En
Ru
Russian writer, public figure, publisher and journalist Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov born
Education consists of three principal parts: physical education; moral education having for the object to train the heart; and education meant to enlighten and educate the mind.
Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov
Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov, a Russian writer, public figure, enlightener, publisher and journalist was born on April 27 (May 8), 1744 in his patrimony Tikhvinskoye-Avdotieno of Moscow province in a noble family.
Nikolai Ivanovich studied in gymnasium under Moscow University but in 1760 was expelled ‘for laziness and absence from classes’. In 1762 on his father’s insistence he went to Petersburg to join up in Ismailov Guard regiment. In 1767 Novikov was attached as a secretary to record the minutes in the Committee for composing a new Code. Working in the Committee Nikolai Ivanovich learned the main social problems of the Russian life and strengthened his desire to devote himself to enlightening the society.
In 1768 he retired and from 1769 started to issue weekly satiric magazines ‘Truten’, ‘Zhivopisets’, ‘Koshelek’ and other. The magazines criticized such sore subjects as serfdom, bribery and embezzlement of state property, Gallomania of nobility, etc.
In 1770 Novikov published a series of historical editions which were meant to strengthen the national consciousness and remind of ‘morals and traditions of our ancestors’. In 1773-1775 were issued 10 volumes of ‘Russian Ancient Study of early texts’ – the first large edition of written texts on the Russian history; ‘Collection of memorable notes on the Russian history and geography’; ‘Story of innocent imprisonment of Boyar A. S. Matveev’; ‘Scythian history from different foreign historians, the more so from Russian true stories and tales…’. At the same time was published the first biobibliographical dictionary of Russian authors and historians named ‘Experience of historical dictionary on Russian authors’. In 1777 Novikov issued 22 numbers of ‘St. –Petersburg Scientific Bulletin’.
During the reaction after the defeat of Peasants’ movement of 1773-1775 led by E. I. Pugachyov, Novikov joined in Masonic lodge. In 1777-1780 he had been issuing weekly Masonic magazine ‘Morning Light’ where were published translations of Yung, Pascal, German authors, moralists and mystics. The magazine had been issued with the support of the circle of like-minded persons including M. N. Muravyov and I. P. Turgenev and for a charitable purpose: all the profit from the issue was given to establishment and maintenance of public schools in Petersburg.
In 1779 on proposition of Moscow University curator M. M. Kheraskov, Novikov rented the University print shop and ‘Moscow bulletin’ publishing house and moved to Moscow. Besides numerous periodicals (‘Moscow bulletin’ newspaper; ‘Moscow weekly edition’ magazine; ‘City and village library’, the first children’s magazine ‘Children’s reading’, etc.) Novikov published the works on the national history, works of Russian authors and translations of the best European writers, works of philosophy (Voltaire, Lock, Lessing, Pascal), books on pedagogy, economy, grammar, hundreds of various textbooks, primers, teach-yourself books of foreign languages, etc.; was charged with educational and charitable activities. He opened a free library for reading which provided to the poor the access to books; established a hospital and a pharmacy.
From 1784 the government started attacks and oppressions against Novikov’s enterprise: he was accused of illegal issue of textbooks; some of his books were prohibited for publishing and archbishop Platon was charged with ‘testing’ his faith for ‘fortitude’. His enlightener’s activity was interrupted in 1789 after the confiscation of print shop.
In 1792 Novikov was arrested and condemned to 15 years of solitary confinement in Shlisselburg fortress upon personal order of Catherine II of May 10 (21), 1792 without any formal assize.
In 1796 under the order of Paul I, Nikolai Ivanovich was released but was not allowed to continue his previous activity.
The last years of his life the eminent public figure and illuminator spent in his estate, where he died on July 31 (August 12), 1818.
Lit.: Западов А. В. Новиков. М., 1968; Макогоненко Г. Николай Новиков // Н. И. Новиков. Избранные сочинения. М.; Л. 1951; Мартынов И. Ф. Книгоиздатель Николай Новиков. М., 1981; Новиков Н. И. Опыт исторического словаря о российских писателях. СПб., 1772; Сатиристические журналы Н. И. Новикова: Трутень, 1769-1770. Пустомеля, 1770. Живописец, 1772-1773. Кошелёк, 1774. Л., 1951.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Decree “On free press” issued // On this day. 26 January 1783;
Боголюбов В. А. Н. И. Новиков и его время. М., 1916;
Новиков Н. И. Древняя российская идрография. СПб., 1773 ;
Новиков Н. И. Опыт историческаго словаря о российских писателях. СПб., 1772;
Усова С. Е. Н.И. Новиков, его жизнь и общественная деятельность. СПб., 1892.