Chapter III

.) See also Journal of May 28, 1896, thought 1.

[290] _One word illegible._ Note by Prince Obolensky in the copy in possession of the editors.

[291] To avoid misunderstanding as to whom this remark of Tolstoi’s refers, it is proper here to cite an extract from another one of his writings: “They say that defence is impossible under non-resistance; but the Christian does not need any defence. All that an evil-doer can do is to deprive one of property, to kill, and a Christian is not afraid of that. The Christian not worrying about what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, and knowing that without the will of the Father not a hair will fall from his head, the Christian has no need to use violence against the evil-doer. The evil-doer can do nothing to him.” (From the rough draft of _The Kingdom of God Within Us_, 1890–1893, with later corrections by Tolstoi made during a revision of his _Complete Collection of Thoughts_.)

[292] Jean Grave, a contemporary French writer, of anarchical tendencies.

[293] Shortly before that, February 14, 1898, Tolstoi wrote to V. G. Chertkov: “About myself I can say that I would be satisfied with my spiritual state, if I were not dissatisfied with my small external output. The causes are: Ill health, as well as the bustle of city life (although now for about three days I have been well).”

[294] The twentieth, the concluding chapter of _What Is Art?_ is devoted to a criticism of contemporary science from the standpoint of Christian philosophy.

[295] Anatol Ivanovich Pharesov, the democratic fiction writer and publicist.

Alexander Kapitonovich Malikov, who lived in the seventies in Orel, preached the doctrine of “God-humanity,” consisting in this, that each man ought to be re-born morally and exalt the divine principle which was in him. Malikov was absolutely opposed to all violent methods of fighting evil. In 1875 Malikov with a small circle of persons who shared his opinions (fifteen in all) emigrated to America; where in the State of Kansas he established an agricultural community on the basis of the doctrine professed by him. When two years later the community fell apart, Malikov returned to Russia. He died in 1904 at the age of sixty-two. See about him the article of A. S. Prugavin, “Leo Tolstoi and the Man-Gods,” and the book on _Leo Tolstoi and the Tolstoians_, Moscow, 1911.

[296] The agricultural colony, Georgia, issued a magazine with a Christian tendency, called _Social Gospel_. Among the members of this colony was Crosby. There were about one hundred colonists. In this letter, addressed to George Howard Gibson, Tolstoi expressed his opinion on agricultural societies in general.

[297] At this time, the Dukhobors received permission from the Russian authorities to emigrate. Tolstoi addressed himself to Russian, European and American society with an appeal, in which he summoned them to help the Dukhobors with money as well as with direct assistance in the difficulties of emigration. The appeal to Russian society was printed among other places in the _Full Collected Works of Tolstoi_, published by Sytin, subscribed and popular editions, Volume XVIII; and the letter to the English newspapers was printed in _The Free Press_, No. I (1898, England), in the article of P. I. Biriukov and afterwards reprinted in his book _The Dukhobors_.

[298] When _What Is Art?_ was already printed in the _Problems of Philosophy and Psychology_ and submitted to the censorship there came an order from Petrograd to submit it to the theologic censorship. The theologic censor not only crossed out many passages, but in some places made changes which perverted the very thought of the author. In the preface to the English translation of this work, Tolstoi expressed regret that, contrary to his custom, he consented at the request of N. Y. Grot to print this work with the censor deletions and softenings. And he also speaks about the harm of every kind of compromise.... This preface was printed in Russian in _The Free Press_, No. 1.

[299] At this place in the Journal there was a diagram composed of flowing lines, irregularly drawn. As the editors did not have the original of the Journal, but used the copy made by Prince Obolensky, it was impossible to make an exact facsimile of the original diagram.

[300] In his letter to V. G. Chertkov, Tolstoi wrote: “... This happened: In the morning they told me that two men came from the Caucasus. They were the Dukhobors, P. V. Planidin, an acquaintance of yours, and Chernov. They came, naturally, without passports to give me information and to find out everything pertaining to their affair. After talking with these dear friends and finding out everything, I decided to send them to Petersburg.... They went, spent the day there, and returned.... They are touchingly instructive.” “The principal reason for Planidin’s and Chernov’s coming,” Tolstoi wrote April 6th, “was to ask some one of our friends to go to visit Verigin in Obdorsk.”

