The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-28


book. Russian Literature. =
makes clear to as why il
Is true that in Russia
literature is of more i'm
portance. relative TO all
other things, than it is in any other
part OF the civilized world A knowl-
edge Of this great Importance inten-
SIZES the interest with which we read
this great Russians study of the master
writer's Of his country and note his ex-
plantations Of why the art of the Rus
sian masterpieces means so much more
Tor the welfare Of the Slav race than
does the literary art Of any other land
10 Its native people. Very remarka BILE.
TOO, IS Prince kropOtkin's statement Of
the value of literary criticism and the
influence OF the foremost Russian
critics over Russian thought and life.
indeed II one wishes TO read the new
volume Understandings and get the
pest out OF II, IL is well TO skip all the
forward part OF the work in order TO
begin with that portion far toward the
end called literary criticism; after those
lew pages are gone over then all the
rest Of the book will double its appeal
10 sympathetic and appreciative atten-
ton.
After having made US understand the
greatness of literature to Russia.
hropotkin tells US that during the last
halt century we have had a succession
OF art critics who have exercised upon
the intellectual aspects of their own
tunes Tar greater. and especially a
Tar more widespread influence than any
novelist or any writer in any other do
main He states that the critic of a
leading review is the intellectual leader
ef the younger generation This is be-
cause literary criticism in Russia has
certain special aspects. 1T is not
limited TO a criticism of works of art
from purely literary or esthetic point
OF view but there are in
hnitely more important questions which
are raised in the thoughtful mind by
every work Of really good art .
In good work of art the actions of
the heroes are evidently what they
would have been under similar condi-
tons in reality; otherwise ii would not
be good art They can be discussed as
facts OF life
From this it follows that the literary
critic discusses the whole of life by tax
ing the more serious of the Russian
novels for his text An illustration of the
power these critics have even in appar-
emily little things is given in the record
OF a minor success Of Pisaref, who was
one OF the four greatest critics. An au-
thor Of a Russian novel had described
IN it a certain type Of girl, and Pisaren
in commenting on it said the girl was not
invented, but that such by thousands
upon thousands really were He called
them-just for a handle-'sMuslin Girls"
Kropotkin says that every girl in every
educated Russian family read that article
and that he thereby induced many thou
sands Of them 20 say TO themselves they
would never be like that muslin girl"
= We are told that for the last eighty
wears Russian art-crftics have worked TO
= N-N-
Q etre only when il is in the service of
society and contributes toward raising
society to higher humanitarian concep-
rions-by those means which are proper
70 art. and distinguish II from science"
The greatest of the Russian critics was
Mihauovskiy. who died last year. 1t is TO
be noted that Kropotkin spells some OF
the names Of the famous Russians with
variations from the way in which we
nave been accustomed to seeing them set
down. With Mihailovskiy, criticism took
2 philosophical turn, and we are told that
the time has not yet come TO fully eppre-
ciste his work
Kropotkin speaks very highly of the
richness OF the Russian language, it hav-
ing many more equivalents for a given
idea than the languages OF Western Eu-
rope. and by these the varied shades of
meaning may be given It has especial
wealth for expressing human feeling
tenderness and love, sadness and merri-
ment; and no other language equals ii in
its power TO take into itself the beauties
Of foreign authors by translation. Owing
70 its wonderful musical character foreign
poetry can be rendered into il in the same
meters OF the original Nearly eighty
millions Of people speak this superior Rus
sian language (the Great-Ruesian). and
there are some fifteen millions who speak
the Bittle-Russian. which is a patois.
Perhaps TO make a selection of one Of
the main features that run through all
this beautiful study of Russian litera-
ture the choice Of mention should fall
upon the perfection Of its reaIism--realism
in its higher forms as distinguished from
that narrowed type Of realism which
gives offense 70 the taste Of many and
which might be called Zolaism: and the
progress Of this realism UP to it's union
with ideslism. the idealistic-realism,
which has made the success of Maxim
GorIxiy.
II was the Russian poet, Pushkin. who
introduced this realism II was that
realism. understood IN its best sense. and
which Kropotkin says afterward became
characteristic OF the whole Of Russian
literature. Speaking OF this lyric poet.
the author says that his verses are so
easy that after having read them twice
or thrice one knows them by heart. and
that they pleased such refined and mill
osophical poets rs Turgueneff, and are the
delight Of millions OF peasant children.
His writings are full Of the bright love OF
life and respect for women He had 4
power of poetical creation out of the
things Of everyday life which only Toll
stoy has TO the same extent
Perhaps the most interesting thing
about this new study Of Russian litera-