Poroshin, Semen

Born 1741; died Sept. 12 (23), 1769. Russian memoirist. Son of a Simbirsk nobleman.

Poroshin graduated from the Land Forces Gentry Cadet Corps in 1758. He published and contributed to the magazine Prazdnoe vremia, ν pol’zu upotreblennoe (Idle Time Used to Advantage) and Ezhemesiachnye sochineniia, k pol’ze i uveseleniiu sluzhashchie (Monthly Compositions for Benefit and Entertainment). In the magazines, Poroshin printed poetry as well as articles dealing with philosophy, history, and economics. From 1762 to 1766 he tutored Crown Prince Pavel (the future emperor Pavel I). The diary that Poroshin kept in 1764—65 became a valuable source on the history of the imperial court and the intrigues of various court factions. The diary was published in the magazine Russkaia starina in 1881.