Message on the biography of Karamzin. Mature creativity

Childhood and youth of Karamzin

Karamzin the historian

Karamzin-journalist

Childhood and youth of Karamzin

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born on December 1 (12), 1766 in the village of Mikhailovka, Buzuluk district, Simbirsk province, into a cultured and well-born, but poor noble family, descended on the paternal side from a Tatar root. He inherited his quiet disposition and penchant for daydreaming from his mother Ekaterina Petrovna (née Pazukhina), whom he lost at the age of three. Early orphanhood, loneliness in his father's house strengthened these qualities in the boy's soul: he fell in love with rural solitude, the beauty of the Volga nature, and early became addicted to reading books.

When Karamzin was 13 years old, his father took him to Moscow and sent him to the boarding school of Moscow University professor I.M. Shaden, where the boy received a secular education, studied to perfection European languages and listened to lectures at the university. At the end of the boarding school in 1781, Karamzin left Moscow and decided in St. Petersburg to the Preobrazhensky Regiment, to which he was assigned from childhood. Friendship with I.I. Dmitriev, the future famous poet and fabulist, strengthened his interest in literature. For the first time Karamzin appeared in print with a translation of the idyll of the German poet S. Gessner in 1783.

After the death of his father, in January 1784, Karamzin retired with the rank of lieutenant and returned to his homeland in Simbirsk. Here he led a rather scattered lifestyle, typical of a young nobleman of those years. A decisive turn in his fate was made by an accidental acquaintance with I.P. Turgenev, active freemason, writer, associate of the famous writer and book publisher late XVIII century N.I. Novikov. I.P. Turgenev takes Karamzin to Moscow, and for four years the novice writer rotates in Moscow Masonic circles, closely approaches N.I. Novikov, becomes a member of the "Friendly Scientific Society".

Moscow Rosicrucian Freemasons (knights of the gold-pink cross) were characterized by criticism of Voltairianism and the entire heritage of the French encyclopedists-enlighteners. Freemasons considered the human mind to be the lowest level of knowledge and put it in direct dependence on feelings and Divine revelation. Reason beyond the control of feeling and faith is not able to understand correctly the world, this is the "dark", "demonic" mind, which is the source of all human delusions and troubles.

The book of the French mystic Saint-Martin "On Errors and Truth" was especially popular in the "Friendly Learned Society": it was not by chance that the Rosicrucians were called "Martinists" by their ill-wishers. Saint-Martin declared that the teaching of the Enlightenment about the social contract, based on an atheistic "faith" in the "good nature" of man, is a lie that tramples on the Christian truth about the "obscurity" of human nature by "original sin." It is naive to consider state power as the result of human "creativity". It is the subject of God's special care for sinful humanity and is sent by the Creator to tame and restrain sinful thoughts to which fallen man is subject on this earth.

state power Catherine II, who was under the influence of the French enlighteners, was considered by the Martinists to be a delusion, God's forgiveness for the sins of the entire Petrine period of our history. Russian Freemasons, among whom Karamzin moved in those years, created a utopia about a beautiful country of believers and happy people, controlled by elected Masons according to the laws of the Masonic religion, without bureaucracy, clerks, policemen, nobles, arbitrariness. In their books, they preached this utopia as a program: there would be no need in their state, there would be no mercenaries, no slaves, no taxes; all will learn and live peacefully and sublimely. For this, it is necessary that everyone become Freemasons and be cleansed of filth. In the future Masonic "paradise" there will be no church, no laws, but a free society of good people who believe in God as they wish.

Karamzin soon realized that, denying the "autocracy" of Catherine II, the Masons hatched plans for their "autocracy", opposing the Masonic heresy to everything else, sinful humanity. With external consonance with the truths of the Christian religion, in the process of their ingenious reasoning, one untruth and lie was replaced by another no less dangerous and insidious. Karamzin was also alarmed by the excessive mystical exaltation of his "brothers", so far from the "spiritual sobriety" bequeathed by Orthodoxy. I was embarrassed by the veil of secrecy and conspiracy associated with the activities of Masonic lodges.

And now Karamzin, like the hero of Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace" Pierre Bezukhov, is deeply disappointed in Freemasonry and leaves Moscow, setting off on a long journey through Western Europe. His fears are soon confirmed: the affairs of the entire Masonic organization, as the investigation found out, were run by some dark people who left Prussia and acted in her favor, hiding their goals from the sincerely mistaken, beautiful-hearted Russian "brothers". Karamzin's journey through Western Europe, which lasted a year and a half, marked the writer's final break with the Masonic hobbies of his youth.

"Letters from a Russian Traveler". In the autumn of 1790, Karamzin returned to Russia and from 1791 began to publish the Moscow Journal, which was published for two years and had great success with the Russian reading public. In it, he published two of his main works - "Letters from a Russian Traveler" and the story " Poor Lisa".

In the "Letters of a Russian Traveler", summing up his travels abroad, Karamzin, following the tradition of Stern's "Sentimental Journey", rebuilds it from the inside in a Russian way. Stern pays almost no attention to the outside world, focusing on a meticulous analysis of his own experiences and feelings. Karamzin, on the contrary, is not closed within the limits of his "I", he is not too concerned with the subjective content of his emotions. The leading role in his narrative is played by the outside world, the author is sincerely interested in its true understanding and its objective assessment. In each country, he notices the most interesting and important: in Germany - mental life (he meets Kant in Koenigsberg and meets Herder and Wieland in Weimar), in Switzerland - nature, in England - political and public institutions, parliament, jury trials, family life good Puritans. In the writer's responsiveness to the surrounding phenomena of life, in the desire to feel the spirit of different countries and peoples, Karamzin already anticipates the gift of V.A. Zhukovsky, and Pushkin's "proteism" with his "universal responsiveness".

Particular emphasis should be placed on the section of Karamzin's Letters concerning France. He visited this country at the moment when the first thunderous peals of the Great French Revolution were heard. He also saw with his own eyes the king and queen, whose days were already numbered, and attended the meetings of the National Assembly. The conclusions that Karamzin made when analyzing the revolutionary upheavals in one of the most advanced countries of Western Europe already anticipated the problems of the entire Russian literature XIX century.

“Any civil society, established over the centuries,” says Karamzin, “is a shrine for good citizens, and in the most imperfect one one must be surprised at the wonderful harmony, improvement, order.“ Utopia ”will always be a dream of a kind heart or can be fulfilled by the inconspicuous action of time, through slow, but the sure, safe successes of reason, enlightenment, the education of good morals.When people are convinced that virtue is necessary for their own happiness, then the golden age will come, and in every government a person will enjoy the peaceful well-being of life. violent upheavals disastrous, and every rebel prepares a scaffold for himself. Let us betray, my friends, let us betray ourselves into the power of Providence: it certainly has its own plan; in his hands are the hearts of sovereigns - and that's enough."

In the "Letters of a Russian Traveler" the thought is ripening, which formed the basis of the "Notes on Ancient and New Russia" compiled by Karamzin, which he handed over to Alexander I in 1811, on the eve of the Napoleonic invasion. In it, the writer inspired the sovereign that the main business of government is not in changing external forms and institutions, but in people, in the level of their moral self-awareness. A beneficent monarch and governors skillfully selected by him will successfully replace any written constitution. And therefore, for the good of the fatherland, first of all, good priests are needed, and then public schools.

Letters from a Russian Traveler revealed the typical attitude of a thinking Russian to the historical experience of Western Europe and the lessons he learned from it. The West remained for us in the 19th century a school of life both in its best, bright and dark sides. The deeply personal, kinship attitude of an enlightened nobleman to the cultural and historical life of Western Europe, evident in Karamzin's Letters, was well expressed later by F.M. Dostoevsky through the mouth of Versilov, the hero of the novel "The Teenager": "For a Russian, Europe is as precious as Russia: every stone in it is sweet and dear."

