- Project Runeberg -  Impressions of Russia /
60

(1889) [MARC] Author: Georg Brandes Translator: Samuel Coffin Eastman - Tema: Russia
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More frequent than this arrogance is a humility, a
profound, boundless modesty, which is genuinely Slavic.
In a small house with a garden, in a remote quarter of
Moscow, lived an extremely finely endowed young girl,
who for many years had been severely ill; and, as a
result, from time to time, especially when excited, lost the
power of speech. She lived a purely intellectual life,
wholly absorbed in intellectual pursuits; and, on account
of her poor health and weakness, was hardly a woman.
But a purer and stronger intellectual enthusiasm, and
more arduous exertions in that direction, are not often
seen. She translated a great deal from foreign
languages, and also wrote, herself. There was a combination
of energy and the most profound humility, which struck
the stranger who conversed with her. Her father had
been a well known professor of mathematics. She and
her two sisters, bright and healthy girls, supported
themselves respectably, orphans as they were, without
aid. The worship of the gifted invalid by the two
sisters, especially by the younger, was very touching.

One evening, in a company, a distinguished foreigner,
who had spent some time in St. Petersburg, described
another young girl of the same turn of mind and of the
same plane of culture, only seventeen years old, and of
far bolder temperament. “I have,” he continued, “met
her for a short time in society, but we were almost
immediately separated. I merely noticed that she had
beautiful, clear eyes, and cordial, but very decided
manners. The day before my departure, I received a long
letter from her, which seemed to me to be very interesting,
because it gave me the impression of being
characteristic of a whole family. She wrote,—

“‘Permit me to express to you in writing what I had
not any opportunity to say otherwise. I do not speak

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