Bulgarin

Bulgarin, FADDÈI VENEDIKTOVICH, Russian author and journalist, born in Minsk in 1789, served in the Russian army, but finding himself neglected, in 1810 joined Napoleon. In 1819 he returned to St Petersburg, where his writings soon attracted notice by their intense satire and intense servility. In 1825 he started the Ssèvernaja Ptchelà ('Northern Bee'), a daily paper, which for long was alone permitted to discuss political questions. He was a privy-councillor at his death, 13th September 1859. A zealous supporter of reaction and of absolutism, he enjoyed, through relations with the secret police, an unlimited power, which he freely used to the detriment of opponents. He was a witty and versatile writer, and published travels, histories, novels, and statistical works, some of them of value. His Memoirs appeared in 6 vols. in 1846-50 (Ger. trans. Jena, 1858-61).