b o o k Thefe writings, unlike thofe of Neftor and his continuatorsj
v— j,— ! contain many idle traditions and abfurd legends; but the
events, which they at the fame time record, naturally render
them the objed o f the hiftorian’s notice and Mr. Muller
has thought them of fufficient confequence to become their
editor.
The chronicle o f Nicon,. in which he colleded a complete
feries o f Ruffian annalifts, from Neftor to the reign o f
Alexey Michaelovitcli,and the extraordinary exertions which
he made to diffufe knowledge among his countrymen, have
been already related.
The reign o f Alexey was extremely fertile in what' was
called hiftorical productions, but which in reality are rather
dry materials than deferving fuch an honourable appellation.
It would be tedious to enumerate the various chronicles,
journals o f the court, books o f genealogy, publick records,
ftate-papers, and other fimi-lar fources of information, both
o f his and fucceeding times, which the libraries contain in
fuch abundance as to aftoniffi a ftranger, who by falfe re-
prefentations may have been milled to conceive that the
Ruffians are deficient in fuch original documents.
Among the perfons who, pofterior to Nicon, havemoftly
contributed to promote fcience by their example and pro-
tedion ; to whom Ruffia is chiefly indebted for the intro-
(1action o f polite literature 5 and who may be clafled among
the hiftorians, mull not be omitted Theophanes Prokopo-
vitch, metropolitan archbilhop of Novogorod. This learned
prelate, who is here mentioned as the author of a Life of Peter
the Great, was the foil o f a burgher o f K io f : he was born
in thap city on the 9 th o f June, 1681, and was baptized by
the n^me o f Elilha. Under his uncle Theophanes, reaor of
the feminary in the Bratikoi Convent at Kiof, he commenced
^ his
his fludies, and was well grounded in the rudiments o f the chap.
Greek, Lati n, and Hebrew tongues. Though his unde died | f | S
in 1692, he completed his education in that- feminary; and
in 1698, in the eighteenth year o f his.age,.he travelled into
Italy. He refided three years at Rome, .where, befide a competent
knowledge o f the Italian, he acquired a tafte for the
fine arts, and improved himfelf in philofophy and divinity.
Upon his return to Kiof, he read ledures on the Latin and
Sclavonian art o f poetry in the fame feminary in which he .
had been educated ;., and,, having affirmed the monaftick
habit, he changed his name to Theophanes. Before he had
attained the 25th..year o f his age, he was appointed pnefed,,
the fecond office inthe feminary, and profeflor o f philofophy-
In 17 0 6 he diftinguiihed himfelf by fpeaking a Latin oration -
before Peter the Great p and ftill more by a fermon which
in 1709, he preached before the fame monarch, after the
battle o f Pultava. Having once attracted the notice, he foon
acquired the protedion o f Peter, who was fo captivated
with his great talents, fuperior learning,,and polite addrefs, as
to leled him-for a . companion in the enfuing. campaign,
againft the Turks a fure prelude to his future advancement..
In 1 7 1 1 Theophanes was nominated abbot of the-
monaftery o f Bratikoi, redor o f the feminary, and .profeflor-
Q lvmity. His cenfures againft the ignorance and tindo-
ience o f the Ruffian clergy, and his endeavours to-promote a -
tatte tor polite lvterature among his brethren, rendered him
a fit inftrument in the hands o f Peter for the reformation of
e church, and the final abolition-of the patriarchal dignity
c a lT f t 'i im ^ ^ the head Df;the fytl0d’ o f which ecclefiafti-
17 t T S T 1 he h im fd f drew the Plan I was created in
diocefp • i ° P ° r iefCOf 5 and ln 17 20 archbiftiop-of the fame
Ie ; foon after the acceffion o f .Catharine he was-confecrated