New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
RUSSIA'S THEORISTS.
PRINCE vJAsEMsKY, THE PREDECESSOR
OF TOIISTOI-THE PROSPECT OF PROG
REss FOR THE LAND OF THE NORTH.

Moscow June D.
Vjasemsky Is a we-known name in Russia.
for It belongs to one OF the oldest wealthiest and
most intelligent families In our Empire, ana
many OF its members have distinguished them
selves in times OF war and peace. Inc latest
notable bearer OF the name looked like peasant
in his long Russian blouse, tied with rope,
light topboots and beard which had nof seen
trimming for many a month. He spent life
time In the endeavor Of self-improvement In the
effort ito live In a way which would please God
Two years ago the papers announced the death
of this Prince VASTLY vjasemsky. the aristo-
cratic "crank" who had left his princely home.
divided his great fortune and best territories
among the peasants, and who had for thirty
years lived as a hermit in hut on the banks OF
the River Nara.
Notwthsta nding the strange views and stran-
ger proceedings Of Prince Vtasemsky he was
doubtless one Of the most prominent representa-
tives Of Russian reforms. Like Tolstoi we charge
him also with teaching our peasants to hold OUT
the left cheek when the right has been struck
at time when peasants need more rather
than less spirit-but In spite Of ourselves we re-
spect the great moral courage which enabled him
to keep true to his principles to the end
The reason that Prince Vjasemsky was known
80 little lies in the fact that ne was more man
Count Tolstoi was his disciple and that the au-
thor of War and Peace and Anna Kare-
Nina" had taken his best characters from the
life Of his teacher. 1t is only lately, with the
ascension of the young Car to the throne, when
steps are taken officially to introduce education
among the peasants, that the question has
arisen: What have men like Prince Vjasemsky
and Count Tolstoi done for the Russian peasant
and culture in general" Our literature has been
silent about the life and work OF Prince
Vjasemsky, while one can hardly open a page
without finding criticism Count Tostoi; and
yet 1t Is a fact that Vjasensky put into practice
many years ago the theories which Tolstoi Is
teaching at the present day.
Prince vjasemsky was born in Moscow in 1911,
and received like many Of the aristocratic Rus
sian youths an excellent education at home.
which was followed by four years at the Univer-
sity where he heard lectures en- the natural
sciences and mathematics After this he served
fifteen years as officer in the Caucasus In
| 1916 he returned to Moscow, where he married
There he began to ask himself the question;
How TO live?" and in order solve this question
satisfactorily he gave himself up entirely to study
Like Faust. he plunged into every science. but
even that did not content him. He felt that
Science and her children, Progress and Culture,
tween the different classes Of society. He was.
moreover tormented by the idea that he was
serf-owner himself. He soon gave freedom to his
serfs and granted them a large portion OF his
property What to do with himself was the next
| question This one he solved twenty-five years
before Tostoi took II up; and he came to the con-
clusion that every man should divide his time be-
tween physical labor and the study OF sciences
He continued to study the natural sciences ana
philosophy. but at the came time he took up the
different professions Of joiner. turner ana DOCK
binder, and these ne practised by turns, adopting
the garment Of the workingman.
The study Of music also became one OF his pr1n-
cipa occupations and he even found time to trans
late a work on the theory Of music. But all this
did not fill out his life and he turned to art, the
beautiful home Of the soul" While continuing his
scientific studies and his translations Of works
on physiology electricity and magnetism. he gave
several hours Of the day 10 sculpture and archl-
lecture never negecting physical labor and IN
1855 he was an expert machinlst and carver IN
wood A great factory which he started supplied
the neighboring peasants with agricultural I'M
PIGMENTS and offered practical school for those
who wanted TO learn a trade. But after the
ideas Of the Prince changed once more He be-
gan to regard his factory a thing from which 10
no thought he discovered that marriage weak
ened the energy and the spirit OF a man-these
theories we find many years later in .Tolsto's
"Kreutzer Sonata"-and he consequently left his
wife and home and became a workman in book
binders shop, where he remained whole year.
At the end of it the question rose once more, rs
this really the right way to live?" Once more
the answer was mo" He concluded that to live
IN q wav to please God one must live in the coun-
trv where nature and labor make men more
serious bring them more In contact with the great
lessons of life This is another theory appro-
priated by Count Tolstoi
Prince Vjasemsky accordingly returned to the
country where ne established model dairy,
which was to eerve as an example 10 the "hoie
netghborhood; and In his leisure hours ne took up
once more his former occupations. With his own
hands he constructed a beautiful iconostasis for
the village church. and with his own hands he
assisted the peasants in their rough work. be-
side giving them money, cattle and anything they
wanted For time he apparently felt at peace
with his conscience, but suddenly his views or the
world changed once more. Philanthropy was not
the right thing; his life again seemed useless
After another struggle to find the truth he came
To the conclusion that ownership is the ruin OF
man and so he divided his entire property among
the peasants. leaving for himself nothing but a
little sandy plain on the banks OF the Nara. Inc
! needs OF his family did not seem to trouble him.
|, This aristocrat who from the cradle had been
used to all the comforts and refnements OF RE-
, took the merest necessities, put on the dress OF
the laborer and became a hard working man HIM
self
On rhe little ground he kept for himself he built
; a hut. and with his own hands he carried the
bricks necessary for the stove. Count Tostoi has
, followed his example in this respect. too In this
: hut the Prince worked as blacksmith for thirty
years helping the peasants as much as he was
: able This change came over the Prince at the
time when Count Tolstoi began to write his grea,