The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-11-08
A PATRIOTIC PEOPLE.
Fondness OF tho Armenians for Their Ma
tional Literature.

F0ndness OF tho Armenians Tor Ther ma
tional Literature.
The fondness OF Armenians for their
national literature must appear, to those
foreigners who have any knowledge OF
1t, like the intense love mother mani.
tests for her deformed child at whom
strangers glance and shudder. Ancient
Armenian literature Is collection OF
dry, dusty annals enshrining deeds OF
daring, glorious achievements thatwould
have made Dryasdust himself second
Homer had he undertaken to describe
them; and yet in Armenia they are
mere matter-of-fact annals, the poetry
OF which 1t needed all the ascoticism OF
Oriental Christianity to suppress. The
literature of modern times is more di-
versifled, but less original. 1t is still
in the translation period, the classic
works of other literatures being rem
dered accessible to Armenian readers
who live outside the 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,
one weekly, and three monthly reviews,
and translations from French and En-
glish works are being continually pub
lished. Tho censure, however = that
blight of literature and clog of all intel
lectual progress-is also at work. and to
considerable purpose. The difficulties
with which the Armenian press has to
contend in Russia are enormous; whole
pages are cut out Of the reviews, long
paragraphs suppressed in the daily news
papers, all of which have to be examined
and approved in writing by these liter
ary policemen before they can be pub-
lished.
Armenian publications printed else-
where are carefully revised and expur-
gated before being put in the hands OF
their readers in Russia. The Shah OF
Persia, whose partiality for his Armen-
ian subjects is as we'll known as their
exemplary loyalty to their sovereign,
lately paid visit to the Catholics OF
the Armenians at Etchmiadzin, but the
Russian authorities strictly forbade the
Armenian papers to give detailed ac'
count of the visit or to allude to it other
wise than in the measured words used
by the official journal in its few casual
remarks on this event.
Another instance-and the last that
shall bring FORWARDED the earnest de-
termination of the Russian authorities
to cut down every growth of national
life is as incredible in appearance as II
is imprudent in fact In the hope OF
enlarging the intellectual horizon of the
common people, and arousing in them
an enlightened interest in questions OF
history, literature, science, series OF
cheap little primers were issued in Ar,
menian, containing each the story of the
life of some hero, or the account of some
memorable event in the worlds history,
in simple words, perfectly free from all
Objectionable tendenci2s-so free, in
deed, that the censure, so chary OF its
!mprimatur to Armenian publications,
approved the little pamphlets, which
were printed.
Very soon, however, the government
declared that, although each little book
was in itself quite harmless, yet the
fact that the series contained the lives
of such persons as Joan of Arc, William
Tell, ETC., related in way that charmed
the minds of the people, coupled with
the circumstance that these primers
were bought up in very short time
was sufficiently clear Indication of 8
state of feeling which the Government
could not tolerate. And the further is
sue of these little books, some of which
were literal translations of sketche:
written and published by Russian peda
gogues for Russian children, was forth
with prohibited-Fortnightly Review.