Karamzin the historian

It is noteworthy that Karamzin himself did not take part in these disputes, but treated Shishkov with respect, not harboring any resentment towards his criticism. In 1803, he began the main work of his life - the creation of the "History of the Russian State". The idea of ​​this capital work arose from Karamzin long ago. Back in 1790, he wrote: “It hurts, but it must be fair to admit that we still do not have a good history, that is, written with a philosophical mind, with criticism, with noble eloquence. Tacitus, Hume, Robertson, Gibbon - these are examples They say that our history in itself is less entertaining than others: I don’t think, only mind, taste, talent are needed. All these abilities, of course, were with Karamzin, but in order to master the capital work associated with the study huge amount historical documents, material freedom and independence were also required. When Karamzin began publishing Vestnik Evropy in 1802, he dreamed of the following: “Being not very rich, I published a magazine with the intention that by forced work of five or six years I would buy independence, the opportunity to work freely and ... compose Russian history which has occupied my whole soul for some time."

And then a close acquaintance of Karamzin, Comrade Minister of Education M.N. Muravyov, appealed to Alexander I with a request to help the writer in the implementation of his plan. In a personal decree of December 31, 1803, Karamzin was approved as a court historiographer with an annual pension of two thousand rubles. Thus began the twenty-two-year period of Karamzin's life, associated with the capital work of creating the History of the Russian State.

About how to write history, Karamzin said: “A historian should rejoice and grieve with his people. He should not, guided by passion, distort facts, exaggerate happiness or belittle disaster in his presentation; he must, above all, be truthful; but he can, he must even convey everything unpleasant, everything shameful in the history of his people with sadness, and speak about what brings honor, about victories, about a flourishing state, with joy and enthusiasm.Only in this way will he become a national writer of everyday life, which, above all, he must be a historian."

"History of the Russian State" Karamzin began to write in Moscow and in the estate of Olsufyevo near Moscow. In 1816, he moved to St. Petersburg: efforts began to publish the completed eight volumes of "History ...". Karamzin became a person close to the court, personally communicated with Alexander I and members royal family. The Karamzins spent the summer months in Tsarskoye Selo, where they were visited by the young lyceum student Pushkin. In 1818, eight volumes of "History ..." were published, in 1821 the ninth, dedicated to the era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, was published, in 1824 - the tenth and eleventh volumes.

"History ..." was created on the basis of the study of a huge actual material, among which chronicles occupied a key place. Combining the talent of a scientist-historian with artistic talent, Karamzin skillfully conveyed the very spirit of chronicle sources by quoting them abundantly or skillfully retelling them. Not only the abundance of facts, but also the very attitude of the chronicler towards them was dear to the historian in the annals. Comprehension of the chronicler's point of view is the main task of Karamzin the artist, allowing him to convey the "spirit of the times", the popular opinion about certain events. And Karamzin the historian at the same time made comments. That is why Karamzin's "History ..." combined a description of the emergence and development of Russian statehood with the process of growth and formation of Russian national identity.

By his convictions, Karamzin was a monarchist. He believed that the autocratic form of government was the most organic for such a huge country as Russia. But at the same time, he showed the constant danger that lies in wait for autocracy in the course of history - the danger of its degeneration into "autocracy." Refuting the widespread view of peasant revolts and riots as a manifestation of the people's "savagery" and "ignorance", Karamzin showed that popular indignation is generated every time by the retreat of monarchical power from the principles of autocracy towards autocracy and tyranny. Popular indignation in Karamzin is a form of manifestation of the Heavenly Court, Divine punishment for the crimes committed by tyrants. It is through the life of the people that, according to Karamzin, the Divine will manifests itself in history, it is the people who most often turn out to be a powerful tool of Providence. Thus, Karamzin relieves the people of the blame for the rebellion in the event that this rebellion has a higher moral justification.

When Pushkin already at the end of the 1830s became acquainted with this "Note ..." in manuscript, he said: "Karamzin wrote his thoughts about Ancient and New Russia with all the sincerity of a beautiful soul, with all the courage of a strong and deep conviction." "Someday posterity will appreciate ... the nobility of a patriot."

But the "Note ..." caused irritation and displeasure of the conceited Alexander. For five years, with a cold attitude towards Karamzin, he emphasized his resentment. In 1816 there was a rapprochement, but not for long. In 1819, the sovereign, returning from Warsaw, where he opened the Polish Sejm, in one of his sincere conversations with Karamzin announced that he wanted to restore Poland within its ancient borders. This "strange" desire shocked Karamzin so much that he immediately compiled and personally read to the sovereign a new "Note ...":

“You are thinking of restoring the ancient Kingdom of Poland, but is this restoration in accordance with the law of the state welfare of Russia? Is it in accordance with your sacred duties, with your love for Russia and for justice itself? Can you, with a peaceful conscience, take Belarus, Lithuania, Volhynia from us, Podolia, the approved property of Russia even before your reign? Do not sovereigns swear to preserve the integrity of their powers? These lands were already Russia when Metropolitan Platon presented you with the crown of Monomakh, Peter, Catherine, whom you called the Great ... nikolay karamzin pension historiographer

We would lose not only beautiful regions, but also love for the tsar, we would lose our soul to the fatherland, seeing it as a plaything of autocratic arbitrariness, we would not only be weakened by the reduction of the state, but we would also be humbled in spirit before others and before ourselves. Of course, the palace would not have been empty, and then you would have ministers, generals, but they would not serve the fatherland, but only their own personal benefits, like mercenaries, like true slaves ... "

At the end of a heated argument with Alexander 1 about his policy towards Poland, Karamzin said: “Your Majesty, you have a lot of pride ... I am not afraid of anything, we are both equal before God. What I told you, I would say to your father ... I despise premature liberals; I love only that freedom that no tyrant will take away from me ... I no longer need your favors.

Karamzin passed away on May 22 (June 3), 1826, while working on the twelfth volume of "History ...", where he was supposed to tell about the people's militia of Minin and Pozharsky, who liberated Moscow and stopped the "distemper" in our Fatherland. The manuscript of this volume broke off at the phrase: "Nutlet did not give up ..."

The significance of the "History of the Russian State" can hardly be overestimated: its appearance in the light was a major act of Russian national self-consciousness. According to Pushkin, Karamzin revealed to the Russians their past, just as Columbus discovered America. The writer in his "History ..." gave a sample national epic, forcing each Age to speak its own language. Karamzin's work had a great influence on Russian writers. Relying on Karamzin, Pushktn wrote his "Boris Godunov", Ryleev composed his "Dumas". The History of the Russian State had a direct influence on the development of the Russian historical novel from Zagoskin and Lazhechnikov to Leo Tolstoy. "The pure and high glory of Karamzin belongs to Russia," said Pushkin.

Karamzin-journalist

Beginning with the publication of the Moscow Journal, Karamzin appeared before Russian public opinion as the first professional writer and journalist. Before him, only writers of the third rank dared to live on literary earnings. A cultured nobleman considered literature to be more of a fun and certainly not a serious profession. Karamzin, with his work and constant success with readers, established the authority of writing in the eyes of society and turned literature into a profession, perhaps the most honorable and respected. There is an opinion that the enthusiastic youths of St. Petersburg dreamed of at least walking to Moscow, just to look at the famous Karamzin. In the "Moscow Journal" and subsequent editions, Karamzin not only expanded the circle of readers of a good Russian book, but also brought up aesthetic taste, prepared the cultural society for the perception of the poetry of V.A. Zhukovsky and A.S. Pushkin. His journal, his literary almanacs were no longer limited to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but penetrated into the Russian provinces. In 1802, Karamzin began publishing Vestnik Evropy, a magazine not only literary, but also socio-political, which gave a prototype to the so-called "thick" Russian magazines that existed throughout the 19th century and survived until the end of the 20th century.

Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich was born on December 12 (December 1), 1766 in Simbirsk (now Ulyanovsk) into a noble family. Elementary education the future writer received a house. Soon his father gave him to the Simbirsk noble boarding school, and in 1778 to a private boarding school in Moscow. In parallel, Karamzin was actively studying languages, attending lectures at Moscow University.

Military service

In 1781, Nikolai Mikhailovich, at the insistence of his father, entered the military service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. In 1783, the writer made his debut in print with the work "Wooden Leg". In 1784 short biography Karamzin as a military man ended, and he retired with the rank of lieutenant.

Early literary activity

In 1785, Karamzin, whose biography changed direction dramatically, moved from his native Simbirsk to Moscow. Here the writer meets N. I. Novikov and the Pleshcheev family. Carried away by Freemasonry, Nikolai Mikhailovich enters the Moscow Masonic circle, where he begins to communicate closely with I. S. Gamaleya, A. M. Kutuzov. At the same time, Karamzin participated in the publication of the first children's magazine in Russia - "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind."

Travel to Europe

In 1789-1790 Karamzin traveled around Europe. The writer visited Germany, England, France, Switzerland, met many famous personalities of that era - Ch. Bonnet, I. Kant, J. F. Marmontel, J. G. Herder, I. K. Lavater, attended the performances of M. Robespierre, O. G. Mirabeau. During the trip, Nikolai Mikhailovich created the famous Letters of a Russian Traveler, which were published in 1791-1792 and brought the writer wide literary fame.

mature creativity. "History of Russian Goverment"

Upon returning to Moscow, Karamzin continues to engage in literary activities, writes works of art, critical articles and notes. In 1791, Nikolai Mikhailovich began publishing the literary Moscow Journal, in which he first published the stories Poor Liza, Natalya, boyar daughter". Soon Karamzin published several sentimental almanacs - "Aglaya", "Aonides", "Pantheon of Foreign Literature", "My trinkets". In 1802, the story "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod" was published.

In 1803, Emperor Alexander I granted Karamzin the title of historiographer, all libraries and archives were opened to the writer.

Before last day life, Nikolai Mikhailovich worked on his most important work - "The History of the Russian State." The book covers events from ancient times to the Time of Troubles and includes 12 volumes. The first eight volumes appeared in 1818, the next three were published in 1821-1824. The last part of the "History ..." saw the light after the death of Karamzin.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin died on May 22 (June 3), 1826 in St. Petersburg. The writer was buried at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Other biography options

• The prose and poetry of Karamzin largely influenced the development of Russian literary language, the writer was the first to use neologisms, barbarisms, moved away from church vocabulary.
• Karamzin was married twice. The first wife, E. I. Protasova, was the sister of A. I. Pleshcheeva. The second wife, E. A. Kolyvanova, was the illegitimate daughter of Prince A. I. Vyazemsky.
• The story "Poor Lisa" by Karamzin is the most a prime example Russian sentimentalism and is studied by schoolchildren in the 9th grade.
• Karamzin was the first to discover the famous literary monument- the work of Afanasy Nikitin "Journey beyond the three seas".
• Thanks to Karamzin, such words as “moral”, “industry”, “scene”, “catastrophe”, “concentrate”, “aesthetic”, “future”, “era”, “harmony”, “love” appeared in the everyday life of the modern Russian language. ”, “entertaining”, “influence”, “impression”, “touching”.

pseudonym - A. B. V.

historian, the largest Russian writer of the era of sentimentalism, nicknamed "Russian Stern"; creator of the "History of the Russian State" (volumes 1-12, 1803-1826) - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia; editor of the Moscow Journal (1791-1792) and Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803)

Nikolay Karamzin

short biography

The famous Russian writer, historian, the largest representative of the era of sentimentalism, reformer of the Russian language, publisher. With his submission, the vocabulary was enriched with a large number of new crippled words.

The famous writer was born on December 12 (December 1, according to the old style), 1766, in a manor located in the Simbirsk district. The noble father took care of home education son, after which Nikolai continued to study first at the Simbirsk noble boarding school, then from 1778 - at the boarding school of Professor Shaden (Moscow). During 1781-1782. Karamzin attended university lectures.

The father wanted Nikolai to enter the military service after boarding school - the son fulfilled his desire, in 1781 being in the St. Petersburg Guards Regiment. It was during these years that Karamzin first tried himself in the literary field, in 1783 he translated from German. In 1784, after the death of his father, having retired with the rank of lieutenant, he finally left military service. Living in Simbirsk, he joined the Masonic lodge.

Since 1785 Karamzin's biography has been connected with Moscow. In this city, he meets N.I. Novikov and other writers, enters the "Friendly learned society”, settles in his house, further collaborates with members of the circle in various publications, in particular, takes part in the publication of the magazine “Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind”, which became the first Russian magazine for children.

Throughout the year (1789-1790) Karamzin traveled around the countries Western Europe, where he met not only with prominent figures of the Masonic movement, but also with great thinkers, in particular, with Kant, J. G. Herder, J. F. Marmontel. The impressions from the trips formed the basis of the future famous Letters of a Russian Traveler. This story (1791-1792) appeared in the Moscow Journal, which N.M. Karamzin began to publish upon arrival at home, and brought the author great fame. A number of philologists believe that modern Russian literature is counting precisely from the "Letters".

The story "Poor Liza" (1792) strengthened the literary authority of Karamzin. Subsequently published collections and almanacs "Aglaya", "Aonides", "My trinkets", "Pantheon of Foreign Literature" opened the era of sentimentalism in Russian literature, and it was N.M. Karamzin was at the head of the current; under the influence of his works, they wrote V.A. Zhukovsky, K.N. Batyushkov, as well as A. S. Pushkin at the beginning of his career.

A new period in Karamzin's biography as a person and a writer is associated with the accession to the throne of Alexander I. In October 1803, the emperor appoints the writer as an official historiographer, and Karamzin is tasked with capturing history Russian state. His genuine interest in history, the priority of this topic over all others was evidenced by the nature of the publications of Vestnik Evropy (this country's first socio-political, literary and artistic magazine Karamzin published in 1802-1803).

In 1804, literary and artistic work was completely curtailed, and the writer began to work on The History of the Russian State (1816-1824), which became the main work in his life and a whole phenomenon in Russian history and literature. The first eight volumes were published in February 1818. Three thousand copies were sold within a month - such active sales had no precedent. The next three volumes, published in the following years, were quickly translated into several European languages, and the 12th, final, volume was published after the death of the author.

Nikolai Mikhailovich was an adherent of conservative views, absolute monarchy. The death of Alexander I and the uprising of the Decembrists, which he witnessed, became a heavy blow for him, depriving the historian writer of his last vitality. On June 3 (May 22, O.S.), 1826, Karamzin died while in St. Petersburg; they buried him in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, at the Tikhvin cemetery.

Biography from Wikipedia

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin(December 1, 1766, Znamenskoye, Simbirsk province, Russian Empire - May 22, 1826, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire) - historian, the largest Russian writer of the era of sentimentalism, nicknamed the "Russian Stern". The creator of the "History of the Russian State" (volumes 1-12, 1803-1826) - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia. Editor of the Moscow Journal (1791-1792) and Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803).

Karamzin went down in history as a reformer of the Russian language. His style is light in the Gallic manner, but instead of direct borrowing, Karamzin enriched the language with tracing words, such as “impression” and “influence”, “love”, “touching” and “entertaining”. It was he who coined the words "industry", "concentrate", "moral", "aesthetic", "epoch", "stage", "harmony", "catastrophe", "future".

