Pauli V. Papae Excommunicationis Sententia Adversus Serenissimum Ducem & Senatum AC Universum Dominium Venetum OB Decreta Sua I. de Non Alienandis Bonis Immobilibus in Personas Ecclesiasitcae Et Pro Iisdem Diversorum Gravissimorum (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNT TOLSTOY BEFORE HE BEGAN TO TEACH HIS CREED. Ik we would form a just estimate of the peculiar traits in the character and teaching of Leo Nicholacvitch; and must not forget the close relation they have to the views and opinions of Jean Jacques Rousseau. There i? no dcubt that the writings of the French thinker had a great influence on his own mode of thought. He was still young when he first became acquainted with them, and was immediately attracted by thin. In their love of nature, and in their preference for all th.it is simple, coupled with a strong aversion to modern civilisation, v/e recognise the salient points ofresemblance that have been wont, and still continue to characterise these two writers. A hundred years have passed, and Rousseau still speaks in the pages of our Russian Tolstoi. Most of us, if we remark the beauties of nature, are rarely, if ever, moved to raptures over them. It was not so with Leo Nicholaevitch. Every day of his life he showed and expressed his joyous recognition of her charms. What inexhaustible wealth is enjoyed by God Each new day reveals to Him some fresh beauty, distinguishing it from all that have, gone before. In his works we read that the agriculturist and sportsman alone know nature; and he himself was a keen sportsman, and still is an agriculturist. No bad weather was allowed to interfere with his daily walk. He could put up with loss of appetite, from which he occasionally suffered, but he could never go a day withouta sharp walk in the pure open air. In general, he was fond of active movement, riding, gymnastics, but particularly walking. If his literary work chanced to go badly, or if he wished to throw off the effects of any unpleasantness, a long walk was his sovereign r...