but it is indeed a very surprising feature, that during
the recent diligent search through all the libraries in the country
after old manuscripts, not a single production has been discovered,
which could in any way be compared with it. This remarkable poem
stands in the history of ancient Russian literature perfectly
isolated; and hence exhibits one of the most inexplicable riddles in
literary history.[5]

On the whole, the Russians enjoyed at this early period as much mental
cultivation as any other part of Northern Europe. There were several
writers even among their princes. Jaroslav, the son of Vladimir the
Great, was not less active than his father had been in advancing the
cause of Christianity, and all that stands in connection with
religion. He sent priests throughout the whole country to instruct the
people, and founded in Novogorod a theological seminary for three
hundred students. He took care that the translation of the church
books was continued; but the most remarkable monument of his reign, as
well in an historical as in a philological respect, is the _Pravda
Russka_, a collection of laws.[6] Another grand duke of Russia,
Vladimir Vsevolodovitch Monomach, who died in 1125, wrote
'Instructions for his Children;' one of his successors, Constantine
Vsevolodovitch, a hundred years later, produced a history of the
Russian princes, which is now lost. The clergy, safe in their cells
from the tempests of war, were busy in translating from the Greek;
Nestor wrote his valuable annals;[7] another priest, Basilius,
described the cotemporary events in the south of Russia; Sylvester,
bishop of Perejaslavl, ob. 1124, and several others of the clergy,
continued Nestor's annals;[8] while Hegumen Daniel wrote his travels
to Palestine in the beginning of the twelfth century.

The theological productions of the early portion of this period, are
of less value than the historical. It was however this field, that was
cultivated most diligently. There are several sermons, or rather
synodal _oraisons_, still extant; some of which, by another Cyril,
metropolitan of Kief, A.D. 1281. are said to be not without real
eloquence. Most of the productions of this early period, which belong
indeed more to the history of the Slavonic than of the Russian
literature, perished in the devastations and conflagrations of the
Mongols.

From A.D. 1238 to 1462, the Russian princes, as we have seen, were
vassals of the Mongol Tartars, or the _Gol