Peter P. Dubrovsky
Encyclopedia
Peter Petrovich Dubrovsky (born January 9 (?) 1754 in Kiev, died January 9 1816 in Petersburg), was a Russian
bibliophile, diplomat, paleographer, secretary of the Russian Embassy in France, collector of manuscripts and books. Throughout his life he collected about 2000 manuscripts. Between 1805 and 1812 he worked at the Imperial Public Library.
In 1772 Dubrovsky finished his studies at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kiev . In 1773 he served as a copyist in the Synod. Between 1780 and 1805 Dubrovsky worked in the Board of foreign affairs as a churchman at the Russian ambassadorial church in Paris and as a secretary-translator for embassies in France and Holland.
During the French Revolution
he acquired manuscripts and documents, which were stolen from the public libraries in France. Most of them were stored at the Bastille
, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés
, and the monastic Library of Corbie Abbey
. They were not safe because the Jacobin
mobs plundered French cities.
In February 1800, Dubrovsky returned to Petersburg with a collection of 400 Western European medieval manuscripts, miniatures, and early books. Somehow he came into possession of 94 manuscripts from the East (in Greek, Persian, Arabian, Hebrew and 11 other languages), about 50 Slavic manuscripts. In England some proposals were made to Dubrovsky; he was offered a fabulous sum for his collection, but he flatly refused negotiations with foreigners, having declared that it was his sincere desire to transport the collection home.
In his collection there were also some runic books from the collection of Anne
Queen of England (this collection has been lost). and the Saint Petersburg Bede, an 8th Insular
century manuscript of the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
of the English People written by Venerable Bede.
In 1805, Dubrovsky donated the manuscripts to the Imperial Public Library, where his collection became the basis of the "Manuscript Depository". He received the Anna's award
of the 2nd class. He was appointed as a keeper of the manuscripts under an offer by the Department of Manuscripts . He described every document in his collection. Unfortunately some of the descriptions were lost.
He examined and described 11 000 manuscripts, dispatched from the Załuski Library, after the second Partition of Poland
and Kościuszko Uprising
.
He was discharged from the post in 5 April 1812. Dubrovsky wrote: "Жизнь наша коротка, все условия, все награды с нею кончаются, но полезное для ума человеческого служит до окончания мира" (Our life is short, all conditions, all awards with it come to an end, but useful to the mind of human serves before the termination of the world).
After his death, no any valuable items were found in his private collection. He took to the grave the secret of the runic books.
According to Graham Stewart
, a journalist: "We should recognise that Dubrovsky did not just Russia a favour, but also the world," because he rescued many manuscripts from possible destruction.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
bibliophile, diplomat, paleographer, secretary of the Russian Embassy in France, collector of manuscripts and books. Throughout his life he collected about 2000 manuscripts. Between 1805 and 1812 he worked at the Imperial Public Library.
Life
During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
he acquired manuscripts and documents, which were stolen from the public libraries in France. Most of them were stored at the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an area of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, located around the church of the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés....
, and the monastic Library of Corbie Abbey
Corbie Abbey
Corbie Abbey is a former Benedictine monastery in Corbie, Picardy, France, dedicated to Saint Peter.-Foundation:It was founded in about 659/661 under Merovingian royal patronage by Balthild, widow of Clovis II, and her son Clotaire III...
. They were not safe because the Jacobin
Jacobin Club
The Jacobin Club was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution, so-named because of the Dominican convent where they met, located in the Rue St. Jacques , Paris. The club originated as the Club Benthorn, formed at Versailles from a group of Breton...
mobs plundered French cities.
In February 1800, Dubrovsky returned to Petersburg with a collection of 400 Western European medieval manuscripts, miniatures, and early books. Somehow he came into possession of 94 manuscripts from the East (in Greek, Persian, Arabian, Hebrew and 11 other languages), about 50 Slavic manuscripts. In England some proposals were made to Dubrovsky; he was offered a fabulous sum for his collection, but he flatly refused negotiations with foreigners, having declared that it was his sincere desire to transport the collection home.
In his collection there were also some runic books from the collection of Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
Queen of England (this collection has been lost). and the Saint Petersburg Bede, an 8th Insular
Insular art
Insular art, also known as Hiberno-Saxon art, is the style of art produced in the post-Roman history of Ireland and Great Britain. The term derives from insula, the Latin term for "island"; in this period Britain and Ireland shared a largely common style different from that of the rest of Europe...
century manuscript of the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum is a work in Latin by Bede on the history of the Christian Churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between Roman and Celtic Christianity.It is considered to be one of the most important original references on...
of the English People written by Venerable Bede.