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born on December 1 (12), 1766 near Simbirsk. He grew up on the estate of his father, retired captain Mikhail Egorovich Karamzin (1724-1783), a middle-class Simbirsk nobleman from the Karamzin family, descended from the Tatar Kara-Murza. He received his primary education in a private boarding school in Simbirsk. In 1778 he was sent to Moscow to the boarding house of Professor of Moscow University I. M. Shaden. At the same time, in 1781-1782, he attended lectures by I. G. Schwartz at the University.

In 1783, at the insistence of his father, he entered the service of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment, but soon retired. At the time military service include the first literary experiments. After his resignation, he lived for some time in Simbirsk, and then in Moscow. During his stay in Simbirsk, he joined the Masonic Lodge of the Golden Crown, and after arriving in Moscow for four years(1785-1789) was a member of the Friendly Learned Society.

In Moscow, Karamzin met writers and writers: N. I. Novikov, A. M. Kutuzov, A. A. Petrov, participated in the publication of the first Russian magazine for children - “Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind”.

In 1789-1790 he made a trip to Europe, during which he visited Immanuel Kant in Königsberg, was in Paris during the great French revolution. As a result of this trip, the famous “Letters of a Russian Traveler” were written, the publication of which immediately made Karamzin a famous writer. Some philologists believe that modern Russian literature starts from this book. Be that as it may, in the literature of Russian "travels" Karamzin really became a pioneer - he quickly found both imitators (V.V. Izmailov, P.I. Sumarokov, P.I. Shalikov), and worthy successors(A. A. Bestuzhev, N. A. Bestuzhev, F. N. Glinka, A. S. Griboyedov). Since then, Karamzin has been considered one of the main literary figures in Russia.

N. M. Karamzin at the monument "1000th anniversary of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod

Upon his return from a trip to Europe, Karamzin settled in Moscow and began his career as a professional writer and journalist, starting to publish the Moscow Journal 1791-1792 (the first Russian literary magazine, in which, among other works by Karamzin, the story “Poor Lisa” appeared, which strengthened his fame), then released a number of collections and almanacs: “Aglaya”, “Aonides”, “Pantheon of Foreign Literature”, “My trinkets”, which made sentimentalism the main literary movement in Russia, and Karamzin - its recognized leader.

In addition to prose and poetry, the Moscow Journal systematically published reviews, critical articles and theatrical analyzes. In May 1792, Karamzin's review of Nikolai Petrovich Osipov's ironic poem " Virgil's Aeneid, turned inside out"

Emperor Alexander I by personal decree of October 31, 1803 bestowed the title of historiographer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin; 2 thousand rubles were added to the title at the same time. annual salary. The title of a historiographer in Russia was not renewed after the death of Karamzin. early XIX century, Karamzin gradually moved away from fiction, and since 1804, being appointed by Alexander I to the position of historiographer, he stopped all literary work, "brought his hair into historians." In this regard, he refused the government posts offered to him, in particular, the post of governor of Tver. Honorary member of Moscow University (1806).

In 1811, Karamzin wrote "A note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations”, which reflected the views of the conservative strata of society, dissatisfied with the liberal reforms of the emperor. His task was to prove that there was no need to carry out any transformations in the country. "A note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations" also played the role of outlines for the subsequent huge work of Nikolai Mikhailovich on Russian history.

In February 1818, Karamzin put on sale the first eight volumes of The History of the Russian State, three thousand copies of which were sold within a month. In subsequent years, three more volumes of the History were published, and a number of its translations into the main European languages ​​appeared. The coverage of the Russian historical process brought Karamzin closer to the court and the tsar, who settled him near him in Tsarskoye Selo. Karamzin's political views evolved gradually, and by the end of his life he was a staunch supporter of absolute monarchy. The unfinished 12th volume was published after his death.

Karamzin died on May 22 (June 3), 1826 in St. Petersburg. According to legend, his death was the result of a cold received on December 14, 1825, when Karamzin personally observed the events on Senate Square. He was buried at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Karamzin - writer

Collected works of N. M. Karamzin in 11 vols. in 1803-1815 was printed in the printing house of the Moscow book publisher Selivanovskiy.

Sentimentalism

Karamzin's publication of "Letters from a Russian Traveler" (1791-1792) and the story "Poor Liza" (1792; separate edition 1796) opened the era of sentimentalism in Russia.

Lisa was surprised, dared to look at young man, - blushed even more and, looking down at the ground, told him that she would not take the ruble.
- For what?
- I don't need too much.
- I think that beautiful lilies of the valley, plucked by the hands of a beautiful girl, are worth a ruble. When you don't take it, here's five kopecks for you. I would always like to buy flowers from you; I would like you to tear them up just for me.

Sentimentalism declared feeling, not reason, to be the dominant of "human nature", which distinguished it from classicism. Sentimentalism ideal human activity believed not a "reasonable" reorganization of the world, but the release and improvement of "natural" feelings. His character is more individualized, his inner world enriched with the ability to empathize, sensitively respond to what is happening around.

The publication of these works was a great success with the readers of that time, "Poor Lisa" caused many imitations. The sentimentalism of Karamzin had a great influence on the development of Russian literature: it was repelled, among other things, by the romanticism of Zhukovsky, the work of Pushkin.

Poetry Karamzin

The poetry of Karamzin, which developed in line with European sentimentalism, radically differed from the traditional poetry of his time, brought up on the odes of Lomonosov and Derzhavin. The most significant differences were:

Karamzin is not interested in the external, physical world, but in the internal, spiritual world person. His poems speak "the language of the heart", not the mind. The object of Karamzin's poetry is the "simple life", and to describe it he uses simple poetic forms- poor rhymes, avoids the abundance of metaphors and other tropes so popular in the verses of his predecessors.

"Who is your sweetheart?"
I'm ashamed; i really hurt
The strangeness of my feelings to open
And be the butt of jokes.
The heart in the choice is not free! ..
What to say? She... she.
Oh! not at all important
And talents behind you
Has none;
…
The Strangeness of Love, or Insomnia (1793)

Another difference between Karamzin's poetics is that the world is fundamentally unknowable for him, the poet recognizes the existence of different points of view on the same subject:

One vote
Scary in the grave, cold and dark!
The winds are howling here, the coffins are shaking,
White bones are clattering.
Another voice
Quiet in the grave, soft, calm.
The winds blow here; sleeping cool;
Herbs and flowers grow.
Cemetery (1792)

Prose Karamzin

• "Eugene and Julia", a story (1789)
• "Letters from a Russian Traveler" (1791-1792)
• "Poor Liza", a story (1792)
• "Natalya, the boyar's daughter", story (1792)
• "The Beautiful Princess and the Happy Carl" (1792)
• "Sierra Morena", story (1793)
• "Bornholm Island" (1793)
• "Julia" (1796)
• "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod", a story (1802)
• "My Confession", a letter to the publisher of a magazine (1802)
• "Sensitive and Cold" (1803)
• "Knight of our time" (1803)
• "Autumn"
• Translation - retelling of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"
• "On Friendship" (1826) to the writer A. S. Pushkin.

Karamzin's language reform

Karamzin's prose and poetry had a decisive influence on the development of the Russian literary language. Karamzin deliberately refused to use Church Slavonic vocabulary and grammar, bringing the language of his works to the everyday language of his era and using the grammar and syntax of the French language as a model.

Karamzin introduced many new words into the Russian language - as neologisms ("charity", "love", "free-thinking", "attraction", "responsibility", "suspiciousness", "industry", "refinement", "first-class", "humane ”), and barbarisms (“sidewalk”, “coachman”). He was also one of the first to use the letter Y.

