The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-22
III.

In chapter on sexual morality the author
Of this book Joins issue with those Russians
who contend that in tho Kreutzer Sonata"
Count Tolstoi was unjust to his fellow coun-
trymen. 1t has been said that Tolstoi trans
formed into types exceptional instances of
sexual barbarity. and founded q theory OF
mankind on . few Of it's most vicious repre-
sentativeA Lanin. as We have said. does not
consider this criticism justified. With Tol.
stoi's conclusions. indeed. he has nothing to
do. but he does not hesitate to affirm tho sb-
solute accuracy Of the novelist's premises.
He AYERS that tho state OF things In Russia,
from the viewpoint Of sexual morality might
be expressed IN the summary sentence pro-
nounced upon the social condition Of Gaul
undert the Merovingians: 1T would be difficult
to find anywhere more Vice or less virtue"
According to Lanin. sexual immortality Is in
Russia one Of the ordinary incidents Of an un.
checkered life. like the measles. There is
nothing phenomenal about It: IL Is not tho
outcome Of the Same psychological proc.
ess: It is not accompanied by the same
mlsgivings. or succeeded by the same
tricks OF remorse. or socially punished with
the Same obloauy and ostracism as else.
where. There 10. In fine. no consciousness on
the part OF tho actors that they are breaking
through religious restraints or moral law
sis and other countries consists in the uni
versatility Of sexual derelictlon. The phenom-
enon is confined to no age. restricted to no
class. typical OF no profession 1t is as national
as the language or tho music. and character
lies the peasant and the merchant to tho full
Is completely as the members Of the aris-
tocracy. The training Of tho educated classes
Is In truth as little conducive as that OF the
poor to the formations OF conceptions Of duty
and the practices OF discipline taud SELF
mastery. which alone render possible q high
standard OF sexual morality Tho Grasch-
DAMN. which. as We have said. 10 . Govern.
ment organ. sfdrms that the families In which
the children are morally and lrrome diably
wrecked BY tho criminal conduct Of tho
parents are to be counted by hundreds OF
thousands Worse oven than the homo In
fuences are those OF the school. some ex-
amples Of which given by Lanin cannot be
quoted. The precocity OF tho Russian chill
dren In vice Is astounding. Thus we are told
that criminal ldisons are often contracted be-
tween school children In Russia at an age
whom German boys and girls are still firm be-
levers In the nursery legend touching the
perpetuation Of the race. and when English
youths and maidens are too much absorbed by
marbles. tops. dolls. and hoops to need any
theories. mythical or physiological. on the sub
ject. Nobody 10 surprised. 1t seems. In Russia
at tho trial Of . sohoolboy OF 10 for cleaving
another child's skull over love affair.
As to the upper classes. the so-called good
society" Of Russia. Laniu would have us Judge
it. not by any OF tho received standards Of
morality. but by the maxims of In Roche.
foucauld and the apothegms OF Arsene Hous.
save. He AYERS that in no other country are
the conversations and the interests and tho
aims OF the men and women OF gentle blood
with high sounding titles. large fortunes. and
little brains SO utterly frivolous. shallow, and
soulless. French society. under the Regency.
with oil its oyniclsms and blots and foulness.
possessed certain redeeming traits which arc
lacking In that Of St Petersburg to-day. Even
the court which has the excellent exam Ole Of
the CEsr and CEarina before lite eyes. would
compare unfsvorsbly with the least respeotn-
BILE court Of modern times The heroines Of
Tolstoi. Turghenief. DostoIeffsky. and Os:
troffsky's writings. narrative and dram attic
Anna Karenina. Helon. Irene. Natasha, Kat
erna. are the types most frequently
encountered. In England such women
might DO pitied. and would certainly be
ostracized: In Russia they are appreciated,
glorihed. and initiated. The author of this
book does not deny that there are women in |
Moscow and St Petersburg. women whom
Cornella and Lucretia would have been glad to |
call their friends- Compared. however, with |
their less immaculate sisters. they are but rs |
dust In the balance. The great lady of st.
Petersburg is usually not one Of their order.
She 10 commonly followed by . crowd Of sd-
mirers whose number 10 never limited By
ussgss or tradition. and seldom By fAsudleuS.