The Diary of a Writer

1117 Pages·1919·18.272 MB·English

by  Fyodor Dostoevsky

THE
DIARYO F
A WRITER
F.M . DOSTOIEVSK Y
TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED
RY
BORIS BRASOL
N.ew York
GEORGE BRAZILLER
COPYRIGII'J'01 919.B Y
CHARLES SCRIBNER"S SONS
Pri.ated in the UnitedS tateso f America
PREFACE
FEODOR l\1.D OSTOIEVSKwYa sb oronn O ctob3e0r1 ,8 21,
inM oscoww,h erhei sf athear p,h ysicaitat nh eM aryH ospitfaolr
theP oora,n da mano fm odesmte ansh imsewlafs,t henr esiding.
Youngi Jostoievesdkuyc'ast iboeng arna theera rlwyh,e nh e was
onlfiyv eH.i sp arenwtesr ev errye ligiaonudis m parttehde isri mple,
butf ervefnati,t thot heisro nI.n t hee venintghsef athuesre dt o
read altooau ldl mtehmeb erosf h isf amilKya ramzi(nq'.sv H.i)s ­
toryo ft heR ussiaSnt atoer,s omeo thecrl assical wloirtke.r ary
WhenF eodorre achtehdea geo ft enh,i s fathera sbmoaulglh te state
int heP rovinocfTe u lan,o tf arf rom:\ Joscow. tThhebe oryec ame
intcoo ntawcitt rhu raRlu ssiAat.t hea geo ff ourteFeeno,d or entered
a higshc hoionll\ loscoiwnw, hic1\hJ ichaheilse, l debrr other, was
alssot udyiantgt het imeT.h isw asa model scwhhoe,r-;1ee. v en
Universpirtoyf essgoarvsec oursfeosr puipnit lhse igher grades.
In 1837D ostoievlsoksyht i sm othetro,w hom hew ast enderly
devoteSdh.o rtalfyt ehre rd eathhe m atriculaattt ehdeE ngineering
Schooiln S t.P etersbTuhrigs.t, o ow,a sa ne xcelleanptployi nted
educatiionnsatli tuwthiiocwnha st heunn det1h ep atronoafgG er and
Duke1\ 'lichatehleb, r othoefEr m peroKri cholIa.Es v end urintgh at
earlpye riDoods toievbsekgyat no e vingcleo omayn dh ypochondriac
traiotfsc haracHteer t.o onk oi nteriensh ti ss chooL�ates, keeping
alooffr omt heeinrt ertainamneddn its�t ractTihoesn isyx.e arwsh ich
hes penitn t heE ngineerSicnhgo oclo ntribmuutcehdt oh ism ental
development, pabretciacuuhseles a prelnyat g readte aolf h ist ime
inr eadianngd i ns elf-educIant1 i8o1n'1D. o stoievsfkayt'hdsei re d,
andt hiwsa st hes ecosnedv esrheo ciknh ,>doyro'usn lgi fe.
Aftegrr aduatiDoons,t oievesnktye rGeodv ernmesnetr vei,c
but alll eahniisn lgasyi nt he fioefll di terwaorryk I.n 1845h e
completheidsfi rsnto vePlo,o rF olkw,h icha, i ewm onthlsa ter,
was publisihneT dh eS t.P etersgb Cuorllectai moang,az ineed ited
v
vi PRt:l<'ACt:
•byN . A. Nekraso(vqv .).,a famouRsu ssiapnoe t.T hisfi rst
worko fD ostoievwsaksye nthusiastgirceaeltbleyyd t heR ussian
literwaorryl da,n dw ont hea pprovoaflB ielin(sqkv.y). ,w hose
famea sa critwiacs t hena ti tzse nitThh.e s uccewshsi cahc com­
panieDdo stoievslkiyt'esr adreyb utb roughhti m intop ersonal
contawcitt hB ielinasnkdyt harta diccailr colfew hichhe w ast he
recognilzeeadd eDro.s toievbsekgya ans sociawtiitnhtg h esmee n,
witwhh osvei ewhse h adn os ympatwhhya tsoeIvtewr a.s t hetnh at
he madet hea cquaintoafno cnee P etrashevas rkeyv,o lutionary,
whosaec tivictaimeets o t hen otiocfet hep oliucned eNri cholIa.s
On Apri2l3 1,8 4P9e,t rasheavnsdka yl lh isa ssociaitnecsl,u ding
Dostoievwsekryae,r restDeods.t oievwsaksay c cusoefdh avinrge ad
alouadt o neo fP etrashevsky's Bmif'ef'ltinisnnkgoyst'.os r iJoeutst er
toG ogo()q v..)o fJ ul1y5 1,8 4a7p,ro ptohsel atteCro'rsr espondence
witFhr ienindw shi,c hhe e xpoundceodn servavtiievweAs f.t esre ven
monthosf c onfinemeinntt heS S.P etearn dP aulF ortretshse
Petrashetvrsikaycla met oa n endA.l lt hed efendawnetrses en­
tencetdod eatahn,d o nD ecembe2r,2 1 84t9h,e wye reb rougfhotr
executtioot nh eS emenovsSkqyu arien S t.P etersbuHrogw.e ver,
thed eatphe nalwtays c ommutebdy t heE mperoarn,d D ostoievsky
wass ententcoef do uyre arosf h ardl aboirn S iberOina M.a rch2 ,
185h4e,w asr eleasferodm p rison, after which, for several years,
hes erveadsa privaitnet heS eventh SiberianH eB raet­talion.
turnetdoE uropeRauns siian1 85T9w.o yearlsa tehre p ublished
hisM emorisf rotmh Heo usoefD eatahni, n geniroeussu moef h is
priseonx perienIcne1 s�.6 a4p pearedL ehtistf errostm h Uen der­
worlwdhi,c rhe vealtehdef ulplo weorf h isa nalytigceanli us. This
novemla yb er egardaestd h en ucleoufsm anyp rofouindde awsh ich
weres ubsequednetvleyl oipneC dr iema nPd unish(m1 e8n6t6T )h,e
InsulatnedId n jur(e1d8 6T7h)e,I dio(8t16 8)T,h eP ossessed
(1817871)2-,an di nT heB rothKearrsa ma(z1o8v78 98-o1).
Dostoievesxkpyo undheidsp olitipchaill osoipnhT yh eD iary
ofa Writ(e1r8 7138,71 687,7 a ndo nei ssueea chi n1 88aon d
1881)T.he l asits i,n a way,a uniqulei terparroyd ucthiaovni,n g
noc ounteripnaw rotr lldi teratEuvardei.n egv ereys tablibsehlelde ­
tristpiact te(rnno vesla,t irder,a mar,e minisceenscseasyf,,a ble,
et)c,.i ti sa boladt temopntt hep arotf a mano fg eniutsoe nter
intaon i nformal cwoiltlhhoi qrsue ya decrrsi,t aincdsc orrespondents
-att imeosn,m osli ntimattoep icIsn.s omeo ft hes ketchaeps­
pearinign t heD iarDoys toievtsokuyc hueposn manyo ft heb urn­
ingp roblewmist whh icRhu ssihaa dt oc onteanfdt etrh el iberation
oft hep easanitn1s 6 81T.he p eoplbeec amceo nfusaenddt hec oun­
tryw as ina statoef b othn aturaanld s timulautnerde sTth.e se
conditioofnsn ,ec essiftoyu,n tdh eirre flectiinol ni teratwuhriec h
I J
PREFACE vii
inR usshiaas,a lwabyese ann a ccurbaatreo meotfpe urb lmioco dS"
anda spiraAtsiN oenksr.a aspotvpl uyit t :
A writiefhr e,b ea w ave,
AndR ussbieaa s toromrya" n ,
Cannboutt b ei ng recaotm motion
Whene lemeinnft usr rya ve.
