He vitalized Russian literature by establishing its foundations firmly on Russian soil; by employing her native traditions, life, and sentiment as subjects and inspiration, in place of the worn-out conventionalities of foreign invention.

The result is a product of the loftiest truth, as well as of the loftiest art.
His ancestors were nobles who occupied important posts under Peter the Great.

His mother was a granddaughter of Hannibal, the negro of whom Pushkin wrote under the title of "Peter the Great's Arab." This Hannibal was a slave who had been brought from Africa to Constantinople, where the Russian ambassador purchased him, and sent him to Peter the Great.
The latter took a great fancy to him, had him baptized, and would not allow his brothers to ransom him, but sent him, at the age of eighteen, abroad to be educated.

On his return, Peter kept his favorite always beside him.

Under the reign of the Empress Anna Ioannovna he was exiled to Siberia, in company with other court favorites of former reigns; and like them, returned to Russia, and was loaded with favors by Peter's daughter, the Empress Elizabeth.