A fisherman was outspreading dragnet on the coast of cold sea;

The son helped his father. Boy, leave the fisherman alone!

Other tasks and concerns are predestined for you:

You will catch minds as aide to the tsar

A French historian mentions the character of this poem by Pushkin among famous Russian chemists and advises not to mix him up with poet of the same name. It seems that the Frenchman felt shaky in Russian history and did not believe in the talents of Russians. Mikhail Lomonosov, a chemist, poet, language reformer, artist and historian rolled into one, joined the class of dignitaries on his own, unlike untalented and highbrow descendants of ancient families.

Being already a youth, Lomonosov came to Moscow with a fish caravan and suffered a lot: “School children, small kids would point fingers: look at the idiot who has come to study Latin at the age of 20!” Yet, Lomonosov did get education, and would teach others and develop the science. He even founded the university. The scientist would catch minds being an aide to tsars. Our great poet was right. Lomonosov would explain to everybody that one should like mathematics just for the ability to put things in order and proved by personal example that “Russia can give birth to its own scientist like Plato and quick-brained Newton.” One must also remember the law of mass conservation.

However, we can hardly describe Lomonosov better than Pushkin: “Combining extraordinary will power with phenomenal power of understanding, Lomonosov embraced all branches of education. Historian, orator, mechanic, chemist, mineralogist, artist and poet, he experienced and learned everything he could. He was the first to study the history of Russia, establish the rule of public language, formulate the laws and present samples of classic oratory, predict Franklin’ discovery jointly with poor Richmann, build a factory, create pieces of art and mosaic, and finally discover the genuine sources of poetical language for us.”