Semen Efimovich Desnitskii

He was born in Nizhyn and received his primary education in the seminary of the Trinity Lavra. He studied in the commoner department of the gymnasium of Moscow University, then in 1759-1760 became a student at Moscow University. Master of Arts of the University of Glasgow (1765), doctor of civil and church law (1767). In 1767-1787 he was professor of law at Moscow University. He was a disciple of Adam Smith. He translated William Blackstone's "Commentaries on the Laws of England" (“Istolkovaniia aglinskikh zakonov”) (1780-1782), by commission from Catherine II.