The article is devoted to the organization of a specialized scientific reading room of the Historical Library – the Cabinet of the East and its role in the history of Russian Orientalistics. The Cabinet of the East was founded by the largest scientists, on whose initiative and plan it was created simultaneously as an information center, a reading room and a club to unite the disunited orientalists of Moscow. The organization of such an integrated unit in the Moscow public library system was the first experience in this area. The article uses archival materials and photographs published for the first time.

The article examines the "Pouchenje" of Vladimir Monomakh through the prism of the individual speech means used. The author analyzes rhetorical and stylistic techniques, as well as later distortions, that allow revealing the motives, goals and objectives of composing the text and highlighting original meanings through a verbal series, allowing to revise some well-established views. Conclusions are drawn about the political orientation of the Monomashichs to maintain the hereditary consolidation of the Kiev throne through the eldest son of the prince, Mstislav Vladimirovich, with the factor of departure from the traditional lestvich order of princly thrones succession