The Red Cloud chief., 1878-06-20
Russian Literature during Catherincs'
Reegu.

The reign of Catherine formed q dis.
tinct epoch In the intellectual history 81
the Empire. The patronage accorded
by the Empress IA letters, the example
of her personal b%rilliancy. stimulated
the creative faculty Of the court that
surrounded her. She gathered the in.
~tellectuAl results Of the century from all
parts II Europe, DEMONSTRATING them
among the steppcs Of her Empire, Her
broad philosophy Of life and thought
and government astonisbcd even the
schools from which Il had sprung. The
bold. hAlf-savagc Audacity Of her system
went 50 far beyond the timid specula.
tons Of Western Europe that even Vol.
taire said. speaking Of the superb Rus.
sian, ''C'sst da Nord mainfenanf que
nous rient la innieye." The Russian
court WAS the epitome of the whole law
less. corrupt magniicence Of the last
century. combining liz own Eastern bar
barity and snmptuousness with the ss-
prif Of life. the cynicism Of action, the
exquisite egotism of the Western nations.
An age glorious for Russia. the culmi.
nation OF the material philosophy Of the
old barbaric Empire; an x when let
tiers fourished ~ the ornament of n
court, and poets were pensioDed for
their praises Of their Empress; when
serfdom was Increased throughout the
Empire; when powdered. painted lovers
and fnvorites went forth To conquer
armies In caftAns covered with Jewels;
when. In celebration II their victories,
Princes. the heroes Of the poets cpics.
ordered fetes In artificial gardens plant.
ed with exotics. where jcweled elephants
stalked among the guests. and then.
from excess Of reaction, passed days In
moody silence, yawning with cnnui. the
cup OF pleasure drained 10 the dregs.
The ~bacchanals of the French Regency
fall into insignidcAnce by the side Of
the sumptuous orgies Of the Russian
court. Strange thst nj . time when the
European Statessverc thus corrupt, and
the foundations Of society were grsdu-
ally being undermined. there should APP
pear upon the horizon, piercing through
the gathering shadows, in~tellects strong.
white. and true ~ the sunlight Of rea-
son. The decay Of Italy produced that
fine antique marble, Alferi, whose In
buttons were ~ facts 70 other men;
born not Of the Cruscs. but Of the
sm~ouldering Greek spirit ofits country.
men. In Russia while the Empress
founded academies and fostered the
classical tendencies Of her poet nnrs-
ings. there was ono amoAg them. Dor
scbawin. who amid much0f fiattesy aud
fawning, much Of the spirtlost In mss-
ter, many odes and pgans degraded BY
the worship q tbs warrior favoritss.
uttered word that make him a. dear
TO the heaKtDQOf H. Bpssians as Alnerf
70 those - ~ ylalians- Hs carried the
motive ipe5vsro a Ms gssiuss ~ idss a
n~sturalt.9aien, the spiftt q s~ncisst
kussia. ntyh sd pure aCFoas ~ The for.
.etgn infltratioOol thsesotuSy. Bvssy
country tottering On ~ vsfgU % -
struct5on. covering tie shyss Vteh Bow
ers, finds suddenly sums grinniDg sat-
irist lurking among 49, ~ Frames IN
Bsannarchais, LAY. - $780, IRE
quires Ssoopjssity = ~ 61d eiviinss
tioa, % prodnco comody. Purity and
simplicity r. seul 20 not gensrun1
satire. 0esy-ddsd brilliant ~
oque Of eAeqq1t ri Empire Of Cath.
crime caAq ~ ~ me genius Of ~
poet Won vfsin. He wrote two come-
dies. inmortal In the minds Of the Pee.
pie, tho characters Of which hsvs pass
ed into proverbs. Both satirizs the
customs and habits a the e~mpire-mit
itary organization. education, sociSl
life. The reign OF Catherine produced
other poets-kspnist, kestrow, khss-
eskof, more or less imitaton Of Der
schawin. and like him. formed ON the
models Of French classicism. There was