The language changes proposed by Karamzin caused a heated controversy in the 1810s. The writer A. S. Shishkov, with the assistance of Derzhavin, founded in 1811 the society “Conversation of the Lovers of the Russian Word”, the purpose of which was to promote the “old” language, as well as to criticize Karamzin, Zhukovsky and their followers. In response, in 1815, the Arzamas literary society was formed, which sneered at the authors of the Conversation and parodied their works. Many poets of the new generation became members of the society, including Batyushkov, Vyazemsky, Davydov, Zhukovsky, Pushkin. The literary victory of "Arzamas" over "Conversation" strengthened the victory language changes introduced by Karamzin.

Despite this, Karamzin later became closer to Shishkov, and, thanks to the assistance of the latter, Karamzin was elected a member of the Russian Academy in 1818. In the same year he became a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences.

Karamzin the historian

Karamzin's interest in history arose from the mid-1790s. He wrote a story on a historical theme - "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod" (published in 1803). In the same year, by decree of Alexander I, he was appointed to the position of a historiographer and until the end of his life he was engaged in writing the History of the Russian State, practically ceasing the activities of a journalist and writer.

Karamzin's "History of the Russian State" was not the first description of the history of Russia; before him were the works of V. N. Tatishchev and M. M. Shcherbatov. But it was Karamzin who opened the history of Russia to the general educated public. According to A. S. Pushkin, “Everyone, even secular women, rushed to read the history of their fatherland, hitherto unknown to them. She was a new discovery for them. Ancient Russia seemed to be found by Karamzin, like America by Columbus. This work also caused a wave of imitations and oppositions (for example, "History of the Russian people" by N. A. Polevoy)

In his work, Karamzin acted more as a writer than a historian - describing historical facts, he cared about the beauty of the language, least of all trying to draw any conclusions from the events he describes. However, high scientific value present his commentaries, which contain many extracts from manuscripts, mostly first published by Karamzin. Some of these manuscripts no longer exist.

In his "History" elegance, simplicity Prove to us, without any partiality, The necessity of autocracy And the charms of the whip.

Karamzin took the initiative to organize memorials and erect monuments to outstanding figures of Russian history, in particular, K. M. Sukhorukov (Minin) and Prince D. M. Pozharsky on Red Square (1818).

N. M. Karamzin discovered Afanasy Nikitin's Journey Beyond Three Seas in a 16th-century manuscript and published it in 1821. He wrote:

“Until now, geographers did not know that the honor of one of the oldest described European travels to India belongs to Russia of the Ioannian century ... It (the journey) proves that Russia in the 15th century had its Taverniers and Chardenis, less enlightened, but equally bold and enterprising; that the Indians had heard of her before they had heard of Portugal, Holland, England. While Vasco da Gama was only thinking about the possibility of finding a way from Africa to Hindustan, our Tverite was already a merchant on the coast of Malabar ... "

Karamzin - translator

In 1787, carried away by the work of Shakespeare, Karamzin published his translation of the original text of the tragedy "Julius Caesar". About his assessment of the work and his own work as a translator, Karamzin wrote in the preface:

“The tragedy that I have translated is one of his excellent creations… If reading the translation will give Russian lovers of literature a sufficient understanding of Shakespeare; if it brings them pleasure, then the translator will be rewarded for his work. However, he was prepared for the opposite.

In the early 1790s, this edition, one of the first works of Shakespeare in Russian, was included by censorship among the books for seizure and burning.

In 1792-1793, N. M. Karamzin translated a monument of Indian literature (from English) - the drama "Sakuntala", authored by Kalidasa. In the preface to the translation, he wrote:

“The creative spirit does not live in Europe alone; he is a citizen of the universe. Man everywhere is man; everywhere he has a sensitive heart, and in the mirror of his imagination contains heaven and earth. Everywhere Natura is his teacher and chief source of his pleasures.

I felt this very vividly when reading Sakontala, a drama composed in an Indian language, 1900 years before this, the Asiatic poet Kalidas, and recently translated into English by William Jones, a Bengali judge ... "

A family

N. M. Karamzin was married twice and had 10 children:

• First wife (since April 1801) - Elizaveta Ivanovna Protasova(1767-1802), sister of A. I. Pleshcheeva and A. I. Protasov, father of A. A. Voeikova and M. A. Moyer. According to Karamzin to Elizabeth, he "Knew and loved for thirteen years". She was a very educated woman and active assistant to her husband. Having poor health, in March 1802 she gave birth to a daughter, and in April she died of postpartum fever. Some researchers believe that it is in her honor that the heroine of "Poor Lisa" is named.
  • Sofia Nikolaevna(03/05/1802 - 07/04/1856), since 1821, a maid of honor, a close acquaintance of Pushkin and a friend of Lermontov.
• Second wife (from 01/08/1804) - Ekaterina Andreevna Kolyvanova(1780-1851), illegitimate daughter of Prince A. I. Vyazemsky and Countess Elizaveta Karlovna Sievers, half-sister of the poet P. A. Vyazemsky.
  • Natalia (30.10.1804-05.05.1810)
  • Ekaterina Nikolaevna(1806-1867), Petersburg acquaintance of Pushkin; from April 27, 1828, she was married to a retired lieutenant colonel of the guard, Prince Peter Ivanovich Meshchersky (1802-1876), who was married to her for the second time. Their son, writer and publicist Vladimir Meshchersky (1839-1914)
  • Andrew (20.10.1807-13.05.1813)
  • Natalia (06.05.1812-06.10.1815)
  • Andrey Nikolaevich(1814-1854), after graduating from Dorpat University, was forced to stay abroad for health reasons, later - a retired colonel. He was married to Aurora Karlovna Demidova. He had children from an extramarital affair with Evdokia Petrovna Sushkova.
  • Alexander Nikolaevich(1815-1888), after graduating from Dorpat University, he served in horse artillery, in his youth he was a great dancer and merry fellow, was close to the Pushkin family in his Last year life. Married to Princess Natalya Vasilievna Obolenskaya (1827-1892), had no children.
  • Nicholas (03.08.1817-21.04.1833)
  • Vladimir Nikolayevich(06/05/1819 - 08/07/1879), member of the consultation under the Minister of Justice, senator, owner of the Ivnya estate. He was witty and resourceful. He was married to Baroness Alexandra Ilyinichna Duka (1820-1871), daughter of General I. M. Duka. They left no offspring.
  • Elizaveta Nikolaevna(1821-1891), maid of honor since 1839, never married. Without a fortune, she lived on a pension, which she received as Karamzin's daughter. After the death of her mother, she lived with her older sister Sophia, in the family of the sister of Princess Catherine Meshcherskaya. She was distinguished by intelligence and boundless kindness, taking all other people's sorrows and joys to heart. Writer L. N. Tolstoy called her "an example of selflessness". In the family she was affectionately called - Nikolai Karamzin Street in Kaliningrad

  In Ulyanovsk, a monument to N. M. Karamzin was erected, a memorial sign - in the Ostafyevo estate near Moscow.

  In Veliky Novgorod, on the monument “1000th Anniversary of Russia”, among 129 figures of the most prominent personalities in Russian history (as of 1862), there is a figure of N. M. Karamzin

  The Karamzin public library in Simbirsk, created in honor of the famous countryman, opened to readers on April 18, 1848.

  In philately

  Postage stamp of the USSR, 1991, 10 kopecks (TsFA 6378, Scott 6053)

  Postage stamp Russia, 2016

  Addresses

  • St. Petersburg
    • Spring 1816 - the house of E. F. Muravyova - the embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
    • spring 1816-1822 - Tsarskoye Selo, Sadovaya street, 12;
    • 1818 - autumn 1823 - the house of E. F. Muravyova - embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
    • autumn 1823-1826 - Mizhuev's profitable house - Mokhovaya street, 41;
    • spring - 05/22/1826 - Tauride Palace - Voskresenskaya street, 47.
  • Moscow
    • Manor of the Vyazemsky-Dolgorukovs - native home his second wife.
    • The house on the corner of Tverskaya and Bryusov Lane, where he wrote "Poor Lisa" - has not been preserved

  
  

(1766 - 1826)

He was born on December 1 (12 n.s.) in the village of Mikhailovka, Simbirsk province, in the family of a landowner. He received a good education at home.

