The works of Professor V. G. Vasilyevsky are mostly scattered in various academic periodicals and, mainly, in various books of the Journal of the Ministry of People's Enlightenment, starting in 1864. This circumstance, as expected, had a very disadvantageous side for both those who used the works of our scientist and for himself; in the latter case, it suffered mainly from its popularity, since our scientific journals are read by very few of us. That is why quite a long time ago it was proposed to our historian by his students, admirers and those interested in the dissemination of scientific knowledge in our country to publish in separate books those of his works that are of great scientific importance.