February 2017 marks 300 years since the publication of book monument, "encyclopedia" of pedagogical thought Russia XVIII century - "An honest mirror of youth, or an Indication for worldly behavior, collected from various authors."


"Mirror" - so called in the old days literary works of a moralizing and pedagogical nature, was compiled at the direction of Peter I and corresponded to the spirit of Peter's reforms, when the basis of all printed matter was various kinds of manuals and instructions. This allowance was intended for the education and upbringing of children of the nobility.

The author-compiler of the monument is unknown. The source was various Russian and translated texts, including the treatise by Erasmus of Rotterdam "Citizenship of Children's Customs". It is assumed that I. V. Paus participated in the translation, the publication was supervised by Jacob Bruce, an associate of the emperor.

The book was prefaced with traditional material for primary education- alphabet, tables of syllables, numbers and numbers, moralizing from scripture sorted alphabetically. This guide can be considered one of the first manuals for teaching civil script and Arabic writing of numbers, introduced by decree of Peter I in 1708 instead of the previous Church Slavonic designation.

The next section is actually a “mirror”, that is, the rules of conduct for boys and girls. In the monument, 2 topics are graphically highlighted: the norms of etiquette in conversation and the style of behavior in different situations. So, the young nobleman had to learn foreign languages, fencing, dancing and horseback riding, be respectful to parents and elders. The girls had to learn humility, diligence, silence, and also respect their parents. The book focuses on the rules of conduct for public service, at the table, when communicating with other people.

"An honest mirror of youth" formed a new stereotype of the behavior of a secular person who avoids bad company, extravagance, drunkenness, rudeness and adheres to European secular manners. In fact, this is the first textbook of etiquette in Russia, and even decorated with proverbs, sayings, well-aimed expressions.

The popularity of the publication among contemporaries was so great that in the same 1717 the book was published twice more and repeatedly reprinted again until late XIX century. It had a small, "pocket" format, which made it possible to always have it at hand.

Regional Library. A. S. Pushkin has several editions of the book, including a facsimile, exactly repeating the first edition of 1717.

Literature:

1. An honest mirror of youth, or an indication for everyday behavior [Text]: collected from various authors. - Fax. ed. - M.: State. library of the USSR. V. I. Lenin: Fiction, 1976. - 29, 88 p.

2. Domostroy [Text]: how to arrange your life pleasing to God, and life is holy; An honest mirror of youth, or an indication for worldly behavior: [collection]. - Ed. 3rd. - M. : DAR, 2008. - 319 p. - (Russian culture).

3. Chernaya, Lyudmila Alekseevna. Russian culture of the transitional period from the Middle Ages to the New Age [Text] / L.A. Black. - M.: Languages ​​of Russian culture, 1999. - 288s., ill. l. : ill. - (Language. Semiotics. Culture).

4. Lotman, Yu.M. Conversations about Russian culture: Life and traditions of the Russian nobility (XVIII - early XIX century) / Yuri Mikhailovich. Lotman. - St. Petersburg. : Art, 1994. - 399s.

5. From the alphabet of Ivan Fedorov to the modern primer [Text] / editorial board: A. I. Markushevich [and others; comp.: V. P. Bogdanov, G. V. Karpyuk]. - M. : Education, 1974. - 239 p. : ill.

6. Pedagogical encyclopedic Dictionary[Text] / ch. ed. B.M. Bim-Bal; ed. MM. Bezrukikh, V.A. Bolotov, L.S. Glebova and others - M .: Bolshaya Russian Encyclopedia, 2008. - 527 p. - (Golden Fund. Encyclopedic Dictionary).

N. A. Alekseeva

Chief Librarian of OOK TOWNB

Youth! That is a boy around thirteen years old! You and I came across this book “An Honest Mirror of Youth”. Let's read it together from beginning to end. Maybe we'll get a little smarter, or maybe we'll learn something new.

For example, I immediately learned something new. It turns out that the word MIRROR does not mean a mirror, but in this case it means a collection of pedagogical advice and wishes.

To start…

To begin with, imagine, my young friend, that you are a nobleman, a young landowner from a good family.

