We took a drive the next day to visit a branch of the Great Foundling Hospital of Moscow.  We were quite anxious to gain admission to the main part hwere the younger children were, but we were told by our lying valet-de-place, who had had some quarrel with the governor that it was repairing, and could not be seen.  So we were obliged to content ourselves with the smaller one, which however contains some 300 boys. The institution founded by Catherine II has under its protection 20,000 children of different [45] ages. In the larger branch of the habitation, there are 700  Wetnurses employed and once a week different peasants, come into town, and being known to the Directors, are allowed to take one of the young children with them to bring up, being paid a small sum for their care.  The major part of the children formerly were illegitimate.  No questions were asked when they were left—if but a small sum was left along with them, the boys were made officers in the army, and the girls governesses—if no money was left at the time, they were brought up to some useful trade.  Their education is well attended to, and they are particularly instructed in any one branch that it is found their talents are adapted to.  Each child on entering the institution has a numbered token attached to its’ neck a duplicate of which is given to the parent, who by this can reclaim the child whenever they may feel disposed to.  The children after leaving pay some sujm annually, for a certain [46] length of time to the Institution.  The 300 boys that we saw were all occupied at trades or their studies . [The] Establishment is kept in admirable order, with fine dormitories, a hospital, &c.  We saw them enter the room for dinner, marching in regular order and each standing behind his seat, then at a signal given they all commenced singing in a manner I have never heard surpassed by boys.  Music, Painting, drawing &c &c are well taught.  The expense of such an Establishment is necessarily enormous, though the Emperor by means of it obtains annually many for his army.  Different rules are being made relative to separating legitimate from the illegitimate children__________ 

Fedor Alekseev and his pupils. The Foundling Hospital in Moscow.1800-1802.
Watercolour on paper. The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia.