FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>  
. With it I also, as a Russian, may not agree--out of envy. Yet possibly our good ladies are of another opinion. For instance, one may look upon Racine as a broken-down, hobbledehoy, perfumed individual--one may even be unable to read him; and I too may think him the same, as well as, in some respects, a subject for ridicule. Yet about him, Mr. Astley, there is a certain charm, and, above all things, he is a great poet--though one might like to deny it. Yes, the Frenchman, the Parisian, as a national figure, was in process of developing into a figure of elegance before we Russians had even ceased to be bears. The Revolution bequeathed to the French nobility its heritage, and now every whippersnapper of a Parisian may possess manners, methods of expression, and even thoughts that are above reproach in form, while all the time he himself may share in that form neither in initiative nor in intellect nor in soul--his manners, and the rest, having come to him through inheritance. Yes, taken by himself, the Frenchman is frequently a fool of fools and a villain of villains. Per contra, there is no one in the world more worthy of confidence and respect than this young Russian lady. De Griers might so mask his face and play a part as easily to overcome her heart, for he has an imposing figure, Mr. Astley, and this young lady might easily take that figure for his real self--for the natural form of his heart and soul--instead of the mere cloak with which heredity has dowered him. And even though it may offend you, I feel bound to say that the majority also of English people are uncouth and unrefined, whereas we Russian folk can recognise beauty wherever we see it, and are always eager to cultivate the same. But to distinguish beauty of soul and personal originality there is needed far more independence and freedom than is possessed by our women, especially by our younger ladies. At all events, they need more EXPERIENCE. For instance, this Mlle. Polina--pardon me, but the name has passed my lips, and I cannot well recall it--is taking a very long time to make up her mind to prefer you to Monsieur de Griers. She may respect you, she may become your friend, she may open out her heart to you; yet over that heart there will be reigning that loathsome villain, that mean and petty usurer, De Griers. This will be due to obstinacy and self-love--to the fact that De Griers once appeared to her in the transfigured guise of a marquis, of a dis
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>  



Top keywords:
Griers
 

figure

 

Russian

 

Astley

 

manners

 
villain
 
beauty
 

Parisian

 
Frenchman
 

respect


easily

 

instance

 
ladies
 

cultivate

 
originality
 

needed

 
personal
 
distinguish
 

people

 

uncouth


English

 

majority

 

unrefined

 

offend

 

recognise

 

heredity

 

dowered

 

reigning

 

loathsome

 

friend


Monsieur

 
prefer
 

transfigured

 

appeared

 

marquis

 
usurer
 

obstinacy

 
EXPERIENCE
 

Polina

 
events

possessed
 

freedom

 
younger
 
pardon
 

taking

 

recall

 
passed
 

independence

 
national
 

things