The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-09
a PATRIOTIC PEOPLE.
Fondness OF the Armenians for Thoir Ma
aional LIterature.


Fondnesr OF the Armenians for Their Ma
aional literature.
Tho fondness of Armenians for their
national literature must appear, to those
foreigners who have any knowledge OF
it, like tho intense love mother mani
tests for her deformed child at whom
strangers glance and shudder. Ancient
Armenian literature is n collection of
dry, dusty annals enshrining deeds of
daring, glorious achievements thatwould
have made Dryasdust himself second
Homer had he undertaken to describe
thcm; and yot in Armenia they are
moro matter-of-fact annals. the poetry
of which it needed all tho ascoticism of
Oriental Christianity to suppre s. The
literature of modern times is moro di-
versiiied, but less original. 1t is still
in the translation period, the classic
works Of other literatures being ron
dercd accessible to Armenian readers
who live outside tho pale of civilization
in Aberbeidjan and at the foot of Mount
Ararat.
Noble efforts, however, are being made
by all classes to contribute to its devel-
opment Russian Armenians. for in
stance, support two daily newspapers,
ono weekly, and three monthly reviews,
and translations from French and En-
glish works arc being continually pub
lished. The consure, however that
blight Of literature and clog of all intel
loctual progross-is also at work. and to
considerable purpose. Tho difficulties
with which tho Armenian press has to
contend in Russia arc enormous; whole
paragraphs suppressed in the daily news
papers, all ofwhich have to be examined
and approved in writing by these litcr-
airy policemen before they can DO pub
lishcd.
Armenian publications printed else
where arc carefully revised and cXpur-
gated before being put in the hands Of
their readers in Russia. The Shah OF
Persia, whose Partially for his Armcn-
ian subjects is as we'll known as their
exemplary loyalty TO their sovereign
lately paid visit to the Catholics of
the Armcnians at Etchmiadzin, but the
Russian authorities strictly forbade the
Armenian papers to give Il detailed ac-
count OF the visit or TO allude to it other
wise than in the measured words used
oy the official journal in it's few casual
remarks on this event.
Another instance-and tho last that !
shall bring FORWARDED tho earnest do
termination of tho Russian authorities
to cut down every growth OF national
life is as incredible in appearance as it
Is imprudent in fact In tho hopo of
onlarging the intellectual horizon of tho
common people, and arousing in them
al enlightened interest in questions of
history, literature, science, series OF
cheap littlo primers were issued in Ar
menian, containing each the story of tho
life of some hero, or the account of some
memorable event in tho worlds history,
in simple words, perfectly free from all
objectionable tondencies-so free, in
decd, that tho censure, so chary Of its
imprimatur to Armenian publications,
approved tho little pamphlets, which
woro printed.
Very soon, however, the government
declared that, although each little book
was in itself quito harmless, yet the
fact that tho series contained the lives
of such persons rs Joan of Arc, William
Toll, etc, rolat tod in way that charmed
the minds of the people. coupled with
the circumstance that these primers
wero bought up in a very short time,
was n sufficiently clear indication of Il
state OF feeling which the Government
could not tolerate. And tho further is
sue of these little books, somo of which
were literal TRANSACTIONS of sketches
written and published by Russian peda-
gogues for Russian children, was forth
with prohibited-Fortnigh Review.