Blessed is he who visited this world in its fatal moments!? What is Basil the Blessed known for and why was Ivan the Terrible himself afraid of him? Everyone knows quite well in what way the blessed

"Look for the enemy to refute"

Peter did not see the defeat of his army - he was no longer in the camp under the walls of Narva: literally on the eve of the battle, he left for Novgorod, taking with him his favorite Aleksashka Menshikov and the army commander F. A. Golovin. Of course, the fact that the tsar abandoned the army on the eve of the decisive battle does not adorn the great commander. But this act was not evidence of cowardice or weakness. It manifested the rigid rationalism inherent in Peter, the sober recognition of the impending inevitable defeat, the desire to survive in order to continue the struggle with redoubled energy. Subsequently, many years after the Battle of Narva, Peter, filling out his famous "Journal, or Day Note", came to the idea not only of the inevitability then, in 1700, of defeat, the laws of this shame, but even of the undoubted benefit that the ill-fated Narva brought the whole business that had begun: “And so the Swedes received victory over our army, which is indisputable; but it is necessary to understand, over which army was it committed? For there was only one old Lefortovsky regiment (which was previously called Shepelev); two regiments of the guard were only on two attacks near Azov, and field battles, and especially with regular troops, were never seen. The rest of the regiments, except for some colonels, both officers and privates, were recruits themselves, as mentioned above, besides, there was a great famine in late time, it was impossible to bring provisions for the great mud, and in a single word to say the whole thing, like there was infantile play, but the art was inferior; then what is the surprise of such an old, trained and practiced army over such inexperienced ones to find victory? True, this victory at that time was sadly sensual and, as it were, desperate for all future hopes and revered for the great wrath of God. But now, when we think about it, it is truly not anger, but the mercy of God that we must confess, for if we then got Victoria over the Swedes, being in such lack of art in all matters, both military and political, then what trouble would be after us this happiness could lie, which the same Swedes, who had long been trained in everything and glorious in Europe (whom the French called German scourges) near Poltava so cruelly cast down that they turned all their maxims from bottom to top, but when this misfortune (or better to say - great happiness) received, then captivity drove away laziness, and forced day and night to industriousness and art, with which this war is waged hour by hour, then it will obviously be from the next story. Of course, the thought of the benefits of defeat at the initial stage of the war, far from the vital centers of the country, came later, and in the first days after the "Narva embarrassment" he thought about something else: how to save what was left and not succumb to panic and despair, because indeed, the victory of the Swedes was then "sadly sensual" for Peter. In a letter to the commander of the cavalry B.P. Sheremetev in Pskov on December 5, 1700, he wrote with a hidden threat: “Ner! Ponezhe not (s) years (should not. - E.A.) there is a misfortune to lose everything, for that we command you to be at the taken and begun work, that is, over the cavalry of Novgorod and Cherkasy (Cossacks. - E.A.), with whom, as we used to punish (but at that time there were few people), to protect nearby places (for later time) and go into the distance, for the best harm to the enemy. Yes, and there is nothing to excuse, there are enough people, also the rivers and swamps are frozen, it is impossible for the enemy to capture. What I am writing about, do not make excuses with anything, but be a disease, and that was received among the fugitives, whose comrade, Major L., was sentenced to death. For the rest, I entrust to the will of the Almighty. Peter. From Novgorod, December 5, 1700.

The use of the surviving part of the noble cavalry, commanded by Sheremetev, for raids on Swedish possessions in the Baltic states - this was only part of Peter's plans, which directly related to military operations. Internal affairs were more serious: after Narva, Peter clearly realized that the Russian army was not ready to fight with its enemy, the Swedish army of Charles XII. For many readers, the pre-Petrine army is associated primarily with the untrained mass of noble cavalry and regiments of obstinate archers. Such a view is erroneous. The data of the Discharge Order, which in the 17th century was in charge of most of the armed forces, testify that in the middle of the 17th century there were 16 regiments of archers (16,900 people), and the noble cavalry was 9,700 people. At the same time, there were 38 regiments of soldiers (59,200 men) and 25 regiments of regiments (29,800). In other words, in the middle of the 17th century, out of 115 thousand people (not counting the irregular units of the Cossacks, Tatars, Kalmyks, etc.), more than three-quarters, 76%, were regiments of infantry and cavalry of the “new system”.

In 1680, the ratio of "new-mannered" regiments with noble cavalry and archers was as follows: soldiers - 61,300, reiters - 30,500, total - 91,800; noble cavalry - 15,800, archers - 20,000, total - 35,800, that is, the ratio has been preserved. The beginning of the formation of regiments of the "new system" dates back to 1630, when an analysis of previous experience showed the need to form military units trained in European methods of warfare. The first regiments of the "new manner" (that is, trained in new patterns, new manners) were the regiments of Alexander Leslie and other foreign commanders. Soon three more regiments were formed and trained with the help of instructors invited from abroad. They immediately received a baptism of fire in the so-called Smolensk War with Poland (1632-1634). Played a big role "novomanirnye" regiments and later. Naturally, the question arises: why was it necessary to reform the army after Narva? The fact is that the defeat at Narva was on a par with the defeats that pursued the Russian army in the second half of the 17th century, and Peter clearly understood this. Subsequently, in the preface to the “Military Regulations” of 1716, reviewing military history from the beginning of the formation of “new-anir” regiments and the creation of the “Teaching and Cunning of the Military System” - the first military regulation of the times of Alexei Mikhailovich, - he noted that to replace the successes in the wars of the first half In the 17th century, failures came with Poland and Sweden in the Russian-Turkish war (the so-called Chigirin campaigns of 1677), in the Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689, the first Azov campaign against the Turkish fortress of Azov ended in failure in 1695: in the image of our father, blessed and eternally worthy of memory, in 1647 (Peter's mistake, correctly: in 1633-1634, that is, during the reign of his grandfather, Mikhail Fedorovich. - E. A.) began to use the regular army and the military regulations were issued. So, the army was established in such good order that glorious deeds in Poland were shown, and almost the entire Polish kingdom was conquered. So big and the war was waged with the Swedes. But then it was not only multiplied with the light growing in science, but almost completely abandoned, and so what followed after? not only with regular peoples, but also with barbarians who could stand against no one, as if there is a fresh memory (what was done under Chigirin and the Crimean campaigns, keeping silent about the old) and not only then, but much more recently, as with the Turks under Azov, and from the beginning of this war at Narva. Peter understood the reason for the chronic defeats of the army, he saw that it was necessary to change the very foundation on which the military organization was based. At their core, the regiments of the "new-mannered system" were a kind of local army, a new shoot on an old tree. As you know, the local army, which received special development from the 16th century, served, as they said then, “from the earth”, that is, from those land holdings (estates) that were presented to the serviceman for temporary (for the duration of service) holding. At the first call of the sovereign, a serviceman, a landowner, was obliged - under pain of confiscation of the estate - to appear at a review or war fully armed and equipped. The landlords who owned the inhabited estates were supposed to bring with them a detachment of auxiliary forces from the serfs, that is, to appear, as they wrote then, "horse, crowded and armed." So, the local system of maintenance of the military contingent was fully extended to the soldiers of the “new-mannered” regiments, who were recruited from service people of various categories, including from the nobility. The officers and soldiers of the "new-mannered" regiments served "from the ground", enjoyed local rights, that is, they were landlords. In the second half of the 17th century, the local form of land tenure, under the influence of many factors, and above all the development of serfdom, evolved towards the convergence of the estate - temporary holding - with the patrimony - ancestral, hereditary property. The development of this trend culminated in the economic and legislative merger of the patrimony and the estate into inalienable landowner property - the basis of landownership. In a military sense, this evolution meant the loss of flexibility and efficiency by the local system, as the main type of support for military labor. Service "from the earth", due to the assignment of estates to the owner, has become a fiction. All this led to a corresponding decline in the armed forces, which became apparent to many.

Banner of the Preobrazhensky Regiment in 1701 From a drawing in the "Description of the clothes and weapons of the Russian troops."

Peter had no doubts which way to go. In the aforementioned preface to the “Military Regulations” of 1716, after describing chronic failures in the wars of the second half of the 17th century, he notes: “But then, when the army was ordered, what great progress was made with the help of the Most High, over what a glorious and regular people. And so everyone can judge that it followed from nothing else, only from a good order, for the all-disorderly barbarian custom of laughter is worthy and no good can be expected from it. For this reason, being self-evident in this matter to both, for the good they invented this book, the Military Regulations, so that every rank knows his position and owes his rank, and does not excuse himself with ignorance, even though our own work is collected and multiplied.

It was precisely in the absence of an “instruction” – a clear organization, “regularity” (a concept that encompasses and expresses the meaning and purpose of the army reform) – that Peter saw the reason for the failures of the Russian army in the 17th century, as well as near Narva. It should be noted that he embarked on the path of "regularity" long before the war with the Swedes. As you know, in 1687, 15-year-old Peter created two "amusing" formations, which became regiments - Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky (after the name of the palace villages where they were located), in which noble children and royal servants served. Without a doubt, for Peter and his associates, service in the “amusing” became that invaluable military school that gave the young tsar an initial military education and developed those natural gifts that made him an outstanding commander and reformer of military affairs. According to the methods and techniques of training, the “amusing” regiments, based on a “regular” base, became the prototype of the army that Peter began to create on the eve and especially in the initial period of the war with Sweden.

The signal for the creation of regular regiments as the main ones was the dissolution in 1699 of the archery regiments after the suppression of their last rebellion in 1698. In the decrees of Peter and other government decrees for 1699, a whole program of creating a new army on principles that are significantly different from those on which the army of the 17th century was built is clearly traced. For the formation of new regiments, two methods were chosen: the admission of those who wished - volunteers - as they said then, into the “freemen”, as well as the recruitment of “subsistence”. Everyone who wished was accepted into the “freedom”, except for the peasants who pulled the tax, that is, those who paid state taxes. Among the freemen could be, according to the decrees of the tsar, “boyar children, and from undergrowth, and Cossack, and archery children, and brothers, and nephews, and backbones, and from all sorts of other ranks, and from hired working people who go on ships , besides the retired Moscow regiments of archers, and from arable land you can’t have hard-working peasants at all. “Datochnye” are basically those armed serfs who previously, together with their landowners, went to a review or war in accordance with the established proportions, for example, the landowner had to put at least one armed soldier from every twenty yards of his estate. Now the set of free and "subsistence" (this is actually a habitual practice for the 17th century) has acquired a different character, having been radically changed: volunteers were not defined in the soldiers' regiments of the old, local type, and "subsistence" no longer served, as before, in auxiliary troops - they all became the "correct" soldiers of regular regiments. They were trained according to new charters and fully supported by the state, and they became lifelong servicemen who were not allowed to go home after the war.

