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Chapter 10.
Pestsov liked thrashing an argument out to the end, and was not
satisfied with Sergey Ivanovitch’s words, especially as he felt the injus-
tice of his view.
“I did not mean,” he said over the soup, addressing Alexey
Alexandrovitch, “mere density of population alone, but in conjunction
with fundamental ideas, and not by means of principles.”
“It seems to me,” Alexey Alexandrovitch said languidly, and with
no haste, “that that’s the same thing. In my opinion, influence over
another people is only possible to the people which has the higher
development, which...”
“But that’s just the question,” Pestsov broke in in his bass.
He was always in a hurry to speak, and seemed always to put his
whole soul into what he was saying. “In what are we to make higher
development consist? The English, the French, the Germans, which is
at the highest stage of development? Which of them will nationalize
the other? We see the Rhine provinces have been turned French, but
the Germans are not at a lower stage!” he shouted. “There is another
law at work there.”
“I fancy that the greater influence is always on the side of true
civilization,” said Alexey Alexandrovitch, slightly lifting his eyebrows.
“But what are we to lay down as the outward signs of true civiliza-
tion?” said Pestsov.
“I imagine such signs are generally very well known,” said Alexey
Alexandrovitch.
“But are they fully known?” Sergey Ivanovitch put in with a subtle
smile. “It is the accepted view now that real culture must be purely
classical; but we see most intense disputes on each side of the ques-
tion, and there is no denying that the opposite camp has strong points
in its favor.”
“You are for classics, Sergey Ivanovitch. Will you take red wine?”
said Stepan Arkadyevitch.
“I am not expressing my own opinion of either form of culture,”
Sergey Ivanovitch said, holding out his glass with a smile of conde-
scension, as to a child. “I only say that both sides have strong argu-
ments to support them,” he went on, addressing Alexey Alexandrovitch.
“My sympathies are classical from education, but in this discussion I
am personally unable to arrive at a conclusion. I see no distinct grounds
for classical studies being given a preeminence over scientific studies.”
“The natural sciences have just as great an educational value,” put
in Pestsov. “Take astronomy, take botany, or zoology with its system of
general principles.”
“I cannot quite agree with that,” responded Alexey Alexandrovitch
“It seems to me that one must admit that the very process of studying
the forms of language has a peculiarly favorable influence on intellec-
tual development. Moreover, it cannot be denied that the influence of
the classical authors is in the highest degree moral, while, unfortu-
nately, with the study of the natural sciences are associated the false
and noxious doctrines which are the curse of our day.”
Sergey Ivanovitch would have said something, but Pestsov inter-
rupted him in his rich bass. He began warmly contesting the justice of