Whilmeuc hs paciesd evotientd h eD iartyopo litiqcuaels ­
tioness,p ecitaoRl ulsys ipaa'rist n t heu ltimsaettet leomfet nhte
futudrees tionfiS elsa vdoDmo,s toievSslkayv'osp ihdielaae!'r e
hardtlhyem ost appoerai lmipnogr tpaonrtt iooftn h eb ookWh.a t
iso fg enuainndel astiinntge irse-stutos P eu shkpihnr'ass e-
Hism indd'iss passoibosneerdv ations
Andd olerfeuclo orfdh si hse art.
Wherheu mapns ycholiosa gsys aywehde,rm ea n'ssu fferpienrg­s,
plexiatnidme esn taaglo niaersed welutp onD,o stoietvhseuk ny­,
riveadlp,le rspicraecaidooeufrst hem inadn dh earetm,re geasi a
great friend aosaf g ohonSdma amnaairntie,ytv, e rre adayn de ager
tol enhdi hse lpihnagnt do h imw hos tanhdesl plaensdhs o peless,
battebryet dh set oramnsdt rageodfil eisfI ent. h isse ntsheDe iary
isa noblheu madno cuemntR.o usseaanud'T so ls'tsos yomewhat
pretent'i'ocuosn fesGsoieotnhsDe,i'"sc htuunndWl{a hrh1\eIiuts,­
setL'saC onfeds'suino n EdnufS iacnctal !leds, i milpaurb lic
avowaalrse,e ithmeorr eo rl esesn tertamiE'n:i.'"n'rgos r,a uto­
biograpdhiisccaolu erssseesn,te igaoclelnyt ridce �a'.net d h,e sierl f­
denuinactioobnv,i ouisnltye nedietdh teord iagntohseea uthor's
"mormaall adoyrt" o j ustiitbf yyr ea�o.fot nh rreo rbiindfl uences
ofa vici"omuisl ioeruo "t hecri rcumstbaenycoeonsnd e c'osn trol.
TheD iary,o nt heo ther choanntda,li intsat ulteo biogrmaap­hical
teriTahlea. u tho"rl''is'sb ashfhuildldybe enh indc otuhlei osfs es
thei mpetunoaursr atoinvleny;o wa ndt hen diota epsp eaasra
mercea suaalll ustioso onm ethhianvgi an gge nerSailg nificiann ce
thet reatmoefan tv ·i1s tu bjeTchtee. m phahseirsie sn oto n" I"
buto n" youo,n"t hteh intghsaa tr ce ommotnoa lmle nt,o e very
strma toufm odersno cieItfsy o.m oe fD ostoievvsik:ywm'sas y
welble c hallengesdi,n ctehcreaiint·r -yt - annde vehra sb een­
questiAotna endyr. a te, tthhepeyr oadruoecf at d eeapn dk eenly
analytmiicnawdlh icwha sf ascinbaytt ehdei nvis"icbhleem ical"
and" thermsaple"c otfro at hpeero ep'lcso nscioaunsdne emsost ions.
Preciisentl hye sfiee lds, ccaornecfE'uafllrleoydr n icdulreirossi't y,
Dostoiedvisskcyo vaelrtleh dec landelsotnigniemn ogrsb,is dt ates
viii PREFACE
'
andt·e mperamecnrtiaslse esc redtwleyl lionrmg e,r elsyu bconsciously
slumberiinnm ga,n 'esg o.
Event odatyh ep rolilfiict erhaerryi toafgD eo stoievissnk oyt
fully apparnadie sveadl uatIefPd u.s hkciann b ec alltehdeR aphael
of Russialni teratDuorset,o ievsshkoyu lbde recogniazse idt s
MichelangHeilsfo a.m er eachietdcs l imaixn1 88oa,f tehri sb rilliant
speecha tt heu nveiloifnt gh eP ushkmionn umenitn M oscowT.h is
famouasd dreissrs e cordientd h eD iarfoytr h ey ea1r8 8o.