You have two villages and three hundred souls of serfs.

And that soon you have to go to work or study in the city. Uncle Savrasy has already been assigned to you, who will serve you in the city. A horse and a driver who will take you.

And letters are already being written to relatives in the capital, with whom you will live. It remains only to educate yourself a little, prepare civil clothes and read some of the rules of good manners. This is what we're going to do now.

So let's go!

Did you read the first paragraph?

1. “First of all, the children of the father and mother should be kept in great honor. And when from parents what they are ordered happens, always keep a hat in your hands ... "

I don't think there is anything to add or subtract. Indeed, when your parents make remarks to you, you should listen to them standing up, holding your hat in your hands, and you should not lean out of the window to the waist in order to properly consider the serf girl passing by.

Mirror advises:

“In the house, do not command anything with your name, but with the name of your father or mother ... unless someone has special servants who are themselves subject to him ...”

As for the servants, with them now the issue is not very acute. Virtually no one has a servant these days.

2. “Children do not have to scold anyone without a nominal parental order, or scold anyone with scolding words, and if necessary, they should do it politely and courteously.”

I absolutely agree with the second point. And if your parents nevertheless ask you very much to scold someone with “scandalous words”, this should be done politely and courteously.

Let us suppose that your parent, a shady tyrant landowner, ordered you very menacingly:

Go and tell this cattleman Vasily that he is a crafty pig, that in his cowshed he has manure up to the roof, and that tomorrow they will take off his trousers and flog him.

Since there is no other way, do it as gently as possible.

Uncle Vasya, my dad said that you are very similar to one smart mammal. That you need to remove excess fertilizer as soon as possible. Otherwise, tomorrow your jeans will be taken off and they will be ripped open.

3. At this point, as you have already read, the "Mirror" convinces us that the speeches of the parents "should not be interrupted, and do not fall into reproach and their other peers in speech, but wait until they speak."

What can I tell you here? All right. Yes, you judge for yourself, your parents are serious adults of thirty years, and their peers are the same, not some kind of khukhr-muhr. The fate of the country depends on them. They talk about the elections, or the Soviets, or the Congress people's deputies, and you "fall" and inform them that your rabbit has eight rabbits born. It is clear that they will not be happy.

And Peter I also advises to keep yourself strictly, “do not lean on a table, on a bench or on anything else, and not be like a village peasant, who is lying in the sun, but you must stand straight.”

Let's fast forward to today.

Let's say a foreigner, for example, the Chilean ambassador, came to your dad for a minute. Dad is talking to him, and during the conversation you took it and collapsed on the bench. You understand that your behavior will damage the Chilean-Russian relations.

“We have a very important conversation,” the Chilean ambassador will think, “and this guy on the bench doesn’t give a damn about her: he fell apart like a Chilean alcoholic in the sun. This means that the entire Russian people do not care about Chile. After that, we will not be friends with Russia.”

4. At this point, Peter I urged young people not to interfere in the conversation of adults without asking. And if the youth intervened, they had to tell only the truth, without adding or subtracting anything, and politely, as if speaking with foreigners.

You see how much attention Peter I paid to foreigners. The fact is that Russia has always lagged behind Europe in science, technology, and education. I think things are the same now. To illustrate, I will tell a children's anecdote. One Negro comrade approaches two schoolchildren in Moscow and asks them English language: "Dear guys, how to get to the Bolshoi Theater?" The guys are silent, they do not understand. Then he asks for German: "How to get to the Bolshoi Theatre?" They are silent again, they do not understand. Then he asks them in French: "Hey, pretty guys, how to get to the Bolshoi Theater?" They are silent again. And the foreign comrade mournfully went on.

The girl says to the boy: "Yes, you need to know foreign languages." The boy replies: "So he knows, but what's the point."

5. “It is indecent ... to walk around the table with your hands or feet, but eat quietly. And do not draw with forks and a knife on the plates, on the tablecloth, or on the dish ... "

On this occasion, everything is clear: you should not wave your arms and legs at the table. I would also add that one should not climb into neighbors' plates, put scarce foods, sweets and spoons, and especially forks, into one's pocket. This is ugly and dangerous - the owners may notice.

