thinking that he should thus more worthily testify his gratitude for the signal favours he had re- ceived from heaven. His choice fell on a young Va- ragian, the son of a Christian, and who had been brought up in the new faith. The unhappy father re- fused the demanded victim; the people enraged at deeming their prince and their religion insulted by the refusal, afflamed the house of the Christian, and having burst open the doors, butchered both the father and the son, folded in mutual embraces.

Establishes Christianity in Russia.

Yet this furious pagan, and bloody warrior, after- wards became a most zealous Christian, and a shining example to his subjects of charity and benevolence. The circumstances that led to these important changes are, as well as the martial achievements of this favourite prince, related with great minuteness by the Russian annalists, and give this part of their chronicles the air rather of a historical romance, than a narrative of facts. We are told that the fame of Vladimir's military ex- ploits had rendered him formidable to the neighbour- ing nations, that each courted his alliance, and strove to render this more lasting by engaging him in the ties of the same religion with themselves. In particular the Greek emperors sent him a philosopher, whose ex- hortations, though they did not at first induce Vladimir to embrace the Greek ritual, at least succeeded in giving him a favourable opinion of it; so that the phi- losopher was entertained with respect, and returned home loaded with presents. We are also told, that, de- termined to act in the most impartial manner with re- spect to the several religions which he had been invit- ed to embrace, he dispatched persons remarkable for their wisdom and sagacity, to visit the surrounding na- tions, observe the religious tenets and ceremonies that distinguished them, and report to him the result of their observations. On the return of these deputies, the report of those who had visited the churches of Con- stantinople, and witnessed the imposing splendour of re- ligious adoration, and the gorgeous decorations of the Greek priests, in the superb basilica of St Sophia, proved so satisfactory to Vladimir, that he determined on embracing the Christian religion according to the observances of the Greek church. Though he resol- ved on baptism, he was too proud to seek from the Greek emperor a priest, by whom the solemn ordinance might be performed. With a savage ferocity worthy of the times in which he lived, he determined to gain by conquest what his haughty soul disdained to ac- quire by request. He assembled an army selected from all the nations of which his empire was composed, and marching to Taurida, laid siege to Theodosia, a town even then of great repute, and which commanded the whole Chersonesus. On setting down before the walls of this place, he is said to have offered up the following characteristic prayer: "O God grant me thy help to take this town, that I may carry from it Christians and priests, to instruct me and my people, and convey the true religion into my dominions." His prayer was at length granted; and, rather by stratagem than force, he made himself master of the town, and through it, of the whole Crimea. He might now have received baptism; but his desire of being initiated into the Christian faith seems to have been excited more by am- bition, than by true devotion. His ruling passion prom- ised to be amply gratified by an alliance with the Greek emperors, as he would thus acquire some legal claim on the territories which they possessed. He there- fore demanded in marriage, Anna, the sister of Basilus and Constantine, who jointly held the imperial dignity, threatening, that if they refused his proffered alliance, he would lay siege to Constantinople. After some de- liberation, the emperors complied, on condition, that Vladimir and his people should become Christians; and these conditions being accepted, the Russian monarch was baptized, took the name of Basilus, received the Greek princess, and, as the reward of his victories, carried off several popes and archimandrites, together with sacred vessels and church books, images of saints, and consecrated relics.

Whatever might have been the considerations that His latter swayed with Vladimir in his conversion to the Christian character, faith, it is certain that his new religion had the happiest influence on his future life and conduct. He not only abjured idolatry himself, and destroyed the idols which he had caused to be raised in his dominions, but used every exertion to persuade and compel his subjects to follow his example. Before his conversion, he is said to have possessed five wives, and 800 concubines, but after he became a Christian, he maintained an unshaken fidelity towards the imperial princess. As a pagan he had been lavish of human blood, and set but a trifling