[301] Ivan Petrovich Brashnin, a typical old-fashioned Moscow merchant, a dealer in raw silks; his family consisted of his wife and two sons. A. N. Dunaev introduced him to Tolstoi in the eighties. He was then over 60. He had wanted to make his acquaintance, because the views of Tolstoi were near to his soul; in spite of his former strict orthodoxy he warmly accepted the views of Tolstoi. Being sincere and straight-forward, he rejected the ... teaching and became a convinced follower of the pure Christian teaching. He spoke with great pleasure and emotion about his visits and talks with Tolstoi, which gave him the greatest joy.

A few years prior to his death he became a strict vegetarian. Before his death he refused the viaticon of the priest and the rites of confession and the sacrament.

In his letter to A. C. Chertkov of March 30, 1898, Tolstoi wrote him about his last visit to Brashnin:

“You know there is an old man, a rich merchant, Brashnin, who is near to us in spirit. I have already known him for about fifteen years. He has cancer of the liver, so the doctors have found out. I visited him once in the winter. He was very weak, thin, yellow, but on his feet. One morning about a week ago A. N. Dunaiev came to me with the news that Brashnin is dying and that he had sent a boy to ask that I take leave of him. We went and found him dying. My first words were: ‘Is he calm?’ Absolutely. He was in full possession of his memory, had a clear mind, thanked me, and took leave of me and I of him, as people do before going on a journey. With sadness we spoke about the ... I said that we will see each other again. He calmly answered, ‘No more.’ He took leave and thanked us for our visit. Everything was so simple, peaceful and earnest.”

[302] The article on war and on military service was called forth by the request of two foreign papers to the representatives of political and social workers, and the representatives of science and art, to express themselves on whether war was necessary in our time, what were the consequences of militarism and what were the means that led the quickest way to a realisation of universal peace.

[303] The former estate of Count I. L. Tolstoi in Cherni, the province of Tula, to which Tolstoi went to help the famine-stricken peasants. As in the year 1891 when Tolstoi helped the famine-stricken peasants of the province of Riazan, he considered the establishment of soup-kitchens as the most sensible form of help, for which he set himself to work upon his arrival in Grinevka. On May 2, 1898, in his letter to the Countess S. A. Tolstoi, Tolstoi wrote in reference to his activity that “the work which was being done was necessary and is advancing. There is no famine, but the need is killing, cropless, very difficult, and it helps us to see it.” (_Letters of Tolstoi to his Wife_, Moscow, 1913, pages 542 and 543.)

[304] April 21, 1898, by order of the Minister of the Interior, the _Russkia Viedomosti_ was suspended for two months “for the collection of contributions in aid of the Dukhobors and for evading the executive orders of the Moscow Governor-General.” The regulation of the Moscow Governor-General which the newspaper did not fulfil was to give over for disposal to the authorities the money contributed through the editorial offices for the aid of the Dukhobors. The editors could not do that, because the money had already been sent to Tolstoi.

[305] Lopashino, as well as Sidorovo, Kamenka, Gubarevka, Bobriki, Michails Ford, Kukuevka, which are mentioned below, are villages near to Grinevka where Tolstoi established soup-kitchens for the famine-stricken.

[306] For an orderly organisation of aid for the needy, Tolstoi had collected the necessary detailed information concerning the number of souls and the economic condition of each household in the suffering villages.

[307] See Note 136.

[308] The Tsurikovs and Ilinskys--neighbouring landlords.

[309] Tolstoi wrote to V. G. Chertkov on that day: “I haven’t written for a whole week, but I feel pretty well. It seems to me that after the Moscow bustle my impressions are finding their place, the necessary thoughts are coming forth.”

[310] See _Letters of Count L. N. Tolstoi to his Wife_, March, 1913, pages 543 and 544.

[311] I.e., at his son’s, Count S. L. Tolstoi, on his estate of Nicholskoe, near the station of Bastyevo.

[312] V. G. Chertkov then wrote an article, “Where is Thy Brother? About the attitude of the Russian Government to the People Who Cannot Become Murderers,” in the defence of the oppressed Dukhobors. This article was published in _The Free Press_ (England, 1898).

