Summary of “Letters of the Russian traveler” Karamzin
In the preface to the second edition of letters in 1793, the author draws the reader’s attention to the fact that he did not dare to change the manner of the narrative-the living, sincere impressions of an inexperienced young man, lacking the cautiousness and legibility of a sophisticated court or experienced professor. He began his journey in May 1789.
In the first letter sent from Tver, the young man tells that the realized dream of traveling caused in his soul the pain of parting with everything and everything that was dear to his heart, and the sight of retreating Moscow made him cry.
Difficulties awaiting travelers on the road, distracted the hero from sad experiences. Already in St. Petersburg it turned out that a passport obtained in Moscow does not entitle to a sea voyage, and the hero had to change his route and experience inconveniences from the endless breakdowns of wagons, trucks and wagons.
Narva, Palanga, Riga – road impressions forced the
Having quickly reached Berlin, the young man hastened to inspect the Royal Library and the Berlin menagerie mentioned in the descriptions of the city made by Nikolai, with whom the young Traveler soon met.
The author of the letters did not miss the opportunity to visit the presentation of another melodrama Kotzebue. In Sanssouci, he did not fail to note that the amusement castle more often characterizes King Frederick as a philosopher, connoisseur of arts and sciences, rather than as an omnipotent ruler.
Arriving in Dresden, the Traveler went to inspect the picture gallery. He not only described his impressions of the glorified paintings, but also added biographical information about the artists to the letters: Raphael, Correggio,
From Dresden, the author decided to go to Leipzig, describing in detail the pictures of nature, opening the view from the window of a post coach or long walks. Leipzig struck him with an abundance of bookstores, which is natural for a city where book fairs are organized thrice a year. In Weimar, the author met Gerder and Wiland, whose literary works were well known.
In the vicinity of Frankfurt am Main, he did not cease to be surprised by the beauty of the landscapes that remind him of the creations of Salvator Rosa or Poussin. A young traveler, sometimes speaking of himself in a third person, crosses the French border, but suddenly finds himself in another country, without explaining in any way the reason for the change in the route.
Switzerland – the land of “freedom and prosperity” – began for the author from the city of Basel. Later, in Zurich, the author met repeatedly with Lafater and attended his public appearances. Further letters of the author are often marked only by indicating the hour of writing the letter, and not by the usual date, as before. The events taking place in France are indicated very carefully – for example, a casual encounter with the Count d’Artois with a retinue intending to go to Italy is mentioned.
The traveler enjoyed walks through the Alpine mountains, lakes, visited memorable places. He discusses the peculiarities of education and expresses the opinion that in Lausanne, French should be studied, and all other subjects comprehended in German universities. Like every well-read traveler, the author of the letters decided to examine the surroundings of Lausanne with a volume of “Eloise” by Rousseau (“Julia, or New Eloise” – a novel in letters) to compare his personal impressions of the places where Russo settled his “romance lovers” with literary descriptions.
The place of pilgrimage was the village of Ferney, where he lived “the most glorious of the writers of our century” – Voltaire. With pleasure the Traveler noted that the portrait of the Russian Empress with the inscription in French on the wall of the bedroom-room of the great old man hung in silk with the inscription in French: “Given to Voltaire by the author”.
On December 1, 1789, the author was twenty-three years old, and early in the morning he went to the shore of Lake Geneva, thinking about the meaning of life and remembering his friends. After spending several months in Switzerland, the Traveler went to France.
The first French city on its way was Lyon. The author was all interested – the theater, Parisians, stuck in the city and awaiting departure to other lands, ancient ruins. The ancient arcades and remnants of the Roman aqueduct forced the author to think about how little his contemporaries think about the past and the future, do not try to “plant an oak without hope to rest in the shadow of it.” Here, in Lyon, he saw the new tragedy of Chenier “Charles IX” and described in detail the reaction of viewers who saw in the play the current state of France. Without it, the young Traveler writes, the play could hardly have made an impression anywhere.
Soon the writer goes to Paris, impatient before meeting with the great city. He describes in detail the streets, houses, people. Anticipating the questions of interested friends about the French Revolution, writes: “Do not think, however, that the whole nation should participate in the tragedy that is being played in France now.” The Young Traveler describes his impressions of the meeting with the royal family, which he accidentally saw in the church. He does not dwell on the details, except one – the purple color of the clothes (the color of mourning accepted at the court). He is amused by the play of Boulia “Peter the Great”, played by the actors very diligently, but testifying to the insufficient knowledge of both the author of the play and the decorators of the play in the peculiarities of Russian life. To the arguments about Peter the Great the author turns in his letters more than once.
