New-York tribune., 1910-11-20

and children. clad in grotesaue costumes.
subject to the viii OF the first conner OF
higher rank. famished. benumoed and ex-
hausted BY forced marches. they SO. ike q
herd Of cattle TO the slaughterhouse. ao-
knowing where-and yet these are not
cattle. they are men.
II underst and now that true welfare Il
possible for me only on condition that I
recognize my fellowship with the whole
world.
I'VE see learned and intelligent men
artlessly believing that they are ernarci-
pated from all religion simply because they
reject the metaphysical explanation ef the
universal principle which satisfied for
mer generation II does not occur TO them
that men cannot live without some theory
OF existence; that every human being lives
according to some principle. and that this
principle by which he governs his life is
hts religion
Even when ne first began writing his
new creed a strange sort Of gentleuess
was felt. In that curious letter he wrote
to Alexander H. asking him 20 pardon the
murderers of his father there is tender
ness. although II lacks the stern power
of his later appeals:
Monarch, If you were TO do this. were
TO call these people and give them money
and send them away somewhere 20 Amer
lea and write manifesto headed with Ths
words, But | say, love your enemies do
not know how others would feel. bur r.
poor subject, would be your dog and your
slave | would weep with emotion every
time 1 heard your name. as I am now
weeping But what do I say do not
know how Orhers't-I know that az those
words kindness and love would pour forth
like flood over Russia"
The German governess. who was with Ms
family for years and who artervard wrote
book about MIN, accuses him OF incon-
sistencies, Of constant changes Of doc
trine. idea, plan Many agree with her
| in this But there IS modern philosopher
who said that when a man is apparently
most inconsistent he is really most true
TO himself Perhaps this IS so Of Tolstoy
His has been a life Of violence, and vin-
lence can never run smoothly along Every
thing ne mas ever done has shown a tre-
mendous inward force pushing Ike sccum-
ulated water behind a dam When the
dam breaks me waters rush in many di-
rections, but always toward the ea-
To those who read signs il has seemed
that for many years TolstOy has been
| rushing toward this last act or secIIsion.
which some have regarded as eTTatic Or
unsound- He has always preached in
dividualisn- When young he expressed II
in his selfish search for pleasure. Next he
asserted himself through bis family After
that he put his arm around the entire
world and tried 10 draw il 10 himself and
recast it to suit his latest mood
And now. finding that the world will not
come his way. he has left IT, Perhaps
some day he win be called the greatest
/ egoist the world ever saw
In Russia the educate Cd classes regard
( him as a great writer fl his younger DAYS.
! but his philosophy they take lightly The
| government has not regarded MS revOlu-
tiOnary efforts as alarming and has let
/ him so his way IN peace
] Theodore Roosevelt gave US a summary
Of TOlstoy little over a year ago He
said that the great Russian va. unable 70
face facts; that he turned aside from the
truth 10 pursue any phantom, however
foolish. and that whatever influence he had
exerted had been for evil
/ 1t is interesting 10 know that ToIstOy
/ has mentioned among his favorite authors
Socrates Epictetus Pascal J. 5. Rousseau,
I Victor Hugo and Dickens According 10
his own revelation of himself only force
and simplicity and realism now appeal 70
him Shakespeare along with all the other
graces OF life he has disca arded-
Love which he has spent some thirty
years in preaching. he feels in such a Iargs
and Vague way for all mankind that be
counot apply any Of IL definitely 20 thu
/ wife and children who have sacrificed their
lives 10 his services
IT is a remarkable case OF seIf-absorp-
tion, and it IS a case not for pity but for
awe - D.