LOMONOSOV, MICHAEL VASILIEVICH, the father of modern Russian poetry and literature, was born in 1711, near Kholmogor, iu the government of Archangel. His father, who was a serf of the crown, was by occupation a fisherman, and Michael more than once accompanied him in fisiing excursions in the White and Northern seas. The long winters were devoted by him to study, iu which he was assisted by the instruction he received from a priest; and although his stock of books was exceedingly limited, being nearly confined to a grammar, a treatise on arithmetic, and a Psalter, he made such diligent use of them, that at last he had them all by heart. What he thus acquired served only to increass his desire for further infor mation: he accordingly determined to make his way at ouce to Moscow, to which capital he journeyed in a cart that was conveying thither a load of frozen fish. Having greatly distinguished himself, first in the Zaikonopaski School there, and afterwards iu the University of Kiev, he was sent to complete his education at the Academy of St. Petersburg in 1734, where he applied himself more particularly to mathematics, physics, chemistry, and mineralogy. After two years spent in those studies he was sent to Marburg, in order that he might perfect himself under the celebrated philosopher Christian Wolff, under whom he continued three years, and then proceeded to Freyburg, for the purpose of acquiring a practical knowledge of metallurgy and mining. Yet although chiefly occupied by such pursuits, he did not neglect literature, but diligently read all the best German poets of that period, and determined to rival them. One of his first literary efforts was an ode on the taking of Khoteu, which ho sent to the empress Anne, and which obtained for him general admiration. In the meanwhile he had married during his residence at Marburg, the consequence of which was that he so involved him self in pecuniary difficulties, that he was obliged to lose no time in returning to his own country. After his arrival at St. Petersburg he
was made an associate of the Academy in 1741 ; and iu 1746, pro fessor of chemistry, besides which other appointments and honours were conferred upon him, and in 1760 he was made rector of the gymnasium and university. He died April 4 (16), 1765.
The complete collection of his works, published by the Academy, which has passed through several editions, extends to sixteau volumes; and the titles alone of his works would serve to show the great range and diversity of Lomonosov's studies. It would in fact be difficult to name any one who can be compared with him for- the encyclopxdical multifariousness of his writings. Chronology, history, grammar, rhetoric, criticism, astronomy, physics, chemistry, meteor ology, poetry—all engaged him by turns, and he showed himself competent for alL Later discoveries and improvements in science have of course dimmed the lustre which his writings of that class at first shed upon his name; but the service he rendered to the literature of his country, both by precept and example, no length of time can obscure. His grammar entitles him to be considered the legislator of the language, and as the first who gave regularity and stability to its elements : in poetry he has scarcely been surpassed among his countrymen in energy of style and sublimity of ideas. Polevoi's biographical novel, entitled M. V. Lomonosov,' 2 vols. 8vo, 1836, contains, with some admixture of fiction, almost all that can now be collected regarding the life of this remarkable man, together with notices of his chief literary contemporaries.