Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov

At the gymnasium, he acquired solid knowledge of ancient classical languages, and it was precisely to them that his first literary experience—published under the surname Solovyov—was dedicated. It was a speech he delivered at his gymnasium graduation ceremony—“On the Importance of Ancient Classical Languages in Learning One’s Native Language.” He continued studying ancient languages at university, where, at the time, one of the professors of Roman literature, D. L. Kryukov, strongly influenced the listeners with his vivid, innovative lectures on ancient history.