Chertkov, Vladimir Grigoryevich
(St. Petersburg 1854-1935 Moskau) : Verleger
Subjects
Bibliography / Bibliophilism / Library Science
/
Index of Names : Occident
Chronology Entries (4)
| # | Year | Text | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1883 |
Letters from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (Nov.) "I have been rereading Lao Tzu and now have begun reading Legge, the volume containing Mo Ti. I should like to write a book about Chinese wisdom, and particularly a discussion about human nature being good, and human nature being evil, and that people must be either egoistic individualists, or must be loving. All this is very interesting and important to me, and I should like to make it accessible to all and to write about it. Please send me, if you do not need them, the remaining books of Legge and Pauthier, provided you have them." [Legge Mencius ; Pauthier Lao Tzu]. "I wrote you about the Chinese, asking you to send me Legge and Pauthier, and wanted to do this work. But now it is clear to me that it should be done by you, and that you will do it easily and beautifully. The work consists of translating Legge's two volumes on Confucius and Mencius, with all his investigations into the lives of these sages and of the philosophers contemporaneous and close to them. (I do not remember about the book of Confucius, but in Mencius there is an account of these philosophers, among them Mo Ti, which is extremely interesting as well as important.) Mencus himself is also exceptionally interesting. If you could manage and introduction for this book (it mus be written as a single book: 'Chinese sages', that would be fine. But if not, then simply a translation of Legge – omitting only some of the overly dogmatic Christian remarks – would be one of the best books for the intellectual 'Posrednik'. Firstly, because for most of the reading public all this is completely new ; secondly, the subjects discussed are the most important ones in the world and are treated with seriousness ; and thirdly, many highly moral ideas are beautifully espressed. So as soon as you tell me that you agree, I shall send you all I have. As for Budha, finish it up. You have made an excellent beginning and should not dig too deeply with the plow. Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien." "I still want to look through the books on Chinese wisdom in order to work out a plan more clearly. As soon as I finish this one of these days, I shall send them to you. A marvelous work." |
|
| 2 | 1884 |
Letters from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (Febr.) "I sit at home with fever and a severe cold in the head, and read Confucius for the second day. It is difficult to realize its extraordinary moral height. One delights in seeing how this teaching at times approaches the height of the Christian teaching." (March) I am very much occupied with Chinese wisdom. I should greatly like to tell you and everybody else of theat moral good which these books have done me." (July) "I am occupied with Chinese religion. I have found much that is good, useful and heartening for myself. I want to share it with oders, God willing." [Betr. Four books von Legge und Lao Tze von Julien] |
|
| 3 | 1889 |
Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov (March) "I like very much the saying : 'Dans le doute abstiens toi'. I consider this to be a Christian rule. It is the same as the hightest virtue in Lao Tzu, 'le non-agir'. As I understand this, all our sins come from what we do, that is, from doing for ourselves what we ought not to have done." |
|
| 4 | 1890 |
Letter from Leo Tolstoy to Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov "A very good work awaits someone who knows English and understands the meaning of Christ's teaching. It is this : In the Chinese books in English – I have forgotten the translator – which I had and which you now have, there is Mot Ti's doctrine of love. Do you remember ? In the teachings of Mencius and Confucius (especially Mencius) there is a refutation of this doctrine. Well, then, to translate all this and prepare a book, to show that this doctrine of love – as an extremely utilitarian doctrine – had been presented so long ago among the Chinese, and that it had been very poorly refuted, and that this doctrine – an earthly, utilitarian one, without the idea of a Father, or, most important, of life, i.e., eternal life – had a great influence. This would be excellent." |