In regard to periodical literature, the number of political journals is of course very small.  That which most highly extols the merits and exploits of the Russians is always considered as the best, and is most patronized by the government and the nation.  In Russia the praise of one’s country and love for it are regarded as synonymous ideas.  The literary journals, most of which are of a miscellaneous character, are more in number, and are generally conducted with some critical talent.  Those of a purely scientific character are rarely sustained longer than a few years; for instance, the very valuable Bibliographical Journal, edited by P. Koeppen in 1825-26.  The ephemeral race of Annuals, those vehicles of superficial taste and knowledge, early took broad possession of the Russian Parnassus.  In the year 1839, eight hundred and eighty different works were published in Russia; of which seventy-three only were translations.  The number of journals and periodicals, which in general are quite thick pamphlets, amounted only to fifty-three.  In 1842 those latter had increased to one hundred and thirty-nine; nearly three times as many as in the former year.  Of these 98 were in the Russian language, 22 in German, 8 in French, 1 in Italian, 3 in Polish, and 3 in Lettonian.[48]

In a recent work on Russian literature, by F. Otto,[49] the Lexicon of authors subjoined comprises about 250 names; and the English translator speaks of having seen a list of nearly twelve hundred more in the author’s hands.  We are compelled to regard this last statement with some distrust; especially when we perceive, that among the names printed in the Lexicon, at least thirty are Germans and Poles who wrote on Russian matters, but not in Russian.  It is also singular to find among Russian authors, not only the Grand-duke Constantine of Kief, because he was a patron of science, and first caused the Old Slavonic Bible to be printed; but also even the old traditional bard Bojan, mentioned in the ancient epic of Igor![50]

The recent movements in Europe have of course built up still higher the Chinese wall which surrounds the Russian empire.  Even in anticipation of them, the government had been seized with a new shock of fear; and attempted to shut out the intrusive new lights.  This was indicated by several strong and very unpopular measures; among which we may here mention, that travellers in foreign countries were called home, and the number of students at each university was suddenly limited to three hundred.