Aleksandr Dmitrievich Borovkov was a Russian official, memoirist, writer, and translator. He made a significant contribution to the formation of the philosophical language in Russian literature, translation, and also played an important role in many political processes of that time.
Background
Aleksandr Dmitrievich Borovkov was born on June 10 (21) in 1788 in Venev, Tula province, Russian Empire (now Venev, Tula, Russian Federation). His mother was a noblewoman, his father was a merchant who went bankrupt shortly after marriage. He passed his childhood and youth in Moscow.
Education
During his studies at university gymnasium and at university itself (he graduated in 1807) Alexander Dmitrievich translated parts of Z. Burinekim’s novels whose titles he did not even know. He published his poem Power of Love and moralizing essays in prose as well as his The State of the Golden and the Present Centuries in the student publication Spring Flower (1807). Borovkov’s father, Senator Myasoedov insisted on his abandoning his academic career for the sake of an official career (he regretted this decision all his life though).
Alexander Dmitrievich combined service in Moscow departments of the Senate (1808-1811) with a private lessons. He published several poems in the journal Moskovsky Vestnik (1809), Uley (1811), Youth’s Friend (1811), as well as prosaic translations and sentimental novels Herve and Amalia (1809).
In 1822, Alexander Dmitrievich left Moscow and moved to Saint Petersburg. From 1812 to 1822 he served in the Department of Mining and Salt but did not give up on literary studies. Together with a university friend Nikitin, he established a literary society (1816), which received the official name Free society of lovers of Russian literature. In 1818, Alexander Dmitrievich became the first editor of the journal Competition of Enlightenment and Beneficence, published by the society, in which he put several of his works. His French-Russian translations of Germaine de Staël's books such as On Germany (1810), On Philosophy (1818), On French Philosophy (1820), and On the Most Notable Philosophers before and after Kant (1824) were marked by the purity and clarity of the literary style and were regarded as an attempt to develop a philosophical language in Russian literature.
In 1818-1822 Alexander Dmitrievich actively participated in the activities of the Saint Petersburg Masonic lodge of the Chosen Mikhail. In 1822, he was elected to the leadership of the Free Society of the establishment of schools of mutual education. Both of these organizations were, along with a society of Competitors in the sphere of the strong influence of Decembrism. However, Borovkov's political views were quite moderate despite his position in these two societies.
During his service in the Commissariat Department (from 1822) Alexander Dmitrievich was appointed chief of the Commission for the Study of the Malicious Society (1825). At the highest order, he, with possible impartiality and caution, compiled the well-known alphabetical list of the Decembrists, subsequently entitled by the publishers The Alphabet of the Decembrists and a set of opinions of some defendants about the internal and external situation in Russia - a document that significantly influenced the policy of Nicholas I of Russia at the beginning of his reign (1898).
After the events of 1825, Alexander Dmitrievich gave up his literary activities. The only exception happened in 1846 when he participated in editing the Forest Journal published by the Free Economic Society.
In 1826, Alexander Dmitrievich received the rank of State Counselor, and by 1840, he became Privy Counselor and Senator. At the end of 1846, he was dismissed from service and deprived of the rank of Senator for an unsubstantiated denunciation accusing him of wasting capital of the Company of bulky movable effects. Borovkov did not wait for the end of the investigation, which lasted more than 10 years.
Alexander Dmitrievich devoted the last years of his life to household chores and the creation of Essays on My Life, the most significant of his literary works (1846-1852).
Politics
Borovkov's political views were quite moderate despite his positions in two societies strongly influenced by Decembrism.
Membership
Alexander Dmitrievich and his university friend Nikitin established a literary society (1816), which received the official name Free society of lovers of Russian literature.
In 1818-1822 he actively participated in the activities of the Saint Petersburg Masonic lodge of the Chosen Mikhail. In 1822, he was elected to the leadership of the Free Society of the establishment of schools of mutual education.
Free society of lovers of Russian literature
1816
Masonic lodge of the Chosen Mikhail
1818 - 1822
Free Society of the establishment of schools of mutual education
1822
Connections
Alexander Dmitrievich was married and had 5 children.