Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Encyclopedia
The Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science, and the Arts was a Russian literary and political society active in the early 19th Century.
The precursor to the Society was founded by a group of secondary school
graduates from the gymnasium
of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg on July 15, 1801.
The founders included Ivan Born
, Vasili Popugaev
, Vasili Krasovsky
, Alexei Volkov, Mikhail Mikhailov, and Vasili Dmitriev. The original name chosen by the group was "Friendly Society of Afficianados of Elegance", but this was soon changed.
According to Nikolai Grech, the founders of the Society "were prepared for a strenuous and exacting study of literature". Born, Popugaev, and the others were to demonstrate the erudition obtained from their studies of science and the humanities at the gymnasium. All the members were fluent in French, and some in German, English, and Italian.
Dmitriev worked in the field of astronomy, Volkov later in chemistry, and Krasovsky in physics and mineralogy; Popugaev was also learned in science.
In 1802 the membership of the Society grew considerably with the addition of the poets Alexander Vostokov
, Ivan Pnin
, Gavril Kamenev
, Alexander Izmailov, Nikolai Ostolopov, and the sons of Alexander Radishchev
, Nicholas and Vasili.
In 1802 and 1803 the Society published the first part of its two-part anthology Scroll of the Muses.
On November 26, 1803, the Society was officially recognized and its charter approved.
In 1804 the Society started a magazine, The Review, which only published one issue.
In 1807 D. I. Jazyko, representing the conservative wing of the Society, replaced Born as president.
In 1811, membership fees were abolished some other changes in the Society's rules were made.
With the French invasion of Russia
in 1812, the Society temporarily suspended operations. Meetings were resumed in 1816 under the chairmanship of A. E. Izmailov and continued until 1826. In this third phase of the Society's existence, the Society saw the influx of a large number of new members which had a major impact on its direction. These included Fyodor Glinka
, Anton Delvig, Wilhelm Küchelbecker
, Yevgeny Baratynsky, Orest Somov
, Alexei Martos, and Kondraty Ryleyev.
The precursor to the Society was founded by a group of secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
graduates from the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg on July 15, 1801.
The founders included Ivan Born
Ivan Born
-Life:Born was born on September 20, 1778, in Wesenberg. He was educated from 1794 in the gymnasium of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. After leaving school he worked as a proofreader in a printing company and as a private tutor....
, Vasili Popugaev
Vasili Popugaev
Vasili Vasilyevich Popugaev was a Russian poet, novelist, and translator. He was one of the leaders of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science, and the Arts.-Life:...
, Vasili Krasovsky
Vasili Krasovsky
Vasili Ivanovich Krasovsky was a Russian writer.Krasovsky studied at the gymnasium of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, after which he worked for the body overseeing the Russian mining industry. From 1804 through 1813 Krasovsky was the secretary of the St...
, Alexei Volkov, Mikhail Mikhailov, and Vasili Dmitriev. The original name chosen by the group was "Friendly Society of Afficianados of Elegance", but this was soon changed.
According to Nikolai Grech, the founders of the Society "were prepared for a strenuous and exacting study of literature". Born, Popugaev, and the others were to demonstrate the erudition obtained from their studies of science and the humanities at the gymnasium. All the members were fluent in French, and some in German, English, and Italian.
Dmitriev worked in the field of astronomy, Volkov later in chemistry, and Krasovsky in physics and mineralogy; Popugaev was also learned in science.
In 1802 the membership of the Society grew considerably with the addition of the poets Alexander Vostokov
Alexander Vostokov
Alexander Khristoforovich Vostokov was one of the first Russian philologists.He was born in Arensburg, Governorate of Livonia, and studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts. As a natural son of Baron von Osten-Sacken, he received the name Osteneck, which he later chose to render into Russian as...
, Ivan Pnin
Ivan Pnin
Ivan Petrovich Pnin was a Russian poet and political writer. In accordance with Russian Illegitimacy custom, Pnin's surname was the abbreviation of that of his father, Prince Nicholas Repnin....
, Gavril Kamenev
Gavril Kamenev
Gavril Petrovich Kamenev was a Russian poet, writer, and translator.Kamenev was born on February 3, 1772, in Kazan and lived there in adverse circumstances , his only bright moments being brief visits to Moscow...
, Alexander Izmailov, Nikolai Ostolopov, and the sons of Alexander Radishchev
Alexander Radishchev
Alexander Nikolayevich Radishchev was a Russian author and social critic who was arrested and exiled under Catherine the Great. He brought the tradition of radicalism in Russian literature to prominence with the publication in 1790 of his Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow...
, Nicholas and Vasili.
In 1802 and 1803 the Society published the first part of its two-part anthology Scroll of the Muses.
On November 26, 1803, the Society was officially recognized and its charter approved.
In 1804 the Society started a magazine, The Review, which only published one issue.
In 1807 D. I. Jazyko, representing the conservative wing of the Society, replaced Born as president.
In 1811, membership fees were abolished some other changes in the Society's rules were made.
With the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
in 1812, the Society temporarily suspended operations. Meetings were resumed in 1816 under the chairmanship of A. E. Izmailov and continued until 1826. In this third phase of the Society's existence, the Society saw the influx of a large number of new members which had a major impact on its direction. These included Fyodor Glinka
Fyodor Glinka
Fyodor Nikolaevich Glinka was a Russian poet and author.-Biography:Glinka was born at Smolensk in 1786, and was specially educated for the army. In 1803 he obtained a commission as an officer, and two years later took part in the Austrian campaign...
, Anton Delvig, Wilhelm Küchelbecker
Wilhelm Küchelbecker
Wilhelm Küchelbecker was a Russian Romantic poet and Decembrist....
, Yevgeny Baratynsky, Orest Somov
Orest Somov
Orest Mikhailovich Somov was a Ukrainian romantic writer who wrote in the Russian language. He was a writer, journalist, literary critic, and translator. Somov was born in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast. He studied in the Kharkiv University, then moved to Saint Petersburg.Much of his writing deals...
, Alexei Martos, and Kondraty Ryleyev.
External links
- Comprehensive history and archives of the Society
- Article on the Society from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- Article on the Society from Brockhaus and Efron's Collegiate Dictionary (1890-1907)
- Article on the Society at History of Russian Literature
- Article on the Society at the Library of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations
- Article on the Society at Russian Writers and Poets