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dipped into Plato； had thus placed Socrates among the precursors
of Christ。 I cited the reason assigned by Melanchthon for
Christ's descent into hellnamely； the desire of the Redeemer to
make himself known to Socrates； Plato； and the best of the
ancient philosophers； and I compared this with Luther's idea； so
characteristic of him； that Christ descended into hell in order
to have a hand…to…hand grapple and wrestle with Satan。 This led
Tolstoi to give me a Russian legend of the descent into hell；
which was that； when Christ arrived there； he found Satan forging
chains； but that； at the approach of the Saviour； the walls of
hell collapsed； and Satan found himself entangled in his own
chains； and remained so for a thousand years。
In regard to the Jews； he said that he sympathized with them； but
that the statements regarding the persecution of them were
somewhat exaggerated。 Kennan's statements regarding the treatment
of prisoners in Siberia he thought overdrawn at times； but
substantially true。 He expressed his surprise that certain
leading men in the empire； whom he named； could believe that
persecution and the forcible repression of thought would have any
permanent effect at the end of the nineteenth century。
He then dwelt upon sundry evil conditions in Russia； on which my
comment was that every country； of course； had its own grievous
shortcomings； and I cited； as to America； the proverb： 〃No one
knows so well where the shoe pinches as he who wears it。〃 At this
he asked me about lynch law in the United States； and expressed
his horror of it。 I showed him that it was the inevitable result
of a wretched laxity and sham humanity in the administration of
our criminal law； which had led great bodies of people； more
especially in the Southern and extreme Western parts of the
country； to revert to natural justice and take the law into their
own hands； and I cited Goldwin Smith's profound remark that 〃some
American lynchings are proofs not so much of lawlessness as of a
respect for law。〃
He asked me where； besides this； the shoe pinched in the United
States。 I told him that it pinched in various places； but that
perhaps the worst pinch arises from the premature admission to
full political rights of men who have been so benumbed and
stunted intellectually and morally in other countries that their
exercise of political rights in America is frequently an injury；
not only to others； but to themselves。 In proof of this I cited
the case of the crowds whom I had seen some years before huddled
together in New York tenement…houses； preyed upon by their
liquor…selling landlords； their families perishing of typhoid and
smallpox on account of the negligence and maladministration of
the local politicians； but who； as a rule； were almost if not
quite ready to mob and murder those of us who brought in a new
health board and a better order of things； showing him that for
years the very class of people who suffered most from the old；
vile state of things did their best by their votes to keep in
power the men who maintained it。
We then passed to the subject of the trans…Siberian Railway。 In
this he seemed interested； but in a vague way which added nothing
to my knowledge。
Asking me regarding my former visit to Moscow； and learning that
it was during the Crimean War； he said； 〃At that time I was in
Sebastopol； and continued there as a soldier during the siege。〃
As to his relations with the imperial government at present； he
said that he had been recently elected to a learned society in
Moscow； but that the St。 Petersburg government had interfered to
stop the election； and he added that every morning； when he
awoke； he wondered that he was not on his way to Siberia。
On my leaving him； both he and the countess invited me to meet
them next day at the Tretiakof Museum of Russian Pictures； and
accordingly； on the following afternoon； I met them at that
greatest of all galleries devoted purely to Russian art。 They
were accompanied by several friends； among them a little knot of
disciplesyoung men clad in simple peasant costume like that
worn by the master。 It was evident that he was an acknowledged
lion at the old Russian capital； for as he led me about to see
the pictures which he liked best； he was followed and stared at
by many。
Pointing out to me some modern religious pictures in Byzantine
style painted for the Cathedral of Kieff； he said； 〃They
represent an effort as futile as trying to persuade chickens to
reenter the egg…shells from which they have escaped。〃 He next
showed me two religious pictures； the first representing the
meeting of Jesus and Pilate； when the latter asked； 〃What is
truth？〃 Pilate was depicted as a rotund； jocose； cynical man of
the world； Jesus； as a street preacher in sordid garments； with
unkempt hair flowing over his haggard face；a peasant fanatic
brought in by the police。 Tolstoi showed an especial interest in
this picture； it seemed to reveal to him the real secret of that
famous question and its answer； the question coming from the
mighty of the earth； and the answer from the poor and oppressed。
The other picture represented the Crucifixion。 It was painted in
the most realistic manner possible； nothing was idealized； it was
even more vividly realistic than Gebhardt's picture of the Lord's
Supper； at Berlin； so that it at first repelled me； though it
afterward exercised a certain fascination。 That Tolstoi was
deeply interested was clear。 He stood for a time in silence； as
if musing upon all that the sacrifice on Calvary had brought to
the world。 Other representations of similar scenes； in the
conventional style of the older masters； he had passed without a
glance； but this spectacle of the young Galilean peasant； with
unattractive features； sordid garb； poverty…stricken companions；
and repulsive surroundings； tortured to death for preaching the
〃kingdom of God〃 to the poor and down…trodden； seemed to hold him
fast； and as he pointed out various features in the picture it
became even more clear to me that sympathy with the peasant
class； and a yearning to enter into their cares and sorrows； form
the real groundwork of his life。
He then took me to a small picture of Jesus and his disciples
leaving the upper room at Jerusalem after the Last Supper。 This；
too； was painted in the most realistic manner。 The disciples；
simple…minded fishermen； rude in features and dress； were
plodding homeward； while Christ himself gazed at the stars and
drew the attention of his nearest companions to some of the
brightest。 Tolstoi expressed especial admiration for this
picture； saying that at times it affected him like beautiful
music；like music which draws tears； one can hardly tell why。 It
was more and more evident； as he lingered before this and other
pictures embodying similar ideas； that sympathy for those
struggling through poverty and want toward a better life is his
master passion。
Among the pictures； not to be classed as religious； before which
he thus lingered were those representing the arrest of a nihilist
and the return of an exile from Siberia。 Both were well painted；
and both revealed the same characteristicsympathy with the
poor； even with criminals。
Some of the more famous historical pictures in the collection he
thought exaggerated； especially those representing the fury of
the Grand Duchess Sophia in her monas