[313] G. R. Lindenberg, one of Tolstoi’s co-workers in aid of the famine-stricken, an artist.

[314] The name of this teacher is Gubonin. Together with Lindenberg he came to Tolstoi from Poltava.

[315] _The Appeal_ served as the beginning of two articles on the labour question: _Should it really be so_, and _Where is the way out?_ upon which Tolstoi worked during the year 1898 and revised it once again for printing in 1900.

[316] The deceased, N. N. Strakhov.

[317] The county seat of the province of Orel.

[318] A railroad station on the Moscow-Kursk Railroad.

[319] Tolstoi speaks here of gymnastic exercises which he sometimes took (see entry of May 11, 1898).

[320] Tolstoi used to receive contributions in aid of the famine-stricken from various people.

[321] In this article under the title, “Is There Famine or No Famine?” Tolstoi answers the following questions: 1. Is there in the current year a famine or is there not a famine? 2. To what is due the oft-repeated need of the people? 3. What is to be done in order that this need be not repeated? These were printed with omissions in the newspaper, _Russ_, of July 2 and 3, of 1898 and in full in Leaflets of _The Free Press_, No. 2 (England, 1898).

[322] The Countess S. N. Tolstoi (born Philosophov), wife of Tolstoi’s son, Count I. L. Tolstoi.

[323] Neighbouring landlords near Grinevka.

[324] After a tiring, long ride by horse, Tolstoi arrived at the Levitskys’, and fell ill of severe dysentery.

[325] Tolstoi was forced to stop his work in aid of the famine-stricken, as the Tula Governor forbade all non-residents without his permission to establish and help in the construction of soup-kitchens. Without these people it was impossible to continue the work. (See article “Is There Famine or No Famine?”)

[326] The well-known Swedish physician, Ernest Westerlund, and his wife--parents of the wife of Count L. L. Tolstoy, Dora Fedorovna--who arrived from Sweden to visit her.

[327] The novel, _Father Sergius_, which Tolstoi wrote from 1890–1891.

[328] I.e., from V. G. and A. K. Chertkov.

[329] The story, _The Forged Coupon_, begun by Tolstoi as early as the end of the eighties and only begun again by him at the end of 1902.

[330] N. S. Lieskov (1831–1895), a well-known writer. In the last years of his life he shared in many respects the views of Tolstoi. The story of Lieskov mentioned by Tolstoi is called _The Hour of the Will of God_.

[331] Five years later, in 1903, Tolstoi worked this theme out in a story entitled _Three Problems_.

[332] The christening of the first child of Count L. L. Tolstoi.

[333] About this time Tolstoi wrote to V. G. Chertkov: “My sickness at first began as dysentery, then I had very great pains and fever and weakness. Now everything has passed.”

[334] Prince E. E. Ukhtomsky, the editor and publisher of the Petrograd _Viedomosti_.

[335] “Is There Famine or No Famine?”

[336] The weekly newspaper issued in Petrograd by S. F. Sharapov.

[337] This was done in those places where Tolstoi organised aid to the famine-stricken.

[338] I. C. Dieterichs, a former Cossack artillery officer, who held the same views as Tolstoi, a brother of Madame A. C. Chertkov, and his sisters, Maria and Olga Constantinovna.

[339] There occurred in England at this time, some misunderstandings between several friends of Tolstoi, who had to be convinced by experience that having the same point of view is far from being of one mind. The misunderstandings were later smoothed over.

[340] The contemporary French novelist.

[341] See Note 339.

[342] Elizabeth Picard, a Quaker, wrote an open letter to the well-known English publisher, Stead, editor of the magazine _War Against War_, which preached universal peace, and which at the same time was against those persons who refused military service.

[343] C. T. Willard of Chicago offered himself as mediator in the emigration of the Dukhobors to America. Tolstoi sent his letter to England to V. G. Chertkov, whose house at this time was the headquarters for all communications concerning the emigration of the Dukhobors.

[344] V. P. Gaideburov, from 1894 on, editor and publisher of _Nediela_.

[345] In English in the original.

[346] This intention was carried out by Tolstoi, at least in regard to _Resurrection_, which he gave to the publication _Niva_, edited by A. F. Marx, who paid twelve thousand roubles for the first printing. The money was used by Tolstoi in aid of the emigrating Dukhobors.

