CHAPTER LX.

History and Training of a Secular Priest.

Y

My host is by birth from the diocese of Vladimir;

his father was a parish priest; and, having no

clock, went by the sun in celebrating service in the church. He was, from eight years old to fourteen in one of the district clerical schools, of which there are in that diocese six. Then he was, six years more, in the diocesan seminary. The seminaries of Vladimir and of Scondal are the largest in all Russia, containing as many as 1000 students each. When he was there only 600 out of the 1000 were lodged and boarded within the walls. He had an allowance from the clerical education fund, as being the son of a priest and poor, of fifty roubles at first, out of which he had also to pay for his lodgings and his clothes. At that time he was dressed just as the son of a peasant, and wore wrappers round his legs, instead of stockings. He said a lad could live on fifty roubles a year, but in the very poorest way. Both at the Seminary and afterwards at the Spiritual Academy

at Petersburg, he got a little additional money by being one of the best singers, and going out occasionally with his fellows to sing in private houses and in domestic churches.

Having made good progress at the Seminary, he obtained one of those small exhibitions which are given to a certain number of the students to enable them to complete their course in one of the four academies. To Petersburg then he passed when twenty, the usual age, and went through the four years' course, passed his examination, not with any special distinction, but with credit, married, and was ordained, about three years ago, without any private resources. Nor did he get anything with his wife, whose mother, younger sister, and brother (a student) live all together in a single room not far off. When he was drafted from the seminary to the academy he had an allowance of seventyfive, and later of eighty-nine roubles a year (225 francs or 97.)1 which last is the highest allowance, and then he lived well. The deacon attached to the church of the Hospital has not had a learned education, and, like many others, will never rise above his present Order.

F. is a thorough Russian, quite ignorant of everything foreign, good-natured, open, talkative, simpleminded; by no means wanting in intelligence, quite

[Ninety roubles calculated at par and average rates of exchange are respectively 147. 5s. and 127. Vid. Murray, p. 62.]

free from liberalism and from any sort of private views. He plays on the piano; speaks Latin, and with a little more practice, will soon speak it fluently, and is beginning to learn German.

CHAPTER LXI.

Course of Studies in the Spiritual Academy.

HE division in time at the Academy, and the

THE

seasons of vacation, are much the same as in Western seminaries.

The professors generally read their lectures; hitherto in Latin; but now they are beginning to use Russ. Most of the progress, however, that is made, is made by private work. All know Latin: few, comparatively, Greek. Hebrew, German, French, and English are voluntary. Fortunatoff does not think there is one who could translate accurately an English book. Most of the students become secular clergy, either professors or parish priests, only two or three at every biennial or greater examination become monks. When Fortunatoff went out, there were ten places vacant and forty students capable of filling them, which accounts for his not being a professor.

Sidonsky was not a Professor, but a Baccalaureus of Philosophy at the academy, and read lectures, which

he published. In his book he carried his speculations too far, and displeased the higher clergy, especially the monks, but he has great talents, and he understands all the modern German and French philosophers better than any other man in Russia. He was displaced, and another appointed. The present Professor, Karp (a layman), is more guarded. M. Fortunatoff thinks that not all the modern philosophy is bad: Schelling, for instance, is admirable, and above Plato and Aristotle. He does not know much about Aristotle's ethics or politics; but he remarked that Aristotle went only on experience, while Plato was imaginative, and Socrates religious. He thinks that all the modern geologists overturn religion, especially by interpreting the six days of Creation to be six periods.

Every two years there is a move, the whole Upper section passing their final examination at once, whereupon what had been the Lower becomes the Upper, and a new Lower is formed by calling fresh recruits from the diocesan seminaries in connexion with this academy. Those who have passed the final examination are classed under the titles of Magistri and Candidati, a classification borrowed from the Civil University. The Candidati can become Magistri afterwards, if they qualify themselves and pass a second examination. The number of Magistri varies from fourteen or fifteen to thirty. The rest are only Candidati. But