Mihail Suhomlinov - famous literary historian Country: Ukraine

Biography of Mikhail Sukhomlinov

Mikhail Ivanovich Sukhomlinov was a Russian philologist and literary scholar, as well as an academic and secret counselor. He was born in 1828 in Kharkov. His father was a professor of chemistry. In 1848, Sukhomlinov completed his studies at the historical-philological faculty of Kharkov University. In 1852, he received his master's degree from the same university and was appointed as an adjunct professor at St. Petersburg University in the department of Russian literature. In 1856, he earned a doctorate in Slavic-Russian philology, and in 1860, he was appointed as an associate professor. In 1864, he became a full professor at St. Petersburg University. In 1872, he was elected as an academician and from 1899 onwards, he served as the chairman of the II department of the Academy of Sciences. In 1900, he was also appointed as the head of the newly established department of elegant literature. Sukhomlinov was an honorary member of St. Petersburg, Kiev, Kharkov, and Kazan universities. He published several works, including "A Look at the Historical Course of Russian Drama" (Kharkov, 1850), "On Ancient Russian Chronicles as Literary Monuments" (St. Petersburg, 1856), and "On the Works of Kirill Turovsky" (St. Petersburg, 1858). He also wrote "The Story of Shemyaka's Trial" (1873), "The History of the Russian Academy" (8 volumes, 1874-1888), "A.N. Radishchev" (1883), and "A.S. Kaysarov" (St. Petersburg, 1897). Sukhomlinov's valuable research and essays were published in journals such as "Journal of the Ministry of National Education," "Notes of the Academy," and "Historical Herald." These works, including studies on enlightenment during the reign of Emperor Alexander I and essays on Lomonosov, Novikov, Radishchev, Pushkin, Aksakov, and others, were collected in two volumes titled "Research and Articles on Russian Literature and Enlightenment" (St. Petersburg, 1889). Sukhomlinov edited the academic edition of Lomonosov's works (4 volumes) and "Materials for the History of the Academy of Sciences" (9 volumes). His most significant work, "The History of the Russian Academy," consists of a series of extensive monographs about writers and scientists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Throughout his literary and social views, Sukhomlinov remained true to the humanistic direction that captivated him when he was a student and solidified during the vibrant era of the late 1850s. Sukhomlinov was a sincere supporter of educational initiatives and the moderate-progressive approach of Russia's convergence with the forms of European civil life. He passed away in 1901.