Dostoievdsikeiydn S tP.e tersbounrJ ga,n ua2r8y, 1 881E.n or­
mousc rowdast tendheidsf uneramle:na ndw omenf roma lwla lks
ofl ife-statoefsh miegnrh a nka ndd owntrodpdreons tit;iu ltleis ter­
atep easanatnsd d istingumiesnh oefdl ett;e arrsm yo fficerasn d
learnsecdi enticsrtesd;u lous priests asntdu diennctrse-dtuhleoyu s
werea ltlh ere.
Whom didR ussibau ryw itsho g reaat r everenWcaes?i to nly
oneo fh erf amoumse no fl etteIrnsd?e endo t:i nt hacto ffinl ay
a noblaen dl oftmya na, p rudetneta chaenri ,n spiprreodp hwehto se
thoughltisk,me o untapiena kwse,r ea lwaypso intteodw arhde aven,
andw hoh adm easurtehded epthosfm an'qsu iverhienagr wti tahl l
itsst ruggsliensas,n dt empesittsr;si ddlpeasi,n asn ds orrowist;s
unseetne arasn db urnipnags sioFnosr.h ed idt eacmhe nt ol ive
andl ovaen ds uffeArn.d t ot hem eekehsetw oulodff ehri sb rotherly
compassioanl-wltho o l aboarn da reh eavlya deHne. w oulcdo me
tot hema sa ne qualla,y inbge forteh emt hew isdoomf h iss oul,
hist endeurn derstanodfai lntglh ati,nm odermna n,i sh umana nd
eveinn humaHne.w oulcdo unstehled oubtianngds oothteh ew ounds
oft hosaeffl ictweidt hd istreAsnsd.m anya hopew ouldt husb e
restormeadn,y a sourle surrebcyt tehde g ranvdi sioannsd m agic
ofh isg enius.
Now hew asn o longeTrh.e c olbdl asotf D eathh ade xtin­
guishae ldu minotuosr cohfT ruth.
Then ewso fD ostoievspkays'ssis npgr eaidn stanltilkyae,n
electcruircr etnott ,h er emotepsatr tosf R ussia, a awnadv eo f
mournisnwge ptth routghheh earotfsh ers addenpeedo pll\el.i llions
humblpyr ayetdh ahte ,t ow homh appinweasssso crueldleyn ied
one artbhe,g ranteetde rnballi isnst hes miliGnagr deonf H eaven.
BORIBSRA SOL
CONTENTS
1873
Introtdiuocn I
OldP eople 4
The:\ Ii lieu 9
SomethPienrgs onal 22
VIas 31
BoboNk:o teosfa C ertMaainn 43
"PerplAeixre"d 57
"AC ertPaienr so"Hn a'lsf-letter 65
"AC ertPaeirns oHna'lsf"- letter 67
Apropoofts h E xhibitivn 74
1\-Iummer 8s
"UnmarrCioendc eptoifao l\l nasr riMeodn k" 8s
"Ont hCeh orisLtievresr'Ay L"e:t tteotr h Eed itor 86
VisiaonndRs e ,·eries 100
Apropoofas N ewD rama 107
LittPliec tures 118
Toa T eacher 128
Somtehianbgo uLty ing 133
Oneo ft hCeo ntemporFaansleeohuoosd s 142
1876
Janyu ar
CHAPTF.IR :I nL ieouf a Pornet fhaGecr ee aatn dL ittBleear s,
ont hPer ayeorfts h e Greata nGdGo,ee ntehreao lnBl ayd,
Habi.t..sT. h eF utu�roev eAlg.a iann", A ccideFnatma-l
il"y. ...C hristTmraesaet t hAer tisCtlsu'bR .ea soning
ChildraenndR elieCvheidl dr"eGnl.u ttoYnoouuhts."
