A sober and keen-sighted observer might have seen even in the beginning, glorious as it was, that not all is gold that glitters.  All that was done, was accompanied with a noise and boasting which strangely imposed upon foreigners.  Universities, on the plan of the venerable institutions of learning in Germany, were founded, where all the preparation necessary in order to profit by them was wanting; and the profoundest sciences were professedly taught to pupils, who were still deficient even in elementary knowledge.  We do not however mean to say, that much real good was not done; and even if some of the new institutions were not propitious in their immediate results, still the time has come, or will come, when all of them are or will be at least in a measure useful.  The establishment of numerous common schools of a less elevated character throughout the whole empire, deserves unqualified praise.  More than fifty higher schools, called gymnasia or governmental schools, and twice as many lower or provincial schools, were established under Alexander’s reign alone.[29]

Besides the universities, eight in all, of which Alexander founded five, there are a considerable number of professional schools; among which are four theological academies.  In the year 1823, an Institution for the study of oriental languages was founded at St. Petersburg; and in 1829 a similar one at Odessa, a city which has by its location more natural advantages for the learning of Asiatic languages than any other, and where for most of them native teachers may be readily obtained.  On the other hand, the Asiatic Museum, attached to the school at St. Petersburg, contains all the means and aids for those studies to be met with at a more remote place.  Richly endowed by the munificence of the emperor Alexander, who caused scientific treasures of every kind to be liberally purchased, it was also greatly augmented during the late war with Persia; where by order of the emperor all conquered cities were deprived of their libraries, whether public or private; while, by a stipulation in the treaty of peace, the Persian government was compelled to deliver to Russia towards four hundred manuscripts, a list of which was drawn up by the orientalists Fraehn and Senkofsky.  Among these were the geography of Ptolemy, and several Arabic translations of Greek and Latin works, lost in the original languages.  Although the object of the oriental schools in Russia was originally to educate translators for diplomatic missions, they have proved themselves very useful to oriental philology in general; especially through the many gifted Germans in the Russian service, who avail themselves gladly of opportunities for those studies which their own country cannot give.  It will however be seen in the sequel, that several learned Russians also have paid an honourable attention to this branch, especially within the last twenty years.