of the Great Russians.

As might naturally be expected, most Malo-Russian authors of eminence,
have preferred using the Great Russian, notably Gogol, who however
is very fond of introducing provincial expressions which require a
glossary. The foundation of the Malo-Russian cultivated literature
was laid by the travisty of the _AEneid_, by Kotliarevski, which
enjoys great popularity among his countrymen. A truly national
poet appeared in Taras Shevchenko, born a serf in the Government
of Kiev, at the village of Kirilovka.

Of the literature of the White Russians, but little need be said,
as it is very scanty, amounting to a few collections of songs edited
by Shein, Bezsonov and others.

_PRESENT CONDITIONS_

_E. S._

Nicholas I., Tsar of all the Russias (born in 1868), the eldest
son of Alexander III. and the Princess Dagmar, daughter of King
Christian IX. of Denmark, ascended the throne on the death of his
father in 1894. He is descended from Michael Romanof, elected Tsar
in 1613, after the extinction of the House of Rurik, and also from
the Oldenburg family. Nicholas II. was married in 1894 to Princess
Alexandra Alix (Alexandra Feodorovina), daughter of Ludwig IV., Grand
Duke of Hesse, and Alice Maud Mary, daughter of Queen Victoria. Their
four daughters are: Olga (born 1895); Tatiana (born 1897); Marie
(born 1899); and Anastasia (born 1901). The Grand Duke Michael (born
1878), brother of the Emperor, is the Heir Presumptive. The Emperor's
vast revenue is derived from Crown domains: the amount is unknown,
as no reference is made in the budgets or finance accounts. It
consists, however, of more than a million of square miles of cultivated
lands and forests, besides gold and other mines in Siberia.

[Illustration: THE TSAR NICHOLAS.]

Russia is an absolute hereditary monarchy. The Emperor's will is
law, and in him the whole legislative, executive and judicial power
is united. The administration of the Empire is entrusted to four
great boards or councils: the Council of the State; the Ruling
Senate; the Holy Synod; and the Committee of Ministers.

The Council of State, established by Alexander I. in 1801, consists
of a president nominated every year by the Emperor and a large
number of members appointed by him. This council is divided into
four departments: Legislation; Civil and Church Administration;
State's Economy and Industry; Sciences and Commerce.

The Ruling Senate, founded by Peter I. in 1711,