he's not even illegitimate otherwise he wouldn’t have lived in Moscow on three kopecks a day. It seems to me that the real answer to the question of why everything worked out for Lomonosov, why he was forgiven everything, why everyone treated him so well, why he managed everything everywhere and made discoveries in various fields of science, is simple: It's not because he was Peter's son, it's because he was just a genius. Of those that are born one in a million and another one in a million fall into circumstances that contribute to their self-realisation. An undisputed genius - that's what Dostoevsky called him. It's just that Lomonosov's life proves that, and he himself wrote so: “… The Russian land can give birth to its own Platos and fast-witted Newtons.” He was a universal man, a man of the new age, an extraordinary man, overflowing with passion. We are used to the fact that there are physicists and there are lyricists and you have to be well versed in your field. Well, Lomonosov was well versed in all fields - he was a physicist, and a lyricist, and a chemist, and a poet all at the same time. He was a genuine self-made man of the 18th century who started off as a peasant’s son from up north living off on three kopecks a day. And at the end of his life, in addition to his colossal fame, he was the most popular Russian scientist abroad: an academic of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, an academic of the Bologna Academy of Sciences; he was a professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the first Russian native academic, he was a State Councilor - a general in military ranks, had a large house in the center of St. Petersburg with a greenhouse and a laboratory, owner of a glass factory and an estate. This man achieved all this solely thanks to his intelligence, passionate curiosity and thirst for knowledge. It was much harder for him than for any of us, and I won’t hide the fact that I made the final decision to dedicate one of our stories to Lomonosov also because Lomonosov is a model for every modern Russian student and schoolkid. Look at how you can build your own life, having absolutely zero starting opportunities and this man just did not have them at all. Even Menshikov was luckier because at least he lived in Moscow and his father was someone at the court. And what did Lomonosov have? So, go ahead and try it! Learn and study. All doors are open to you. And if Lomonosov could do it, then so can you. At the same time, he was a lively man, full of passions, passionate in everything, a devoted friend and colleague, a grateful student, a loving father, always interested in everything, he always cared about everything. Well, yes, a brute, a brawler and could drink, and many were afraid of him. When he was being buried in front of a huge crowd of people, the poet, Sumarokov, who was walking in a funeral procession, threw a phrase over his shoulder: "Have you calmed down, fool? And can't make any more noise!" And then I heard from a neighbor: "I would not advise you to tell him this during his lifetime..." Lomonosov did not forgive insults. Pushkin, who was wonderful both as a historian, as a poet, as a writer, and as an educator, wrote as follows: "Lomonosov was a great man, between Peter and Catherine he alone is a genuine companion of enlightenment. He created the first university and he, it would be better to say, was our first university himself." Yes, Pushkin could indeed formulate succinctly. Lomonosov is a monolith, Lomonosov is a man-university. He is the ideal of a Russian man - curious, free, enthusiastic person, who lives by his work, who always liked what he was doing, the embodiment of the power of a free Russian Northerner. Sometimes I like to fantasise, to imagine that one of the heroes of our stories from Russian history will suddenly appear here today, will be transported by a time machine and will end up in modern Moscow. How would he behave? It seems to me that Lomonosov would be glad to see modern Russia, especially Moscow University. The view of our majestic beautiful university building and its park would definitely inspire him. Perhaps, it would inspire him to an ode in honor of, I'm even afraid to say, Stalin, who built the University building, or in honor of Sobyanin, who improved our capital, I won't go on, so that I won't be suspected of anything. He would have walked in the garden of Moscow State University, in Moscow, he was an ambitious man and he would have been flattered by the monument to Lomonosov at the old University building. He would have walked along Lomonosovsky Prospekt... And it would be even better if he moved here together with his friend Ivan Shuvalov - there is both the Shuvalov complex and the Shuvalov library - they would understand that they had not lived in vain. And then they would go for a walk around the buildings, laboratories, medical faculty, university clinics… all in all, they would be happy. Three hundred years ago, a boy ran away on a wagon train of frozen fish, he would have said: "You know, I was right, and Miller and the Normanists were wrong. Russian man is not an oaf, he does not need Varangians. We are a great people and we can achieve everything ourselves. Our land is rich in gifts and talents.” Then he would have walked up and started asking for work, and at work he would have delved into everything - that's where Lomonosov would have shown his character. He would have taken up education reform, brought order to the budget expenditures of Ministries and Academies, probably would have joined the discussion about the Unified State Exam, would have reasoned about the expediency of the Bologna system of higher education, would have found out what the Russian Academy of Sciences is doing there. And knowing his character... Oh, I have a feeling that his opponents would have a hard time, would you agree. Thank you for your love of Russian history and I’ll see you next time.
