In 1696, an important event occurred in the history of Russian culture, the value of which was determined much later. Heinrich Wilhelm Ludolph published the Russian Grammar at Oxford. And now, after more than three hundred years, Ludolph's work is interesting for us. First of all, this book is a valuable source on the history of the Russian language and colloquial speech of Muscovy in the second half of the 17th century. It also provides the reader with extensive material on the economic life, cultural and folk customs of the Russian state at the end of the XVII century. Ludolf's grammar came about as a result of his stay in Russia throughout 1693, and it is possible that he was in Russia for some time in 1692 and 1694. Ludolf Heinrich Wilhelm, nephew of the famous philologist-orientalist Job Ludolf, author of the Abyssinian grammar, was born in page 88 Erfurt in 1655. His father tried to give him a decent education, which was also attended by his uncle, who taught his nephew Oriental languages. Ludolf showed special success in studying Arabic and Hebrew. This knowledge Ludolf was able to demonstrate during his stay in Russia, when Russian eyewitnesses were struck by the dexterity with which Ludolf spoke to Jews in their language. Ludolf always wanted to visit foreign lands, especially those that were little known to travelers, to learn their customs and learn their languages. Russia was the first country of its kind to arouse his curiosity. Even before leaving for Russia, Ludolf gained some knowledge of the Russian language. Ludolph's abilities were diverse. He masterfully mastered various musical instruments, he demonstrated his art in front of Tsar Peter. He also showed great learning in conversations with the Russian clergy. After returning to London, Ludolph set about compiling a "Russian grammar", which was primarily intended for merchants and travelers. In addition to Russian grammar, Ludolf was the author of numerous works on religious topics, including "Ref ... Read more