New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-18

,ortialities generally has supervened III MS case
upon discovery of the futity OF his own schemes
NJ regeneration. Perhaps 1T is hatural LOT hc9-
Icctcd philosopher to turn apo"' az" o"''o ','
stolid stnpid world which VIII none oil MS Wis
dam but il must he admitted that thc vengeance
soucht by Count Tostoi is terrible one. Noun
ING less than the annhlation OF the human Species
,I1 otisfv his latest convictions. and if the race
declines 10 cXtinguish itself let 1t he Anatheha'
Rut the ruthless severity OF the au'hor-PhiIooo-
,her is tcmpcrcd-not Willingly on his part, we
may well supposedly a certain defect oil art |"
,he connosition of the story, qua story. For
rho reader can scarcely fail to perceive clearly
and At n comparatively early stage of develop
mcnt that the murderer who describes MS en-
nerienccs 50 wildly is not at all the kind of man
70 solve social and ethical problems, is really an
extremely uarrow-minded, selfish, coarse. ignorant
and iealous person. all Of whose marital IN
,cIicites wore MAINLY due to his own wees an"
foibles. whose egosm rendered him Incapable oil
doing his duty in such a union. and whose IN
groined suspciousness had been nursed into mono
mania by constant indulgence.
A man so constituted must necessarily nave
morbid views and since the disposition OF All u"-
Disciplined minds is to seek the cause oi 'Iicii ms
fortunes i'm others and not IN Themselves az" '"
Justify their own pcryeisltes by impn''"7 S'iN'''
or unworthy purposes to the rest oi tc ''',
story of Posdnichcn, il regarded rs an a''''hp'
70. represent the evolution of such ch'l''"',
might hc considered an unpleasant an" Hi-J""S'"
but forcibly realistic piece of work lI'S VIEW
however cannot be taken, since the author ci'''N
intends Posdnichcns views 70 he consheIc" SUI
ously and as Offering a sane presentation ol III"
actual truth The machinery OF hctl"h' Ill S""'
has only been employed to give a''r'c'i"" '''
emnhasis 10 Count Tolstoi's new ideas c"hceIhl"8
marriage. and it is hl, decps"'r' h'''"" ~
stinct workin. unconsclously IN "iI''''"'. '''
trory 10 that Of his didacuc purpose VIM" ''"
nroduc,d the anomalous conditions mere i''''''''''
Tho effort of course Is fatal l" inc '"''"F''''
If ,Lc theories sought 10 be- pr"P'"n"e'', w -
obcdicncc to the demands Of art, I"sdi'i'Hc" ""
Icon described not a. an average man, ''' 10
, j., - normal state Of mind, but rs one whose
Zen has been perverted and his m"r"' Soi"'
,o.r,Icd through the unchecked INDULGENCE Oh "''
,,,r.lv individual vices and defects Inc ~ ''''
',or,ior Of thc author VAS 10 frame MOI apo"
,, ,,c,etv but IN this he has failed ana '"-
o,,,s bc &c a much better novcst taan pr" 'I"'
,'.,.,i,,c his choice Of subject. indeed IL "'"''
~, necessary 20 condemn IT IS III "'l '"''''
,.o,,,irip,, 70 that false naIuralSm VINO" II ''-
t..1 ~, yoloitcs. and rs involving I"'n'r H'-
, .,,., ,,,,rol couclu~iouS. were II H'' C 'SS'H
.,,,o,,ncr that thc purpose really IS - en'o'"
10, Cam, Tol,toi honestly, # mistakenly '"'""'
. lofty lesson in ethics.
,-.,oi..,. "Tl, Kreut1cr Souat}' must ''
.,.ol Tor ,yha, II is whatever INDULGENCE i "'-
-,,.d fine writer on thu, or other I''"I'',
,,,,ds i, i the expression Of m"r"l'' ''''
o,d cross view Of life: and h"N"h' ''I' " ''''
10 said 10 imply q liberation for mNr''r 'o'''.
,,,c,, NOT likely 20 meet with any sympathy o''-