At the age of 14, he began to study at the Moscow private boarding school of Professor Shaden. After graduating in 1783, he came to the Preobrazhensky Regiment in St. Petersburg, where he met the young poet and future employee of his "Moscow Journal" Dmitriev. Then he published his first translation of S. Gesner's idyll "Wooden Leg". After retiring with the rank of second lieutenant in 1784, he moved to Moscow, became one of the active participants in the magazine Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind, published by N. Novikov, and became close to the Masons. Engaged in translations of religious and moral writings. From 1787 he regularly published his translations of Thomson's The Seasons, Janlis's Village Evenings, W. Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar, and Lessing's tragedy Emilia Galotti.

In 1789, Karamzin's first original story, Evgeny and Yulia, appeared in the magazine "Children's Reading ...". In the spring, he went on a trip to Europe: he visited Germany, Switzerland, France, where he observed the activities of the revolutionary government. In June 1790 he moved from France to England.

In the autumn he returned to Moscow and soon undertook the publication of the monthly "Moscow Journal", in which most of the "Letters of a Russian Traveler" were printed, the stories "Liodor", "Poor Liza", "Natalia, the Boyar's Daughter", "Flor Silin", essays, short stories, critical articles and poems. Karamzin attracted Dmitriev and Petrov, Kheraskov and Derzhavin, Lvov Neledinsky-Meletsky and others to cooperate in the journal. Karamzin's articles asserted a new literary direction - sentimentalism.

In the 1790s, Karamzin published the first Russian almanacs - "Aglaya" (parts 1 - 2, 1794 - 95) and "Aonides" (parts 1 - 3, 1796 - 99). The year 1793 arrived, when the Jacobin dictatorship was established at the third stage of the French Revolution, shocking Karamzin with its cruelty. The dictatorship aroused in him doubts about the possibility for mankind to achieve prosperity. He condemned the revolution. The philosophy of despair and fatalism permeates his new works: the stories "Bornholm Island" (1793); "Sierra Morena" (1795); poems "Melancholy", "Message to A. A. Pleshcheev", etc.

By the mid-1790s, Karamzin had become the recognized head of Russian sentimentalism, opening a new page in Russian literature. He was an indisputable authority for Zhukovsky, Batyushkov, the young Pushkin.

In 1802 - 1803 Karamzin published the journal Vestnik Evropy, which was dominated by literature and politics. AT critical articles Karamzin loomed a new aesthetic program, which contributed to the formation of Russian literature as a national identity. Karamzin saw the key to the identity of Russian culture in history. The most striking illustration of his views was the story "Marfa Posadnitsa". In his political articles, Karamzin made recommendations to the government, pointing out the role of education.

Trying to influence Tsar Alexander I, Karamzin gave him his Note on Ancient and New Russia (1811), irritating him. In 1819 filed new note- "Opinion of a Russian citizen", which caused even greater displeasure of the tsar. However, Karamzin did not abandon his faith in the salvation of the enlightened autocracy and later condemned the Decembrist uprising. However, Karamzin the artist was still highly appreciated by young writers who did not even share his political convictions.

In 1803, through M. Muravyov, Karamzin received the official title of court historiographer.

In 1804, he began to create the "History of the Russian State", on which he worked until the end of his days, but did not complete it. In 1818 the first eight volumes of History, Karamzin's greatest scientific and cultural achievement, were published. In 1821, the 9th volume was published, dedicated to the reign of Ivan the Terrible, in 1824 - the 10th and 11th, about Fyodor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Death interrupted work on the 12th volume. It happened on May 22 (June 3, NS) 1826 in St. Petersburg.

Minakov A. Yu.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, writer, poet, journalist, historian, one of the founders of Russian conservatism

N.M. Karamzin came from the Crimean Tatar family of Kara-Murza (known since the 16th century). He spent his childhood on the estate of his father - Mikhail Yegorovich, a landowner middle class- the village of Znamenskoye, then was brought up in the private boarding school Fauvel in Simbirsk, where they taught in French, then in the Moscow boarding school prof. THEM. Shaden. Shaden was an apologist for the family, he saw in her the guardian of morality and the source of education, in which religion, the beginning of wisdom, was to occupy a leading place. Schadin considered the best form of government to be a monarchy, with a strong nobility, virtuous, sacrificial, educated, putting the public good at the forefront. The influence of such views on K. is undeniable. In the boarding house K. learned French and German languages, taught English, Latin and Greek. In addition, K. attended lectures at Moscow University. Since 1782, Mr.. K. served in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. At the same time it starts literary activity. The first printed work of K. - translation from the German S. Gessner "Wooden Leg". On the death of his father, K. retired in 1784 and left for Simbirsk, where he joined the Golden Crown Masonic Lodge. A year later, K. moved to Moscow, where he became close to the Moscow Freemasons from the environment of N.I. Novikov, under the influence of which his views and literary tastes are formed, in particular, interest in the literature of the French Enlightenment, “encyclopedists”, Montesquieu, Voltaire and etc. Freemasonry attracted K. with its educational and charitable activities, but repelled with its mystical side and rituals. At the end of the 1780s. K. participates in various periodicals: "Reflections on the Affairs of God ...", "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind", in which he publishes his own writings and translations. By 1788, K. cools towards Freemasonry. In 1789-1790, he made an 18-month trip abroad, one of the motives of which was K.'s break with the Masons. K. visited Germany, Switzerland, engulfed by the revolution of France and England. As a witness to the events in France, he repeatedly visited the National Assembly, listened to Robespierre's speeches, made acquaintances with many political celebrities. This experience had a huge impact on the further evolution of K., marking the beginning of a critical attitude towards "advanced" ideas. So, in “Melodor and Philalethe” (1795), K. clearly expressed the rejection and shock caused by the implementation of the ideas of the “Enlightenment” in practice, during the so-called “Great French Revolution”: “The Age of Enlightenment! I don’t recognize you - I don’t recognize you in blood and flames - I don’t recognize you among murders and destruction!

Upon his return from abroad, he publishes the Moscow Journal (1791-1792), the album Aglaya (1794-95), the almanac Aonides (1796-99), the Pantheon of Foreign Literature (1798), the magazine Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind” (1799), publishes “Letters of a Russian Traveler” (1791-1792), which brought him all-Russian fame, approaches the conservatively minded G.R. Derzhavin and finally breaks with Freemasonry. During this period, K. is experiencing growing skepticism in relation to the ideals of the “Enlightenment”, however, on the whole, remains in Western, cosmopolitan positions, being confident that the path of civilization is the same for all mankind and that Russia should follow this path: “everything the people's nothing compared to the human. The main thing is to be people, not Slavs” (Letters from a Russian Traveler. L., 1987. P. 254). As a writer, he creates a new direction, the so-called sentimentalism, carries out a large-scale reform of the Russian language, on the one hand, orienting it to French literary models, on the other hand, bringing it closer to colloquial, believing that the Russian everyday language has yet to be created. AT most sentimentalism was reflected in such a work as "Poor Lisa" (1792). K.'s desire to "frenchize" the Russian language should not be exaggerated. Back in 1791, he stated: “In our so-called good society, without the French language, you will be deaf and dumb. Aren't you ashamed? How not to have national pride? Why be parrots and monkeys together?” (Ibid., p.338.). In addition, the then cosmopolitanism of K. was combined with a kind of literary struggle for a return to Russian origins. For example, his story “Natalya, the Boyar’s Daughter” (1792) began with the words: “Which of us does not love those times when Russians were Russians, when they dressed up in their own clothes, walked with their own gait, lived according to their custom, spoke their own language and according to your heart..? (Notes of an old Moscow resident. M., 1988. P.55).