In 1805, Dubrovsky donated the manuscripts to the Imperial Public Library, where his collection became the basis of the "Manuscript Depository". He received the Anna's award
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
of the 2nd class. He was appointed as a keeper of the manuscripts under an offer by the Department of Manuscripts . He described every document in his collection. Unfortunately some of the descriptions were lost.
He examined and described 11 000 manuscripts, dispatched from the Załuski Library, after the second Partition of Poland
Second Partition of Poland
The 1793 Second Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was the second of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The second partition occurred in the aftermath of the War in Defense of the Constitution and the Targowica Confederation of 1792...
and Kościuszko Uprising
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
.
He was discharged from the post in 5 April 1812. Dubrovsky wrote: "Жизнь наша коротка, все условия, все награды с нею кончаются, но полезное для ума человеческого служит до окончания мира" (Our life is short, all conditions, all awards with it come to an end, but useful to the mind of human serves before the termination of the world).
After his death, no any valuable items were found in his private collection. He took to the grave the secret of the runic books.
According to Graham Stewart
Graham Stewart
Graham Stewart is a Scottish broadcaster who currently presents The Business on BBC Radio Scotland. He was previously a presenter on Edinburgh radio station Talk 107. Stewart is also a presenter of the shorter Reporting Scotland programmes.-References:...
, a journalist: "We should recognise that Dubrovsky did not just Russia a favour, but also the world," because he rescued many manuscripts from possible destruction.
Some manuscripts acquired by Dubrovsky
- Codex SangermanensisCodex SangermanensisCodex Sangermanensis designated by Dabs1 or 0319 , α 1027 , is a tenth century diglot manuscript, formerly in the library of St. Germain des Prés, Paris, hence its name Sangermanensis, "of Saint Germanus". It is best known for its copy of the Pauline Epistles...
- two leaves from Codex CoislinianusCodex CoislinianusCodex Coislinianus designated by Hp or 015 , α 1022 , was named also as Codex Euthalianus. It is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Pauline epistles, dated palaeographically to the 6th century. The text is written stichometrically.It has marginalia...
- Codex Corbeiensis ICodex Corbeiensis IThe Codex Corbeiensis I, designated by ff1 or 9 , is a 8th, 9th, or 10th century Latin New Testament manuscript. The text, written on vellum, is a version of the old Latin...
- Minuscule 330Minuscule 330Minuscule 330 , δ 259 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century.It has marginalia.- Description :...
- Lectionary 246Lectionary 246Lectionary 246, designated by siglum ℓ 246 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 9th century.The manuscript has survived on only two leaves...
- Lectionary 247Lectionary 247Lectionary 247, designated by siglum ℓ 247 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment...
- Lectionary 253Lectionary 253Lectionary 253, designated by siglum ℓ 253 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. It is dated by a colophon to the year 1020. Scrivener labelled it as 196evl.- Description :...
- Lectionary 254Lectionary 254Lectionary 254, designated by siglum ℓ 254 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century...
- part of the manuscript of Origen's Homiliae (MS. Lat. F v I 4)
- The manuscript of the Breviloquium Vitae Wilfridi
- Saint Petersburg Bede, the 8th century manuscript of the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum of Bede
Further reading
- Луизова Т. В., Собрание рукописей П. П. Дубровского в Государственной публичной библиотеке им. М. Е. Салтыкова-Щедрина//Вопр. истории. 1952. № 8;
- Воронова Т. П., П. П. Дубровский - первый хранитель "Депо Манускриптов" Публичной библиотеки //Археогр. ежегод. за 1980 г. М., 1981;
- Воронова Т. П., Первые описи собрания П. П. Дубровского//Проблемы научного описания рукописей и факсимильного издания памятников письменности: Материалы Всесоюз. конф. Л., 1981;
- Logutowa M., Insular Codices from Dubrovsky's Collection in the National Library of Russia, in Kilpiõ and Kahlas-Tarkka, Ex Insula Lux, pp. 93-98.
- Thompson P. Z., Biography of a Library: The Western European Manuscript Collection of Peter P. Dubrovski in Leningrad, The Journal of Library History, 19 (1984), pp. 477-503.
- Lyons S., "Music in the Odes of Horace", Oxford, Aris & Phillips, 2010, pp.135-178, ISBN 978-0-85668-844-7.