Mathematics form a main object of instruction in all Russian schools, and are pursued with some success ; geography also, particularly that of their own giant land, is cultivated with extraordinary and praiseworthy diligence. The history of Russia is carefully taught in detail ; and there is no doubt that the pupils in a Russian school, taken on the whole, could give a better account of Russia, both historically and geograpliically, than the pupils of a German school could of their much divided country. The weakest points are natural philosophy and classical Hteratm'e. The neglect of the latter may be pardonable enough, but in a country whose natm-al productions are yet so little inquired into, and which offers such abundant materials for increasing the resources of the state, it is quite inconceivable why more attention is not paid to the hidden powers of Nature. The state of Medical science may be considered as forming some exception to so general a censure.
The university of St. Petersburg is too much like our own in its principal features, and yields too little fiuit to deserve particular mention. One of the most important and most pecuhar institutions is the so-called ' Pedagogical Institute," the object of which is to form teachers of all kinds, teachers for the national schools, for the gymnasiums, and oen professors for the luilverslties. It was established in 1832, after the Polish revolution. The reformation or abolition of the Polish schools, the object of which was to deprive the catholic clergy and monks of the education of youth, caused a great want of Russian teachers to be felt. To supply this want, the institution was founded, and endowed with nearly all the privileges of a university. It is under tlie direction of a learned German, who, with the assistance of his many able co-adjutors, will doubtless accomplish as much as can be done by the means at his controul. The Pedagogical Institution is maintained by the crown at an expense of not less than 250,000 rubles yearly.
The most distinguished pupUs who are intended for professors, arc dismissed with the name and rank of titular counsellor ; books to the amount of four hundred rubles, a complete wardrobe, the third part of their future salary as a present from the institution, and a considerable present for travelling expenses from the emperor. There are about 1 60 young men there at present ; about as many have been abeady sent out, the greater part to Poland.
They have all sorts of inventions for facilitating the acqviirement of languages, historical dates, names, &c. Among others, one was handed to us, as quite miraculous in its operation, when we visited the institution. It is the invention of a Russian, to impress historical numbers more firmly on the memory. The great school board, and the smaller ones of the pupils, were covered with a chronological net, arranged for the two thousand years after the birth of Christ. This net-work of lines crossing each other at right angles, had twenty great divisions, each of which was destined for a centmy, and one hundred smaller subdivisions or net stitches, ten of a row, and ten under them. Each of these interstices signified a year of the century. The teacher made in different interstices a cross, and then caused the pupil to repeat the event of the indicated year, or he related the liistorical occurrence, and the pupil made the corresponding cross. It was affirmed that the use of this net and the practice connected with it, enabled the pupil " de sorienter''' more quickly in the various regions of universal history, than the ordinary chronological tables. There was a particular net for Russian history, and the pupils showed in our presence, that they had all the celebrated names at their fingers' ends.
Languages are taught in a very practical manner, four or five at a time, and for the most part without a grammar. For this purpose they have caused polyglot editions of many classical authors to be prepared, and the pupils were required in our presence to translate out of Greek into Latm, out of Latin into German, French, or Russian, which they did very readily. All the instruction is given through the medium of foreign languages ; in one lesson the questions are put in Latin, in another in German, and so on, and answered in the same tongue.
Geography is taught with the chalk or pencil in the hand. The pupils must directly make an outline of the map on the school-board and their own slates. One is desired to give the coast of Europe from the thirtieth to the fortieth degree of latitude, another fiom the fortieth to the fiftieth, and so on. The rivers and mountains, in the same way, are not only to be named, but dra^^^l. The outlines thus given were wondei-fully exact. They also named the latitudes and longitudes of the chief cities of Europe ; which, nota bene, we, the German examiners, as we gave the names at random, could not always do. Our geographical teachers might with advantage adopt some of the Russian methods.
To exercise the pupils in the art of teaching, a system of mutual instruction Is practised, as in the Lancastrian schools, but of course under the direction of the masters. The ablest in each class are made to act