Мертві душі
Chapter 1
Howwellheunderstoodtheartoflife!
Ofassistanttutorshekeptbutfew,sincemostofthenecessaryinstructionheimpartedinperson,and,withoutpedanticterminologyandinflateddictionandviews,couldsotransmittohislistenerstheinmostspiritofalessonthateventheyoungestpresentabsorbeditsessentialelements.Also,ofstudiesheselectednonebutthosewhichmayhelpaboytobecomeagoodcitizen;andthereforemostofthelectureswhichhedeliveredconsistedofdiscoursesonwhatmaybeawaitingayouth,aswellasofsuchdemarcationsoflife’sfieldthatthepupil,thoughseated,asyet,onlyatthedesk,couldbeforehandbearhispartinthatfieldbothinthoughtandspirit.NordidthemasterCONCEALanything.Thatistosay,withoutmincingwords,heinvariablysetbeforehishearersthesorrowsandthedifficultieswhichmayconfrontaman,thetrialsandthetemptationswhichmaybesethim.Andthishedidintermsasthough,ineverypossiblecallingandcapacity,hehimselfhadexperiencedthesame.Consequently,eitherthevigorousdevelopmentofself-respectortheconstantstimulusofthemaster’seye(whichseemedtosaytothepupil,“Forward!”—thatwordwhichhasbecomesofamiliartothecontemporaryRussian,thatwordwhichhasworkedsuchwondersuponhissensitivetemperament);oneortheother,Irepeat,wouldfromthefirstcausethepupiltotackledifficulties,andonlydifficulties,andtohungerforprowessonlywherethepathwasarduous,andobstaclesweremany,anditwasnecessarytodisplaytheutmoststrengthofmind.