Originally, Tolstoi suggested selling the copyright of three of his novels, _The Devil_, _Resurrection_, and _Father Sergius_, to English and American papers on advantageous terms. Then he decided not to publish _The Devil_. At first he thought that he would not make a final revision of _Resurrection_ and of _Father Sergius_, but would give them over to be printed straight away, just as they were written. But later he re-read _Resurrection_ and little by little began to work on it with such absorption “as he had not experienced in a long time.” Later Tolstoi decided to give only _Resurrection_ for the benefit of the Dukhobors and did not begin to work on _Father Sergius_.

[347] Arvid Järnefelt. The well-known Finnish writer who held the same opinions as Tolstoi. After graduating from Helsingfors University, he prepared himself for the career of magistrate, but becoming acquainted with the writings of Tolstoi, he brusquely changed his life. He learnt the trade of cobbler and locksmith and later, at the end of the nineties, he bought a plot of land and began to till the soil, not ceasing his literary labours, however. He translated many works of Tolstoi into Finnish. The novels of Järnefelt are _My Native Land_, _Children of the Earth_ and several stories which are translated into Russian. The acquaintance of Järnefelt with Tolstoi began with his sending his book called _My Awakening_ to Tolstoi in 1895. It was in Finnish, and with it he sent a translation of one of his chapters: “Why I Did Not Undertake the Post of Judge.” This chapter, together with an accompanying letter by Järnefelt, Tolstoi included in his manuscript No. 4, _Archives of L. N. Tolstoi_.

Tolstoi’s letter to Järnefelt, mentioned in the Journal, is as follows:

“Although we have never seen each other, we know and love each other, and therefore I boldly turn to you with a request to do me a great service.

“The matter which I bring before you ought to remain unknown to any one except to us, and therefore speak to no one about this letter, but answer me (Station Kozlovka on the Moscow-Kursk Railway), where you are now, and whether you are ready to help me. I am writing thus briefly, because I have little hope that with the insufficient address, my letter will reach you.

“LEO TOLSTOI.”

In explanation of this letter Järnefelt communicated the following to the editors: “I quickly answered Tolstoi’s question. I was convinced that he wanted to leave Yasnaya and to plan an escape. But when we met later in Moscow in 1899, Tolstoi immediately said: ‘Yes, yes, you understood me, but the temptation passed by me in time.’ And then glancing about him with a deep sigh of pain he said, ‘You will excuse me, Järnefelt, that I live as I do, but probably it is as it ought to be.’ And we did not speak any more about this matter.”

And so, in his letter to Järnefelt of December 16, 1898, i.e., still before this meeting with him, Tolstoi wrote: “If I should ever meet you, which I want to very much, I will then tell you what kind of help I expected from you. Now the temptation which forced me to seek help from you has passed.”

In his letter to V. G. Chertkov of July 21st of that year, i.e., three days after the above mentioned note in the Journal, Tolstoi wrote: “_Read this to no one._ I teach others, but do not know how to live myself. For how many years have I given myself the question, Is it fitting that I continue to live as I am living, or shall I go away?--and I cannot decide. I know that everything is decided by renouncing oneself and when I attain that then everything is clear. But they are rare moments.”

[348] See Note 347.

[349] A collection in the church Slavonic tongue, _Love of Good_, or _Words and Chapters of Sacred Sobriety_, collected from the writings of the Saints and God-inspired fathers. In his library, Tolstoi had a volume of _Love of Good_ with a great many notes in the margin made in his own hand.

[350] With I. I. Gorbunov, who came for a short time to Ovsiannikovo to his brother, who lived there at this time, the actor N. I. Gorbunov. At this meeting, Tolstoi said to I. I. Gorbunov that it was the gentlemanly state of his life that had become more agonising to him, that he was “ashamed to look in the eyes of his lackeys” and that he wanted to go away. He said among other things that he was thinking of going away with I. I. Gorbunov to Kaluga (where Gorbunov lived at that time)--and further than that, he still had another plan ... perhaps it was the plan about which Tolstoi had written a little while before to Järnefelt. (See Note 347.)

[351] Tolstoi’s brother, Count Serge Nicholaievich.

