Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov
? 5.V.1820 - 4.X.1879
Solovyov (Sergei Mikhailovich) is a famous historian, was born in Moscow on May 5, 1820, died on October 4, 1879, also in Moscow, where he spent his whole life, where he studied (at a commercial school, 1st gymnasium and university), served and worked. The family (his father was a priest) brought up a deep religious feeling in Solovyov, which later affected the importance he attached to the historical life of peoples of religion in general and in application to Russia, Orthodoxy in particular. As a child, Solovyov loved historical reading: until the age of 13, he reread the story of Karamzin at least 12 times; he was also fond of travel descriptions, retaining interest in them for the rest of his life. The university years (1838-1842) at the first department of the Faculty of Philosophy passed under the strong influence of Solovyov not Pogodin, who read Solovyov’s favorite subject – Russian history, but Granovsky. Solovyov’s synthetic mind was not satisfied with teaching the first: it did not reveal the inner connection of phenomena. The beauty of Karamzin’s descriptions, to which Pogodin especially drew the attention of listeners, Solovyov had already outgrown; the actual side of the course gave little new, and Solovyov often prompted Pogodin at lectures, supplementing his instructions with his own. Granovsky’s course instilled in Solovyov the consciousness of the need to study Russian history in close connection with the fate of other nationalities and in a broad framework of spiritual life in general: Solovyov’s interest in religious issues, law, politics, ethnography and literature guided Solovyov throughout his scientific activity. At the university, Solovyov was at one time very fond of Hegel and became a Protestant for several months; but, he says, “abstractness was not for me.” The book of Evers : "The ancient law of Russov', expounding a view on the ancestral structure of the ancient Russian tribes, constituted, according to Solovyov himself, an era in his mental life, for Karamzin endowed with some facts, struck only at feeling', a'amp;quot;Evers struck at thought, forced to think about Russian history'quot;. Two years of life abroad (1842-1844) as a home teacher in the family. Stroganov gave Solovyov the opportunity to listen to professors in Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris, to make acquaintance with Ganka, Palatsky and Shafarik in Prague, and in general to look at the structure of European life. In 1845 Solovyov brilliantly defended his master’s thesis “On the relations of Novgorod to the Grand Dukes” and occupied the Department of Russian History at Moscow University, which remained vacant after Pogodin’s departure. The work on Novgorod immediately put forward Solovyov as a major scientific force with an original mind and independent views on the course of Russian historical life. Solovyov's second work - "History of relations between the Russian princes of the Rurikov House" (Moscow, 1847) - delivered Solovyov the degree of doctor of Russian history, finally establishing his reputation as a first-class scientist. Solovyov held the Department of Russian History at Moscow University (with the exception of a short break) for more than 30 years; he was elected to deans and rectors. In the person of Solovyov, Moscow University has always been an ardent champion of scientific interests, freedom of teaching and autonomy of the university system. Growing up in the era of intense struggle of the so-called Slavophiles and Westerners, Solovyov forever retained his sensitivity and responsiveness to the phenomena of contemporary political and social life. Even in purely scientific works, with all objectivity and adherence to strictly critical techniques, Solovyov usually always stood on the ground of living reality; his scientific character never bore an abstract armchair character. Holding to certain principles, Solovyov felt the need not only to follow them himself, but also to propagate them; hence the pages in his books that are distinguished by noble pathos, the instructive shade in his university lectures. In my time as a student and abroad, he says of himself, I was a hot Slavophile, and only a close study of Russian history saved me from Slavophilism and introduced my patriotism to the proper limits. Later, joining the Westerners, Solovyov did not break, however, with the Slavophiles, with whom he was brought closer to the same views on religion and faith in the historical vocation of the Russian people. Solovyov’s ideal was a firm autocratic power in close alliance with the best forces of the people. Huge reading, depth and versatility of knowledge, breadth of thought, calm mind and integrity of the world outlook were the distinguishing features of Solovyov as a scientist; they also determined the nature of his university teaching. Solovyov’s lectures did not strike with eloquence, but they felt an extraordinary power; they took not with the brilliance of exposition, but with compression, firmness of conviction, consistency and clarity of thought. Carefully thought out, they always provoked reflection. "Solovyov gave the listener a surprisingly solid, harmonious thread carried through a chain of generalized facts view of the course of Russian history, and it is known what a delight for a young mind, beginning scientific study, to feel in possession of a holistic view of a scientific subject. Summarizing the facts, Solovyov in a harmonious mosaic introduced into their exposition general historical ideas that explained them. He did not give the listener a single major fact without illuminating him with the light of these ideas. The listener felt every minute that the flow of the life before him was rolling along the path of historical logic; no phenomenon disturbed his thoughts by its surprise or accident. In his eyes, historical life not only moved, but also reflected and justified its movement. Thanks to this, Solovyov’s course, expounding the facts of local history, exerted a strong methodological influence, awakened and formed historical thinking. Solovyov persistently spoke and repeated, where necessary, about the connection of phenomena, about the sequence of historical development, about its general laws, about what he called an unusual word - historicity. As a character and moral personality Solovyov outlined quite definitely from the very first steps of his scientific and service activities. Careful to the point of pedantry, he did not seem to have wasted a single minute; every hour of his day was foreseen. Solovyov died at work. Elected to the rector, he accepted the post, "because its execution was difficult." Convinced that Russian society did not have a history that satisfies the scientific requirements of the time, and feeling in himself the strength to give it, he set about it, seeing in it his social duty. In this consciousness he drew strength to accomplish his patriotic feat. For 30 years Solovyov worked tirelessly on the History of Russia, the glory of his life and the pride of Russian historical science. The first volume of it appeared in 1851, and since then it has been coming out carefully from year to year. The last, the 29th, was published in 1879, after the death of the author. In this monumental work Solovyov showed energy and strength of spirit, all the more amazing that during the hours of rest he continued to prepare many other books and articles of various content. Russian historiography, at the time when Solovyov appeared, had already emerged from the Karamzin period, having ceased to see its main task in the mere depiction of the activities of sovereigns and the change of government forms; there was a need not only to tell, but also to explain the events of the past, to catch the regularity in the successive change of phenomena, to discover the guiding “idea”, the main “beginning” of Russian life.