D. 1689, to Lomonosof, A.D.
1741._
The history of the genuine Russian literature begins only with the
adoption of the language of the people for all civil writings. It was
Peter the Great, who raised this language to be the language of public
business, in which all transactions of the courts of justice
henceforth were to be held, and all ordinances to be issued. Ere this
energetical man was able to establish a Russian printing office in his
own empire, in order not to lose time, he gave a privilege for
fifteen years to the Dutch printer Tessing for Russian works. It was
in Amsterdam, in 1699, that the first Russian book was printed. About
the year 1704, Peter himself invented some alterations in the Slavic
letters, principally so as to make them more similar to the Latin. He
caused a fount of these new types to be cast by Dutch artists; and the
first Russian newspaper was printed with them at St. Petersburg in
1705. These letters, with some additional alterations during the
course of the following ten years, were generally adopted for the
Russian language, and are in use at the present time. The same
letters, with a few slight variations, are also used by that portion
of the Servians who belong to the eastern church; the other portion
making use of the Latin alphabet.
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