Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 857
removed to the feminary of the Cadets at §t. Peterfburgh, he profecuted his ftudies with
unwearied application, and gave early proofs of his genius for poetry. Even on holi-
days, he would retire from his’‘companions, who were engaged in play, and devote his
whole time to the perufal of the Latin and French writers.
The firlt efforts of his genius were love-fongs, whofe tendernefs and beauty of ex-
preilion, till then unknown in the Ruflian tongue, were confidered as prognottics of his
future fame. On quitting the feminary, he was appointed adjutant, firlt to Count Go-
Jovkin, and afterwards to Count Razomofski; and being patronized by Count Ivan
Shuvalof, was introduced by that Maecenas to Elizabeth, who took him under her pro-
teCtion. About the twenty-ninth year of his age, an enthufiattic fondnefs for the works
of Racine, turned his genius to the drama, and he wrote the tragedy of Koref, which
laid the foundation of the Ruffian theatre. This piece was firit aéted by fome of his
former {chcol-mates, the cadets, who had previoufly exercifed their talents in declama-
tion, and in acting aFrench play. Elizabeth informed of this new phenomenon in the
theatrical world, ordered the tragedy to be exhibited in her prefence upon a fmall thea-
tre of the court, where German, Italian, and French plays had been performed. The
applaufe and diftinion which the author received on this occafion, encouraged him to
follow the bent of his genius; and he produced fucceffively Hamlet, Ariftona, Sinafand
Truvor, Zemira, Dimifa, Vitfhelaf, the Falfe Demetrius, and Miciflaf. Nor was his
mufe lefs fertile in comedies, which are, Triflotinus, the Judge, the Difpute between the
Hufband and Wife, the Guardian, the Portion acquired by Fraud, the Envious Man,
Tartuffe, the Imaginary Cuckold, the Mother who rivals her Daughter, the Goflip, and
the Thtee Rival Brothers. He wrote alfo the operas of Alceftes, and Cephalus and
Procris *.
With refpect to his tragedies, Racine was his model; and his Ruffian biographer,
who feems a competent judge of his merit, allows, that *¢ though in fome inftances he
attained all the excellence of the French poet, yet he failed in many others; but it
would be uncandid to infift on fuch defects in a writer who firft introduced the drama
among his countrymen. ‘The French overlook in their Corneille ftill greater faults.’
*‘ His comedies, continues the fame author, contain much humour; but I do not
imagine that our dramatic writers will adopt him for their model; for he frequently
excites the laughter of the {pectator at the expence of his cooler judgment}. Never-
thelefs, they prefent fufficient paflages to prove, that he would have attained a greater
degree of excellence in this line, had he paid more attention to paint our manners, and
follow the tafte of the beft foreign writers.’
Befides dramatic writings, Sumorokof attempted every fpecies of poetry, excepting
the epic. He wrote love-fongs, idyls, fables, fatires, anacreontics, elegies, verfions of
* His tragedies are written in rhyme, in the Alexandrine verfe, the fame as the French heroic. His
comedies are in profe.
+ © Weil es auch ein Lachen giebt, nach welchem der Zufchauer nicht wohl mit fich felbft Zufrieden ift
da{s er gelacht hat.?? Literally, ‘« Since he occafions a laughter, at which the {peCtator is not well fatisfied
that he has laughed.”? Does the biographer mean by this paflage, that the wit of Sumorokof was often
too farcical, and degenerated into a low fpecies of humour? If fo, let the author anfwer for himfelf. Ina
letter to Voltaire, he complains that his countrymen had begun to adopt that wretched f{pecies of compo-
fition, the fentimental comedy, inftead of the wit and humour of Moliere; and Voltaire agreed with him, in
the following words: “ Je foufcris entiérement a tout ce que vous dites de Moliére et de la comédie Lar«
moyante, gui a la honte de la nation a fuccede au feul vrai genre comique porté a perfection par Pinimitable
Moliere. Bach. Ruff. Bib. for 1778, p. 153.
VOL, VIe SR the
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
