按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
shipments of provisions to aid the famine…stricken in Russia。
〃But；〃 I added； 〃it is not our custom to give to beggars save in
special emergencies。〃 I then gave him an account of certain
American church organizations which had established piles of
fire…wood and therefore enabled any able…bodied tramp； by sawing
or cutting some of it； to earn a good breakfast； a good dinner；
and； if needed； a good bed； and showed him that Americans
considered beggary not only a great source of pauperism； but as
absolutely debasing to the beggar himself； in that it puts him in
the attitude of a suppliant for that which； if he works as he
ought； he can claim as his right； that to me the spectacle of
Count Tolstoi virtually posing as a superior being； while his
fellow…Russians came crouching and whining to him； was not at all
edifying。 To this view of the case he listened very civilly。
Incidentally I expressed wonder that he had not traveled more。 He
then spoke with some disapprobation of travel。 He had lived
abroad for a time； he said； and in St。 Petersburg a few years；
but the rest of his life had been spent mainly in Moscow and the
interior of Russia。 The more we talked together； the more it
became clear that this last statement explained some of his main
defects。 Of all distinguished men that I have ever met； Tolstoi
seems to me most in need of that enlargement of view and
healthful modification of opinion which come from meeting men and
comparing views with them in different lands and under different
conditions。 This need is all the greater because in Russia there
is no opportunity to discuss really important questions。 Among
the whole one hundred and twenty millions of people there is no
public body in which the discussion of large public questions is
allowed； the press affords no real opportunity for discussion；
indeed； it is more than doubtful whether such discussion would be
allowed to any effective extent even in private correspondence or
at one's own fireside。
I remember well that during my former stay in St。 Petersburg；
people who could talk English at their tables generally did so in
order that they might not betray themselves to any spy who might
happen to be among their servants。
Still worse； no one； unless a member of the diplomatic corps or
specially privileged； is allowed to read such books or newspapers
as he chooses； so that even this access to the thoughts of others
is denied to the very men who most need it。
Like so many other men of genius in Russia； then；and Russia is
fertile in such；Tolstoi has had little opportunity to take part
in any real discussion of leading topics； and the result is that
his opinions have been developed without modification by any
rational interchange of thought with other men。 Under such
circumstances any man； no matter how noble or gifted； having
given birth to striking ideas； coddles and pets them until they
become the full…grown； spoiled children of his brain。 He can at
last see neither spot nor blemish in them； and comes virtually to
believe himself infallible。 This characteristic I found in
several other Russians of marked ability。 Each had developed his
theories for himself until he had become infatuated with them；
and despised everything differing from them。
This is a main cause why sundry ghastly creeds； doctrines； and
sectsreligious； social； political； and philosophichave been
developed in Russia。 One of these religious creeds favors the
murder of new…born children in order to save their souls； another
enjoins ghastly bodily mutilations for a similar purpose； others
still would plunge the world in flames and blood for the
difference of a phrase in a creed； or a vowel in a name； or a
finger more or less in making the sign of the cross； or for this
garment in a ritual； or that gesture in a ceremony。
In social creeds they have developed nihilism； which virtually
assumes the right of an individual to sit in judgment upon the
whole human race and condemn to death every other human being who
may differ in opinion or position from this self…constituted
judge。
In political creeds they have conceived the monarch as the
all…powerful and irresponsible vicegerent of God； and all the
world outside Russia as given over to Satan； for the reason that
it has 〃rejected the divine principle of authority。〃
In various branches of philosophy they have developed doctrines
which involve the rejection of the best to which man has attained
in science； literature； and art； and a return to barbarism。
In the theory of life and duty they have devised a pessimistic
process under which the human race would cease to exist。
Every one of these theories is the outcome of some original mind
of more or less strength； discouraged； disheartened； and
overwhelmed by the sorrows of Russian life； developing its ideas
logically and without any possibility of adequate discussion with
other men。 This alone explains a fact which struck me
forciblythe fact that all Tolstoi's love of humanity； real
though it certainly is； seems accompanied by a depreciation of
the ideas； statements； and proposals of almost every other human
being； and by virtual intolerance of all thought which seems in
the slightest degree different from his own。
Arriving in the Kremlin； he took me to the Church of the
Annunciation to see the portrait of Socrates in the religious
picture of which he had spoken； but we were too late to enter；
and so went to the Palace of the Synod； where we looked at the
picture of the Trinity； which； by a device frequently used in
street signs； represents； when looked at from one side； the
suffering Christ； from the other the Holy Ghost in the form of a
dove； and from the front the Almighty as an old man with a white
beard。 What Tolstoi thought of the doctrine thus illustrated came
out in a subsequent conversation。
The next day he came again to my rooms and at once began speaking
upon religion。 He said that every man is religious and has in him
a religion of his own； that religion results from the conception
which a man forms of his relations to his fellow…men； and to the
principle which in his opinion controls the universe； that there
are three stages in religious development： first； the childhood
of nations； when man thinks of the whole universe as created for
him and centering in him； secondly； the maturity of nations； the
time of national religions； when each nation believes that all
true religion centers in it；the Jews and the English； he said；
being striking examples； and； finally； the perfected conception
of nations； when man has the idea of fulfilling the will of the
Supreme Power and considers himself an instrument for that
purpose。 He went on to say that in every religion there are two
main elements； one of deception and one of devotion； and he asked
me about the Mormons； some of whose books had interested him。 He
thought two thirds of their religion deception； but said that on
the whole he preferred a religion which professed to have dug its
sacred books out of the earth to one which pretended that they
were let down from heaven。 On learning that I had visited Salt
Lake City two years before； he spoke of the good reputation of
the Mormons for chastity； and asked me to explain the hold of
their religion upon women。 I answered that Mormonism could hardly
be judged by its results at present； that； as a whole； the
M