of teachers; and, since the year 1780, more than 5000 of them have been permitted to enter the civil service of their country. Great as has been the liberality of his present Majesty, in doubling the annual allowance formerly granted by government to the support of these. schools, they are still destitute of several accommodations indispensible for carrying fully into effect the important object for which they are instituted. Of these, that which is most felt, and which proves one of the greatest hindrances to the successful prosecution of literary and scientific studies, is the want of proper books; for, though small libraries are attached to some of the principal schools, the greater number have none; so that the students, though ever so well grounded in the elementary principles of literature and science, are deprived of the means of attaining that comprehensive knowledge which is to be acquired only by an extensive perusal of the best authors on every subject. Of late years, there have been some excellent books translated from the German, English, and French languages; but most of the seminaries being at a distance from Petersburg and Moscow, where books are usually published, the students have but few opportunities of obtaining them; and hence their reading is very circum scribed, being confined mostly to the ancient Greek fathers, many of whose works are translated into the Slavonian. The candidates for the priesthood being thus trained up from their early years in these secluded retreats, have but few opportunities of mixing in civil society. In consequence of this, on leaving the seminary, and entering into the world, the student is like a foreigner coming into a strange country, with the language and manners of which he has but an imperfect acquaintThe very dress he is obliged to wear. on his admission to the priestly office, tends to exclude him from mingling with polished company, or such as in Russia is styled enlightened society; so that, as student and priest, he has but few opportunities of attaining that comprehensive general knowledge, that polish of manners, and freedom of address, which are so essential ance. * * The Russian clergy are all dressed in the wide flowing robes of Orientals, and are obliged to wear long beards, and their hair floating upon their shoulders. This gives them a reverend appearance, which tends not a little to impress the vulgar with false ideas of their sanctity, and also becomes a bar to their having a free intercourse with people of every condition. To change the dress of the clergy, however, would prove difficult; for the people look upon it as holy-as the manner in which Christ and his apostles were arrayed, and therefore the only habit in which his ambassadors should appear. for enabling him to perform, with advantage, the duties of a Christian minister; and which are to be obtained only by general reading, and a frequent intercourse with civilized society. 1 2. The Russian clergy are divided into Regular and Secular. The former are all monks, and the latter are the parochial clergy. The superior clergy are divided into metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops, who are indiscriminately styled Archirès; but the title of metropolitan or bishop is merely personal, and not properly attached to the see; and, though there be some difference among the superior clergy in denomination, rank, and dress, yet it scarcely ever happens that one Archirè is subordinate to another. Before the time of Peter the Great, the bishops were absolute in their own dioceses; and: though, at consecration, they took a general oath to walk in the spirit of their office, according to the Holy Scriptures and councils of the fathers, yet Peter found it necessary, in 1716, to make their duties and obligations more clear and specific,† as the moral conduct of many of them was * Αρχιερεις. + These obligations refer to the judicious exercise of the powers committed to them-personal conduct-strict cognizance of the monks and clergy under them-prevention of su highly unworthy their sacred office, and others were remiss in the performance of their spiritual duties. Promotion to the rank of bishop depends entirely on the will of the sovereign. When a vacancy takes place in a diocese, the holy legislative synod presents to his Imperial Majesty two or three candidates from among the eldest of the Archimandrites,* or chiefs of monasteries, out of whom he selects one, and orders him to be ordained an Archirè; though he is not restricted in his choice to any of the candidates brought forward by the holy synod. Thus, the metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops, compose the highest class of the Russian clergy, of whom the greater part in the present day are men of learning, and many of them possessed of distinguished abilities, whose theological writings, especially of late years, have done honour to their profession and country; but, unfortunately for their literary reputation, they write in a language which is unknown to the other nations of Europe. From the intercourse which I have had with the higher ranks of the Russian clergy, in different perfluous building of churches and monasteries-particular duties towards their flock-study of the Scriptures-establishing of schools, &c. * Αρχιμανδρίτης, probably from μανδρα, a fold, parts of the empire, I cannot express my sentiments of their character in more appropriate terms than those which Dr King employed forty years before me, that "the superior clergy of Russia are men whose candour, modesty, and truly primitive simplicity of manners, would have illustrated the first ages of Christianity." . After the Archirès, the next in order of dig nity are those who in Russia are called Tschornoe Duhovenstvo, or the Black Clergy, to which class belong the Archimandrites, or chiefs of monasteries, from amongst whom the bishops are always chosen; the Hegumins,* chiefs of small convents, of which they have the direction; Ieromonachst and Ierodiacons, who perform divine service in the monasteries; and, last of all, the Monks. All the Black Clergy, and also the Archirès, according to the regulations of the Greek church, are obliged to lead rigid and recluse lives; are forbidden animal food; and are not permitted to marry, after entering into this order. They compose the regular clergy, and consider themselves as superior to the secular priests, in respect both of rank and learning; for the whole powers and * Hyvo, rulers. + Iɛgoμovayo, monks, who are priests. |