In April 1801, K. married Elizaveta Ivanovna Protasova, who died a year later, leaving her daughter Sophia.

The accession to the throne of Alexander I marked the beginning of a new period in the ideological evolution of K. In 1802, he published the “Historical word of praise Catherine the Second”, which was a mandate to the new tsar, where he formulates a monarchist program and clearly speaks out in favor of autocracy. K. deployed active publishing activity: republished the Moscow Journal, undertook the publication of the Pantheon of Russian Authors, or a collection of their portraits with comments, published his first collected works in 8 vols. The main event of the first years of the 19th century was the publication of the “thick” magazine Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803), which was published twice a month, where K. acted as a political writer, publicist, commentator and international observer. In it, he clearly formulates his statist position (earlier, for him, the state was a “monster”). It is also noteworthy that in his articles K. quite sharply opposed the imitation of everything foreign, against the education of Russian children abroad, and so on. K. unequivocally expresses his position with the formula: “The people are humiliated when they need someone else’s mind for education” (Bulletin of Europe. 1802. No. 8. P. 364). Moreover, K. calls to stop the reckless borrowing of the experience of the West:<...>to the people who will be an eternal student” (Coll.: In 2 vols. L., 1984. Vol. 2. P. 230.) K. is critical of the liberal undertakings of Alexander I, forming a position that can be described as proto-conservative, since K. himself still remains a "republican at heart." K. does not leave literature either - in 1803 he publishes “Marfa Posadnitsa” and a number of other works. It is especially worth highlighting “My Confession” (1802), where he sharply argues with the entire educational tradition - from “encyclopedists” to J.J. Rousseau. His conservative-monarchist views are becoming more and more clear.

Back in the late 90s. 18th century K.'s interest in Russian history was indicated. He creates several small historical works. On September 28, 1803, K. addressed the Ministry of Public Education to the trustee of the Moscow educational district M.N. Muravyov with a request for his official appointment as a historiographer, which was soon granted by a special decree of November 31. In the same year, A.S. Shishkov’s book “Discourse on the Old and New Style of the Russian Language” was published, in which a prominent Russian conservative accused Karamzin and his followers of spreading gallomania (See Shishkov). However, K. himself did not take part in the literary controversy. This can be explained by the fact that K. was not only busy with historiographical developments, “he took the veil of historians” (P.A. Vyazemsky), his position, including linguistic, under the influence of studies in Russian history, began to converge with the position of Shishkov.

In 1804, K. married a second time - to Ekaterina Andreevna Kolyvanova. His life was filled with hard work, in winter he lived in Moscow, in summer - in Ostafyevo.

From 1803 to 1811, K. created five volumes of the History of the Russian State, simultaneously discovering and using for the first time the most valuable historical sources.

At the end of 1809, K. was first introduced to Alexander I. By 1810, K., under the influence of studies in Russian history, became a consistent conservative patriot. At the beginning of this year, through his relative F.V. Rostopchin, he met in Moscow with the leader of the then “conservative party” at court, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna, and began to constantly visit her residence in Tver, where her husband, Prince of Oldenburg, was a general -governor. The salon of the Grand Duchess was then the center of conservative opposition to the liberal-Western course, personified by the figure of M.M. Speransky. In this salon, K. read excerpts from the "History ..." in the presence of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, at the same time he met the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, who has since become one of his patronesses. In 1810, Alexander I granted K. the Order of St. Vladimir 3rd degree. On the initiative of Ekaterina Pavlovna, K. wrote and submitted in March 1811 to Alexander I, during the readings in Tver of another fragment from his “History ...”, the treatise “On ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations” - the most profound and a substantive document of emerging Russian conservative thought. Along with an overview of Russian history and criticism of the state policy of Alexander I, the “Note” contained an integral, original and very complex in its theoretical content, the concept of Autocracy as a special, original Russian type of power, closely connected with Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Church.

From the point of view of K., autocracy is a “smart political system”(Note on Ancient and New Russia. M., 1991. P. 22), which has undergone a long evolution and played a unique role in the history of Russia. This system was “the great creation of the princes of Moscow” (Ibid., p.22), starting with Ivan Kalita, and, in its main elements, it had the quality of objectivity, that is, it weakly depended on the personal qualities, mind and will of individual rulers, since was not a product of personal power, but rather a complex structure based on certain traditions and state and public institutions. This system arose as a result of the synthesis of the autochthonous political tradition of “autocracy”, which goes back to Kievan Rus and some traditions of the Tatar-Mongolian khanate power. The conscious imitation of political ideals also played a large role. Byzantine Empire(Ibid., p.23).

The autocracy that arose in the conditions of the most difficult struggle against the Tatar-Mongol yoke was unconditionally accepted by the Russian people, since it not only eliminated foreign power, but also internal civil strife. “Political slavery” (p.22.) did not seem in these conditions to be an excessive price to pay for national security and unity.

The entire system of state and public institutions was, according to K., “an outpouring of royal power” (Ibid., p. 24), the monarchist core permeated the entire political system from top to bottom. At the same time, autocratic power was preferable to the power of the aristocracy. The aristocracy, acquiring self-sufficient importance, could become dangerous for statehood, for example, in specific period or during the period Troubles XVII century (Ibid. p.28). The autocracy “embedded” the aristocracy into the system of the state hierarchy, rigidly subordinated it to the interests of the monarchical statehood.

According to Karamzin, the Orthodox Church played an exceptional role in this system. It was the “conscience” (Ibid., p.36.) of the autocratic system that set the moral coordinates for the monarch and the people in stable times, and especially when their “accidental deviations from virtue” occurred (Ibid.). K. emphasized that spiritual authority acted in close alliance with civil authority and gave it a religious justification. In his “History ...” K. emphasized: “history confirms the truth<...>that faith is a special power of the state ”(History of the Russian State: In 4 books. M., 1989. Vol. 6. P. 224).

The autocratic system of political power, according to K., was also based on the traditions, customs and habits generally recognized by the people, what he referred to as “ancient skills” and, more broadly, “the spirit of the people”, “attachment to our special” (Note on the ancient and new Russia, Moscow, 1991, p.32).

Karamzin categorically refused to identify "true autocracy" with despotism, tyranny and arbitrariness. He believed that such deviations from the norms of autocracy were due to a matter of chance (Ivan the Terrible, Paul I) and were quickly eliminated by the inertia of the tradition of “wise” and “virtuous” monarchical rule. This tradition was so powerful and effective that even in cases of a sharp weakening or even complete absence of the supreme state and church authorities (for example, during the Time of Troubles), it led to the restoration of autocracy within a short historical period (Ibid. p. 49).

By virtue of all of the above, the autocracy was the “palladium of Russia” (Ibid., p. 105), main reason her power and prosperity. From the point of view of K., the basic principles of monarchical rule should have been preserved in the future, only supplemented by a proper policy in the field of education and legislation, which would lead not to undermine the autocracy, but to its maximum strengthening. With such an understanding of autocracy, any attempt to limit it would be a crime against Russian history and the Russian people.

K. was one of the first in Russian thought to raise the question of the negative consequences of the reign of Peter I, since the desire of this emperor to transform Russia into the likeness of Europe undermined the “spirit of the people,” that is, the very foundations of autocracy, “the moral power of the state.” The aspiration of Peter I “to new customs for us crossed the boundaries of prudence in him” (Ibid., p.32). K. actually accused Peter of forcibly eradicating ancient customs, a fatal sociocultural split of the people into a higher, “Germanized” layer and a lower, “common people”, the destruction of the Patriarchate, which led to a weakening of faith, the transfer of the capital to the outskirts of the state, at the cost of enormous efforts and sacrifices ( Ibid., pp. 32-37). As a result, K. argued, the Russians “became citizens of the world, but ceased to be, in some cases, citizens of Russia” (Ibid., p.35).

