SQf Modern Languages, [Chap. XV. 



distinguished dramatist, who displayed many beau- 

 ties of composition, v/hich were before unknown 

 in the Russian language ; and contributed greatly 

 to the diffusion of a taste for poetry, and a zeal for 

 philological and other polite acquirements. To 

 these may be added the name of Kheraskof, the 

 author of the first Epic Poem in his native language, 

 a work greatly admired by his countrymen, and 

 the appearance of which may be considered as 

 forming an era in the history of their poetry, and, 

 generally, in the progress of their literary cha- 

 racter *. 



In order to spread a taste for literature among 

 her subjects, Catharine II, in 1768, appointed a 

 committee to order and superintend translations of 

 the classics, and the best modern authors, into the 

 Russian tongue ; and made a liberal allowance for 

 defraying the expense of the undertaking. In 

 consequence of this order, a considerable number 

 of the most esteemed Greek and Roman writers, 

 and some of the first class in the English, French, 

 and German languages, became naturalized in her 

 empire f. Those who have any acquaintance with 

 philology \vill readily perceive, that the attempt to 

 transfer the contents of these rich, refined, and 

 regular languages into one less cultivated, must 

 always communicate more or less of the excel- 

 lencies possessed by the former to the latter. 



Beside the numerous and Important improve- 

 ments in the more cultivated languages, for which 



* Coxe's Travels into Russia, B. v. c. viii, 



t Ibid. 



