The Bibliophilic value of a manuscript from Ştefan Ciobanu's library (Ph. Wieghel, Observations on the present state of affairs in Bessarabia, 1823)

For almost five years Philip Philipovich Wieghel (Russified Finnish Estonian, 1786-1856), writer, famous memoirist of the time, member of the Arzamas Society, was the Bessarabian vice-governor and a member from the Crown in the Supreme Council for the Administration of Bessarabia (1823-1828). During his stay in Bessarabia, Wiegel wrote his famous essay “Observations on the present state of affairs in Bessarabia” (1823), which was nothing more than a pamphlet, a sarcastic satire on the Bessarabian society containing allusions to many representatives of local authorities who for various reasons were unpleasant to the author. Moreover, the notes are full of slander and contempt towards the natives. Apparently, Wigel intended to keep his pamphlet in secret, but could not resist distributing several copies among friends – a mistake that brought him a lot of misery later on in life. Wieghel's memoirs are vast and can serve as a source of information for those wishing to know the atmosphere that prevailed at the beginning of the 19th century in the newly annexed province of the Russian Empire. Our study aims to determine the bibliophilic value of the manuscript relative to other valuable books stored in the Central Scientific Library of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. The manuscript entered the library of Ştefan Ciobanu in 1931, from the books of the passionate Bessarabian bibliophile Paul Gore. Thus, books often speak of other books.