Since 1705, the government has taken the next step: it stops accepting "freemen" and proceeds to recruit the so-called "recruits" directly from the peasant population, which was not the case before. This was caused by an acute shortage of people in the army, the needs of which could no longer be met by volunteers and “subsistence allowances”. The source was truly inexhaustible. As it turned out later, in 1705 an unusually stable system for providing the armed forces with people was created, a system that lasted practically unchanged until 1874, that is, almost 170 years! The reason for this stability was that the recruiting system fully corresponded to the peculiarities of the social and economic structure of the country. Recruitment and serfdom are two sides of the same coin. On the army, where the nobleman is an officer, and yesterday's peasant is a soldier, the serf system left its indelible imprint, despite the fundamental difference between the estate and the army regiment. It is important to note that recruitment duty was not individual, like universal military service, but had an archaic communal character, including mutual responsibility, priority, etc. Naturally, reflecting serfdom relations in the country, recruitment - namely, this was the name of duty among the people - lasted until all other institutions of the serfdom began to collapse.

Like serfdom, recruitment caused constant resistance among the people. The peasants who became recruits said goodbye to their relatives forever, and they grieved for them as if they were dead. Documents show that there were grounds for this. The hardest tests began with the first steps of the recruit. To prevent escape, recruits were chained in stocks, like criminals. "Stations" - places where recruits were concentrated before being sent to the army, in which they were kept for months - did not differ much from prisons.

To prevent escapes, the authorities went to various tricks. One of them was the traditional mutual responsibility: all villagers or relatives were responsible for the sent recruit with their property and even freedom.

If the recruiting system took shape over the course of five years, then the structure of the entire army was developed for about ten years, right up to Poltava, when Peter was finally convinced of the correctness of his chosen decisions. The basis of the army was the infantry. Along with the infantry regiments, grenadier regiments were created, the soldiers of which, in addition to conventional weapons, were equipped with grenades. The cavalry underwent no less changes. It consisted of dragoon regiments manned by cavalrymen who were trained to fight on foot. In 1720, Russia could field 79,000 infantry bayonets and 42,000 cavalry sabers.

The pride of the Russian army was the artillery quickly restored after the Narva defeat, divided into regimental, field (108 guns) and siege (360 heavy guns). The engineering units created by Peter were also assigned to the artillery. In addition, garrison troops appeared in Russia, stationed in numerous fortresses. In 1720 there were at least 68 thousand of them. Along with the use of traditional for the pre-reform army irregular (that is, non-combatant) forces of Cossacks, Tatars, Bashkirs and other "foreigners", whose number reached 40-70 thousand sabers, in the 1720s the so-called "Landmilitia" (territorial troops, recruited for a while) from the single-palace dwellers living in the south. They guarded the dangerous southern borders. The system of organization and management of the army was developed by Peter in detail and deeply. During the first quarter of the 18th century, central institutions were created that were in charge of the needs of the army: the Military, Admiralty, Provisional orders, which were replaced in 1718-1719 by the Military and Admiralty Collegia. The regiment, as before, remained the highest tactical unit. Regiments were united into brigades, brigades into divisions.

The actions of the army were directed by its brain - the field (main, general) headquarters, headed by a commander, usually a field marshal general. According to European practice, the command of individual branches of the armed forces was introduced: the infantry was commanded by an infantry general, cavalry by a cavalry general, and artillery by a feldzeugmeister general. An indispensable attribute of army management was the functioning of the Military Council - a meeting of all senior generals on the most important issues of conducting military operations.

Admiral Kruys. From a Dutch engraving by Knuyn .

Analyzing the reasons for the Narva defeat, Peter noted in his "Journal": "The art is below the surface," that is, the extremely unsatisfactory state of combat training of the troops and the art of conducting military operations. Indeed, why, knowing about the approach of the Swedes, the Russian army did not leave the palisades built around the besieged Narva and did not meet the enemy in a field battle, where the numerical superiority was on the side of the Russian troops? The point is not in the indecision of the command, but in the fact that the Russian troops of the 17th century were not used to fighting in the field, they tried to cling to some height, strengthening it, or to fight behind the movable wall of the “walk-city”, or, simply, the fortified convoy . Thus, the initiative was initially transferred into the hands of the enemy. This is exactly how, in the old fashioned way, the Russian military leaders acted near Narva. Peter quickly realized the depravity and futility of such a military concept. Under him, there is a rapid restructuring of the strategic and tactical foundations of Russian military art. The main goal of military operations for Peter is not the capture of the enemy’s fortresses (as it was before), but the defeat of the enemy’s army in direct fleeting contact - battle, battle. At the same time, Peter, weighing all the weaknesses and strengths of both the enemy and his own, knew how to act carefully, for sure, with a huge margin of safety, as was the case, for example, near Poltava. The movement of masses of infantry was coordinated with the actions of artillery and cavalry, while the dragoon-type cavalry itself (that is, trained on foot) had the ability to act independently, to carry out operations of a strategic scale.

Peter adhered to the principle: “You need to compose your army, depending on the enemy force, or ongoing intentions, in order to forestall him in all matters and in every possible way look for the enemy to refute.

According to the new strategic and tactical principles, the concept of preparing troops for combat operations was changed. The former reviews once a year, infrequent training firing, are being replaced by constant military training, which did not end with the transformation of a recruit into a “correct” soldier. This training was focused on active military operations. In it, we see a combination of single and group training with bringing to the necessary automatism various types of restructuring of a company, battalion, regiment, which ensured mobility and efficiency of maneuvering on the battlefield. Here is the training in coordinated and well-aimed firing, skillful combination of it with bayonet strikes. Here and clear control of the battle on the part of the officers, which was built on a combination of unquestioning diligence and the necessary independence. How such training really looked like can be seen on the pages of Peter's "Establishment for battle", which summarized the results of several years of combat practice of Peter and his army: for they have already passed that degree, but it is necessary to incessantly teach how to act in battle, that is, accurate and not hasty shooting, good aiming, accurate shvenkels, retreat and advance, pulling lines, capturing the enemy’s flank, sikundirovanie one another and other turns and military feats, which is the mother of everything without embarrassment, for whoever does not observe him will always lose without question, for this alone raises and overthrows the army, which is worthy of every officer more than his belly. For if he wants to save his life by neglect of his work or flight, then he will destroy it later on a dishonest gallows, and for this it is necessary that every captain and other officers each command his company, and not look at the major in everything, but they themselves do nothing they did, because each battalion commander should be in front of the battalion in those places until it leads to the places where to shoot, and then immediately go back and order the first salvo only, while each captain (or company commander) controls the firing; the commander of the battalion should, near the rearmost rank, ride incessantly from end to end of his battalion and see that everything is in order and for this it is more convenient for all staff officers to be on horseback.

From the above passage it is clearly seen that the tactical training of Peter's troops was based not only on purely technical methods, but also on the education of responsibility, initiative, conscious discipline, that is, everything that an army cannot exist without. Under these conditions, military regulations, regulations, in a word, the code of military law, acquired special significance. Peter paid much attention to their compilation, seeing in them the basis of the life of the army, and indeed of the whole society. At the beginning of the 18th century, Alexei Mikhailovich’s “Teaching and Cunning of the Military Order” was replaced by new charters: “Line of Order”, “Institution for Battle”, etc. In 1716, the famous “Military Charter” was published, which determined not only the organization and structure army, the duties of military personnel, the basics of combat and field service, but also military criminal, administrative laws. We can talk about the strong influence on the "Military Charter" of the military legislation of Sweden, France, Austria, Denmark, revised, supplemented in accordance with the conditions of Russia, depending on the experience of Peter as a commander, organizer of military affairs. The oath taken under Peter, like other military laws, clearly defined the principles of service, more broadly, the service of the Peter's soldier. This is a consistently conducted hierarchy, strict obedience to military discipline and the order of a superior, fear of God and obedience to the law. Never before have these principles been formulated and implemented in Russia with such completeness, consistency and purposefulness. Military legislation would not have attracted so much attention if it had been a reflection of Peter's views only on the military structure and relations in the army. In the military laws of the Petrine era, Peter's national ideas found a vivid expression, and his ideological concept was reflected. In this sense, Peter followed a well-known tradition that existed in Europe. P. O. Bobrovsky’s observations about the coincidence of Peter’s ideas with the ideas of the Swedish king Gustav III Adolf (1594-1632), an outstanding commander and reformer, seem fair. We are talking about the desire of both to get away from primitive cruelty as the only form of treatment for a soldier, about the desire not to turn this soldier into a marching machine, to cultivate good morals with the help of the army, to educate, to fight ridiculous superstitions. The full influence of these undoubtedly advanced ideas found expression in Peter's "Military Regulations", drawn up under the strong influence of the military laws of Gustavus Adolphus. Hierarchy, subordination - the backbone of relations in the army. But not only that. The commander is not just a senior in rank, to whom one must unquestioningly obey. He is the personification of something more than military leadership. He himself must meet very high requirements, both professional and universal. Chapter 10 of the "Charter of the Military", called "On the General-Field Marshal and on any ensheft", states as a law the following:

“Field Marshal General, or ansheft, is the commander-in-chief general in the army. His order and command in the army should be respected by all, because the whole army and the real intention from his sovereign were handed over to him. His rank is such that he was not exactly a man of great art and courage, but also a good conduit (that is, of any suitability) whose qualifications (or qualities) were associated with good deeds and pious justice. For the courage of his enemy creates fear, his art inspires people to firmly rely on him and be very hopeful of victory and prosperity. His good conduits arouse obedience and greatly increase his authority or power with courtesy, which everyone should give him. His perspicacious conduit and caring care maintains the entire army and makes it happy in battle. His good deeds and justice attract all the hearts of the entire army, both officers and privates. Then he should voluntarily listen to their complaints and reports, praise their good deeds, and reward them for them, and punish the bad ones firmly and with zeal, so that he is beloved and terrible by everyone. Expressive and symbolic is not only the last phrase, but the entire text. Although it is about the army, it takes us far away from the parade ground and the barracks. The bottom line is that Peter saw in the army, army structure, army relations a model for the whole society. Peter felt a sincere desire to "correct" society by extending to it the norms of army life, so easily formulated in the form of articles and so easily implemented on the army parade ground. The clear organization of the army, the clearly outlined terms of reference for superiors and subordinates, the relationship of respect for rank based on strict discipline and unanimity - all this seemed to be so easily transferred to the whole society. That is why the above document should be considered not only as a purely military one. In essence, it contains requirements that must be applied to any commanding person. What about shortcomings, vices? Of course, they were, and Peter singles out two main ones. The first is the banal “love of money”, which was understood as bribery, extortion and other illegal forms of enrichment of an official: “And since the root of all evil is the love of money, for that, for every commander ansheft must guard himself from covetousness and not just watch out, but also others from ongo it is cruel to appease and be content with certain things, for many state interests are lost through this evil. For such a commander, who has a great delicacy a little better than a traitor, can be honored, because the enemy (although he is faithful) can be given in an outside way and can easily be led off the straight path. For this reason, every commander should have this incessantly in his memory and be kept from it, because such wealth can easily buy death or a dishonorable life.

The second vice, according to Peter, is “slopping”, that is, indulgence, connivance: “Another evil happens equal to the above, that is, slopping, for this much is not only for a bad deed, but for virtue it is easy to judge the wine ones, or on the occasion of others and very free from judgment, in order to receive love from people. But such a one builds his temple on the sand without a solid foundation and is always ready to fall. After all, nothing leads people to evil like a weak team, whose example is children in the will, returned without punishment and fear, who usually fall into trouble, but it happens later that they bring destruction to their parents. So even in the army, the commanders are the father of them, who must be loved, provided, and punished for sins. And when he weakens, then in time, out of obedience to them, he will lead and from good evil and negligent and blundered in his rank, and so he will dig up his own coffin, and the state will be in trouble, which is likewise for every commander to be very raked off and as if he should be afraid of mortal fear " .

From the above quotation, it is clearly seen that it is not connivance for selfish or any other unseemly purposes that is condemned as a significant vice, but in general any connivance, for "nothing leads people to evil like a weak team."

And again, in such norms of the military code, the general principles of Peter's approach to any performance by a person in the service of his duty are clearly visible. The essence of these principles is unquestioning obedience to the boss and strict observance of the order prescribed from above.

The creation of a regular army was part of the task that Peter set himself, having received the Narva lesson. Having occupied Ingria already in the first years of the war, he immediately appreciated the importance of its water basins and routes and, accordingly, the outstanding role that the naval force could play here. It is also important that Peter could not imagine the power of his state without a fleet, could not imagine his life without ships. The creation of the fleet was for him the first duty after the creation of the army, a natural continuation of the work once begun by his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, during which the first Russian ship "Eagle" was launched in Dedinovo on the Oka. All these feelings are well reflected in the preamble of the Naval Charter of 1720: “Initiating Ustaf the Military Sukhov Way, now, with the help of God, we proceed to the Naval Way, which was also begun before this, namely, with the blessed and eternally worthy memory of our father for navigation on Kaspiski sea, but then why, for the sake of that, not a performer, and deigned to put this burden of the highest ruler on us, we leave it to his incomprehensible fate. And since this matter is necessary for the state (according to this proverb, that every potentate, which has one land army, has one hand, and which the fleet has, has both hands), for the sake of this Military Naval Staff they committed ... "

Boat of Peter the Great. Left side. A. F. Zubov according to the drawing by I. P. Zarudny. 1722

The construction, maintenance and use of naval forces has always been a very complex and expensive nationwide affair, which, in relation to Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries, can be compared, without much stretch, with modern space programs. It was not enough to build or buy a ship that cost a fortune, it was necessary to have an extensive infrastructure that provided the fleet with everything necessary, from nails to experienced naval commanders. Many factories - sawmills, sailing, rope, metallurgical and others - worked for the needs of the fleet. Harbors and port facilities, educational institutions, storehouses and, finally, a powerful shipbuilding industry - all this could really breathe life into the concept of "navy". It is necessary to pay tribute to Peter, who was well aware of this, who possessed a rare organizational talent and energy. It can be said without exaggeration that the maritime business, from the design of a ship to the high science of navigation and naval combat, was his favorite business. Taking a carpenter's ax or a sextant, Peter, apparently, found in these occupations the rest of the soul; he felt the reliable clarity and simplicity of ship structures, obedient obedience to his will of the bulk, carrying hundreds of people and dozens of cannons, so similar to the country at the helm of which he was destined to stand.

The construction of the Petrovsky fleet, as is known, began in Voronezh in 1695-1696. Here, after the failure of the first Azov campaign, significant forces of shipbuilders hired in Holland, England and Venice, Russian carpenters and workers were gathered, who built a large number of galleys and other ships in an extremely short time. Already on May 3, 1696, Peter proudly reported to Andrei Vinius in Moscow: “Today, with eight galleys, they set off on their way, where am I from Mr. Admiral (Lefort. - E.A.) I am committed by the commander. In total, 28 ships, 23 galleys and many small ships were built at the Voronezh shipyards until 1702. The construction of ships continued later, until the return of Azov and Taganrog to the Turks in 1712, when part of the ships of the Azov fleet was destroyed, and part was sold to the Turks. But by this time the Azov Fleet was not the only Russian fleet. For ten years, ships have been actively built on the banks of the rivers of the Baltic basin.

As in Voronezh, whose experience was, of course, taken into account, the construction of the fleet in the Baltic was carried out at an accelerated pace. It started in 1702 with the founding of a shipyard on the Syas River. In 1703, the famous Olonets shipyard appeared on the Svir, one of the largest, with which only the St. Petersburg shipyard, founded a little later, successfully competed. In total, at least 1104 ships and other vessels were built during the Petrine period, with the lion's share - at the St. Petersburg and Olonets shipyards - 386 ships, of which 45 were battleships. These figures reflect the tremendous advances in shipbuilding over a little over 20 years. According to shipbuilding historians, Peter himself was an outstanding shipbuilder who proposed many new technical solutions, from design to the use of sea vessels. It is curious that, in an effort to ensure the continuous operation of the shipyards throughout the year, Peter proposed to lower the ships even in winter - into an ice hole specially prepared for this. Over the years, the experience of the king-shipbuilder grew. Starting with the design and construction of yachts and ships, Peter ended up with the design and laying of a 100-gun ship. The 64-gun ship Ingermanland, designed by him, built by R. Kozints in 1715, became exemplary. Simultaneously with the construction of ships in St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, powerful naval bases were created, supplemented by a base in Estonia (Rogervik; now Paltiyski). A unique system of canals and locks was built in Kronstadt, which made it possible to repair, arm and even store huge ships on the shore without hindrance.

Peter was not limited to the construction of ships. They were also bought abroad and distilled to St. Petersburg. So, in 1711-1714, 16 battleships were bought and transferred to Russia. Peter's time was the heyday of the galley fleet, known since ancient times. Peter correctly assessed its importance for the fight against the enemy in the shallow skerries of the Gulf of Finland and Bothnia. Here, the experience of Venetian shipbuilders, accumulated over centuries of naval wars in the Adriatic and the Aegean, was especially useful.

By the time of the Battle of Gangut in 1714, Peter had basically completed the task of creating the sea shield of St. Petersburg - the fleet consisted of 22 ships, 5 frigates and many small ships. Of course, this fleet cannot be called perfect: the ships were very diverse, were built from damp wood (and therefore turned out to be short-lived), poorly maneuvered, and the crews were poorly trained. It is no coincidence that during the Gangut operation, the entire burden of military operations at sea fell on the galley fleet, which, thanks to its mobility and shallow draft, avoided encounters with large formations of the Swedish battle fleet.

The experience of shipbuilding, the prospects for military operations in the expanses of the Baltic directly off the coast of Sweden - a consequence of the displacement of the Swedes from the Gulf of Finland - as well as the general naval ambitions of Peter led to the adoption around 1714-1715 of a holistic program for increasing and qualitatively updating the fleet. And this program was not only fulfilled, but also overfulfilled by the end of Peter's reign: from 1715 to 1724, the number of ships increased from 27 to 34, and frigates - from 7 to 15. ships instead of the previous 1250 guns became 2226. The increase in firepower was associated with the appearance in service of a new generation of large ships, among which stood out the 96-gun Friedrichstadt, the 90-gun Lesnoye and Gangut, as well as three ships that had each 88 guns. For comparison, I note that the average number of guns on the ships of the Russian fleet in 1715 did not exceed 54. The fact that the Russian fleet was superior to the Swedish one became obvious already in the second half of the Northern War. But, looking ahead, let's say that after there was a turning point in favor of Russia, Peter was not going to curtail naval construction. It was clear to him, as an experienced naval commander, that the Russian fleet was far from the fleet of the "mistress of the seas" of Great Britain, an ally of Sweden: three times (in 1719-1721) the squadron of Admiral Norris locked the Russian fleet in the harbor. It is possible that the laying of a 100-gun ship by Peter in 1723, which later received the name "Peter I and II", was the answer to this. Apparently, this gigantic ship at that time (shipbuilding historians characterize it as the first ship of this type in the world) was supposed to start a new generation of ships, which was clearly cramped in the Baltic.

Admiralty. From an engraving of 1716

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Blessed is he who visited this world in its fatal moments!?

Let me remind you: these two lines, known to almost everyone, were written by Fedor Ivanovich Tyutchev. The beginning and that follows further, I'm sure few remember - I did not remember until recently. I quote the entire short verse for clarity:
CICERO
Roman orator spoke
Amid civil storms and anxiety:
"I got up late - and on the road
Was caught in the night of Rome!"
So! .. But, saying goodbye to Roman glory,
From Capitol Hill

You saw greatness in everything
The sunset of her bloody star! ..

Blessed is he who has visited this world
In his fatal moments!
He was called by all the good
Like an interlocutor at a feast.
He is a spectator of their high spectacles,
He was admitted to their council -
And alive, like a celestial,
I drank immortality from their cup!
<1829>, early 1830s

Now everything is clear with Fyodor Ivanovich's statement. The argument of "bliss" he gave is quite plausible. There is, however, one hidden point here: in Russian, the word "blessed" has another meaning. Crazy, holy fool, etc. We will leave this implicit contradiction from the field of linguistic dialectics for later.

But what to do with the exact opposite expression, which has become an aphorism, which many also know: the ancient Chinese curse "so that you live in an era of change."

Obviously, they, in fact, contradict each other. And none of them can be written off as an expense - both are confirmed by difficult human history. Well, let's figure it out...
Let's start with Tyutchev. As a poet, he is known to many, many romances have been composed in his words. But he is also one of the outstanding Russian thinkers of the Pushkin era. Many of his poems speak of this: the extraordinary depth of philosophical comprehension of the essence of phenomena. True, in this capacity, as far as I know, he is not recognized by the Slavic scientific community. I am generally silent about the Western.