The main elements of the concept of the autocracy of K. in one form or another were developed by subsequent generations of Russian conservatives: S. S. Uvarov, L. A. Tikhomirov, I. A. Ilyin, I. A. Solonevich and others

In the Note, K. formulated the idea of ​​“Russian law”, which has not yet been implemented in practice: “the laws of the people must be derived from their own concepts, customs, habits, local circumstances” (Ibid., p. 91). ” Russian law also has its beginnings, like the Roman; define them and you will give us a system of laws” (p. 94). Paradoxically, to some extent (but far from complete) K.'s recommendations were used already in the reign of Nicholas I by his ideological opponent M. M. Speransky in the process of codifying Russian legislation.

Among other things, the “Note” contained the classical principles of Russian conservatism: “we demand more preserving wisdom than creative wisdom” (Ibid., p. 63), “any news in the state order is an evil that should be resorted to only when necessary” ( Ibid. P.56), “for the firmness of being a state, it is safer to enslave people than to give them freedom at the wrong time” (Ibid. P.74).

The "note" was coldly received by the emperor, but later, he clearly took into account its main provisions. After the fall of Speransky, K.'s candidacy for the post of State Secretary of the State Council was considered along with A.S. Shishkov. Preference was given to the latter, as a military man, which was important in the context of the impending war with Napoleon.

K.'s work on the "History of the Russian State" was temporarily interrupted by the Patriotic War of 1812. K. himself was ready to fight in the Moscow militia and left the city in the last moments before Napoleon entered the capital. In 1813, K. spent in evacuation, first in Yaroslavl, and then in Nizhny Novgorod. K. returned to Moscow in June 1813 and continued to work on the “History ...”, despite the fact that his library burned down in the Moscow fire of 1812. At the beginning of 1816, Mr.. K. came to St. Petersburg to ask for funds for the publication of the first eight volumes. With the support of Empresses Elizaveta Alekseevna and Maria Fedorovna, after a reception at A.A. Arakcheev, Alexander I awarded K. the highest audience, as a result of which the necessary funds were allocated and the written volumes of “History ...”, uncensored, were published in 1818 . (The 9th volume was published in 1821, in 1824 - the 10th and 11th, the last, 12th volume was published posthumously). "History of the Russian State" was a huge success. From 1816 until his death, K. lived in St. Petersburg, communicating with V.A. Zhukovsky, S.S. Uvarov, A.S. Pushkin, D.N. Bludov, P.A. Vyazemsky and others. At the suggestion of Alexander I, K. began to spend every summer in Tsarskoye Selo, which more and more strengthened his closeness to the royal family. The sovereign repeatedly talked with K. during walks in the Tsarskoye Selo park, constantly read the “History ...” in the manuscript, listened to K.'s opinions on current political events. In 1816, Mr.. K. was granted a state councilor, awarded the Order of St.. Anna of the 1st class, in 1824 he became a real state councilor. In 1818, K. was accepted as a member of the Imperial Russian Academy. In 1818, eight volumes of "History ..." were published with a circulation of three thousand copies, which quickly sold out in 25 days. The significance of this grandiose work was accurately expressed by P.A. Vyazemsky: “Karamzin’s creation is the only book we have, truly state, popular and monarchical” (Vyazemsky P.A. Complete works. St. Petersburg, 1879. V.2. P.215 ).

The death of Alexander I shocked K., and the rebellion on December 14 finally broke physical forces K. (that day he caught a cold in the Senate Square, the disease turned into consumption and death).

The role of K. as a cultural figure and Russian historiography as a whole is recognized in Russian thought. However, the significance of K. as a conservative thinker, who had a decisive influence on Russian conservative-patriotic thought, historians and philosophers have yet to reveal.

Works by N.M. Karamzin:

Bulletin of Europe. M., 1802. No. 1-24; 1803. No. 1-22;

Note on ancient and new Russia, Moscow, 1991.

Notes of an old Moscow resident. M., 1986.

History of the Russian state, 2nd ed., vol. 1-12, St. Petersburg, 1818-29; 5th ed., kn.1-3 (T.1-12). St. Petersburg, 1842-43 (reprint - M., 1988-89);

Works. T.1-11. M., 1803 - 1815.

Unpublished writings and correspondence. SPb., 1862. Part 1.;

Letters to I.I. Dmitriev. SPb., 1866;

Letters to P.A. Vyazemsky. 1810-1826. SPb., 1897.

Bibliography

Bestuzhev-Ryumin K.N. Karamzin as a historian // ZhMNP. - 1867. - No. 1.-det.2.-S.1-20. The same in the book. Bestuzheva - Ryumina.: Biographies and characteristics. SPb., 1882.

Bestuzhev-Ryumin K.N. N.M. Karamzin: Essay on life and work. SPb., 1895.

Bestuzhev-Ryumin K.N. Karamzin N.M. //Russian biographical dictionary. SPb., 1892. V.8. Ibak-Klyucharev.

Bulich N.N. Biographical sketch of N.M. Karamzin and the development of his political activities. Kazan, 1866.

Gogotsky S.S. N.M. Karamzin. Kyiv, 187...

Grot Ya.K. Essay on the activities and personality of Karamzin. SPb., 1867.

Gulyga A.V. Karamzin in the system of Russian culture//Literature and art in the system of Russian culture. M., 1988.

Degtyareva M.I. Two candidates for the role of state ideologist: J. de Maistre and N.M. Karamzin// Historical metamorphoses of conservatism. Permian. 1998.

Ermashov D.V., Shirinyants A.A. At the origins of Russian conservatism: N.M. Karamzin. M., 1999.

Zavitnevich V.Z. Speransky and Karamzin as representatives of two political trends, Kyiv, 1907.

Kislyagina L.G. Formation of socio-political views of Karamzin. M., 1976.

Kozlov V.P. “History of the Russian State in the Estimates of Contemporaries” M., 1976.

Lotman Yu.M. “On ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations”. Karamzin - a monument of Russian journalism of the early nineteenth century//LU.-1988.-No. 4.

Lotman Yu.M. Karamzin. SPb., 1997.

Milyukov P. Main currents of Russian historical thought. SPb., 1913.

Pivovarov Yu.S. Karamzin and the beginning of the Russian Enlightenment.//Society. 1993. No. 26-27.

Pogodin M.P. N.M. Karamzin based on his writings, letters and reviews of contemporaries. Ch.P.M., 1866.-p.58-82.

Predtechensky A.V. Essays on the socio-political history of Russia in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. M., L., 1957.

Pypin A.N. Social movement in Russia under Alexander 1. Historical essays.-St. Petersburg, 1908.-588 p.

Sakharov A.N. Lessons from the “immortal historiographer”//Karamzin N.M. History of the Russian state: In 12 volumes. Vol.1. M., 1989. Applications.

Smirnov A.F. N.M. Karamzin and spiritual culture of Russia//Karamzin N.M. History of Russian Goverment. Book 3. Rostov-on-Don, 1990

Uspensky B.A. From the history of the Russian literary language XVIII-beginning XIX century. Karamzin's language program and its historical roots. M., 1985.

Pointers:

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin: Index of works, literature about life and work. 1883-1993. M., 1999. -

Black, Josef L. Nicolas Karamzin and Russian society in the nineteenth century: a study in Russian political and historical thought. Toronto-Buffalo Univ. of Toronto Press, 1975.

Gross A.G. N.M. Karamzin. L.-Amsterdam.

Gross A.G. N.M. Karamzins “Messenger of Europe” (Vestnik Yevropy), 1802-3 // Forum for modern language studies. 1969 Vol. V.No.1.