GALTZIN, or GOLYZIN, also frequently GALIZIN, GALIT'ZIN, or GALLITZIN, one of the most numerous, powerful, and distinguished Russian families. It derives its origin from the Lithuanian prince Gedimin, tile founder of the Jagellonian dynasty of rulers in Poland, Hungary, and Bohemia. Among the leading members of the family may be mentioned-1. The princes MICHAIL and DIMITRI G., Russian commanders under Wassili IV., grand duke of Warsaw, who were taken prisoners by the Poles at the battle of Orscha in 1514. Dim itri died in captivity, and Michail was only released after a confinement of 38 years.-2. WASSILI G., surnamed the great, b. in 1633, was the councilor and favorite of Sophia, the sister of Peter the great, and regent during his minority. Wassili was a man of liberal culture and civilized tastes. His great aim was to bring Russia into contact with the w. of Europe, and to encourage the arts and sciences in the native gymnasia, and at the court itself. His design to marry Sophia, and plant himself on the Russian throne, however, miscarried. Sophia was placed by her brother in a convent, and Wassili was banished to a spot on the Frozen ocean, where he died of poison.-3. BORIS G., cousin of the previous, was Peter the great's tutor, and one of the administrators of the kingdom during the czar's first journey abroad. 4. DMITRI G., also a cousin of Wassiles, was a distinguished Russian statesman; ambassador at the Turkish court; afterwards d:-ector of the imperial finances; and finally head of the reform party of Galyzin and Dolgoruki, which wished to limit the absolute authprity of the czar. Dimitri's plan failed; the two families were banished, and Dimitri himself ended his days in the dungeons of Schilsselburg.-5. MICHAEL G., b. about 1675, was brother of Dimitri, and one of the most distinguished Russian gen erals. He was the inseparable companion of Peter the great iu all his campaigns. His most famous achievement was the conquest of Finland. He died at Moscow, 1730.— 6. DIMITRt G., b. 1738, went as Russian ambassador to France in 1763, and to Holland in 1773. He died in 1803. He wrote one or two books, but he owes the preservation of his name.mainly to his wife, the celebrated Auxmn, PRINCESS G., daughter of the Prussian, gen., count Von Schmettau. This lady (b. at Berlin, Aug. 28, 1748) was remarkable for her literary culture, her grace and amiability of disposition, her sympathetic rela tions with scholars and poets, but, above all, by her ardent pietism, which found its most congenial sphere in the mystic and venerable sanctities of Roman Catholicism.
Having separated from her husband, she took up her residence in Minister, where she gathered round her a circle of learned companions. Here resided for a longer or shorter time Von Ffirstenberg, Goethe, Jacobi, and others, but her most attached friends were Hemsterhuis and Hamann. She is the Diotinta to whom the former of these. under the name of Dioklas, addressed his Lettre su• l'Atheisme (1785). She largely contributed to the conversion of count Stolberg and his family to Roman Catholicism, and called forth that excess of religious feeling which for a considerable period characterized many circles of German society, Voss so sharply reproved in his Wie ward Friia Stolberg ein Unfreier (flow Fritz Stolberg became a Slave). The princess Amalie died Aug. 24. dein Lebo?, der Farstin-Ainalie von G. (Mhlnster. Autntriint, G., son of the foregoing, ivas b. at the Hague, Dec. 22, 1770. He became a Roman Catholic in his 17th year, shortly after his mother; and through the influence exercised over him by a clerical tutor during a voyage to America, he resolved to devote himself to the priesthood. In 1795, Dimitri Augustine was ordained a priest in the United States by bishop Carroll of Baltimore, and betook himself to a bleak region among the Alleghany mountains, in Pennsylvania, where he was known as "Father Smith." Here he laid the foundation of a town, called Loretto, where he died in May, 1840. A monument was erected to his memory in a neighboring village in 1848. He was austere in his mode of life. but liberal in the highest degree to others, and an affectionate and indefatigable pastor. He wrote various controversial works, some of which are still largely read in the United States. We may mention his Defense of Catholic Principles; Letter to a Protestant Friend; and Appeal to the Protes tant Public.--8. PRINCE G., b. in Paris, 1804, studied in that city, and after wards entered the Russian army. lie translated into PrenchWrangel's book on north ern Siberia, and wrote an interesting work, entitled La Finlande: Notes recueillies em 1848 (2 vols., Paris, 1852). He died at Paris, Feb., 1853.