Lectures on Russian Literature: Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenef, TolstoyPanin, Ivan
History
Lectures on Russian Literature: Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenef, Tolstoy
Panin, Ivan
Russian literature -- 19th century -- History and criticism
6. I say he is Heaven-sent, because he came to proclaim not what is
ephemeral and perishing, but what is permanent and everlasting. He came
to proclaim not the latest theory of gravitation, of molecular
vibration, of modes of heat and manners of cold, nor of struggle for
existence, nor of supply and demand, nay, not even of scientific
charity. He came to proclaim that which was as true in the days of Jesus
as it is true in the days of Darwin,--that the life of man can have no
meaning, unless when guided by obedience to God and love to man.
Gravitation, struggle for existence! The earth has been spinning round
its parent for ages before man's brain-kin made the marvellous discovery
that God's mysterious impulse which set the earth whirling through the
abysses of space is explained in right scientific fashion by labelling
it gravitation. This green earth has rolled on, this green earth will
roll on, label or no label; and the mystery of God men knew not before
gravitation, nor do they know it now with gravitation. Men have for ages
been multiplying under the blessing of God, and loving one another, long
before that marvellous discovery was made that man, sprung from a
monkey, and bred in struggle for existence, is destined at last, under
fine progress of species, to become brutalized with Malthusian law as a
cannibal living on the flesh of his brother, with self-respect and
scientific charity in most abundant supply and demand. Tolstoy came to
proclaim not the new gospel of death, but the old gospel of life; not
the new gospel of struggle for existence, but the old gospel of
helpfulness for existence; not the new gospel of competition, but the
old gospel of brotherhood. Tolstoy came to proclaim the gospel of God,
the gospel of man, the gospel of Christ, the gospel of Socrates, the
gospel of Epictetus, of Aurelius, of Carlyle, of Emerson,--the gospel of
reverence before God and love to man, which is indeed ever old, but
which, alas! the sons of Darkness see to it that it remain forever new.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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