NOVOGOROD. 
3 7 
This subject is materially connected with chap. 
the history of the Fine Arts ; for with Chris- \ — > 
tianity, the art of painting was introduced into 
Russia. Some of the most chosen idols of their 
churches are, those curious Grecian pictures 
which the first Gospel Missionaries brought with 
them from - Constantinople. The inscriptions 
upon them often exhibit the Greek characters 
of those times ; and the pictures themselves 
afford interesting examples of the art, many 
centuries before it became known to the more 
enlightened nations of Europe. Nor was the 
art of painting alone introduced with Chris- 
tianity into Russia. All that they knew of letters, 
or of any useful and liberal art, for many cen- 
turies afterwards, was derived from the same 
source. The inhabitants of the South-Sea 
Islands can hardly be more savage than were 
the Russians, when the Gospel was first preached 
to them. The full accomplishment of this great 
event certainly did not take place till Vladimir 
became converted. It was a condition of his 
rnarriage with the sister of the Greek Emperor ; 
and it is said, that no less than twenty thou- 
sand of his subjects were christened on the 
same day. The change effected by this mea- 
sure was nothing less than a complete revolu- 
tion in their manners and in their morals. 
Vladimir led the way, by his example. The 