6. Here Peter I once again urges the youth to be polite. He offers to answer his parents: “What do you want, sir?” Or say, I will do everything, madam, as you command.

Perhaps now it is not necessary to answer so solemnly: "Yes, sir papa, I will certainly wash the floor before the arrival of the empress mother from the factory." Or: “Yes, Empress Mother, I will never again call my sovereign younger brother a cudgel and a bully.” But not a single person in the world has ever been harmed by politeness. And the younger sovereign is an aggressor, in principle, this is your most important comrade.

And this paragraph also advises you to first listen to the order carefully, and then carry it out.

One young sovereign, a father from the third grade, went to my literary circle. Terribly active and careless. I'm asking:

Guys who...

He is screaming:

Who will go to the store?

He is already running ... A minute later he comes running:

Oh, Eduard Nikolaevich, what to buy?

Something good for tea.

Yep, understandable.

And he runs again. A minute later comes running:

Well, it's delicious. It has vitamins!

7. With this point, everything is clear. Of course, first you need to listen to people, and then express your opinion. And of course, when talking about sad things, you should not smile from ear to ear. And when there is fun around you, you should not spoil it with your sourness. (Although there are individual children of landowners, for whom a thoughtfully sour look just suits them very well.)


Youth honest mirror

1. First of all, the children of the father and mother should be kept in great honor. And when it happens from their parents that they are ordered to always hold a hat in their hands, but do not raise it in front of them, and do not sit next to them, and do not sit before them, do not look out the window with their whole body, but all in a secret way with great respect, not with them hardly, but give way a little behind them to the side, like some kind of page or servant. In the house, do not command anything with your own name, but with the name of your father or mother, demand from the servants in a pleading way, except perhaps from someone who has special servants who are themselves subject to him. For the fact that usually servants and servants willingly serve not two masters and mistresses, but only one master. And besides, quarrels often occur and great things happen between them because of rebellions in the house, so that they themselves do not recognize what it is proper for someone to do.

2. Children do not have to scold anyone or scold anyone with insulting words without a nominal order from the parent. And if it is necessary, they must do it politely and courteously.

3. It is not necessary to interrupt speeches from parents, and to contradict them below, and do not fall into speeches of their other peers, but wait until they speak. Often do not repeat one thing, on a table, on a bench, or on something else, do not lean on, and do not be like a village peasant, who is lying in the sun, but should stand straight.

4. Do not speak without asking, and when they happen to speak, they should favorably, and not shout and lower from the heart, or speak with enthusiasm, not like madcaps. But everything they say has to be true truth, without adding or subtracting anything. It’s nice to offer your need in pleasant and courteous words, like they supposedly spoke with what a foreign high face, so that they would get used to it.

5. It is not decent for them to walk around the table with their hands or feet, to eat quietly. And with forks and a knife on the torches, on the tablecloth or on the people, draw, do not prick or knock, but you must sit quietly and quietly, straight, and not slouching.

6. When parents or anyone else asks them, then you must answer them and answer as soon as they hear the voice. And then say. what do you want, sir, father; or the sovereign mother. Or whatever you order my sovereign; and not like this: what, what, what, as you say, what you want. And do not boldly answer: yes, so, and below suddenly refuse to say, no; but to say: so, sir, I hear, sir: I understood, sir, I will do as you, sir, ordered. And do not laugh, as if despising them, and not listening to their commands and words. But regularly notice everything that happens to them, and don’t run back many times and don’t ask the same packs all of a sudden.

7. When they talk to people, they should be decent, courteous, polite, but not talk a lot. Then listen, and do not interrupt other speeches, but let everything be spoken and then present your opinion, which is worthy. If a deed happens and a sad roar, then it is necessary to be sad and have regret in such cases. In a joyful occasion, be joyful and show yourself merry with the merry.

8. A in in a straight line and in the constant to be constant and not to despise other people of reason and not to brush aside. But if someone's opinion is worthy and suitable, then praise the conciliator in that. If it is doubtful, he should slander himself that in that he is not worthy to argue. And if anything can be disputed, then do it with courtesy and polite words, and give your reasoning on what for. And if anyone wants advice or believes something, then it is necessary to advise as much as possible and keep the trusted case secretly. (…)

9. Do not praise yourself too much and do not humiliate yourself (do not be ashamed) and do not shame, and exalt your deeds below, expand more than how it consists in a true action, and never exalt your kind and nickname without need, for this is how they repair people are always the same as those who have not been glorified in a long time ago. And especially in that land where one is familiar, it is not at all necessary to do this, but to wait until another is praised from the other side.

10. Do not communicate much with your own ministers or with strangers. But if they are diligent, then love such servants, and do not believe them in everything, because they, being rude and ignorant (unreasonable), do not know how to keep the measures. But they want, on occasion, to rise above their master, and having gone away, they divulge to the whole world that they were entrusted. For this reason, look diligently, when you want to talk about others, beware that there are no servants and maids. But don't mention names, but speak in plain terms, so that it would be impossible for an inquiry, because such people are skillful to add a lot and add.

11. Always praise enemies in absentia, when they do not hear, but honor them in their presence and serve them in their need, and do not speak any evil about the dead.

1717 295 years ago

The textbook "Honest Mirror of Youth" was published in Russia

The textbook “Honest Mirror of Youth” (full title “Honest Mirror of Youth, or Indication for Worldly Behavior, Collected from Different Authors”) consisted of two parts.
One included the alphabet, numbers and spiritual instructions. It can be considered one of the first manuals for teaching the civil script and Arabic writing of numbers, introduced by decree of Peter I in 1708 instead of the former Church Slavonic designation.
The second contained the rules of conduct, reflecting the basic principles of Russian noble society for "young boys" and girls of the nobility.
The young nobleman was charged with learning foreign languages, fencing, dancing and horseback riding, obedience to parents and elders. The girls had to learn humility, diligence, silence, and also respect their parents. In the book, attention is paid to the rules of conduct in the public service, at the table, when communicating with other people.
The "Honest Mirror of Youth" is imbued with the spirit of Peter's transformations, carrying a call not to boast of luxury and nobility, but to be proud of deeds. The book formed a new stereotype of the behavior of a secular person who avoids bad company, extravagance, drunkenness, rudeness, and adheres to European secular manners. In fact, this is the first etiquette textbook in Russia.
The grant was a great success. It was reprinted twice in 1717. The popularity of the grant did not fall during the entire 18th century.


An honest mirror of youth, or an indication for worldly behavior. Printed at the behest of the Tsar's Majesty in St. Petersburg in the summer of the Lord 1717, February 4 days. Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts

Did you read the first paragraph?

1. “First of all, the children of the father and mother should be kept in great honor.”



2. “Children do not have to scold anyone without a nominal parental order, or scold anyone with scolding words, and if necessary, they should do it politely and courteously.”


“And if anyone wishes to advise or believes something, then it is necessary to advise as much as possible, and keep the trusted matter secretly.”


28. “Young people should not talk bad about anyone and below everything to divulge what they hear ...”

33, 34, 35. “It is not necessary to receive more honor and affection than how someone can be honored and decent to be ...”

"... humility for a young man necklace"

"... for although one is silent for a long time, only malice will not be forgotten."


36, 37, 38. Peter I says (I briefly retell): respect your bosses - teachers, foremen, directors, president. What honor you give them, such will be shown to you when you yourself become a boss - a teacher, a master, a director, a president.

In unfamiliar ceremonies, watch how others act and learn.



Even Peter I says, if you promised to do something, do it even at a loss. But next time you will think first, and then promise. And then some people promise in a noble way, but they keep their word in a peasant way.

47. “No one has hanging his head and downcast eyes walking down the street, or looking askance at people ...”

It follows: "...keep your head straight, and look at people cheerfully and pleasantly with fine constancy ...".



48. “When you are in doubt about a matter, then do not say it as the true truth, but either be very silent, or declare it doubtful ...”