Back to the very beginning: why even this article? Not only to establish the truth in a philosophical dispute about who is right - it can be important for science. No less important, with purely "psychotherapeutic" goals. (Although, judging by the responses of readers to my ???? works, some say that they did not authorize me to provide, as I call it, advisory and informational assistance to them personally. Oh well, I'm not going to be forcefully nice, and supporters I do not recruit. Anyone who needs it will accept the offered help. Or: it would be offered to you ...).

After all, it is very difficult to survive in today's Ukraine. And not only because of the poverty or misery of the vast majority of ordinary workers and those who already or still cannot earn a living. Everyone knows about this now, except perhaps for a handful of variegated fanatics who finally lowered the people. So many people, being under extreme stress for a long time, have been put on the verge of mental spasm, depression, insanity, suicide during these five dashing years. I'm not talking about various sores from constant malnutrition. It would be fair to help them - with a harsh, but healing word.

Human life is short, we know that. As a rule, there are few joys in it, more sorrows. This is how the human world works, and it is useless to argue with it. You can ask questions “for what” - it’s only smarter to leave them to children. And adults should ask "why". And try to figure out by what laws of nature. And, perhaps, to see at least a drop of positive offered in the hardships of our days ...

Indeed, today's world, already the whole, has entered an era of change - great change. Not only changing his visible face. His very essence began to change - and this rarely happens. And how successfully people will be able to take advantage of these changes depends on his fate. This is if without apocalyptic predictions, which have been in abundance since ancient times. So poetry and art history have nothing to do with it - the conversation, as usual in my works, is about the problem of global survival. Responsible leaders of many states today rightly declare that this is a common chance for improving life on the planet, an impulse for the development of nation states, and for all active people, stimulating the development of society. We will not argue with this - it is fair. Let us just emphasize the main thing: in whose interests this development will actually be carried out. If it is in the interests of the majority of humanity, then there is a chance. If, as usual, the forces that govern the world from behind the scenes manage to take advantage of the situation, then things will end badly. For everyone, and for them too - only five billion from that will not be easier.

But here we are only talking about how to perceive the fact that we all fell into this era. As bliss, i.e., happiness - at least good luck. Or as grief, misfortune.
Of course, the vast majority of people perceive this as a misfortune - and they are right. It brings them nothing but difficulties and grief. So the Chinese were right! Moreover, any wisdom, even ancient, applies, as a rule, to the entire human race.

The exception is only a small part of this very genus. These are active people - with a highly dynamic psyche, able to take advantage of big changes as an impulse, an opportunity to implement their ideas and life plans. In any society, according to various estimates, they are about 10%. Approximately the same number cannot adapt to these radical changes at all - and, in the most general sense, they move into a broad category of marginals. People forced out by the process of change to the periphery of society. Or even outside of it. The remaining approximately 80% adapt with more or less success. Age is of great importance - for obvious reasons, youth is easier to perceive changes and adapt to them. More plastic psyche. That's the whole schedule. In this sense, Tyutchev, by default, attributed the active to the host of "almighty", i.e., participating in determining the fate of the world. And just here is the hidden dialectic of Russian words. From such "bliss" out of habit, one can lose one's mind. Become something of a fool.
That's what a wide range of adaptive reactions - and all this is due to the objective laws of human nature. Without division by social status, level of education, profession.

There are several categories of such "blessed". There are especially many people from business, art, and politics among them. It is clear that big and abrupt changes open up exceptional opportunities for them. And many of them manage to implement them. Everyone can find examples in abundance in modern history - especially in our Slavic lands, over the past quarter of a century. This draws even on the statistics of large numbers, that is, reliability.

A special group is made up of people of science. This exception also applies to them. Of course, not for everyone. Mostly for those working in its new, frontier and butt industries. And especially for those concerned with the problems of human nature and society. Such times for many of them are a gift of fate.

Indeed, this is an opportunity to get closer to understanding the essence of things, as Shakespeare said. After all, hidden in a calm environment, it is revealed precisely at such periods of time. After all, it is not only a matter of talent, passion and diligence of a scientist - "relentless thinking", as Pavlov formulated it. Auspicious moments are also important - it is the time of great changes. A kind of "window of deep knowledge".

From their point of view, getting into such an era is, of course, a rare and great success. It might even be a stretch to say happiness. Only heavy. Remember how in the song: "... This is joy with tears in my eyes ...". Something like that.
The cost of such "luck" is thus high. But "Paris is worth a mass," as has been repeated since ancient times. Tyutchev, as a man of a deep philosophical mind, undoubtedly knew about this, but kept silent. I am convinced, not out of harmfulness or cunning - it just so happened. So as not to inadvertently frighten especially sensitive people unnecessarily.

I am a convinced materialist and, of course, I can’t feel like I got “to the celestials for a feast.” But I have been feeling the exclusivity of this period, including in my own life, for a long time - dealing with the problem of global survival. Especially since 2008, when the financial and economic crisis naturally broke out. Finally, the moment of truth for the whole civilization has come. In which to hide, as it happened before, the head in the sand will no longer work. History will not allow - and she is a very headstrong lady (and if in the dry language of science, objective). Going across is too costly.

That is the whole point of the proposed resolution of this contradiction between Russian and ancient Chinese wisdom. It is clearly dialectical - and exists according to one of the three laws of dialectics: the unity and struggle of opposites. Moreover, this is true for the nature of any things and phenomena in nature. We are just now observing this not only in our personal lives, but also on the entire planet. In an aggravated form.

And again about his own: well, if we talk about us, one can only recall with horror the five lost years of the life of an entire country. This, of course, only for those who do not know what they are doing, could smell like bliss. But now that Ukraine has a new President, there are chances for survival. And it made sense to try as best as you can.

Sergey Kamensky, February 20, 2010.
Odessa, Ukraine, planet Earth "under the rays of a star called the Sun" ...

