Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

OF RUSSIA.

From the New-York Daily Advertiser

No sovereign of modern times
has discovered more extraordinary qualities of mind than the Emperor of Russia. Having passed through scenes
the most interesting, and indeed,
terrific character, since his accession
to the throne of that immense empire,
he has seen universal peace succeed to
storms which had wasted and impoverished Europe during nearly a quarter
of a century. Immediately upon the restoration of general tranquility, he began to execute the laborious plan of
civilizing, instructing, and christianizing, the countless tribes of his vast
and boundless dominions. To the accomplishment of this great object, he
for several years bent all the power
of his comprehensive and benevolent mind
assisted by the talents and labors
of his ministers and distinguished officers of government. And the progress
they have already made cannot fail to
astonish every observer.

We have been accustomed, in this
country, to consider the Russian nation as a vast horde of barbarians without knowledge, and without civilization
this idea has come down from the
old days of the reign of Peter the Great,
who himself has been considered as at least half savage. It is difficult, at this
distance of time, and with such imperfect information as we possess of the true
state of things in Russia a century
ago to form a true estimate of the character of such a monarch as Peter. He was
undoubtedly a great man-and laid the
foundation of the flourishing and powerful empire over which Alexander
reigns with such distinguished reputation.

What will be the result of the astonishing advancement of this mighty
nation in moral as well as physical improvement upon the surrounding nations, it is
easy to conjecture. Should the present emperor's life be prolonged to the
ordinary age of man, and the empire continue in improvement for the ensuing
twenty or thirty years, in proportion
as it has for six years past; by the end
of the period above mentioned, in the hands of an able ambitious man, it will
be able to give laws to Europe.

Our thoughts have been turned to this subject, by reading the following
article in the Christian Observer
of August, 1819. It discloses the remarkable progress that is making in the gigantic
plans of the Czar, and at the same
time furnishes matter for serious consideration and reflection on the events of the
times.

The Emperor of Russia, among
other zealous efforts for the extension
of religion and learning, has issued an
edict for a new institution of great importance, to be entitled "The University
of St. Petersburgh." It is for a
large and liberal plan. The three principal faculties will be, 1st. Philosophy.
Moral and Juridical sciences; 2d. The Physical and Mathematical sciences; 3d. The Historical and Philological sciences. The most eminent professors, Russian and foreign, are to be engaged.

The new system of education is also widely extending in Russia; and a considerable number of schools are in action for educating the children of soldiers, upon this economical and efficient plan. Even in Siberia there is an establishment for training masters, who when qualified, are sent to different parts of the empire; and in the neighborhood of Odessa, in the south of Russia, there are schools for above 10,000 of the Russian troops. At Petersburgh there is a school for the children of soldiers extremely well organized; and another for 550 persons has been opened for the soldiers themselves, a certain number of whom are taken out of the different regiments, in order, when qualified, that they may teach others by this method.

The progress they make, particularly the Cossacks, is represented as quite astonishing. In the space of 15 days several, who did not previously know a letter were able to read short words, and even to write them on a slate. Prince Alexander Galitzin, the minister of public instruction, has laid before the Emperor an extensive set of reading lessons, from the Holy Scriptures, for the use of all schools, upon the same plan, in Russia, of which the Emperor has expressed his high approbation and has ordered the payment of the expense of printing a large edition.

These lessons are very extensive, and consist of three parts.--1. Historical lessons, from the Old Testament; 2. Our duties towards God and man: 3. A brief history of the four Gospels, with some of the most striking facts in the Acts of the Apostles. The selection is made in the words of the text, without note or comment, and the whole is printed in common Russian.