The collection is a continuation of the books "Russia of the XV-XVII centuries. through the eyes of foreigners" and "Russia of the XVIII century. through the eyes of foreigners." This collection includes the memoirs of Baroness de Stael about visiting Russia before the invasion of Napoleon, notes of foreigners, participants in the Patriotic War of 1812, the work of the famous French writer Astolf de Custine "Russia in 1839" and "Diary of a trip to Russia in 1839" Colonel Friedrich Gagern, who traveled to the St. Petersburg court in the retinue of the Dutch prince Alexander Oransky.