Feofan Prokopovich

A word in praise of the blessed and eternally worthy memory of Peter the Great,

emperor and autocrat of all Russia, and so on, and so on, on the day of his namesake, preached in the reigning St. Petersburg, in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, the most holy ruling Synod by the Vice-President, His Grace Feofan, Archbishop of Pskov and Narva , now the unceasing sorrow and sadness are more exciting, the name day of Peter the Great! Before this day, Russia triumphed, thanks to God’s consideration for the monarch bestowed upon itself, the first fraction of glory in the tsars of Russia to the first apostle of the same name and not in vain who had this name, firm in faith, strong in deed, both for the establishment of the fatherland and for the contrition of our adversaries similar stone. Now, this day, remembering our bliss to us, but already taken from us, our hearts are common to all, hitherto unsatisfied with sorrow, and even more grieves. But what good is it to be greatly overcome by illness, when we do not return what we have lost! Wouldn't it be better for us to do what we owe to our God and Peter: that is, to offer glorious talents to the environment, the deeds and actions of Petrov. We know that these memories will show, how much a waste has been made to us, and such a great waste will arouse groaning in us. Both, O listener, what a wonderful man this spirit filled us with, that is, strong, courageous and skillful in Christian philosophy, with such a spirit, and we owe him our last service. We mourn and mourn, but not like petrification; we weep and sob, but not like despair; grieving from the sorrow of the heart, but not as if he had lost his senses and senses. Many lend us, but let us not keep silent about the God-given gifts with which he richly enriched us, and the whole world was quite surprised by this father, our truly Great Peter. His dignity, which is lofty not only in terms of power, but also in terms of strength, requires this from us; demands our servile and filial gratitude; and, above all, the great beneficence of God revealed to us through him. For offering the deeds of Petrov, let us offer the deeds of God, which is preached throughout the whole village; if we remain silent, then as if we are a deprivation of the worker unworthy of them, so we will appear in silence ungrateful to God. For this reason, fulfilling our duty to the best of our ability and approaching a certain Peter’s glory narrative (to a certain narrative, I say, unequal and dissatisfied, with which only great books can be satisfied), I pray and ask your love of Christ for nothing that preachers usually ask hearers, that is, let it not be difficult to hear, but what was mentioned before, yes, courageous, and wise, and like Peter’s heart, you will take generosity and patience, if you hear so much good, which the doer left us, in the end do not weaken in soul. First and foremost, our petition concerns you, our most powerful monarch, a strong and strong heiress. Struggling to overcome your unbearable disease with your courage known to everyone in your female flesh, hold patiently this thorn stuck into your heart and the weapon that passes through your soul. If before, accompanying Peter in his great and difficult campaigns and courageously despising all fears, you lamented only his samago disasters, then who will confess your current sorrow, Peter’s withdrawal that entered you. For this reason, when hearing the deeds of Peter, delight your heart with the glory of them and bear such deprivation with extreme generosity. But I hope that by this narrative we will not only be aroused to the gratitude of God's mercy, which has done us much good in our Peter, and Peter, who has acted a lot by God's mercy, but in our present grief we will receive joy and consolation. Not so for us, O sons of Russia, not so our father left us, as if he had taken all his own with him, but left us his innumerable wealth and various talents: what is in teaching and image, what is also in deeds, great and countless. Difficulty only lies ahead, how would it be embraced and presented in a word, and still brief and little skillful. I see a vast cloud of forces and virtuous deeds, and what is the first, what then, what to say after, but also what to remember, what kind of brevity to leave, I am perplexed. Let's look at the dual position and work, the first, like a simple king, the second, like a Christian king, and what kind of colic in both of these Peter appeared, something, if not imperfect, it will be enough to say. We will receive the rank and order of this word from the wise Jesus Sirachov, who, praising David the Tsar, first remembers the labors of his human, who used the fatherland, then the theological deeds, helping piety and the church. Let us also look first at the works of our monarch, as if simply human, although not many people like them are found and created cue from the benefit of our fatherland, his God-given heritage. And for this great cause, there is a need for the monarch, if he does not bear his name in vain, there is a need like two certain not bodily, but intelligent hands - strength, I say, military and political reason: one of them is for protection, and the other for the good governance of the state . And I still call obscenely with these hands, because it’s impossible for two hands to do two things together, and still separate and diverse to do; it would be better to say that such a person needs to be a pure person: he would be skillful and brave in military affairs, and wise and diligent in government affairs. Are there many such sovereigns in the histories found? But our Peter is, and will be in the last ages such a story, and truly wonderful and surpassing faith. Do you want to see his military strength? By nature, willing to arms and hot to military fire, how did he play and in what did he amuse himself in adolescence? To lead and build regiments, to build fortresses and to reach out and defend, and fight in field battles - now his fun and fun, then his infantile play. And what is very wonderful, when it was not yet time for him to be a military student, he was already like an old teacher, the former wrong army, as if weak in defense, but only to the ruin of the fatherland, having learned, despised and dismissed, and he tried to introduce a new regulation. And if such a youth appeared among the ancient Romans, blinded by pagan superstition, everyone would truly believe that he was born from Mars. Soon, then, small and not complete earthly campaigns seemed to him. Seen by chance or, moreover, by God’s will, this little boat, then a despised tree, now glorious, kindled such a desire for navigation in this vast heart that it could not calm down, until it reached perfect water restlessness. Who will not be surprised how soon and how high he jumped out of these adolescent amusements! In amusing wars, he would have learned in direct and great ones, rejoicing like a giant mother-in-law's way, and called from the European potentates to the confederation for the Turk, did not wait for their beginning, rushing to the fierce onago adversary of Christ and taking away his strong shields - Kezikermen, where by force and by command, and Azov, where by face and action, was present. He took away a lot of his highly intelligent spirit and, shown on the sea by the Black Fleet, hitherto unheard of, led him into fear and confusion. And so not only his own fatherland, but the defender of all Christianity appeared. And there he extended his whole spirit. His strong intention was to trample and kill the Mohammedan dragon, or not to expel him from the eastern paradise. And that hope was not hopeless, if you, O good Europe, lagged behind your temper and custom, that is, disagreement and zeal, and if you didn’t see each other in the general disaster, but made haste. But God, wondrous in his judgments, deigned in Peter to reveal the power and glory of Russia and surprise the whole world, by suppressing the Turan war did not take away from him, but changed his blessing. Having ceased from the South, a storm arose from the North, the Swedish war was planned. Oh, and a terrible name! Swedish War! Wherever in the world it is heard that Russia and the Swedes entered the war, it is said that the end of Russia has come. And how could it not be so? The Swedish force throughout Europe was terrible, and the Russian one could hardly be called a certain force. What happened? It seemed to many about the extreme fall of the Russian prophecy that it seemed very false. But not enough. That prophecy would be false, even if we, having fought with the enemy, parted with equal happiness and unhappiness. But something happened that no one could only predict, but that no one could even hope for. For in addition to being not strong, and unaccustomed to war, and also the primer, so speak, learn weapons, the novice army entered into battle with the strong, and long-skilled, and everywhere with the same sound of their weapons fear and trembling, still so unequal cases and the circumstances and behavior of both sides appeared that it was powerful for the enemy to call our own already, and it was difficult for us not to despair of ours. They were forced to make expeditions not in one direction, not in one, but in many places to take action, in Ingria, Karelia, in Estonia, in Livonia, in Courland, in Lithuania, in Poland, then in Belaya and Malaya Russia, later also in Moldavia (for the Turkish war, ignited from the Swedish one, can be called Swedish fire and thunder), even then in Pomerania, and Holstein, and in Finland, and in other countries. Someone will think that the opposite side needed to pass through many of these places, and so we and they have equal labors, equal and disasters - but he is very blind who did not see how they were equal: such was equality, that from where many gains have been received by the opposite, and from there we have suffered losses. Look at Saxony; where there is a clear and real friendship, there we have either questionable friendship, or well-known enmity and opposition. Look at Poland; and from whom they received refuge and protection, from him we suffered a strong uprising. Look at Porto Ottoman; in the same and so disastrous campaigns of many places, what were the actions? Is it single-handed, what happened to Russia before? Everything is different: there were many and varied feats and battles not with one people and not only using military regulations, not only on the land, but also on the sea. Also, to get the opposite and defend themselves in the fortresses; to get them in strong fortresses, to defend yourself in weak and weak ones. There were so many difficulties to see that in this war many were wars. And how to briefly imagine the whole disaster? You remember a certain one, and it seems that although there is a lot and only all that, and now the clouds find another. What a beauce and colic - what only I did not utter! The opposing monarch soon humbled and broke two of our allies, and forced one of them to sit quietly, and overthrew the other from the throne: his opposition was gone, and help to us. But even then let someone who is not great judge. What about when the internal Russian forces began to be tormented! The revolt of the Don, the revolt of Astrakhan, the betrayal of Mazepin - is it not an internal torment? Is it not the very womb of the disease? And it came to such a point that in this war, not only the not only not strong, but the sick essence of Russia with Sweden, more powerful than ever, fought. What kind of - judge, hearers - what and how many sovereign did this only fierce time require? Truly many-read and many-armed, or more than many-component, and in many places and deeds to divide the mighty one for himself. The same and such was our Peter! Peter is our strength, by which we are courageous even after his death! Peter is our glory, which the Russian race will not stop boasting until the end of the world! Didn't he have enough courage, diligence, patience, which only many, distant, useless campaigns raised? Didn't he have enough courage and bravery, who himself was present both in earthly and sea battles, and in attacks and attacks of police officers? Didn't he have enough of a lofty mind, which both other people's deep-conscientious wisdom and inner treacherous treachery did not braid and did not catch? But all of this, both from the outside and from the inside of the rising storms, was tamed, scattered and driven away by Peter. And then he won, when many hoped to be defeated himself. And so the weak and weak conquered the strong, just as the weak and the strong overcome the weak. And I am sent to all, not of our fatherland, but of any nation not by the passion of judging husbands, will they not testify to this true saying of mine, that with such a glorious and terrible (what ours was) opponent to go to war, perhaps for many already with many peoples wars, it would be something not hopeless. And Peter, besides the campaign of Azov, in his childish playful wars, as if he had already fought enough with the Spartans, and with the Africans, and with the Macedonians, entered into this much-poor and terrible war and rose to such a height of glory, to which many military men the arts don't get much. And what a marvel that he became marvelous to the whole world, that even in the farthest foreign countries, where before the name of Russia was not heard, his deeds are famous! But I am still judged to be a greater world-wide surprise to be strength, that his main former opponent was surprised over time by his strength and courage and from which he took ulcers, already began to love him and, having despised all the others, will not only reconcile with him alone, but also in a friendly union will desire to unite. Such a truly strong evidence in the world has never happened. And did fame only follow courage? And that great gain, the great gain of fame; for such glory not only brings honor to the nations, but also, crushing opponents with fear, gives the best carelessness. But many of Peter's labors, and besides glory, gave birth to sweet fruits both for us and our allies: the return of our lands taken away, the addition of new conquered ones, yours, Polish Augusta, the throne, yours, the Danish crown, protection, our packs glorious well-being, coveted, honest and a selfish peace, the peace of a merciful God, an all-generous gift, and joy for both peoples. Finally, Russian weapons have grown to such glory and benefit, which even the furthest peoples demand protection and protection from us: poor Iberia comes running about, the Persian crown asked and asks, the mountain and Medes barbarians, with a single weapon of our eyesight, frighten, some submitted, others fled. Seeing this, hearers, what kind of our Peter was in military affairs, which is necessary for the intercession and expansion of the state, let's see what he was in political or civil affairs, which power every sovereign should have to manage and correct his fatherland, and here is the hour something wonderful and wild appears to us. We will not soon find such a person who would be pleasing and willing to both military and civil affairs: some are very military from political thoughts, other advice, other and, read it, nasty arts; This, this, this other heart, character and hunting requires, and it is almost difficult for both of them to be in one person, as if storm and silence were at the same time and in the same place. Actually, apparently, it was inconsistent to be in our Peter. And would there be anyone, unaware of how wide-ranging his spirit was, only reasoning about the composition of his body, judging him that he was born to a single military cause: such is his age, such is his vision, such is his movement. And then it contained in him both this and that, and acted excellently and unusually, and even in youthful flesh he perceived male intentions. This great monarch, after the capture of Azov, the Turkish war, having received peaceful rest, has put himself in a state of idleness and sin. Foreign countries stole his heart, speaking different teachings and arts. It seemed to him that he would not be there equally, as if he were by no means to be in this world; not to see and learn the effects of mathematics, the arts of physics, the rules of politics, and the most famous for this civil, military and naval architecture - these and other teachings cannot be adopted and like the most precious goods cannot be brought to Russia, even if he was destined not to live. It was pitiful to leave the fatherland and home, the mother of his most gracious and kind family, went away. It was hard to raise the youthful restlessness and lack of goodness onto the body, but also the disasters of the road - raised. It was hard to get over the envious obstacles, both secret and flattering, but also obvious, - he stopped. He so willingly escaped from the fatherland for the sake of the fatherland, as if another were leaving captivity and captivity; so he hurried to work, as if someone were to reign; and he worked so cheerfully in the work of the ship and other above-mentioned teachings, as no one sits merrily at a marriage feast: he even received what he desired, even another from himself, even from himself the best returned. Well, did he just become the best? Did he seem good and perfect to himself? Vema is truly the spirit of this man, that if he had not communicated his own and his own goodness to his entire fatherland, he would never have put it into goodness for himself. Direct that was the head of the Russian, not by the superiority of power to the point, but by the very deed. As if the head of the life-giving spirits created in himself distributes to all members and compositions, so this monarch, having been filled with various corrections, filled with the same and all the ranks of his fatherland diligently pandered. And have you done enough with your care? That we do not see blooming, and before this we did not know - are not all of its factories? Is there anything for the smallest thing - honest and needy, let's look at the most orderly, I say, attire, and in friendship, for meals and feasts and other favorable customs - are we not confessing that Peter taught us this too? And of what we once boasted, of that we are now ashamed. What do you decide about arithmetic, geometry and other mathematical arts, which the children of Russia now eagerly learn, learn with joy and show what they have received with praise! Were there before? I don’t know if there was at least one circling in the whole state, but no other weapon and names have been heard; and if there were some arithmetic or geometrical operation somewhere, then magic is called. What are we talking about architecture, what was and what is the structure we see now? There was one that could not help extreme need, could not protect it from air resistance, from rain, wind and scum, and the current one brightens up with beauty and splendor beyond all fairness. What else about military and naval architecture? That we have before and the painters were not able to correctly depict. But tacos, counting Petrov's deeds one by one, we will never reach the end. The best thing is to lead everything with two forces, which every people demands from their sovereigns: this is the people's benefit and carelessness. Do we want to see the benefit? We look at the governments, the Berg College, the Chamber College, the College of Commerce, the College of Manufacture and the Chief Magistrate. We look at the many ways, instituted from him, to stop losses, and to find profits: at mineral factories, mint houses, doctor's pharmacies, linen, silk and cloth manufactories, amazing paper mills, on various ships of merchant buildings and many other things. us previously unprecedented craftsmanship, and for the most convenient communication of self-interest from place to place, rivers brought together by digging and dug canals, that is, new fruitful rivers. Do we want to know the different and multifaceted carelessness and protection of our species? We look at the government of justice - this fear of the righteous sword protects us from internal insults, misfortunes and other atrocities; to the patrimonial collegium - this guards the limits of everyone; but because of our internal sins, harm, domestic hostility, robbery have multiplied - there is also its own persecuting army against it. And protecting his fatherland from external fear, from an adversary attack, what did the many-eyed Peter leave and what proper did not do for that? The Admiralty and military government arranged for the sea and the lands like protection and adamant's visor. And what aids did you provide? These marching, taco speeches, strong and terrible forts, and not only for defense, but also for an offensive war; fleet, I say, military, only strong and glorious; they are safe from the sea ferocity and the most ferocious sea of ​​the enemies of the harbor or haven; onya incessantly multiplying artillery; it is new on the borders of a regular fortress. And what else? Fortress, taken by storm, for the sake of itself, that he himself could crush and get it with invincible power, imputing not strong, but you did the strongest without comparison. This is the most important place, formerly unfamiliar and unknown in the world, but now with this glorious reigning Petropolis and only strong forts on the river, on land and on the sea, it is established richly and decorated - who can truly praise? Don't we see Russian benefit and protection here? This is the gate to every acquisition, this is the castle that reflects every harm: the gate to the sea, when it brings useful and necessary things to us; a castle to the same sea, whenever it brings us fears and disasters. All the same, both for our use and for protection, invented, introduced, created, so that they could be properly and firmly maintained. And Peter’s vigilant care was about that: whatever is found in the statutes and laws of the most efficient states in Europe, pleasing to the improvement of our fatherland, he was careful to choose and collect everything, and he himself attached a lot of himself to it and completed the regulations and composed many legal tablets. And so that it would not be negligent or corruptible from judges and administrators, desiring to have all-seeing human eyes, set the rank of prosecutors, that is, the truth of savers. And so that any villainy, as if in a potion of echidna, could not hide, the rank of fiscal department determined and borrowed it not only the waste of state interest, but also to see and declare personal subjects of their offenses, especially poor people, who seek courts and councils or for the sake of thinness they cannot have their own, or for the sake of the strength of those who offend they do not dare. Nevertheless, it was approved and concluded by the high Senate government. The Senate is the real arm of the monarch; The Senate is the instrument of the instrument and the government of governments. Other colleges are like oars and sails, and the Senate is the helm. We see countless gains and benefits, behold our trustworthy protection. And do we see everything, can we conclude everything with a word, with which Peter the