A city's wealth here feeds the sacred flame, total sum actually disbursed by the Emperor in the course of the year 1804, on account of public instruction, and passing under the immediate charge of M. Martinoff, amounted to 268,6501. exclusive of 83 31. given by his majesty to establish an university at Charkoff; but the aggregate expense to his majesty under this head, including the revenues applied by him to objects of this nature, and other expences to which he is subject, not coming within the immediate cognizance of the minister of instruction, is, however, computed at eight millions of rubles annually. sums ordered from the royal treasury, to defray the charges of the publication of works of public utility-as M. Reimer's Travels, Antling's Life of Suwarrow, &c. &c. and pensions granted to persons employed in literary pursuits beyond the walls of the universities; as, in the case of counsellor Pospelow, director of the Imperial Loan Bank, who, having undertaken a translation of Tacitus, the emperor, with a view to reward his industry, and excite others to like labours, granted him a pension equal to the salary he had enjoyed from his office. Of this latter description are the The Jews have obtained from his majesty a full emancipation, and permission to send their children to any of the public schools; and, under like tolerance and policy, the Jesuits have been allowed to form establishments at Riga, Astracan, Jaffa, and Odessa. The emperor has ordered the revenues of the city of Tschernigow to be appropriated to the erection and maintenance of useful institutions. During the first year, a house was opened for the education of 50 orphans, and another for the instruction of 408 scholars in mechanical arts. The emperor has established commercial schools at Odessa and at Nicolayef, and veterinary schools at Petersburgh, Mos THE PRISONERS OF BANDITTI, OR THE VAULT OF THE CASTLE. HITHERTO no violence had been offered to the person of our captive hero, and his thoughts were not cow, and Lubiny, and has sent six students in surgery to attend the veterinary schools at Berlin and Vienna; and six others in sculpture, architecture, painting, and engraving, to Italy and France, to perfect their studies there by the example of the ancient masters.-The emperor affords the most liberal encouragement to the arts-the sculptor, the architect, and the painter, find ample employment in constructing or beautifying the imperial palaces; the magnificent church of the Virgin of Casana, and in the other public buildings; and upon all occasions, the Russian artist has a wise and equitable preference. His majesty has appointed various scientific surveys of his dominions. Dr. Schneegas is employed in a botanical tour of the Russian empire in Asia-Kohler, the antiquarian, accompanied by Kugelgen, landscape painter to the emperor, is exploring the Crimea-Dr. Redowsky, the Caucasus, &c.-Count Mussin Puschkin, with several attendants, the shores of the Caspian Sea-Baron Biberstien, Georgia-General Sprengporten, with M. Carniff in his suit, different parts of the empire-M. Petroff, Siberia, &c.-The members of the scientific society at Warsaw are making surveys of the Carpathian and Caucasian mountains, and several noblemen, inspired by the example of their sovereign, are now engaged in useful researches. The courtiers of Alexander the Great, as Appian tells us, gratified the vanity of their prince by imitating even his per a little employed to find out the cause: for the threats and the savage looks of the banditti were sonal defects--the courtiers of Alexander the Benevolent adopt a more delightful flattery-an humble emulation of his virtues. -Componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum: nec fic inflectere sensus "Example in a king, is all in all: The statutes of the realm serve less to form Baker NOTE BY THE EDITOR OF THE FLOWERS OF LITERATure. It is curious to observe, that when a man attempts to eulogize a sovereign prince, there are few persons who will allow him to act from the honest motives of impartiality; but the poem from which we have made the above extracts may now be said to contain the sentiments, not only of the people of England, but of the greatest part of Europe, respecting a potentate who seems destined to be its preserver. It happened that this poem was published in London a few days before the news arrived of the battle of Austerlitz, and this circumstance gave occasion to one of the London reviewers* to observe, that the emperor Alexander is a character not without his shades. The ground of complaint is, that he insisted that the Russian army, at the above-mentioned battle, should be commanded by a grand duke. This is at least the complaint of a Jacobin, and is much less to the purpose than if it were to be said, that * In the Literary Journal for November 1806. still in his remembrance, and gave him no room to doubt but that, however delayed by confinement Buonaparte had degraded himself by appointing his brother, a renegado naval captain, to be generalissimo of the French army in Silesia. It is, however, a pleasure to know that it is not only in England that the character of the emperor Alexander is justly appreciated by those who are most capable of judging of it; and we shall quote the words of the celebrated Kotzebue on this subject: he can never be suspected of partiality to the Russian government. "Alexander also," says he-("I do not mean the wonderful traveller of old, who traversed the whole known world in an immense company, and afterwards wanted to build a bridge upwards to the moon; I mean the benignant genius of Russia, to whom, if the inhabitants of the moon knew him, they would willingly make a bridge downwards)—Alexander also travelled, this year, through his German provinces: not indeed, like me, to pluck flowers; but, as he well might, to gather fruits which were beginning to ripen in the sunshine of his goodness. I will not call it mere attachment, but the warmth of passion, which is felt in Eastland and Livonia towards this benevolent sovereign. I relate nothing but what I myself saw. Every eye sparkles, every countenance is unclouded, every tongue is loosed, on the bare mention of his name. He was only a few days in Revel, and yet tears of regret were shed on his departure; and if any thing could still more strongly testify the feeling that glowed in every breast, it was the proposition of the good procurator-general Von Kiesemann, and the unbounded applause with which it was received and carried, "that the anniversary of Alexander's entrance into that town should be celebrated by a public dinner for the poor." These are the genuine honours which the heart alone can confer upon princes. Let Alexander's quiet, beneficent journey through these provinces, be compared with the tri and other means of oppression, the gloomy fate that seemed to await him was not the less certain. umphant procession of many a disturber of the world, whose insolence and haughtiness are excelled by nothing but the flattery of a slavish and abject people. Let the favourite of fortune continue to erect his triumphal arches and pyramids: the poor and distressed, who find relief from the bounty of Alexander, will bless with cheerful hearts him who rules by love, for ages after those monuments will have crumbled into dust. "If Alexander would procure himself the highest gratification, he should, as the Oriental princes did formerly, mix in disguise with his people: what moments would then await him! Blessed be the mother who bore him: blessed also be the great man, once his instructor, now his friend, who sowed such seeds in such a soil! It will be guessed that I am speaking of La Harpe. "In order to hasten some hours earlier into the arms of his parent, Alexander left his retinue, and threw himself into the light and half-covered carriage of his field-marshal, I saw him arrive thus at Jewe like a common traveller, and unaccompanied by any extraordinary attendance except the love of his people. In the same manner, after a short stay, and notwithstanding the near approach of night, he resumed his Journey through desert woods, with the soothing consciousness that public affection world sufficiently protect his useful life. One of the postillions, who by an accident broke his leg, he provided for with humane and even paternal tenderness. He did not depart from the spot till the surgeon, who lived at a distance, arrived, and the sufferer was placed properly under his care. That he gave him the requis te pecuniary relief, was little from an emperor; but that, not confining himself to this, he continued as long as was necessary his personal assistance (which the great universally think themselves privileged |