''Yes-GJoisrtllsRi.an"wg Y outhTsh.eH urryMion�gc ow
Capt.ai.nT. h.eG oldAegnei nt h'e· 'ocket 157
CHAPTEnR:A Boyw itHhi sH andS tretocuhtfe odAr l m.s. . .
A LittBloeya tC hrisCth'rsi stTmrae.se.. A. C oloonfy
ix
CONTENTS
JuveniDleel inqueGnltoso.m yC reaturCeosn.v ersoifo n
VicioSuosu lisn tIoJ{n ocenOtn esM.e asurReesc ogniazse d
MostE xpedient ThLeirtetaflnoedrB o.l Fdr ienodfMs a n-
kind I66
CHAPTmE:R R ussiSaonc ieftoyrt heP rotectoifAo nni mals.
CourieGrre.e Lni quoIrt.c fho rD ebaucahn dV orobiev.
:Fromt heE ndo rf rotmh eB eginni.n..gS ?p iritSiosmme.­
thinagb ouDte vilEsx.t raordiCnraarfyt ionfet shseD evils,
ifo nlTyh esAer eD evi.l.s. .A WordA propoofsM y Biog-
raph.y.. .A TurkiPsrho verb I82
Febryru a
CHAPTIE:OR n theS ubjeTchta tW e AllA reG oodF ellows.
Resembl.mce between RuasnsdMi aarns hSaMolac ci­ety
Maho.n. ..O n theL oveo ft heP eoplTeh.e N ecessary
Contrawcitt thh eP eop.l.e.. P easaMnatr ei I98
CHAPTIEIAR:p roptohseK ronebeCrags. e.. .S omethianbgo ut
LawyerinsG enerl\ally.N a"iavned I ncompetPernets ump­
tionSso.m ethianbgo uTta lenitnsG eneraanld i nP ar­
ticu.l.a.r.l\1 r.S pasoviScphe'esc Ahd.r oiMte tho.d.s. .
LittBleer r.ie..s. H erculPeisl'l. a.r.s.T heF amilayn d
OurS anctiAt iCeosn.c ludWionrgda bouat C ertaYionu ng
School 2IO
March
CHAPTIE:IRs t heP roposiCtoirorne "ctBe:t tLeert 'Hsa veB ad
Ideaasl sL onga sR ealiItsGy oo d"?. ..A Centena.ri..a.n
"Segreg:.!l.i.o.nM "e ditatiaobnosuE tu ro.p.e ..D ead
Forcaen dF uturFeor ces 238
CHAPTIEIRD:o nC arlaonsd S irW atkiAng.a iSny,m ptomosf
"thBee ginnoifntg h e E.n.d.". L ordR edst.o.c.k .A
LittWloer do nt heR eporotft heS cientCiofimcm ittoene
SpiritPihsetniocm e.n.a. I.s olaPtheedn ome.n..a. A bout
UriSja marin 259
April
CHAPTIE:IR d eaolfsV egetatSitviel l KLuilfaeka.sn dB lood­
suckeorfPs e asantHsi.g her-WUhpisp pinRgu ssiFa or-
CONTENTS xi
war.d. ..C ulturLeidt tTlyep esC.o rruptPeedo p.l.e
ConfusedannedsI sn accuroaftc hye C ontesPtoeidn .t.s. .
TheB eneficeDnootr manL iberattihneRg u ssiPaena sant27 3
CHAPTEn:RS omethianbgo uPto litQiuceaslt i..o.n.sT heP ar­
adoxica.l.i.As gta.i bnu tO neW orda oouStp iri.t.i.s.m
On Behaolffa DeceasPeedr son 293
May
CHAPTE1:RF roma PrivaLteet t.e.r. A. New RegionWaolr d.