[352] Tolstoi’s sister, Countess M. N. Tolstoi.

[353] The English authorities of the Island of Cyprus asked a money guarantee of about two hundred and fifty roubles for each man from the Dukhobors emigrating there, so that in case of need they would not have to be supported at the government expense. At that time it became known, that in Russia several influential governmental persons had begun to zealously urge the government to send the Dukhobors to Manchuria for the Russification of those Chinese borders adjacent to Russia. It was necessary to hurry with the emigration of the Dukhobors; the English Quakers pulled them out of their helpless position, who first of all persuaded the English Government to decrease the guarantee from two hundred and fifty roubles to one hundred and fifty for each man, and afterwards in several days, collected among themselves a guarantee of one hundred thousand roubles, which, together with the fifty thousand roubles which were contributed at that time by various people, made up the necessary sum for giving the guarantee for the whole party of Dukhobors. In his letter to the Dukhobors of August 27, 1898, Tolstoi ended thus: “May God help you to accomplish His will with Christian manhood, patience and faithfulness, in establishing this change in your life.”

[354] M. N. Rostovtzev, the daughter of Madame M. D. Rostovtzev, a land-lady of Voronezh, and a follower of Tolstoi, on coming from the Chertkovs, was arrested on the border because, at the custom examination some pieces of proof of a forbidden book were found on her. She was soon freed.

[355] The interruption in receiving letters from V. G. Chertkov was caused by the secret police looking through them. Therefore Chertkov was forced to carry on a part of this far-distant correspondence through a circuitous address. In the letter to him at the end of August, 1898, Tolstoi, informing Chertkov that one of his letters was kept back a month, wrote: “Yesterday I received your letter of August 5th. It is terribly vexing, this interference with our communications which now have become so specially important. And what is it for?”

[356] See Note 355.

[357] L. A. Sullerzhitsky went to the Caucasus to help the Dukhobors arrange for their emigration abroad.

The first group of Dukhobors, to the number of 1,126 persons, who had suffered the most from exile, hunger and illness, left on the 6th of August, 1898, for the Island of Cyprus while other lands be found and sufficient money collected for the transportation of those remaining to a more suitable place.

At the request of Tolstoi, L. A. Sullerzhitsky later accompanied a group of Dukhobors to Canada. He wrote a book about this journey, _In America With the Dukhobors_, issued by _Posrednik_, Moscow, 1905.

[358] The sister of Tolstoi, Countess Maria Nicholaievna. A month later, September 30, 1898, Tolstoi wrote to V. G. Chertkov: “Yesterday my sister, M. N., left, with whom I spent a very friendly month, never having been so loving.”

[359] V. A. Kuzminsky, a niece of Countess S. A. Tolstoi.

[360] Countess Vera S. Tolstoi, a niece of Tolstoi, daughter of Count S. N. Tolstoi.

[361] Tolstoi’s seventieth birthday, celebrated August 28, 1898.

[362] According to the contract with the publisher of _Niva_, A. F. Marx, Tolstoi at the conclusion of the contract, received the whole of his royalty for only the first 200 pages of _Resurrection_.

[363] In regard to the false rumours which were reaching Tolstoi at this time, about the affairs of the emigrating Dukhobors.

[364] One of the Dukhobors exiled to Siberia, V. N. Pozdniakov, was sent by his brethren to the leader of the Dukhobors, P. V. Verigin, who was then in exile in the village of Obdorsk in the province of Tobolsk. Receiving a letter of instructions from Verigin for the group in general, he brought this letter to his brethren in the Caucasus and on his way reached Yasnaya Polyana. He showed Tolstoi marks on his body from ill-treatment he had suffered three years before.

[365] Herbert Archer, an English co-worker with V. G. Chertkov, who went at his request to Tolstoi to transmit information to him with regard to the Dukhobors and to dissipate the false rumours about them which had reached Tolstoi from outsiders. About this time, in his letter to Countess S. A. Tolstoi, Tolstoi wrote about Archer: “He looks insignificant, but he is a very good man and a remarkably clever one.” (_Letters of Count L. N. Tolstoi to his Wife_, March, 1913, page 555.)

[366] This thought Tolstoi changed in the following form for _The Reading Circle_: “Now I consider as myself my body with its senses, but then