On the life and work of Mikhail Lomonosov - in the electronic collection of the Presidential Library

November 19, 2017 marks the 306th anniversary of the birth of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, a brilliant Russian scientist and encyclopedist of world significance (1711-1765). The Presidential Library portal features dedicated to him collection, which includes scientific works, studies, essays and archival materials on the life and work of M. V. Lomonosov, his own works on physical chemistry, history and metallurgy, as well as the epistolary heritage. In a number of old books, the scientist appears as a writer and reformer of the Russian language.

Researchers note in their writings that the birthplace itself - the Arkhangelsk region, the village of Kholmogory - played a significant role in the fate of Lomonosov. B. Menshutkin in an electronic copy of the book "Mikhailo Vasilievich Lomonosov. Biography” (1911) writes: "Pomors are a special, distinctive class of the population, and although they are usually considered peasants, but in sharpness, energy, enterprise, general development differ sharply from peasants engaged only in agriculture". Further, the author reports that Lomonosov, before the age of 19, went to sea fishing. "Later Lomonosov often used his impressions, observations and conclusions in his scholarly works", - notes B. Menshutkin. 

A detailed biography of the great scientist is presented in several books from the Electronic Fund of the Presidential Library. Of these, you can, in particular, find out that only by the age of 20 Lomonosov mastered reading and writing; at first his desk books were only spiritual church works. Later he got familiar with the "Arithmetic" of L. F. Magnitsky and "Grammar" under the authorship of M. G. Smotritsky (1648).

In 1731, Mikhail Lomonosov was admitted to the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, otherwise known as the Spassky School. A measure of the talent of the Pomeranian self-taught was opened in the first year, when he was twice transferred to a higher level of education. Already in 1735, Mikhail Lomonosov, at the request of the Synod, was among the best students sent to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and in 1736 - to Germany to study metallurgy, chemistry, and sciences that were not taught in Russia. European professors closely followed its successes, noting a vibrant mind, a high ability to master new material and a relentless desire to acquire knowledge. 

An electronic copy of J. Grot's book "An Outline of Academic Activity of Lomonosov" describes everyday troubles that Lomonosov had to face after his return to his homeland: "From the very arrival from abroad he was in extremely close circumstances. <...> The scanty academic salary was delayed for several months, and he, as he said, not only could not buy tools, but with great need to have food. "It is worth noting that Mikhail Vasilievich had a family by that time, he had a daughter.

But the scientist continued the work of academic construction in Russia, and then proceeded to realize his own ideas about how the university should be created in Moscow.

An electronic copy of the anniversary edition of “The celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of M. V. Lomonosov's birth by the Imperial Moscow University” in 1912 quotes the statement of the Russian statesman Mikhail Speransky, which fully reflects Lomonosov's role in creating the university: "From the first day of its existence, the University began to live a tradition that Lomonosov worked all his life to create: the University became not only a place of science, but of science, which opened its doors to society. <...> The candle of Russian science, lit in 1755 by the brilliant Lomonosov, did not go out, in spite of any storms sweeping over Russian science and life, and it will not go out until we not only recall the great creator of Russian science, but also remember his behests and the instructive history of the Moscow University - otherwise - the history of our scientific and people's self-consciousness".

Literature took a special place in the life of Lomonosov. N. Priluko-Prilutsky explores this theme under the unusual foreshortening in the work "Coryphaeus of the Russian word": "Not being a poet, Lomonosov takes up verses, because this form of speech was more attractive for those on whose beliefs he had to act".

It is worth noting that the scientist directed his literary activity to the benefit of the development of science in Russia, which fell behind this criterion from Europe. At one time Lomonosov presented an ode to the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, expecting her to solve a number of problems in this area. The calculation was justified, as can be seen from the electronic copy of A. Kizevetter's book “Lomonosov” (1914): "Shuvalov was a nobleman and could always see the empress. He explained to the empress how important and necessary everything that Lomonosov wrote about the organization of the first university in Moscow. When they opened the university, Lomonosov was very busy trying to freely admit, without distinction, the noblemen, the simplest people, and noblemen, merchants, and peasants-everyone who wanted to".

Today the Moscow State University bears the name of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov. In 2014 an electronic reading room of the Presidential Library was opened at the Faculty of Law of the Moscow State University, where everyone can use the resources of the library's fund, including its "Lomonosov" collection.