Ostrovsky, Aleksandr Nicolaevich, 1823-1886 / 2008-09-20 00:00:00

EBOOK THE STORM ***


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THE STORM
BY
OSTROVSKY
[Aleksandr Nicolaevich Ostrovsky]
TRANSLATED BY CONSTANCE GARNETT


INTRODUCTION

Up to the years of the Crimean War Russia was always a strange, uncouth
riddle to the European consciousness. It would be an interesting study to
trace back through the last three centuries the evidence of the historical
documents that our forefathers have left us when they were brought face to
face, through missions, embassies, travel, and commerce, with the
fantastic life, as it seemed to them, led by the Muscovite. But in any
chance record we may pick up, from the reports of a seventeenth century
embassy down to the narrative of an early nineteenth century traveller,
the note always insisted on is that of all the outlandish civilisations,
queer manners and customs of Europeans, the Russian's were the queerest
and those standing furthest removed from the other nations'. And this
sentiment has prevailed to-day, side by side with the better understanding
we have gained of Russia.
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