New-York tribune., 1912-02-03

The LIFE OF COUNT LYOF y. toll
pp xi, 49, Thomas y. crowell & Co. o.
TOLSTOY. BY Roman ROLAND Trans
lated by Bernard Mall. SvO, PIP. 81 T.
p. Dutton Co.
WHAT TOLSTOY TAUGHT Edited by
Bolton Hall. l2mo, PIP 90 b. W.
TOLSTOrs WORKS With introductions.
Pocket Edition. "A vols. 12mo., Thomas
Y. CTowel g. Co
Mr. Nathan Haskell Dole was. if mem
stoy in this country. Certain it is that,
beginning with 1886. his name was for
several years closely identified with the
introduction of the great Russian artist
10 the American public. The propa-
ganda Of Tolstoy the teacher on the
other hand. he left to others. the voice
of Mr.. Howels being loud in the lanl
in days now almost forgotten. Bu.,
though Mr. Dole retired from the field
with his English version of THE Kreut-
2er Sonata" he continued TO follow
closely the career of the Russian
prophet, as is shown by his thoroughly
well informed. informing and sanely bal
anced biography.
A work Of compilation to a large eX-
tent, bringing together from numerous
sources, Russian and foreign, all the
ay ailable information concerning Tol-
stOy, this life" combines his personal
history with that of his books, scrupu-
lousy refraining from subjectivity, pre-
scnting facts, not the biographer's own
opinions. There are many leaves from
Tolstoy's own experiences in nearly AZ
though. as in the case Of GCethe's
Dichtung und Wahrheit' It requires
caution to differentiate between what
actually happened and what were the
flgments Of his poetic imagination. But
even these picture the evolution Of his
soul, and Tolstoy was far more inter
ested in his soul than he was concerned
with his body" This inner evolution
assumes its rightful prominence in these
pages, not the least Of whose merits Is
the authors abstinence from all at
tempts at reconcilng the Inconsistencies
and contradictions of its successive
stages.
While Mr.. Dole was translating Toll
stoy in Boston in the eighties of the last
century NJ Roman ROLAND, the author
of jean Christophe," was discovering
him in Paris in youthfulIy enthusiasts
company. His book is no set, objective
biography, but an mpressionistically
subjective study. 1t does not so much
present Tostoy to our gaze as NJ. Rol-
lands reaction to his teachings. AS 20
the Inconsistencies and contradictions of
the Slav prophet, they do not disturb
this French disciple Of his at all:
We were i'm no wise anxious to reconcile
these many contradictions; still less did we
concern ourselves to imprison this complex,
multiple mind full OF echoes Of the whole
wide world. within the narrow limits Of
religious or political categories, as have
the greater number OF those who have
written OF Tolstoy In these latter years.
incapable of extrcating themselves from
the conflict OF parties, dragging him into
the arena OF their own passions, measuring
him by the standards OF their socialistic or
clerical coterles. AS IL our coteries could
be the measure of genius We did
not say. as do the critics OF to-day, that
there were two TolstJys; that the one was
the great artist while the other was not
an artist at all. For us there was only one
Tolstoy for we felt instinctively that In
such souls as his all things are bound
together. and each has its Integral part.
But unquestioning enthusiast though
he be, NJ. ROLAND the novelist makes
q few very acute observations on the