Anna Karenina

mmer was half over, but Sergey Ivanovitc

this book and its introduction had appeared in periodical publications, and other parts had been read by Sergey Ivanovitch to persons of his circle, so that the leading ideas of the work could not be completely novel to the public. But stil

book had last year been published, and h

e book was going, and did not even inquire of the booksellers how the book was selling, Sergey Ivanovitch was all on th

istakably from politeness-alluded to it. The rest of his acquaintances, not interested in a book on a learned subject, did not talk of it at all. And society

time necessary for writing a review, but a month

is voice, there was a contemptuous allusion to Koznishev's book, suggesting that the b

d in a serious review. Sergey Ivanovitch knew the aut

valid, very bold as a writer, but extremely defi

t was with complete respect that Sergey Ivanovitch

cely anyone had read it) it seemed absolutely clear that the whole book was nothing but a medley of high-flown phrases, not even-as suggested by marks of interrogation-used appropriately, and that the autho

rguments, he did not for a minute stop to ponder over the faults and mistakes which were ridiculed; but unconsciousl

in some way?" Serge

ung man about something he had said that betrayed ignoranc

e press and in conversation, and Sergey Ivanovitch saw that his six yea

that, since he had finished his book, he had had no more literary wo

ngs, assemblies, and committees-everywhere where talk was possible-took up part of his time. But being used for years to town life, he did not waste all his e

n alliance, of the Samara famine, of exhibitions, and of spiritualism, were definitely replaced in public interest by the Slavonic question, which had hith

Everything that the idle crowd usually does to kill time was done now for the benefit of the Slavonic States. Balls, con

superfluous and exaggerated, with the sole aim of attracting attention and outbidding one another. He saw that in this general movement those who thrust themselves most forward and shouted the loudest were men who had failed and were smarting under a sense of injury-generals without armies, ministers not in the ministry, journalists not on any paper, party leaders without followers. He saw that there was a great deal in it that was frivolous and ab

definitely expressed its desire. The soul of the people had, as Sergey Ivanovitch said, found expression. And the more he worked

w was engrossed by it, so that he could scarcely manage to answer all the letters and appeals addressed to him. He worked t

oy the sight of that uplifting of the spirit of the people, of which, like all residents in the capital and big towns, he wa