Great has abundantly pleased us and created prosperous and glorious! Tokmo may be surprised, but it is very inconvenient to pronounce. Moreover, he showed marvelous in marvelous and wonderful in wonderful, so we can’t be surprised enough. For if there were only one military affairs or only one political correction, he used Russia in such a way, and that would be marvelous. It would be marvelous if there were one, and another sovereign created another: as the Romans of their first two kings, Romulus and Numa, boast that he strengthened the fatherland with war, and this with peace; or, as in the sacred history, David with weapons, and Solomon, with politics, blessed Israel. And with us, both this and that, and even in countless and various circumstances, only Peter did. We and Romulus, and Numa, and David, and Solomon are one Peter. Behold, we are not only talking, all foreign peoples are talking with surprise; as in the past 1722, the great ambassador of Poland, in the name of his sovereign and of the whole republic, in his greeting before the front and face of the imperial majesty, publicly confessed. And this about military and civil affairs, although unequal in word sentences, will show enough what kind of sovereign our marvelous Peter was. But when we are talking about a Christian sovereign, it is impossible not to ask what he was like in deeds, to that other eternal and endless life proper, for although this immediate title is a pastoral rank, God placed this highest supervision on those in power. And as if the tsar should not fight, perhaps either for need or for his own hunting, and so that the army would act decently, you must look, and it’s not the royal business to practice the merchants, but so that there would be no deceit in the kuplech - observe the case royal is. And to understand the same about philosophical teachings, and about various crafts, and about agriculture, and about all other economy. So although the preaching of the word to affirm piety does not lie on the kings, however, they have a duty, and a great one, worry about it, so that it would be, and the teaching of Christianity would be direct, and the church of Christ would rule. Holy Scripture teaches us a lot about this, especially in the royal histories, where in the narration of the life of kings, he praises some for the good government of the church, and denounces others for negligence or corruption of orthodoxy. And according to such a royal duty, Constantine the Great is called by Eusebius of Caesarea the most excellent "bishop." But did our ever-memorable Peter remain in this glory from the best Israeli and Christian rulers? It seems that he could not and once had to take care of the church, when he was all busy with campaigns and military operations, and the construction of the fleet and fortresses, and other innumerable things. But as in everything else, God showed him so marvelous in this: in everything that was taken away from him through the busyness of time, he found time to grieve and provide for the correction of the church. And there was so much desire in him, we will show him with some butts of his deeds. He knew what the darkness and blindness of our false brethren, the schismatics. Truly unapplied madness, very sincere and pernicious! And so many poor people from these false teachers are perishing seductively! And according to his paternal compassion, he did not leave a single way to drive away this darkness and enlighten the darkened: he ordered to write exhortations, and instruct with sermons, and with the promise of mercy, and with some kind of oppression, that is, with the gums and shumimi, lead away from error, and call for a peaceful conversation . And it was not his fruitless care that appeared: we have many thousands of converts in writing, but stubbornness and cruelty, as if unanswered, are waiting for a bitter condemnation. He knew how much evil is superstition, which, when it leads away from God, it seems to lead to God and the soul-destroying causes safety; in other sins, a person knows to be a sinner, and in superstition it seems to serve God and, dying in such a way, thinks of himself that he is saved, and, having blindfolded himself, he approaches the hellish rapids without sorrow. Knowing and reasoning this, Peter aroused like a pastoral order from sleep, so that vain traditions would be torn out, in the rites of the material power of saving they would not be shown, they forbade the idolization of icons and would teach the people in spirit and in truth to worship God and keep the commandments to please him. He knew what harm comes from hypocrisy. Hypocrites are more, pretending to be a shrine to themselves, straight are atheists and have their womb in God, but the simple people catch their filthy profits, incessant inventions darken the light of the gospel and people from the love of God and their neighbor take away, - heaven and earth, church and fatherland worst enemies. And from sowing sweet poison with all sorts of images of his subjects, he strove to protect: feigned miracles, dreams, demons uprooted, ladders with tangles, irons and rags, and crafty humility, and abstinence to the appearance of holiness, gilding themselves, taught to know and to catch and torture ordered. And he hated this accursed Pharisee so much that he kept the contrary simple-heartedness, as if it were the best of all (as it truly is), in extreme love. And we have eternal memory of his instruction. At the Synod’s Conference on Candidates for Bishop’s Degrees, this wisest uttered the word: “Because,” he says, “it is difficult for us to find someone who is completely pleasing to such a cause, one who will not be crafty, not cunning, not a hypocrite, but simple-hearted, be to us both pleasing and worthy." And truly a powerful word: for a simple-hearted Christian is led by the Spirit of God, and therefore, without many books of teaching, he will manage to correct himself and his brother. Even Peter knew, and with the great sorrow of his heart he saw how much lack of conscience had multiplied among the Russian people - from the confession of sins and from the communion of the Lord's Supper they would be far removed. O extreme distress! They will move away from that which alone is eternal life for us, guilty! This alone delights us in the sorrows of our fall into sin, this will support us, but we will not fall into despair, this covers us from the thunders of anger and the judgment of God. What Peter arranged about this, everyone knows. And everything that was mentioned, to the benefit that he could know, either from hearing and advice, or from his reasoning, did not miss anything. And here belong the factories of schools commanded by them, the works of theological books, ancient teachers and church historians, translations and translations of the holy scripture of correction; the ancient articles of the monastic renewals looked here, and the rules of the priesthood and the entire church clergy, and so that the goodness given by the youth of direct faith and the commandments of God would begin in the seed and root. And let all that happen, grow and be established by the spiritual governing Synod. And now, O listener, in our Peter, in whom we first saw the great hero, but the same wise ruler, we already see the apostle. Such is his king, and the king of the Christians, God has shown! But O our most virtuous father and our most cheerful monarch! Having arranged for us and approved all that is good, useful and needy for temporary and eternal life, knowing that everything is on it, as if on the main foundation, always thinking about what many people completely forget, that although in terms of the composition of the body and the strength of the sovereign his dignity is strong and firm, however, according to his earthly nature, incorruption in the first forefathers who destroyed, man is mortal, - he took diligent care, as if everything arranged from him was not only with him, but also remained intact according to him, and he would be samago surpassed for a long time, and, having established itself in such a way, would indestructibly take place for many centuries. And this is direct royal and paternal care. And not so baked, who only watch, so that there would be good in the fatherland with their belly, not very concerned about what will happen after their death, not only not royally and not paternally, but lower economically they do and likeness are a traveler, huts or huts those who build, which may be intact even after their departure, have no thought for them. What did Peter the Great think up for the longevity of our blessings arranged for us? Invented and created what we now see and all of ours and us the most affirmed. He laid another foundation similar to himself, gave us another one for himself, a high-power heiress, our most radiant August Catherine. Having tempted her benevolence with long-term cohabitation, knowing her wisdom and generosity in merry and sad, in happy and distressful cases, as before she judged to be worthy of her bed, then she showed her worthy of her throne and not just for honor, as in other states is done I crowned my empire with a diadem, but so that his throne would not be idle for a short time, and his death would not cause embarrassment, and blood, and many deaths among the people, as it used to be, but I would die to him, as if I live being, peace and silence, and his strong state of affairs remained. And this is his own intention about the coronation of his wife, in the past 1722, preparing for the Persian campaign, he announced to us. As it happened, according to his intention and according to his desire, it works with the inexpressible mercy of our God towards us, as if in Peter he blessed us, so in Catherine he blesses. And so Peter, leaving us, not only left us his incalculable wealth, which we have already shown enough, but, leaving us, did not leave us. This whole thing offered by us to others, who saw him from afar or only heard him, will seem more surprising than measures, but to all of us who knew him closely in everything, acting and baking, delighted in going around and talking, I think that this word of ours is not only not marvelous, but also not contented and meager. Veste bo, what vividness of memory, sharpness of mind, power of reasoning was; how he was not hindered by the countless number of previous cases, which, when he did not work, to remember the present matter; how quickly and cleanly and fairly difficult suggestions and questions were answered; how clear and useful he submitted a resolution to obscure and questionable reports. And since in this insidious world there is a lot of concealment and flattery, not only between strangers to themselves, but also between their own and domestic ones, - you know how he secretly built guesses, and what he wants to be and where he will go out, he would have prophetically reached his danger timeliness preceded, and how, where appropriate, his knowledge covered that politic teachers call dissimulation and in the first reigns they put regulations. It was marvelous for everyone who easily reasoned where he was and from whom he was so wise, since he had not studied at any school, at any academy. But the academies were cities and countries for him, republics and monarchies and royal houses, in which he was a guest; teachers were to him, although they themselves did not know about it, and ambassadors coming to him, and guests, and potentates treating him, and rulers. Wherever he happened to be, with whomever he could talk, he only looked, so that this co-presence would not be idle, so that he would not go away and disperse without some benefit, without any teaching. It also helped him a lot, that, having studied some European languages, he often enjoyed reading in historical and teacher's books. And from such teachings it happened that his conversations about some matter were plentiful, although not verbose, and about whatever the word happened, it was immediately heard from him subtle reasoning, and strong arguments, and meanwhile stories, parables, similarities with the delight and surprise of all those present. But even in theological and other conversations, he was not only ashamed to hear and not be silent, as others used to be, but he also willingly tried, and instructed many in doubtful conscience, led away from superstition, led to the knowledge of the truth, which he did not only with the honest. , but also with simple and thin ones, especially when it happened with schismatics. And he had all the weapons ready for that: the dogmas studied from the sacred writings, especially the Pauline epistle, which he firmly fixed in his memory. And such a gift of Peter's to us, who are well-guided and who have seen from close and frequent community, is not surprising, but is it really insufficient, as it was mentioned, the entire above-mentioned story about military, civil and church affairs and his cares. How much cleanliness and eloquence befits, which only many and only honest forces, virtues, deeds and deeds according to their wealth could adorn and exalt them? And according to one of them, everything requires a strong ornate art to be praised. But this word of ours, which, although not all, however, many of Peter's greatness, we try to offer, how can it decorate, whom with a quick and simple calculation, and even then not all naming the circumstances, can it be difficult to run across? But why are there rhetorical utensils and flowers here? Such a virtue does not require external adornments, it is honest and red in itself, a preposterous kindness in itself and a face of the finest. And if there was some kind of dressing from the outside, and that is not to be looked for in our meager treasures, but it has long been prepared to eat world-wide glory with wealth. Glory to the world is worthy of Peter's preacher. It is enough for him to his eternal name, that in all foreign countries with great praises we offer up food and are not remembered without surprise. Where will they not say that hitherto Russia has not had such a sovereign? Where will they not testify that from him the first and only taco glorious everywhere and the great-named Russian people appeared? But we also have our own evidence of this in the Latin sheets printed in Lipsk, where they announce the death of our Peter, they call him worthy of immortality. Recently a little book came out about his life, in the form of a conversation. And there, in the beginning, the author shows that Peter surpassed Xerxes, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar. And someone from the political French writers of Peter the Russian puts not a little higher from his sovereign, the glorious Onago the Great Louis. And the same word is affirmed by his consent by another, who writes about the inconvenience of our connection with the Romans. And how not! All these and other monarchs found in their homeland all sorts of teachings and maisterstva, a good army and skillful military leaders and city governors. Peter, however, was forced to do all this and start again, but by the same token he could act and accomplish as much as he could. But this is even praise from foreign people, but private and individual, whom it would be powerful to collect without number, and this is also preached by popular voices. What his great Polish ambassador said about his glory was already mentioned by us before. Remember also what the Persian ambassador said, who, among other praises, likened the glory of his deeds, passing everywhere, to the sun, illuminating the whole world. And when by our petition we convinced him to accept the title of Great and Emperor (which he was before and was called by everyone), everywhere this is praised and approved. What, after his death, from various courts and letters of regret to Her Majesty, was written and with what praises from all monarchs ours is exalted, this time will not be enough to offer. You flew up to the very top of glory, great husband! For no reason do we worry about praises, about your glorification. Didn't you need to see someone, as others saw the magnifying poet, and the memory of the statues, and tropeos! Your marvelous deeds are your tropeas. All of Russia is your statue, remade by you with a fair amount of craftsmanship, which is not falsely depicted in your emblem; the whole world is both a poet and a preacher of your glory. And when will the world's songs and sermons about you fall silent? For are there famous who and where first invented the phalanx, that is, the image of a certain own system and military action, and who invented such a weapon or invented a stratagem, and who is the creator of this or that city, - about you, who (generally say) very He gave us everything, and not the city, but all of Russia, which already exists, created and created, when and where will the multi-talked stories cease? Do we still have, O Russians, the highest, for the highest evidence of our Peter. God testified enough about him, this witness in heaven is faithful, who by miraculous looking in many disasters preserved him, in these difficult fortresses attacks, in naval battles on the sea, in the battle near Lesnoy, where he was exhausted and, icy, was forced to rest in an unknown place not knowing his camp; at the battle of Poltava, where death was so far from him, like a hat from his head; Rod shares, that is, in the very jaws of death. God testified about him when he covered him from the traitors who were approaching and neighboring him repeatedly, from the fetters who bound on his stomach, from the enraged rebels. All in all, the most wondrous was God’s contempt for him, still a youth of his existence and intending to a lot of glory, from the demoniac archers of ferocity preserved when these beasts of the royal servants and relatives were not only from his house, but also from his hands to be killed. About a terrible time! Was this villainy far from the very extreme boldness? Finally, God testified about him and in his blessed death, with his powerfully acting grace, he was present and bestowed on him such piety feeling, direct repentance, a living and firm faith that the right hand of the Most High was somehow felt. It was a wonderful vision and a wondrous shame, crying many who were present, about his imminent death, forced to cry from tenderness. For when he heard from the spiritual ones strengthening him the remembrance of the saving death of the son of God, as if forgetting his unbearable inner torment, with a cheerful face, even with a dry tongue, he repeatedly exclaimed: less, "- transferring his mind from the material, with which he soaked his lips, drinking, to its spiritual and saving coolness. Affirmed packs in faith, eyes and hands, as much as he could, lifting up the mountain, "I believe," he said, "Lord, and I hope. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief." When speech became very impoverished, and then to frequent proposals about the vanity of this world, about the mercy of God and about the eternal reign in heaven, and to rise, and to raise a hand uphill, and to depict the sign of the cross, he struggled, and to joy he arranged his face, and very triumphed in illness, like an undoubted heir to eternal blessings. All this, however, the long-suffering monarch acted through all the time of his mortal feat, which continued until 50 hours. And although on the sixth day of his suffering, after confessing his sins, he took communion of the body and blood of the Lord, but even in his ascetic labor, he was asked if he still wants the supper of Christ, having shown his desire with a raised hand, he was worthy to eat. But much, O listener, of God's goodness, manifested to our father both in his life and in his death, they will show that he does not require such world-wide praise for himself. His praises are our praises; he has achieved heavenly glory with Christ, he puts all earthly things to nothing, and we praise and glorify him for those who are compelled, we think that these or similar words answer. “As you cry for me, so glorify me, my sons, there is not enough to eat. I escaped a many-rebellious and many-poor dwelling, and even, in your opinion, a very happy one, and this is not crying, but worthy of joy. I received an unfading crown from the all-generous philanthropist, merciful to me for the blood of his son, who received his inheritance, and this exceeds all your earthly glory without comparison and shows indecent things. if you wish to preserve this whole, save my deeds, do not forget my instruction, but most of all, with unfeigned love and fidelity, serve my most beloved heiress, given from God through me to the autocrat, and at the same time, have zeal for all my dearest blood. May you not be deprived of your heavenly life; so thrive in the ascetic labor of life, so that you will reach this all-blessed bridge. Let us put an end to words, put a bath and temper tears. As it is inconvenient to glorify him according to his property, we can’t even cry about taking him away, if only water were given to our head and a source of tears to our eyes, which the deplorable prophet desired. But although, while praising Peter, we will not reach his glory with a word, nevertheless, we will pay something from our filial duty. And without measure, lamenting and weeping, we will also offend his virtue, and we will sin a lot for his glory, for we will show that by depriving him of all blessings, we have lost all blessings, as it is fitting to weep for a young man who has died of great hopes, with whom all hopeful of him die. Peter is ours, having done much good for us and made us the best for us, although he forces us to weep with his departure, but he also commands to rejoice in the countless and with him who have not died of his good deeds. Have mercy on you, our most sovereign empress, mother of all Russia, use all your generosity, all your wisdom, to satisfy and defeat you so much sorrow! The fatherland prays to you about this, but do not increase the sorrow of the common, but as if you have fun with your possession, you will rejoice everyone with your joy. He seeks this and asks you for blood, and your tribe, and your kinship, all your high surname, but not from them you will take the guilt of consolation, and do not let their flower fade. Peter requires this of you, so that you do not hold his scepter with a weakened hand, and you can confirm what he has done, and you can do the like. But even God himself commands you, so that not this pitiful darkness will darken his mercy in you. Reject your soul, be comforted, remember God and rejoice. He chose you with marvelous destinies, combined Petra and raised him to such a height, he will confirm and create prosperity for you. Trust in him, but Peter trusted in him alone. And who kept Peter in all his ways, he will keep you also. Oh, wake up, Lord, your mercy on us, as if we were relying on you! This voice was lifted up to you by our Peter, and we also lift up this voice from the depths of our hearts. And do not stop showing mercy to your anointed, our autocrat, and turn her grief into sweetness, and strengthen her power, and with her all our fatherland, with peace, serenity, an abundance of the fruits of the earth and all the blessings of fulfillment, bless. Amen.

