At the turn of the 18th and the 19th century, the fi rst Russian professional writer, Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin, promoted new ways of independent Russian national literature. This remarkable enlightenment thinker introduced a new style to Russian literature - sentimentalism.
The new perspective on literature, man and his role in society raised an acute urge to reform the standard Russian language - a reform of which Karamzin was an active participant.