55, 56, 57, 58, 59. At these points, The Mirror gives some hygienic advice. In particular, do not spit or blow your nose on the floor. And if snot appeared, “... then take the spitting into a handkerchief ... or move away for that to the side, (or throw it out the window,) so that no one sees it, and wipe it with your feet as cleanly as possible.” Here I can say that in our time we have gone far from Peter. No one already imperceptibly throws snot out the window and tries not to rub it with his foot.

You should not cough and sneeze at your neighbors, and it is not at all necessary, says Zertsalo, to clean your nose in front of other honest people.





“Where two people speak secretly among themselves, do not approach there, for eavesdropping is shameless ignorance.”

In my opinion, everyone in our country understood this, except for the KGB. They eavesdropped, peeped, filed dossiers on people.

“When you are ordered to do something, then govern yourself with all diligence, and do not rely on your good friends and do not rely on anyone.”


This seems to Peter I the most important:

“... honoring the parent, diligence, good manners, friendliness, mercy, bodily purity, modesty, abstinence, chastity, thrift, generosity, righteousness, and silence, and so on.”

It is very pleasant to read the words "frugality" and "generosity" side by side. And in general, all the words are somehow surprisingly pleasant and forgotten.


9. "Now let's get down to the ninth virtue, which is decent for young girls, and this is diligence, so that a person from youth gets used to work."




“Not a decent girl laughs with everyone, and talks, runs around causal places and streets with a gap in her bosom, sits down with other good fellows, and men, pushes with her elbows, but does not sit still, but sings prodigal songs, a merrymaker and gets drunk drunk, jumps on tables and benches, allows himself to be dragged and dragged around all corners, like a bitch ... "








"Mirror" ends with the words:

“God lifts up the humble and helps the sad. everyone can rejoice in him."



Photo by Alexander Kitaev
Illustrations by Leonid Kaminsky


In February 1717, in Russia, at the direction of Emperor Peter I, a manual was issued on the upbringing and education of young men from the nobility. The textbook was titled "An Honest Mirror of Youth, or an Indication for Worldly Behavior, Collected from Various Authors" and consisted of two parts.

The first included the alphabet, numbers and spiritual instructions. It can be considered one of the first manuals for teaching the civil script and Arabic writing of numbers, which Peter I introduced by his decree in 1708 instead of the previous Church Slavonic designation.

The second part is actually a “mirror”, that is, the rules of conduct for “young boys” and girls of the nobility. In fact, this is the first etiquette textbook in Russia. Dilettant. media chose best advice from the emperor.

In the church he has his eyes and heart very much to turn and aspire to God, and not to the female sex, for the house of God, the house of prayer, and not the den of the harlot, but, alas, since it often happens that others are tempted by this and set an evil example, because the simple look more at the noble and therefore behave and act, but whoever wants to be the most noble in rank, he must be the first to support himself everywhere in the fear of God and decency.

Always spend time in pious deeds, but do not be idle and idle, for it happens that some people live lazily, not cheerfully, and their minds are eclipsed and freaked out, then you can expect no good from that, except for a decrepit body and a wormhole, which from laziness is obese.

Always praise your enemies in absentia, when they do not hear, and honor them in their presence and serve them in their need, and do not speak any evil about the dead.

Children do not have to scold anyone or scold anyone with scolding words without a parental order, and if necessary, they should do it politely and courteously.

When you are in church or on the street, you should never look into people's eyes, as if you would like to see right through them, and look below everywhere or walk around with your mouth open, like a lazy donkey, but you should walk decently, constantly and quietly, and with to pray with such attention, as if it were enough to stand before the highest monarch of this world.

Only one color in girls is pleasant, that is, blushing, which comes from modesty.

It is also very obscene when someone cleans his nose with a handkerchief or finger, as if he was smearing some kind of ointment, and especially in front of other honest people.

And this is no small infamy, when someone often blows his nose, as if blowing a pipe, or sneezes loudly, as if shouting, and by this he frightens and frightens small children at the arrival of other people or in church.

