The Sun.
London, England, 1823-12-12 00:00:00

FOIL THE SUN.

RUSSIA.
MR, EntTon.—No country has risen so rapid-
ly as RUSSIA from comparative insigailicince, to
the greatest possible political importance. It Is,
indeed, scarcely more than one hundred years
ago, that that country, enclosed by its ramparts,
arid with no other port than Archangel, was
hardly consideredasan European power. Plung-
ed in the grossest ignorance, the Russians des-
pised the rest of mankind ; and never ventured
beyond the limits of their native country. San-
guinary contests with the Tartars, the most op-
pressive tyranny, and the most deplorable super-
stition, had, together with frequent intestine
broils, tended to keep the nation hi a state of
barbarism, little inferior to that of the uncivili/-
ed Indians. Viewed under this light, the speedy
eizililation of Russia could scarcely be reason-
ably anticipated, but the accession of the Re-
manov family, became the harbinger of mental
improvement, and of political condequeuce. A
rapid sketch of the rise and progress of this now
powerful empire, may not prove wholly unin-
teresting.

Although the Russians are no doubt an original
people, they are now mingled with the slaves
who began the throne in 'Europe in the fourth cen-
tury. Towards the middle of the fifth century,
they built Novogorod, which long continued
their capital, and wns in itself a powerful re-
public. Tired of the dissentions which dis-
tracted the State, the people surrendered their
liberties to three brothers, of which Kurie, the
eldest, became sole monarch, in the year 878.
In the tenth century Olga, having visited Con-
stantinople, embraced Christianity, which she
introduced into her dominions, whence the
Russians have adopted the rites and creed of the
G reek church.
Civil and foreign wars, the latter chiefly against
the Greeks, the Poles, or the barbarians, marked
the reign of her successors, whose names are
scarcely deserving of notice.
In 100 a Waladimir i i. became master of the
whole of Russia; but living like most of his
predecessors, divided his dominions among his
sons, civil dissentious recommenced, and even-
tually delivered up the country to the yoke of
the Tartars ; thus adding the miseries of a
foreign domination, to intestine and domestic
wars. Though defeated and expelled by Deme-
trius Irvenowitz, who first assumed the title of
Grand Duke of Russia, about the beginning of
the fifteenth century, the Tartars again returned,
nor was the country wholly freed from these
ferocious iovaders, until the the reign of Iwan
Ilasilowitz, in the year 1450. By his courage,
his sound policy, aml his firmness, this
Prince, eelarged his dominions, assumed the title
of Czar, and deserves to be considered as the
real founder of the. 'Russian .Emplre. Though
okturigly taistlud IV list I,o3butity,
1 wan Basilowitz 11, still proved a great and a
seccessful Monarch. He conquered Astracan and
Siberia ; and being visited for the first time by
'carne English, he concluded a treaty of commerce
with Queen Elizabeth in 1554.
His son, Theodore and Demetrius, jointly as-
cended the throne ; but the latter having been
assassinated by his brother, the country was long
distracted by cis'il wars. Several/mpostors assum-
ed the name of Demetrius, and fell in their at-
tempts to ascend the throne. At length the
13:4 ards, or Nobles, aware that this state of con
fa ion and anarchy, must prove eventually the
runt of their country, placed upon the throne
Michael Theodorowitz, son of Thornanof, pas
trisrch of Russia, from whom the reigning family
are descended. This event, which restored peace
and tranquillity to the country, happened in the
year 1613 ; and under the Ni ise direction of his
father, Michael obtained the love of his subjects,
and the friendship of the Monarchs who were his
for ) poraries.
His grandson, encouraged the civilization of
ll', subjects ; but his labours were improved by
those of his son, Peter A lexicrowtz, justly sur-
named the Great. No sooner had he deputed
the zelots of his sister Sophia, than Peter ex-
hihited to the world the novel spectacle of a
mighty sovereign descending for a time from his
lofty station, to render himself more worthy of
the diadem. As an attendant upon his own Am-
hamster, he not only visited, incognito, Holland,
France, and England, studying their laws, their
etas, their sciences, their manufactures ; and en-
listing into his service artists and mechanic e, of
every description ; but he, moreover, worked
bitnielf in the clock-card of Search()) ; nod, after
no absence of several years, returned to his na-
tive country rich in the stores of European know-
ledae, It was amidst a sanguinary contest with
Sweden, and the disasters that long ;Mended his
arms, that he undertook the herculean task of
civilizing his subjects': and that, in 1705, he
laid the foundation of St. Petersburg!). Success
eventually ettended his arms. The battle of
Pultawa, in 1709, proved decisive of the contest
Stith Sweden, and ere he died he wrested from
thst country, Estitonia,Carelia, Ingrid, and Li-
vonia, and left Russia an army and a navy.
His plans were ably followed up by his Ern.
press Catherine I. whom he had raised from an
humble station. Ifer successorg,Peter 111. Anne,
and Elizabeth, consolidated the empire, without
extending its limits. But no sooner hail Cathe-
tine 11. dethroned her weak husband, Peter 111.
than site turned her arms against. Poland ernd
Turkey. Aiding in the spoliation of the former
country, she seized upon some of its eastern pro-
vinces ; whilst the success that attended her se-
vend wars upon Turkey, put her successively in
possession of the whole of Little Tartory,of 13es-
sarabia, part of Moldavia, &c. whilst a great por-
tion of Georgia and of Cireassia, became depend-
ent upon Russia. Paul, her ,son, reigned only a
few :‘,,,ars.
Although the formidable attack of Buonaparte
threatened to annihilate the power of the Czars,

nature conspired in its favour, and Alexander not
only saved his country, but has added to the ac-
quisitions of his predecessors, Finland ; and the
provinces of Poland,to.the banks of the Vistula.
'Vitus, in the course",of scarCely one hundred
years, has Russia become one of the most power,-
ful of Europittp monarchies ; find this with a. ra-
pidity, almost unexampled in history. To what
future grandeur it may yet attain, cannot be con-
lectured ; but if we may venture to judge from
the past, we might almost dread that Europe was
once more destined to become the prey of nor-
thern hordes. This surmise may appear ridlcu-
lous, hilt let those who ridicule it, say whether
Peter the Great, even, in the full tide of his suc-
cess and in the hopes of his ambition, would have
ventured to predict that in less than a century
one of his descendants would enter Paris at the
bead of a triumphant army I
A. P.