History of Russia, Vol. 1 of 3: From the Earliest Times to 1882 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from History of Russia, Vol. 1 of 3: From the Earliest Times to 1882

The field of Russian history has not hitherto seemed to offer great attraction for the student. This is partly due to the lack of interesting and reliable works upon the subject. It is now nearly a quarter of a century since any history of Russia pretending to completeness has appeared in the English language, and Kelly's Compilation in the Bohn Collection, published immediately after the Crimean War, is full of prejudice and error. The abundance of materials which throw new light on the development of the Empire, the labors of the faithful and conscientious modern Russian historians, have been almost entirely neglected. It has not been felt to be essential for the well-educated man to add to his other accomplishments a complete knowledge of Russian history, and a few items of general information have completely satisfied him. The name of Ivan the Terrible has seemed to him typical of the early Tsars, and by its very sound conjured up a phantom of something indefinitely cruel and barbaric. An acquaintance with Peter the Great, "the giant, the wonder-worker," he has perhaps made through the medium of Voltaire. But however brilliant Voltaire's style may be, it does not suffice to cover its superficial and untrustworthy character. And the study of modern European history has led to more or less familiarity with Napoleon's campaign against Moscow and the details of the Crimean War.

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