18th-century intellectual transfer did not have a Midas touch: it did not instantaneously transform Russian public thought. The circulation of a particular book does not bring about change per se, and the mere mention of a particular author does not signify the transformation of public thought. The decisive role in intellectual transfer was played by the process of adaptation, that is, the creation of texts that functioned in a Russian political space. Moreover, the process of transfer was not selective. When adapting concepts such as forms of government, natural law, and commerce, Russian authors had to borrow in a complex way. Thus, we prefer to talk about conceptual frameworks or glossaries rather than doctrines. The transformations of the political culture of 18th -century Russia were strongly linked with the gradual adaptation of a number ofconceptual glossaries (languages, manners of speech, and discourses), which created opportunities for talking about politics in an innovative way. Such glossaries were tools that provided arguments in favour of certain points of view or allowed for the interpretation of certain subjects in particular ways