The "Histoire Philosophique et Politique de Russie Depuis les Temps les Plus Recules Jusqu'au Nos Jours, par J.Esneaux," Paris, five volumes, is a valuable work.

The "Histoire de Russie par Pierre Charles Levesque," eight volumes, is discriminating and reliable.

The various volumes of William Tooke upon Russian history in general, and upon the reign of Catharine, contain much information.
It is only since the reign of Peter the Great that Russia has begun to attract much attention among the enlightened nations of Europe.
Voltaire's life of this most renowned of the Russian sovereigns, at its first publication, attracted much notice.

Since then, many books have been written upon fragments of Russian history and individual reigns.

From most of these the author has selected such events as have appeared to him most instructive and best adapted to give the reader a clear conception of the present condition and future prospects of this gigantic empire.