It was not till more than a hundred years after the invention of printing that a single printing press had been introduced into the Russian empire; and that printing press had speedily perished in a fire which was supposed to have been kindled by the priests.

Even in the seventeenth century the library of a prelate of the first dignity consisted of a few manuscripts.

Those manuscripts too were in long rolls; for the art of bookbinding was unknown.

The best educated men could barely read and write.

It was much if the secretary to whom was entrusted the direction of negotiations with foreign powers had a sufficient smattering of Dog Latin to make himself understood.