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| Transcriber's Note: | Many place names are spelled differently in different locations in this book; in most cases, these variations in spelling have been retained. Typographical errors in people's names and other words have been corrected and marked with underlining and a message that will display the original spelling in the book. |
OF
CONTINENTAL EUROPE.
THE
EMPIRE OF RUSSIA
FROM THE
REMOTEST PERIODS TO THE PRESENT TIME.
BY
JOHN S.C. ABBOTT
BOSTON:
GRAVES AND YOUNG,
24 CORNHILL.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by
MASON BROTHERS,
In the Clerk's office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.
STEREOTYPED BY
T.B. SMITH & SON
82 & 84 BEEKMAN-ST
The world is now too busy to read voluminous history. The interminabledetails of battles, and the petty intrigues of courtiers andmistresses, have lost their interest. In this volume it has been ourobject to trace perspicuously the path which Russia has trod fromearliest infancy to the present hour. The career of this empire hasbeen so wild and wonderful that the historian can have no occasion tocall in the aid of fancy for the embellishment of his narrative.
The author has not deemed it necessary to incumber his pages withnotes to substantiate his statements. The renowned Russian historian,Karamsin, who wrote under the patronage of Alexander I., gives ampleauthentication to all the facts which are stated up to the reign ofthat emperor. His voluminous history, in classic beauty, isunsurpassed by any of the annals of Greece or Rome. It has beenadmirably translated into French by Messrs. St. Thomas and Jauffret ineleven imperial quarto volumes. In the critical citations of thisauthor, the reader, curious in such researches, will find every factin the early history of Russia, here stated, confirmed.
There are but few valuable works upon Russia in the English language.Nearly all, which can be relied upon as authorities, are writteneither in French or German. The writer would refer those who seek amore minute acquaintance with this empire, now rising so rapidly inimportance, first of all to Karamsin. The "Histoire Philosophique etPolitique de Russie Depuis les Temps les Plus Reculés Jusqu'au NosJours, par J. Esneaux," Paris, five volumes, is a valuable work. The"Histoire de Russie par Pierre Charles Levesque," eight volumes, isdiscriminating and reliable. The various volumes of William Tooke uponRussian history in general, and upon the reign of Catharine, containmuch information.
It is only since the reign of Peter the Great that Russia has begun toattract much at