The Portland daily press., 1894-01-30
Tolstoi and the Great Russians.

Tolstoi and the Great Russians.
Mr.. Bellows began the third lecture in
his course on modern literature yester-
day by saying that in entering upon the
field of recent Russian fiction one some
times doubted whether there were any
thing of cheerfulness remaining to the
world. The great novelists of Russia
were all SO overpowered by the gloom
which settled above their country, that
they could not emerge from its shadow.
Tolstoi, Gogol and Turgenieff are to be
regarded not merely as writers, but as
teachers and prophets, helpers of their
people. The vast extent of their coun-
try, the tyranny of the Gar. the sup
preston of free thought, all unite to
render the literature of modern Russia
gloomy and stern. This quality even
appears in the folk-songs and fairy tales,
as was shown by story of the people,
in which the devil plays an important
part. Their national epics also have this
quality of the impossibility of escaping
ones fate.
Gogol in his ''Dead Souls" gives a
graphic picture of the dreary life among
the middle class and even aristocratic
Russians. Selections were read from
the novel, which sometimes had strik-
ing resemblance to the brightness of
HowelPs portraitures. An extract from
Tarao Bulba gave wonderful descrip-
ton of the steppes in summer.
Turgenieff voluntarily exiled himself
from his home, that he might the
better at a distance, in Paris, attack the
iniquity of the government. In all his
novels he advocates nihilism, which, per-
haps, first found Its expression in Gath
ers and Sons.n
In ION the Eve," ''Dimitre Rondiac''
and VIRGIN Soil," there is the same pa
thetic feeling. A number of extracts
were read from Turgenieff's novels to
show his wonderful art, his keen, clear
portraiture of men and women, as if cut
with the etcher's acid. Two of his
Poems in Prose" were also given to IL
lustrate this writer's belief in humanity.
and the need of helpful service of our
fellows. Turgenieff by his dying prayer
passed on the torch Of passionate pro-
test against injustice andwrong tot olstoi.
who has kept it's flame bright and burn,
ing.
A sketch of Dostoievsky's great novel.
"Crime and Punishment" was given. It
is mastery analysis of a human soul
struggling under the burden of terrible
crime, until at last, in order to win
peace, it makes full confession. The
author himself had narrowly escaped
death for participating in anihilistic club.
and had been sent to Siberia to expiate
his sin against the Russian government.
When he died, thousands bowed above
his grave as one of their national saw
iors.
Tolstoi has had at least two manners.
In his "Sebastopor' is presented a most
tremendous picture of the horrors of
war, as is also to be found in 'War and
Peace" The account of the instantaneous
death of Prasbokine is one of the most
marvellous descriptions of death in bat
tie to be found in modern literature. 1t
is only surpassed by Tolstoi's story of
the death of Ivan Ilytch, which is per-
haps the most tremendous picture ever
drawn of a man facing the coming on of
the memorable doom. In Anna Karenina
there is much larger canvas, and it is
filled with living, breathing mon and
women. The book describes immoral
action, but it is sternly moral in pro-
nouncing the inevitable punishment of
the sin. Annals terrible self-destruction
is the natural outcome of her swerving
from the moral law of her being. Two
scenes from this novel were read; thew
indicate more particularly Tolstoi's won
derful power, like that of the very great
est masters. of portraying the deepest
elements in human life.
In my Religion" my Confession"
and What to Do,'' Tolstoi has stated
his dissatisfaction with the way in which
people ordinarily live. and finds in a lit
eral following of Christ's precepts the
only salvation for himself and others.
Non-resistance of evil, sharing of our
goods, living in terms of sympathetic
fellowship with our fellows, working at
their side and not merely talking down
to them, these are some of the ways in
which Chrisu's kingdom is to come upon
earth. In the glorified tract of 1.-TWO
Old Men," Tolstoi teaches the practical
lesson that it is by human helpfulness
and service that we come nearer to the
divine life than we ever can through any
so-called religious rite or ceremony. Who
serves humanity will find his life saved
in God.
Mr.. Bellows's next lecture will be upon
Ot Il sH1,-