▁pri ests . ▁Vas ily ▁attended ▁sem inary , ▁and ▁then ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Ky iv - M oh y la ▁Academy ▁like ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁grand father . ▁However , ▁he ▁abandoned ▁the ▁religious ▁calling ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Army ▁as ▁a ▁regiment al ▁cl erk . ▁He ▁retired ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Major . ▁Vas yl ▁G og ol , ▁was ▁an ▁out standing ▁person ▁( know ing ▁Ukrain ian , ▁Russian , ▁Latin , ▁Greek , ▁German ▁and ▁Polish ), ▁was ▁raised ▁to ▁the ▁Russian ▁nob ility ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁and ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁arist ocr atic ▁name ▁" Y an ov sky ". ▁His ▁social ▁position ▁was ▁further ▁secured ▁by ▁an ▁advantage ous ▁marriage . ▁As ▁a ▁dow ry , ▁G og ol - Y an ov sky ▁acquired ▁do z ens ▁of ▁ser f ▁families , ▁which , ▁according ▁to ▁statements ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 2 , ▁tot aled ▁ 2 6 8 ▁individuals . ▁ ▁Having ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁post ▁service , ▁G og ol - Y an ov sky ▁left ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 5 , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Colleg iate ▁Ass essor ▁and ▁retired ▁to ▁his ▁own ▁estate ▁Vas yl iv ka ▁( Y an ov sch yna ) ▁to ▁dev ote ▁himself ▁to ▁far ming . ▁ ▁Vas yl ▁G og ol ▁was ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁D mit ri ▁Pro k of ye v ich ▁Tro sh chin sky , ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁State