HERO. FEAT. COURAGE
The chest of a soldier is the protection and fortress of the Fatherland. (Peter the First)
There are no heroes from birth - they are born in battle. (A. Tvardovsky)
The brave are always recognized in battle, the hero is tested in grief. (Musa Jalil)
A brave person is one who knows that there is danger and yet goes for it. (Xenophon)
True valor is to do without witnesses what you do for the praise of people. (F. La Rochefoucauld)
Who is brave - he is alive, who is brave - he is whole. (A.V. Suvorov)
Courage is a virtue, by virtue of which people in danger do wonderful things, guided by the law and obeying it. (Aristotle)
Courage is the contempt of fear. It ignores the dangers that threaten us, challenges them to battle and crushes them. (L.Seneca)
What is courage, if not the strength to endure any trial, not perseverance in the face of grief and wrangling with fate? (Shota Rustaveli)
Not the courageous one who climbs into danger without feeling fear, but the one who can suppress the strongest fear and think about danger without submitting to fear. (K.Ushinsky)
Friendship is bought only by friendship. (English proverb)
A friend seeks to educate, and an enemy seeks to punish. (Afghan proverb)
Friendship doubles the joys and cuts the sorrows in half. (F. Bacon)
In the yurt, the support is the pole; in life, the support is the friend. (Mongolian proverb)
Sincerity in relationships, truth in treatment - that's friendship. (A.V. Suvorov)
Friendship has always been the highest human feeling. (K.Simonov)
There is nothing better than discovering new qualities in an old friend. (M. Svetlov)
ABOUT KINDNESS, MODESTY AND POLITENESS
Nothing costs us so cheaply and is valued by people as dearly as politeness. (M. Cervantes)
Modesty - it costs nothing, but it can buy everything. (V.G. Belinsky)
Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times. (D.Fonvizin)
There is no greater sign of greatness than kindness. (L. Beethoven)
A good deed is forever. (Russian proverb)
Kindness is the only garment that does not wear out. (G.Toro)
What you don't like in others, don't do it yourself. (Persian proverb)
You have great power if you own yourself. (Seneca)
Kindness - better beauty. (G. Heine)
The highest kindness is love for people. (Chinese proverb)
The first step to good is not to do evil. (J.J. Rousseau)
He who does not do good is not a man. (Turkish proverb)
Do not calm down, do not let yourself be lulled! While you are young, cheerful, do not get tired of doing good! (A.P. Chekhov)
ABOUT ART, MUSIC, SONG
Serious art, like any other serious business, requires a lifetime. (I. Goncharov)
The purpose of art is not a dream, but real life. (R. Rollan)
As long as there is humanity in the world, there will be art. (V. Stasov)
Simplicity, truth and naturalness are the three great principles of beauty in all works of art. (K. Gluck)
The essence of beauty is difficult to reveal. In life and in art, beautiful phenomena are extraordinarily diverse and completely different from each other. (A.Zis)
I don't talk about the importance folk songs. This - folk history, lively, bright, full of colors, truth, exposing the whole life of the people. (N.V. Gogol)
Music is one of the most powerful means of influencing the human will. Music is hypnosis, the sweetest dope, poison ... (L.N. Tolstoy)
Music shows a person the possibilities of greatness that are in his soul. (Emerson)
Art is conversation. This is Pushkin, who is talking to you. No need to scream. The reader is not deaf. (M. Svetlov)
ABOUT LITERATURE
Accuracy and brevity are the first virtues of prose. It requires thoughts and thoughts - without them, brilliant expressions are of no use. (A.S. Pushkin)
Real literature is always the soul, the heart of one, containing the world. (Vs. Vishnevsky)
A literary work is a seed that we throw not into the ground, but into the soul of our viewer and reader. And it must germinate and become an event, a tree. (L.Leonov)
Words are arranged in our minds differently than in dictionaries, not separately, not in alphabetical order and not in grammatical categories. They are closely related to our diverse feelings and sensations. We will not come to mind an angry, sharp, well-aimed word until we are truly angry. We will not find hot, tender, affectionate words until we are imbued with genuine tenderness. (S.Ya.Marshak)
A.S. Pushkin “Accuracy and brevity are the first virtues of prose. It requires thoughts and thoughts - without them, brilliant expressions are of no use ... "A.S. Pushkin" Pushkin ... took with him great secret. And now we are solving this mystery without him” F.M. Dostoevsky
Museum literary hero This is the first museum of a literary hero in our country. The museum was created according to the story of A.S. Pushkin "The Stationmaster" and archival documents, and is located in the preserved building of the Vyra postal station. The history of the station begins in 1800. The Belarusian postal route passed here, and Vyra was the third station in St. Petersburg. The museum recreates the atmosphere typical for the postal stations of Pushkin's time. The museum holds a large cultural mass work, are organized here literary meetings, holidays of poetry, Pushkin's readings. The surviving typical building of the postal station in the 1990s. 19th century
Why did Dunya leave with Minsky and not stay with her father? - Was Samson Vyrin right that he tried so hard to find and return Dunya? - Do you justify or condemn Minsky's line of behavior in relations with the stationmaster? - Is Minsky or Vyrin right in their understanding of Dunya's happiness? - Who is to blame for the death of Samson Vyrin? - Is Dunya's story typical? Is she happy? - Did Dunya atone for her sin by coming to her father's grave? - How did fate punish Dunya and is there a punishment? - What is the position of the author in relation to his characters?
A parable is a short moralizing story based on an allegory. There are two meanings in the parable: the first - textual - is based on the meaning of the phrases that form the text; the second is built on symbolic meanings individual words. Allegory is an allegory, an expression of something abstract, some thought, idea in specific image
“Why are you sneaking after me like a robber? Or do you want to kill me? The beginning of Chapter 10 draws our attention to the fact that Vyrin enters the "sheep's yard", that is, into the apartment of his "lost lamb" by deception and forcibly, not listening to the cries of the "doorkeeper", that is, the maid shouting to him: "It is impossible, impossible! » Words of Minsky Gospel of John chapter 10 A) “like a robber” “that thief and robber” B) “sneaking” “… comes to steal…” C) “… to stab me” “… to kill and destroy”
One could say that The Stationmaster is a short story about a blind stationmaster. Already at the beginning of the story told, this paradox is expressed literally: “The poor caretaker did not understand how he himself could allow his Dunya to ride with the hussar, how he was blinded, and what happened to him then. mind." But the blindness is deeper when the caretaker imagines himself to be the "good shepherd", that is, Jesus the Savior, and the daughter - "the lost sheep."
Here, unfolded, at the level of external contrast, subordination and autocracy are combined. The collegiate registrar is a class 14 official, the most disenfranchised and oppressed. But at his station, he is a dictator and ruler, since the possibility of movement of all passing people depends on him. This opposition, which Vyazemsky has not developed, receives in “ stationmaster» deep psychological development. This collision checks all heroes. Already at the very beginning of the story, where the characters have not yet been named, the antagonism between Vyrin and Minsky is indicated. Throughout the story, the social and psychological confrontation of the characters is preserved.
At first, this word is associated only with the caretaker: “poor caretaker”, “poor father”, “poor man fell ill”. Then the word appears in relation to Dunya, but only in the speech of the caretaker: “give me ... my poor Dunya”, “I wanted to see my poor Dunya at least once more”. But when the caretaker's story is over, he calls Dunya "poor" author-narrator. The definition of "poor" becomes objective, in this case true. Now both the father is "poor", and she. This is how Pushkin gets to the heart of the matter. And the story told no longer fits into the parable of the prodigal son.
THE THIRD PART
- 1 -
Already in the first two parts of the proposed article there is considerable information on Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan ...". There is information on the just named Tale and in some of my contemporary articles. But they are not collected, by me, into a single whole. Therefore, I will make an attempt to analyze Pushkin's "Fairy Tale" - according to its very text. I invite you to participate in my analysis through the very text of Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan ...". The text of Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" is highlighted from me, in the proposed article above, in Appendix No. 1.
It remains only to highlight that in the analysis of Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" I will try to draw on some data found by the textual critic M.K. Azadovsky through his great article"Sources of Pushkin's fairy tales". You can see the article just proposed at the following link: http://feb-web.ru/feb/pushkin/serial/vr1/vr12134-.htm. And all the conclusions of M.K. Azadovsky, I will especially note, I do not question. They are probably correct for his time.
It is only a pity that the named textologist does not give the reader the full material contained in the poet's "working" notebooks on the Tale highlighted here. In order for what has just been mentioned to be clearly understood by readers, Azadovsky's textual expert does not give in his article all the material of the type, for example, textual expert L. Modzalevsky, who studied Pushkin's letters (he cites the text of the letter, then his study of writing goes on - from many directions).
My analysis of Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" will be carried out in a completely different direction, and in a completely different space and ... field. Mostly connected, as you already know from my articles and books, with the "secret Pushkin", with his cryptograms, and so on. So, the proposed analysis is in front of you.
- 2 -
Perhaps I’ll start it not with the title of Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, which, in terms of its volume and length, is, in general, very unusual for a poet who loves brevity! - but not so much difficult question to the readers themselves. And the question is this: Who among their Russian emperors (I make the task easier!) Loved "late in the evening" - or even at night! – eavesdrop on the conversations of their subjects? And not only in the vicinity of his palace, but even in St. Petersburg. Many readers will easily answer my question, I hope so: Emperor Paul the First liked to eavesdrop on the conversations of his subjects. And they are right!
But at the beginning of my analysis, I will still give, in order to observe the logic of MY narration, as Pushkinist M.K. Azadovsky in the fifth part of his article manifests himself precisely as a textual critic. Here is what he writes in the part just indicated: “In Pushkin we have three entries this story. One refers to 1824 and is among the entries, known under the conditional name "Tales of Arina Rodionovna", the other in the Chisinau notebook of 1822 (Len. b-ka, No. 2366) and the third in the notebook of 1828 (Len. b-ka , No. 2391), as a prose presentation of the poetic beginning.
Everything here is correct! But Pushkinist and textologist M.K. Azadovsky confirms a little lower - for the time being, of course, in draft version! - that it was Emperor Paul I who liked to eavesdrop on conversations "late in the evening" - or even at night! - your subjects! Here, as a fact, is a confirmation of the statement just stated, given to us, in fact, by Pushkin himself: the first stanza of Pushkin's fairy tale and a prose record - still, as you can see, in a draft version of 1828! - M.K. Azadovsky informs us, in the same V-th part of his article, in the following form:
“The record of 1828 looks like this:
[Three maidens by the window]
Spinning late at night
If I were a queen
One girl says
That is one for all the people
I would wove canvases -
If I were a queen
Says her ses<трица>
That itself would be for the whole world
I prepared a feast -
If I were a queen
The third girl said
I am for the father of the king
I would give birth to a rich man.
After this poetic text, - as is known from the article by M.K. Azadovsky: in 14 lines of poetry! - follows a prose record: “As soon as they had time to utter these words, the door [of the room] opened - and the king entered without a report - the king had a habit of walking late around the city and eavesdropping on the speeches of his subjects. With a pleasant smile, he went up to the younger sister, took her by the hand and said: be a queen and give birth to a prince for me; With this word, not allowing them to come to their senses, the king whistled twice; the courtyard was filled with warriors and courtiers, and the silver carriage drove up to the very porch, the king got into it with the new queen, and his brother-in-law<иц>ordered them to be taken to the palace - they were put in carts and everyone galloped.
As you can see for yourself, according to the poetic text and the prose record, A.S. Pushkin offers a QUESTION to researchers who have found draft notes in his notebooks. And the question, as you just learned above, is not so complicated: behind the poetic text and the prose record, the poet hides, as you just learned above, Emperor Paul the First. Or he liked to eavesdrop on the conversations of his subjects - Emperor Paul the First. He entered Russian History in this way, I will especially note this circumstance, precisely as Russian emperor, who loves to eavesdrop on the conversations of his subjects not only "late in the evening", but even at night.
But this is the most important thing in the material that has just been presented to you. The most important - and the most important! - is in it the fact that the conversation in "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" will already go, pay attention to this circumstance, not only about the reign of Paul I and the conspiracy against him. About reign and conspiracy - in which they will take an active part: and England; and, always opposed to her, at that time, France; and the usurper Catherine the Second, always defending, under Frederick the Second, the already aggressive Prussia! - but also about the reign of his son. In other words, the conversation will go, in Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", and about the reign of Emperor Alexander I.
And this, too, pay attention to the circumstance highlighted here, in the most optimistic - and even rosy! - the end of Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan". Here, as a fact, are the last lines of the Pushkin Tale: “For such joy, the Tsar Let all three go home” (see the last - or the 27th in my ACCOUNT! - stanza of the Pushkin Tale - independently).
It is only a pity that Pushkinist-textologist M.K. Azadovsky, having chosen a topic on source study, - which, I will especially note this circumstance, he not only well disclosed, but also proved it to us with reason! - did not touch at all, at the same time, the topic of “The Secret Heritage of A.S. Pushkin. But what can you do if the theme of the named textologist is narrow-minded! Therefore, having dealt with the circumstance just stated, I will try to independently lead a conversation about the secret heritage of the poet. But, before starting it, I will highlight to you that a fairy tale is a fairy tale, but the SECOND sister in the draft version of the poetic text, 1828, swung too broadly, in my opinion:
"If I were a queen
Says her ses<трица>
That itself would be for the whole world
I prepared a feast - ".
However, irony is irony, but the question, in my opinion, is quite serious. AND main point his, is this: from the just highlighted quatrain of 1828 - with its incredible, even for a fairy tale, exaggeration! - Pushkin makes, in the recording of the first stanza published in 1832, the following. In the published recording of the FIRST stanza, he practically gives the SAME exaggeration - concluded in the sense of the girl's statement! - and the SECOND sister. In order for you to clearly see this exaggeration, I will give you STATEMENTS - in the recording of the first stanza published in 1832! - TWO FIRST sisters. That's how it all is - that is, the actions of the poet just revealed to you in relation to the first two sisters! - looks like in the recording of the first stanza published in 1832 (and all, I keep forgetting to say about it, “Tales of Tsar Saltan”):
<<Три девицы под окном
Were spinning late in the evening.
"If I were a queen, -
One girl says
That is for the whole baptized WORLD
I would prepare a feast."
"If I were a queen, -
Her sister says,
That would be one for the whole WORLD
I wove canvases»>>.
As you can already see from the first stanza published in 1832, Pushkin, having changed the first two sisters in the named stanza IN PLACES, for the already FIRST, in the published stanza, sister - SPECIFIC, through the word “baptized”, her immense exaggeration. Fact: "Then I would prepare a feast for the whole baptized world." But for the SECOND sister, in the published stanza, it already gives - an unlimited, even for a Tale, exaggeration. Fact: “Then for the whole world I would have only Natkala canvases.”
Explanation of V.B. - Earlier, in the paragraph just stated, I wrote as follows: “As you can see for yourself from the first published stanza, Pushkin, having changed the first two sisters in the named stanza IN PLACES, for the already FIRST, in the published stanza, sisters - Narrows somewhat, through the word“ baptized ”, its immense exaggeration. Fact: “I would prepare a feast for the whole baptized world”, which is not true!
Wrong for several reasons. First. There are well-defined laws for the creation of artistic prose, just as there are well-defined laws of PERCEPTION by the reader of a text, including, of course, a poetic text.
Second, the word “narrows” is not obligatory for the example just given above - for it is better to SPECIFY or Clarify! - since it is possible to introduce, in a stanza, not only a narrowing, but also ... an increase. Here, as an example, are the poetic lines: “That is for the whole HUGE world I would prepare a feast." So it is necessary to adhere to - only Pushkin's text, because only it carries the realization of many thoughts and ideas of the poet-historian.
What all this means in Pushkin, I will make the task easier! - a historian! And he - as you, I hope, have already understood from the material just presented above! - in "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" appears - precisely as a historian. This is exactly what you need to understand in order to correctly answer the question just posed before you.
- 3 –
And the laws of creation fiction and the poetic text, as well as the reader's perception of the prose and poetic text, do exist. Example: the reader precisely through the EXACT words of the author artwork forms an opinion, a view, an assessment of the events taking place in a work of art, coinciding with many of the thoughts and intentions of the author of a work of art. In order for the reader to understand everything from what I have just stated, I will give a small number of excerpts on a topic that has just arisen. And they are:
XXX
"Accuracy and brevity - these are the first virtues of prose. It requires thoughts and thoughts - without them, brilliant expressions do not serve anything." A.S. Pushkin. See the article at the link: http://festival.1september.ru/articles/581310/.
XXX
“The simplicity and clarity of prose are organically linked, according to Stendhal and Pushkin, with the saturation of thought: “prose requires thoughts, thoughts and thoughts - without it, brilliant expressions serve nothing” (XI, 18). The same requirement of verbal "asceticism" is put forward by Stendhal: "... I want to conclude as much as possible more thoughts in as few words as possible” (7, 196). The writer, Stendhal believes, is obliged to look for the "single" word that most correctly expresses the thought: "the exact, single, necessary, inevitable word" (11, 271). Pushkin's demand is the same: "Precision and brevity are the first virtues of prose" (X1, 18). See the article at the link:.
XXX
135. Accuracy
Anatoly Shukletsov
Poetry no less exact science than geometry.
Gustave Flaubert.
// ... in Pushkin, like in Virgil, every verse, every letter in words, verses is put in its place. Valery Bryusov. //. See the article at the link: http://www.proza.ru/2010/11/29/151.
My final conclusion on the material just presented is as follows. Raz A.S. Pushkin created the lines: “I would prepare a feast for the whole baptized WORLD”, then it is necessary to deal with the “baptized World” as precisely as possible, or with the sisters! - not forgetting at the same time, of course, about the feast (“I would have prepared a feast”). But I will deal specifically with the conclusion just stated - a little later.
Here, please note that in the "Tale of Tsar Saltan", - a poetic text, which, I put in Appendix No. 1 - the poet does not have a single EXPLANATION! In other words, in Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" precision and brevity dominate with the greatest force. And at the end of the Tale, the poet has a very short dating, namely: “1831”, which is also unusual for a poet (see A.S. Pushkin. SELECTED WORKS. Volume One, Moscow. ART LITERATURE. P. 703).
No less important here are many other circumstances. But I will try to talk about them a little later. Here I will specially note that in the "Tale of Tsar Saltan" they are also observed - despite the fact that the poet touched the Tales for the first time, creating a small cycle from them! - cryptograms of the poet. And the deciphering of cryptograms, as you yourself understand, is a complicated matter: you almost appreciated one or another word in Pushkin's text and deciphering Pushkin's cryptogram ... will not work.
Here, as an example, a fact, at least the absolutely incorrect conclusion of the Pushkin historian N. Ya.
Explanation of V.B. - N. Eidelman showing well that the poetic epigraph to the first chapter " Queen of Spades” absolutely coincides, in rhythm, with the propaganda of the Decembrist leaders Ryleev and Alexander Bestuzhev, he does not even realize at that time that there are other secrets of the poet-historian in Pushkin's masterpiece.
Here I note that Pushkin already gives in the sums cited, called the Pushkinist, the scheme: rate - passwords - passwords-ne. In other words, it gives a scheme: bet, double the bet, quadruple the bet.
Here is the example itself:
N. Eidelman. Two notebooks (Notes of a Pushkinist)
http://vivovoco.rsl.ru/VV/PAPERS/NYE/TWOLETT.HTM.
Paragraph 1. AND IN RAINY DAYS ... "(my request: be sure to read the named paragraph)
Excerpt:
“We guess that the case is connected with cards, and we learn, by the way, about Herman that
“His father, a Russified German, left him a small capital. Herman left him at the pawnshop, without touching the interest, and lived on one salary. Herman was firmly etc.”
At this point, the draft breaks off, and the calculations are sketched and crossed out on the side:
40 60
80 120
160 240
280 420
This is Pushkin trying on how much capital to give Herman so that he bets “on a three, a seven and an ace” three times: for the first time, 40 thousand rubles are given, then 60; in the end, Pushkin chose a curious figure - 47 thousand: this is exactly what the rate of the most accurate Hermann should be: not 40 or 45, but exactly 47 thousand, everything he has, to the penny ...
But we stopped at the edge of one of the few draft fragments of The Queen of Spades, Herman was firm in words ... ".
That is why in the fourth paragraph of the article I will try to present material based on several sources. And they are.
- 4 –
To be continued
(May 26 (June 6), 1799, Moscow - January 29 (February 10), 1837, St. Petersburg)
Russian poet, playwright and prose writer. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin has a reputation as a great or greatest Russian poet. In philology, Pushkin is regarded as the creator of the modern Russian literary language.
Quote: 358 - 374 of 416
What a thing Kyiv! What an end!
Dumplings themselves fall into the mouth,
Wine - at least give a couple,
And the youngsters!
Hey, it's not a pity to give souls
For the look of a black-browed beauty.
(*Hussar*, 1833)
Subtlety does not yet prove intelligence. Fools and even lunatics can be surprisingly subtle.
Trading conscience before pale poverty,
Do not scatter your gifts with a prudent hand:
Full generosity is pleasing to heaven.
On the day of the terrible judgment, like a fat field,
O prosperous sower!
She will reward your work a hundredfold.
But if, having regretted the labors of earthly gain,
Giving the beggar a mean alms,
You squeeze your envious hand, -
Know: all your gifts, like a handful of dust,
That heavy rain washes from the stone,
Disappear - God's rejected tribute.
(*Imitation of the Koran*, dedicated to P.A. Osipova, 1824)
Accuracy and brevity are the first virtues of prose. It requires thoughts and thoughts - without them, brilliant expressions are of no use.
There are no tractors. In a cold hut
High-flown but hungry
For the sake of appearance, the price list is hanging
And vain teases the appetite.
(*Eugene Onegin*, 1823-1831)
Did you see the girl on the rock
In white clothes over the waves
When, raging in the stormy darkness,
The sea played with the shores
When a ray of lightning illuminated
Her hourly scarlet brilliance
And the wind beat and flew
With her flying blanket?
Beautiful sea in stormy haze
And the sky in splendor without azure;
But trust me: the maiden on the rock
More beautiful than waves, skies and storms.
(*Storm*, 1825)
You are with me again, pleasure;
Dark thoughts subsided in my soul
Monotonous excitement!
Feelings are resurrected, the mind is clear.
Some kind of bliss unknown
Some kind of sadness I'm full of;
animated fields,
Hills of Taurida, lovely land -
I visit you again...
I languidly drink the air of voluptuousness,
As if I hear a close voice
Long lost happiness.
(*Tavrida*, 1822)
You are right: what could be more important
In the world of a beautiful woman?
Smile, the look of her eyes
More expensive than gold and honors,
More expensive than discordant glory ...
(*To Rodzyanka*, *You promised about romanticism...*, 1825)
Do you require a deposit? what nonsense!
What will I pledge to you? pig skin?
When I could pawn something, long ago
I would have sold. Or a knightly word
Is it enough for you, dog? (Alber)
- your word,
As long as you are alive, a lot, a lot means.
All chests of the Flemish rich
Like a talisman, it will unlock you.