Oh, girl, red girl!
Do not go, girl, young married;
You ask, girl, father, mother,
Father, mother, clan-tribe;
Save up, girl, mind-reason,
Uma-reason, dowry.
folk song

If you find me better, forget me,
If you find worse than me, you will remember.
Same

When I woke up, for some time I could not come to my senses and did not understand what had happened to me. I was lying on the bed, in an unfamiliar room, and felt very weak. Before me stood Savelitch with a candle in his hands. Someone carefully developed the bandages with which my chest and shoulder were pulled together. Little by little my thoughts cleared up. I remembered my duel and guessed that I had been wounded. At that moment the door creaked open. "What? What?" said a voice in a whisper that made me tremble. “Everything is in the same position,” Savelich answered with a sigh, “everyone is without memory, for the fifth day already.” I wanted to turn around, but I couldn't. "Where I am? who's here?" I said with an effort. Marya Ivanovna came up to my bed and leaned towards me. "What? How are you feeling?" - she said. “Thank God,” I replied in a weak voice. Is that you, Marya Ivanovna? tell me…” I couldn’t continue and fell silent. Savelich gasped. Joy showed on his face. “I came to my senses! came to his senses! he repeated. - Glory to you, lord! Well, Father Pyotr Andreevich! you scared me! is it easy? fifth day!..” Marya Ivanovna interrupted his speech. “Don't talk to him much, Savelich,” she said. "He's still weak." She went out and quietly closed the door. My thoughts were worried. So, I was at the commandant's house, Marya Ivanovna came in to see me. I wanted to put some questions to Savelich, but the old man shook his head and plugged his ears. I closed my eyes in annoyance and soon fell asleep.