He happened to meet with Mr. Levek, the author of “Russian History”, which gives him an opportunity to speculate about historical works and the need for such work in Russia. The model for imitation is the works of Tacitus, Hume, Robertson, Gibbon. The young man compares Vladimir with Louis XI, and Tsar John with Cromwell. The author considers the greatest shortcoming of the historical work on Russia left from Levek’s pen not so much the lack of liveliness of the syllable and the pallor of colors, but rather the attitude to the role of Peter the Great in Russian history.
The path of education or enlightenment, says the author, is one for all peoples, and, taking as a model for imitation already found by other peoples, Peter acted reasonably and farsighted. “To choose in everything the best is the action of the enlightened mind, and Peter the Great wanted to enlighten the mind in all respects.” The letter, marked May 1790, contains other interesting reflections of the young author. He wrote: “All the people’s nothing before the human. The main thing is to be people, not Slavs.”
In Paris the young Traveler has visited, it seems, everywhere – theaters, boulevards, academies, coffee houses, literary salons and private houses. At the Academy he was interested in the “Lexicon of the French Language”, which earned praise for the severity and purity, but condemned for lack of proper completeness. He was interested in the rules for holding meetings at the Academy, established by Cardinal Richelieu. Conditions for admission to another Academy – the Academy of Sciences; the Academy of Inscriptions and Literature, as well as the Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
Coffee houses attracted the attention of the author to the possibility for visitors to speak publicly about novelties of literature or politics, gathering in cozy places where one can see both Parisian celebrities and those who are wandering to listen to reading poetry or prose.
The author is interested in the history of the Iron Mask, the entertainment of commoners, the construction of hospitals or special schools. He was amazed that the deaf and dumb students of one school and the blind other are able to read, write and judge not only about grammar, geography or mathematics, but are able to reflect on abstract substances. A special bulging font allowed blind students to read the same books as their sighted peers.
The streets of Paris remind the author of historical events, correlated with what can be seen in modern France. Hence the reasoning about Henry IV or Philip the Beautiful.
The beauty of the Bois de Boulogne and Versailles did not leave the sensitive heart indifferent, but it is time to leave Paris and go to London, a goal already outlined in Russia. “Paris and London, the first two cities in Europe, were the two Pharos of my journey, when I compiled his plan.” On the packet from Calais the author continues his journey.
Already the very first English impressions of the author testify to the long-standing interest in this country. He is fascinated by the ubiquitous order and “kind of contentment, although not luxury, but abundance.”
The first acquaintance with the best English audience took place in Westminster Abbey on the annual performance of Handel’s oratorio “Messiah”, where the royal family was also present. The young man recognized the people of other estates in the most unexpected way. He was surprised by the hotel maid, who talks about the heroes of Richardson and Fielding and prefers Lovelace to Grandison.
The author immediately drew attention to the fact that well-bred Englishmen, who usually know French, prefer to speak in English. “What a difference with us!” – exclaims the author, regretting that in our “good society” you can not do without the French language.
He visited the London courts and prisons, delving into all the circumstances of the proceedings and the content of criminals. Noted the benefit of the jury trial, in which the life of a person depends only on the law, and not on other people.
The hospital for the insane – Bedlam – made him think about the causes of insanity in this century, the insanity that the preceding epochs did not know. The physical causes of insanity are much less than moral causes, and the image of modern life contributes to the fact that you can see in the light both the ten-year-old and sixty-year-old Sappho.
The London Tarr, the Greenwich hospital for the elderly sailors, the meeting of the Quakers or other Christian sects, St Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Park, the Bourse and the Royal Society all attracted the author’s attention, although, according to his own remark, “London does not have so much a note of worthy things, as Paris “.
The traveler stops by describing the types (noting the correctness of Hogarth’s drawings) and manners, especially detailing the customs of London thieves, who have their clubs and taverns.
In English family life, the author is attracted to the goodwill of Englishwomen, for whom going out into the light or to a concert is a whole event. Russian high society aspires to always be on a visit or receive guests. The author of the letters assigns responsibility for the manners of wives and daughters to men.
He describes in detail an unusual kind of amusement for Londoners of all classes – Voxal.
His reasoning about English literature and theater is very strict, and he writes: “I repeat: the English have only Shakespeare! All their newest tragedies only want to be strong, but in fact they are weak in spirit.”
Concluding his trip to England, the author says: “I would come again to England with pleasure, but I will leave it without regret.”
The last letter of the Traveler is written in Kronstadt and is full of anticipation of how he will recall the experience, “be sad with my heart and be consoled with friends!”.
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