.. T.h eC ouratn dM rsK.a iro.v..a. M r.D efenLsaew yer
andK airo.v.a. M.r .D efenLsaew yearn dV elikanova3 12
CHAPTEIIR: Somethianbogu ta CertaBiuni ldiRnegs.p ective
Though.tD seceaintd F alsehoonoE dv erSyi deT!h isI s
WhatI sS ometimUensb earab.l.e.A! CertaIinna ppro-
priatleh uugh.t... U nquestioDneambolcer aWcoym.e n 330
June
CHAPTE1:RT lwD eatohf G eorgSea n.d. .A. F ewW ordasb out
GeorgSea nd 341
CHAPTEIIR:M y Parad.o.x. D.e ductfiroonmt heP arad.o.x. .
TheE asteQrune st.i.o.nT. h eU topiCaonn ceptoifHo ins -
tor.y.. .A gaianb ouWto men 350
]uirAugust
CHAPTE1R:D epartuArber oaSdo.m ethianbgo uRtu ssiainns
RailroCaadr. s. .O.n theP ugnacoiitt yh eG erma.n.s. .
TheV ery LWaosrtdo fC ivilization 369
CHAPTEIRI: Idealists.-.Cy..n Iisci stS hamef�uvlB e an
Ideali.s.t.T? h "G ermanasn dW orkI. ncomprehensible
tric.k.s.O .n Wit 37 9
CHAPTE1R11 T:h eR ussioarnt heF rt:n'"L"a ngua.g.e. .� ,\hat
LanguaSgheo uladF utuPrei lloaf..r1 i!\sl otherSlpaenadk ?3 96
CHAPTER1v :W hichG iveRse liaetfS pasM:i nerWaalt ero r
BonT on?. ..O neo fT hosBee nefitbeydM o,JeWronm an.
xii CONTENTS
...C hildrSeenc'rs.e .t..sT heL anda ndt heC hild.r.e.n.
·A PeculSiuamrm efro rR uss.i.a. .P ost-scriptum 404
September
CHAPTEIR:P iccoBleas t.i.a.W .o rdsW,o rdsW,o rd!>.!. .C om-
binatiaonndCs o mbinationMso r.n.i.nG.go wnasn dS oap 427
CHAPTE1R1 :A ntiquaPteeodp .l.e. .K ifo-:\okIievsc.h.i.n.a
Continuaotfit ohneP reced.i..n.gF earasn dA pprehen-
sio.n.s. .P ost-scrir.tum 442
October
CHAPTEIR:A Simplbeu tT rickCya s.e. .. FAe wR emarkosn
SimplicaintdSy i mplific.a.t..iT owno S uici.d.e.s.T he
Verdict 459
CHAPTEIRI A: NewP hasien t heE asteQrune st.i.o.n. C her-
nia.e.v. .B esMte n. ..A.b outth eS ame 473
TheM eekO ne:A FantaSsttoi(rcAy u thoFro'rse word) 490
CHAPTUI :W ho WasI a ndW ho WasS he?. ..M aritParlo -
posal... .T heN obleosftM en-ButI Don'Bte lieIvte
Myself... .A llP lanasn dP la.n.s. T.h eM eekO neR ebe.l s
. T. h.eD readfRuelm iniscence 492
CHAPTEIRI :T heD reamo fP ri.de.. .S uddentlhyeS hroud
Fel.l. ..I UnderstTaonodC lea.r.l.y. I WasO nlyF ive
MinutLesa te 5I 2
December
CHAPTE1R:A gai:nh ouat S implbeu tT rickCya s.e. ..B elated
Moral... .A rbitrary As..s.e.rA t FieownW so rdsa bout
Yout.h. ..O nS uiciadnedH aughtiness 527
CHAPTERI IA: nA necdoftreo mC hildrLeinv'.es.s . .E xplana­
tioCno ncerniMnyg P articipiantt hieFo onr thcomPiunbg-