Waking up, I called Savelitch and instead of him I saw Marya Ivanovna in front of me; her angelic voice greeted me. I cannot express the sweet feeling that took possession of me at that moment. I grabbed her hand and clung to it, shedding tears of tenderness. Masha did not tear it off ... and suddenly her lips touched my cheek, and I felt their hot and fresh kiss. Fire ran through me. “Dear, kind Marya Ivanovna,” I said to her, “be my wife, agree to my happiness.” - She came to her senses. "For God's sake, calm down," she said, taking her hand away from me. “You are still in danger: the wound may open. Save yourself for me." With that, she left, leaving me in a rapture of delight. Happiness revived me. She will be mine! she loves Me! This thought filled my entire existence.

Since then, I have been getting better every hour. The regimental barber treated me, for there was no other doctor in the fortress, and, thank God, he did not play smart. Youth and nature hastened my recovery. The whole family of the commandant took care of me. Marya Ivanovna never left my side. Of course, at the first opportunity, I set to work on the interrupted explanation, and Marya Ivanovna listened to me more patiently. She confessed to me, without any affectation, her inclination of the heart, and said that her parents, of course, would be glad of her happiness. “But think carefully,” she added, “will there be any obstacles from your relatives?”

I thought. I had no doubts about my mother's tenderness; but, knowing my father's temper and way of thinking, I felt that my love would not touch him too much and that he would look at her as a whim of a young man. I frankly confessed this to Marya Ivanovna and, however, decided to write to the priest as eloquently as possible, asking for my parents' blessing. I showed the letter to Marya Ivanovna, who found it so convincing and touching that she did not doubt its success and gave herself up to the feelings of her tender heart with all the credulity of youth and love.

A. S. Pushkin. Captain's daughter. audiobook

I made peace with Shvabrin in the first days of my convalescence. Ivan Kuzmich, reprimanding me for the duel, said to me: “Oh, Pyotr Andreevich! I should have put you under arrest, but you are already punished without that. And Alexey Ivanovich is still sitting in my bakery under guard, and Vasilisa Yegorovna has his sword under lock and key. Let him think for himself and repent." I was too happy to keep a feeling of hostility in my heart. I began to plead for Shvabrin, and the good commandant, with the consent of his wife, decided to release him. Shvabrin came to me; he expressed deep regret for what had happened between us; admitted that he was guilty all around, and asked me to forget about the past. Being not vindictive by nature, I sincerely forgave him both our quarrel and the wound I received from him. I saw in his slander the annoyance of offended pride and rejected love, and magnanimously excused my unfortunate rival.

I soon recovered and was able to move into my apartment. I eagerly waited for an answer to the sent letter, not daring to hope and trying to drown out sad forebodings. With Vasilisa Egorovna and with her husband I have not yet explained; but my suggestion should not have surprised them. Neither I nor Marya Ivanovna tried to hide our feelings from them, and we were sure in advance of their consent.

Finally, one morning, Savelich came to me, holding a letter in his hands. I grabbed it with trepidation. The address was written by the father's hand. This prepared me for something important, for my mother usually wrote letters to me, and he added a few lines at the end. I did not open the package for a long time and re-read the solemn inscription: "To my son Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, to the Orenburg province, to the Belogorsk fortress." I tried to guess from the handwriting the mood in which the letter was written; finally he decided to print it out and from the first lines he saw that the whole thing had gone to hell. The content of the letter was as follows:

“My son Peter! Your letter, in which you ask us for our parental blessing and consent to marry Marya Ivanova, daughter of Mironova, we received on the 15th of this month, and not only do I not intend to give you my blessing or my consent, but I also intend to to get to you and for your leprosy to teach you the way, like a boy, despite your officer rank: for you have proved that you are not yet worthy to wear a sword, which was granted to you to defend the fatherland, and not for duels with the same tomboys like you yourself. I will immediately write to Andrei Karlovich, asking him to transfer you from the Belogorsk fortress to somewhere far away, wherever your foolishness has passed. Your mother, having learned about your duel and that you were wounded, fell ill with grief and now lies. What will become of you? I pray to God that you improve, although I do not dare to hope for his great mercy.

Your father A. G. "

Reading this letter aroused different feelings in me. The cruel expressions, which the priest did not stint, deeply offended me. The disdain with which he referred to Marya Ivanovna seemed to me as obscene as it was unfair. The thought of my transfer from the Belogorsk fortress terrified me; but what upset me most was the news of my mother's illness. I was indignant at Savelich, having no doubt that my duel became known to my parents through him. Stepping back and forth across my cramped room, I stopped in front of him and said, looking at him menacingly: “It seems that you are not satisfied that, thanks to you, I am wounded and have been on the brink of the grave for a whole month: you want to kill my mother too.” . Savelich was struck like thunder. “Have mercy, sir,” he said, almost bursting into tears, “what are you talking about? I'm the reason you were hurt! God sees, I ran to shield you with my chest from the sword of Alexei Ivanovich! Damn old age got in the way. But what have I done to your mother?” - "What did you do? I answered. - Who asked you to write denunciations against me? Are you assigned to me as a spy? - "I? denounced you? Savelich answered with tears. - Lord, the king of heaven! So if you please read what the master writes to me: you will see how I denounced you. Then he took a letter out of his pocket, and I read the following:

“Shame on you, old dog, that you, despite my strict orders, did not inform me about my son Pyotr Andreevich and that outsiders are forced to notify me of his pranks. Is this how you fulfill your position and master's will? I love you, old dog! I will send pigs to graze for concealing the truth and indulging a young man. Upon receipt of this, I order you to immediately write to me, what is his health now, about which they write to me that he has recovered; Yes, in what place was he wounded and whether he was well healed.

It was obvious that Savelitch had been right before me, and that I had needlessly offended him with reproach and suspicion. I asked his forgiveness; but the old man was inconsolable. “This is what I have lived up to,” he repeated, “this is what favors I have earned from my masters! I am an old dog and a swineherd, but am I also the cause of your wound? No, Father Pyotr Andreevich! it's not me, the accursed monsieur is to blame for everything: he taught you to poke with iron skewers and stomp, as if by poking and stomping you would protect yourself from an evil person! It was necessary to hire Monsieur and spend extra money!

But who took the trouble to notify my father of my conduct? General? But he didn't seem to care much for me; and Ivan Kuzmich did not consider it necessary to report on my duel. I was at a loss. My suspicions settled on Shvabrin. He alone had the benefit of a denunciation, which could result in my removal from the fortress and a break with the commandant's family. I went to announce everything to Marya Ivanovna. She met me on the porch. “What has happened to you? she said when she saw me. “How pale you are!” - "Its end!" - I answered and gave her the letter from the father. She turned pale in turn. Having read it, she returned the letter to me with a trembling hand and said in a trembling voice: “It seems that I am not destined ... Your relatives do not want me into their family. Be in everything the will of the Lord! God knows better than we what we need. There is nothing to do, Pyotr Andreevich; at least you be happy ... "-" This will not happen! I cried, seizing her by the hand, “you love me; I'm ready for anything. Let's go, let's throw ourselves at the feet of your parents; they are simple people, not cruel-hearted, proud... They will bless us; we will get married ... and there, in time, I am sure, we will beg my father; mother will be for us; he will forgive me…” “No, Pyotr Andreevich,” answered Masha, “I will not marry you without the blessing of your parents. Without their blessing, you will not be happy. Let us submit to the will of God. If you find yourself a betrothed, if you love another - God be with you, Pyotr Andreevich; and I am for both of you ... ”Here she began to cry and left me; I wanted to follow her into the room, but I felt that I was unable to control myself, and returned home.

I was sitting immersed in deep thought, when suddenly Savelich interrupted my thoughts. “Here, sir,” he said, handing me a scribbled sheet of paper, “see if I am an informer against my master and if I am trying to confuse my son with his father.” I took his paper from his hands: it was Savelich's reply to the letter he had received. Here it is word for word:

"Sir Andrei Petrovich,

our gracious father!

I received your gracious writing, in which you deign to be angry with me, your servant, that it’s a shame for me not to fulfill the master’s orders, but I, not an old dog, but your faithful servant, obey the master’s orders and have always served you diligently and lived to gray hair. Well, I didn’t write anything to you about Pyotr Andreevich’s wound, so as not to frighten you in vain, and, you can hear, the lady, our mother Avdotya Vasilyevna, has already fallen ill with fright, and I will pray to God for her health. But Pyotr Andreevich was wounded under the right shoulder, in the chest, just under the bone, an inch and a half deep, and he lay in the commandant's house, where we brought him from the shore, and the local barber Stepan Paramonov treated him; and now Pyotr Andreich, thank God, is in good health, and there is nothing but good things to write about him. The commanders, it is heard, are pleased with him; and Vasilisa Egorovna has him like his own son. And that such an opportunity happened to him, then the good fellow is not a reproach: a horse with four legs, but stumbles. And if you please write that you will send me to pasture pigs, and that is your boyar will. For this I bow slavishly.

Your faithful servant

Arkhip Saveliev.

I couldn't help but smile several times as I read the good old man's letter. I was unable to answer the priest; and to reassure my mother, Savelich's letter seemed to me sufficient.

Since then, my position has changed. Marya Ivanovna scarcely spoke to me and tried her best to avoid me. The commandant's house became a shame for me. Little by little I learned to sit alone at home. Vasilisa Yegorovna at first reproached me for this; but, seeing my stubbornness, she left me alone. I saw Ivan Kuzmich only when the service demanded it. I met Shvabrin rarely and reluctantly, all the more so as I noticed in him a hidden dislike for myself, which confirmed me in my suspicions. My life has become unbearable to me. I fell into a dark reverie that was fueled by loneliness and inaction. My love flared up in solitude and from hour to hour became more burdensome to me. I have lost the desire for reading and literature. My spirit has fallen. I was afraid to either go crazy or fall into debauchery. Unexpected incidents, which had an important influence on my whole life, suddenly gave my soul a strong and good shock.