But if you pass it
Me, a poor Jew, and meanwhile
Die (God forbid), then
In my hands it will be like
The key to the abandoned box in the sea. (Jew Solomon)
darkness low truths more dear to me
The deceit that elevates us...
With us, without patrons, you can’t get the truth.
Alas! on the reins of life
The instant harvest of a generation,
By the secret will of providence,
Rise, mature and fall;
Others follow...
So our windy tribe
Grows, worries, boils
And to the grave of great-grandfathers crowds.
Come, our time will come,
And our grandchildren in a good hour
We will be driven out of the world!
(*Eugene Onegin*, 1823-1831)
Alas, for different fun
I lost a lot of life!
But if morals had not suffered,
I would still love balls.
I love crazy youth
And tightness, and brilliance, and joy,
And I will give a thoughtful outfit;
I love their legs
(*Eugene Onegin*, 1823-1831)
terrible age, terrible hearts! (Duke)
(*The Miserly Knight* (part of the *Little Tragedies* cycle), conceived in 1826, completed in 1830)
Your wise genius has already shone,
Already in the immortal Pantheon
Glorious shadows entered the holy exiles,
From the veil of prejudice
The old throne was exposed;
The shackles fell. Law,
Leaning on liberty, proclaimed equality,
And we exclaimed: Bliss!
Oh grief! oh crazy dream!
Where is liberty and law? Above us
One ax rules.
We have overthrown the kings. Killer with executioners
We have chosen to be king. Oh God! oh shame!
(*Andrei Shenier*, dedicated to N.N. Raevsky, 1825)
A scientist without talent is like that poor mullah who cut and ate, thinking to be filled with the spirit of Mohammed.
About Russian prose
D’Alembert once said to La Harpe: “Don’t praise Buffon for me, this man writes: The noblest of all human acquisitions was this animal, proud, ardent and so on. Why not just say horse.
La Harpe is surprised at the dry reasoning of the philosopher. But d'Alembert is very clever man- and, I confess, I almost agree with his opinion.
Let me remark in passing that it was about Buffon, the great painter of nature. His style, flourishing, full, will always be a model of descriptive prose. But what can be said about our writers, who, considering it base to explain simply the most ordinary things, think of enlivening children's prose with additions and languid metaphors? These people will never say friendship without adding: this sacred feeling, of which the noble flame, etc. Should have said: early in the morning - but they write: barely the first rays rising sun lit up the eastern edges of the azure sky - oh, how new and fresh it all is, is it better just because it is longer.
I am reading the report of some theater lover: this young pet of Thalia and Melpomene, the generously gifted Apollo ... my God, put it: this young good actress- and continue - be sure that no one will notice your expressions, no one will thank you.
The contemptible Zoil, whose unsleeping envy pours its soporific poison on the laurels of the Russian Parnassus, whose tedious stupidity can only be compared with indefatigable anger ... my God, why not just say to the horse: is it not in short - Mr. publisher of such and such a magazine.
Voltaire can be considered the best example of a prudent style. He ridiculed in his "Micromegas" the sophistication of the subtle expressions of Fontenelle, who could never forgive him for that.
Accuracy and brevity are the first virtues of prose. It requires thoughts and thoughts - without them, brilliant expressions are of no use. Poetry is another matter (however, in them it would not hurt our poets to have a sum of ideas much more significant than they usually have. Our literature will not move far forward with memories of past youth).
The question is whose prose is the best in our literature. The answer is Karamzin. This is still not a big praise - let's say a few words about this venerable one. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1) Speaking of style, should I say in this case - I couldn’t forgive him for that - or couldn’t forgive him for that? It seems that these words do not depend on the verb could, ruled by the particle not, but on the indefinite inclination to forgive, requiring accusative. However, N. M. Karamzin writes differently. (Approx. Pushkin)
Pushkin A.S., Sobr. op. in 10 vols., v. 6Illustration: Orest Kiprensky, Portrait of A. S. Pushkin. 1827
