Specimens of the Russian poets, vol. 1 (of 2) by John Bowring
QR code
"Specimens of the Russian poets, vol. 1 (of 2)" by John Bowring is a translated anthology of Russian poetry with preliminary remarks and biographical notices written in the early 19th century. The volume introduces English readers to a then-young Russian literary tradition through translations and critical context. It showcases a broad range of verse—odes, elegies, fables, and songs—while sketching the lives and significance of key poets. The opening of the volume presents
a modest preface noting the warm reception of the first edition and the aim of familiarizing English audiences with emerging Russian poetry. A substantial introduction surveys Russia’s rapid intellectual awakening since Peter the Great, outlines major poets and genres (with special praise for Derzhavin and the fabulists), and comments on translation principles—especially preserving original meters. It then offers a concise guide to the Russian language and alphabet, with examples of verse forms to illustrate its musicality. The anthology proper begins with translated poems by Derzhavin (including his celebrated hymn to God and other odes), followed by Batiushkov’s intimate “To My Penates” with explanatory notes, and shorter pieces by Lomonosov and Zhukovsky (such as “The Mariner” and the start of “Æolus’s Harp”), all accompanied by brief footnotes that situate the texts and their cultural references. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Translator | Bowring, John, 1792-1872 |
|---|---|
| Title | Specimens of the Russian poets, vol. 1 (of 2) |
| Original Publication | London: R. and A. Taylor, 1821, pubdate 1823. |
| Contents | Introduction -- Derzhavin -- Batiushkov -- Lomonosov -- Zhukovsky -- Karamsin -- Dmitriev -- Krĭlov -- Khemnitzer -- Bobrov -- Bogdanovich -- Davĭdov -- Kostrov -- Neledinsky Meletzky -- National songs -- Biographical and critical notices. |
| Credits | Terry Jeffress and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PG: Language and Literatures: Slavic (including Russian), Languages and Literature |
| Subject | Russian poetry -- 18th century -- Translations into English |
| Subject | Russian poetry -- 19th century -- Translations into English |
| Subject | Russian poetry -- History and criticism |
| Subject | Poets, Russian |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 78744 |
| Release Date | May 24, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 434 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!