When (where) you come to a place where they eat or drink, then, bowing, congratulate them for their food, and if they bring you a drink, excuse yourself in part, then, bowing, accept and drink, politely thank the one who gave you a drink, and step back until they send you, when someone starts talking to you, then get up and listen diligently to what he tells you, so that you can change your mind on it and give an answer, if you find anything, no matter what, give it back, dresses take care of your own and books diligently, but do not scatter them in the corners.

When they (children) speak with people, they should speak decently, courteously, politely, reasonably, and not talk a lot, then listen, and not interrupt others, but let them say everything, and then present their own opinion, which is worthy. If a deed happens and a sad speech, then it is necessary to be sad and have regret, in a joyful case, be joyful and show yourself merry with merry ones. And in direct deeds and in a constant way, to be constant and other people of reason is by no means to despise and not to dismiss, but if someone’s opinion is worthy and suitable, then praise and agree in that, if it’s doubtful, stipulate yourself in that, what’s in it for him to reason not worthy. And if you can dispute something, then do it with courtesy and polite words and give your reasoning on what for. And if anyone wants advice or believes something, then it is necessary to advise as much as possible, and keep the trusted case secretly.

When congratulating someone, you should not nod your head and wave, as if demanding mutual honor from the congratulatory person, but especially when you are far away, but you must wait until they get closer together, and if the other then does not give you mutual honor, then after him you will never again congratulate, for the honor is of the one who congratulates you, and not yours

Among the other virtues that adorn an honest lady or girl and are required of them, there is humility, the primary and main virtue, which contains a lot in itself. And it’s not enough that it’s only to walk in a simple robe, and bow your head, and humble yourself with outward actions, emit sweet words, this is still much not enough, but the human heart has a god to know, love and fear. Therefore, one must acknowledge one's own weaknesses, infirmities and imperfections. And in order to humble yourself before God, and honor your neighbor more than yourself. Do not humiliate anyone, do not exalt yourself for any gift, but serve everyone in that, willingly and ready to be

Young children should always talk to each other foreign languages so that they could get used to it; and especially when they happen to say something secret, so that the servants and maids cannot find out and so that they can be recognized from other ignorant fools; for every merchant sells his goods, praising him, as best he can.

Young children should not snore with their noses, and blink their eyes, and shake their neck and shoulders below, as if out of habit, and not be naughty, miss or repair such frenzy with their hands, so that from mockery, habits and custom would not really be initiated: for such accepted habits of the young the lad will be greatly disfigured and put to shame so that later in the houses, laughing at them, they tease them.

At weddings and dances, the young lad is not called and not invited to receive great honor and glory for himself, although such a custom is accepted, because, firstly, although unmarried wives see it willingly, wedding people are not always happy about it. , and those who come by chance cause disturbances, and there is little benefit from them, but often quarrels occur from such discordant acts, they cannot endure any excess guilt and control themselves, or, without knowing the measure, decent, their ignorance will give to a quarrel reason, or the uninvited will want to sit down the called, and thereby arouse great unrest, for it is said: whoever walks without being called, he does not leave without a wound.

It is not proper for them (children) to roam the table with their hands or feet everywhere, but eat quietly, and do not draw, do not prick or knock with forks and a knife on plates, on a tablecloth or on a dish, but they should quietly and quietly, straight, and not pissed sit.

A dishonorable girl laughs and talks with everyone, runs around causal places and streets, opening her bosoms, sits down with other young men and men, pushes with her elbows, but does not sit still, but sings prodigal songs, has fun and gets drunk drunk. He jumps on tables and benches, will allow himself to be dragged and dragged around all corners, like a bitch. For where there is no shame, there is no humility.

Nature gave us only one mouth, or mouth, and two ears were given, thereby showing that it is more willing to listen than to speak.

An intelligent person does not announce his intentions and will to anyone, so that another, who sometimes has a desire, does not forestall him.

"An honest mirror of youth" on long years became a guide to the rules of good manners and behavior in society. The popularity of the publication among contemporaries was so great that in the same 1717 the book was released twice more. Then it was repeatedly reprinted until the end of the 19th century.