New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-24
TOLSTO1.
COMPLETE EDITION OF HIS WRITINGS

THE WORKS. Of LT ZOE ToLs s7s Edited By
times Thomas Y. Crowei E Co.
Some years ago in writing of Tolstors best
hook Matthew Arnold said: The truth is
are not TO take Anna Karenina' as a work If
srs; We are 10 take il a piece Of life" One
needs to take this pronouncement itself with
certain reservations. Whether aware Of the
<sct or not. Tolstoi has labored at certain ne
RODS Of his career with the instruments Of an
srtist IN his hands. In his earlier years, before
didactic predictions had obtained complete
centrol If his genius. he did work which is OF
he keenest interest the student of literary
technique. We do not wonder that War and
Peace" IS a favorite resource of the realistic
novelist. There is much to be learned from
hat book touching the mere management Of
material; the realist who wishes to see how the
hing is done that he is always trying to do will
ind infinite help in this production. But one
has only to compare Resurrection brought
out very recently. with Anna Karenina,'' first
published in the seventies 20 realize how much
The author has lost in the mere matter of au-
thorshp. with the passage of time and his grow
ing interest in humanitarian and religious dog
ma Anna Karenina" is literature: hesitate
- apply the word Resurrection But
Matthew Arnold had a way with him of hitting
the nail on the head With Tolstois complete
works before US. and weighing the character
istIcs Of the mass with care. we are impressed
anew with the justice Of the great English
critics observation. First and last for all his
POSSIBLY unintentional deviations into the paths
of the artistic craftsman. Tostoi really cares 70
give US not art. bat life
Tourgenieffs Judgment on The Cossacks"
which appeared in 1852 is quoted in the intro
duction TO the volume containing the work IN
He tod hon he
novel in Russian. and added that It gave "a
complete picture OF men and things in the eau
casus" That Is the peculiar "cachet Of Tolstoi
What he did the beginning. when artistic
canons Influenced him without his knowing II,
he has done even in his most faulty construct
81 books. he has always been able 30 paint with
extraordinary skill the thing that he has seen.
His works in his least happy moments,
are fun Of life. Of life which realize with
perfect ease because il is presented to with
such ccnsummate vividness. Resurrection"
for example Is q book almost exasperating in
its hybrid form, in its arbitrary subordination
~ the purposes Of fiction to those OF the socio-
logical tract II is innocent OF the charm which
upon other occasions has seemed TO flow nat
uraly from the authors pen But it possesses
wonderful actually: If eloquent characterize
ton OF men and women alone could make
masterpiece. this would reckon a triumph.
vhen, in examination Of these twelve vol
urres. we come TO the novel in question. There
IS one quality, however, in Tolstoi, which wins
liberation for him where another writer might
perhaps inspire only repugnance: that is his
beautiful sincerity. There is something noble
and inspiring in the spectacle OF a creative
genius. with the richest prizes Of literature
within his reach. deliberately sacrificing the
fame that might well be his. In obedience to his
lpffon II how red
true greatness OF soul this abandonment Of an
artistic ideal for the sake Of ethical ambition.
Tolstoi himself. Of course. probably does not
look Il IN this light, but with all due Difference
We are constrained distrust his judgment
Fer Il is literature. after all, that must
iez1 his work and as literature it has suffered
soreiy through his loss OF the sense Of proper
ton.
Il is indeed. a matter OF surprise that a writer
OF such great abilities should have so easily
been warped. There is reason why TolstoI
should have embodied all his lessons IN
works IF fiction and still have left them perfect
works q That he has not done this shows
2 curious limitation, and constitutes one Of the
oldest and most interesting phenomena in the
history Of the modern novel Take. for example,
The Kreutzer Sonata" There are valuable
ideas in this and the whole scheme of the story
is susceptible Of extremely artistic development.
But the tract gets the better OF the novel and
the author falls between two stools, weaken
ing his argument through exaggeration. and
through the fault lessening the signif-
canoe Of the dramatic fabric. Il is interesting
10 note, though. how all the critical objections
n the world are powerless TO deprive Tolstois
writings Of certain compelling force. They
have an enormous vitality. which We in
ciined to ascribe partly TO their moral energy
and partly 10 that indefensible element which we
can only ascribe the fire OF genius. The ap-
pearance of this collected edition inevitably
ialses specuiatiOns as 10 whether everything in
= VII! endure The book will not all remain,
laLcy N the same category; Anna Karenina''
VII De familiar 10 thousands in the far future,
perhaps. while many of its companions will be
foT long periods left unread the shelves Yet
i IS hard 70 believe that the books which suffer
neglect will disappear altogether; there is too
nuch IN them that makes for high ideals, too
much II them that touches with mingled tender
ness and force the chords of sympathy that are
eternal in mankind. For our own part, we may
hnQ far less pleasure in some of the books than
n Others but are unfeignedIy glad to have
ihera all IN such excellent shape Is is given
10 them by the publisher. The editorial pref
ares are interesting, the numerous portraits Of
Tolstoi reproduced make admira BILE illustrations.
and the we'll printed books very tastefuIy
bound