WHAT THEN MUST WE DO? by Leo Tolstoy Translated by Aylmer Maude
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WHAT THEN MUST WE DO? By Leo Tolstoy Translated by Aylmer Maude Leo Tolstoy 2 What Then Must We Do? ‘What Then Must We Do?’ was first published in 1886. In ‘The World’s Classics’ Aylmer Maude’s translation as first published in 1925, revised in 1935 and reprinted in 1942. What Then Must We Do? 3 Leo Tolstoy CONTENTS Editors Note - 5 CHAPTER I - 12 CHAPTER II - 14 CHAPTER III - 17 CHAPTER IV - 20 CHAPTER V - 22 CHAPTER VI - 25 CHAPTER VII - 27 CHAPTER VIII - 29 CHAPTER IX - 32 CHAPTER X - 34 CHAPTER XI - 37 CHAPTER XII - 39 CHAPTER XIII - 41 CHAPTER XIV - 45 CHAPTER XV - 49 CHAPTER XVI - 53 CHAPTER XVII - 55 CHAPTER XVIII - 60 CHAPTER XIX - 67 CHAPTER XX - 70 CHAPTER XXI - 77 CHAPTER XXII - 83 CHAPTER XXIII - 86 CHAPTER XXIV - 88 CHAPTER XXV - 95 CHAPTER XXVI - 101 CHAPTER XXVII - 105 CHAPTER XXVIII - 110 CHAPTER XXIX - 113 CHAPTER XXX - 116 Leo Tolstoy 4 What Then Must We Do? CHAPTER XXXI - 122 CHAPTER XXXII - 126 CHAPTER XXXIII - 128 CHAPTER XXXIV - 130 CHAPTER XXXV - 136 CHAPTER XXXVI - 137 CHAPTER XXXVII - 142 CHAPTER XXXVIII - 146 CHAPTER XXXIX - 157 CHAPTER XL - 167 What Then Must We Do? 5 Leo Tolstoy EDITOR'S NOTE THE republication of this book in a translation which has been carefully revised affords me particular pleasure. It was the first of Tolstoy's works to grip my attention, and it caused me to seek his acquaintance, which in turn led to the work I have now been engaged on for many years, namely, the preparation of the 'World's Classics' series and the Centenary Edition of his works. The economics of this book are largely those of the Tula peasantry through whose eye Tolstoy looked at society. The province of Tula, where Yasnaya is situated, lies just north of the black-earth region. Its soil is poor, and constant toil barely enabled the peasant to wring a precarious subsistence from it. But the typical Tula peasant was no fool, and his views on life are well worth our careful consideration. As expressed by Tolstoy they go to the root of things and with unerring accuracy touch the sorest spots of the world's conscience. Our life can be neither satisfactory nor secure if we neglect them. During the half-century that has passed since the book was written many political questions that then seemed highly important have passed into the dull recesses of history; but Tolstoy's impressive warning that the pursuit and worship of money does not bring satisfaction and that the possession of talents and privileged position, far from justifying self-indulgence, are a call to serve those less fortunately placed, remains as valid as when he wrote it. Social conditions have changed. Instead of the acute shortage of grain then existing in Russia, the Western world is to-day troubled by overproduction. Instead of being crushed by toil, workers are often hungry for work. Yet the fundamental problem remains. As Tolstoy says: 'Being poor does not deprive men of reason. They never have admitted and never will admit that it is right for some to have a continual holiday while others must always fast and work. Where there is a man not working because he is able to compel others to work for him-there slavery exists.... The ideal of an industrious life has been replaced by the ideal of a magic and inexhaustible purse.' These sayings indicate the root of the class-war that threatens society and that Tolstoy wished to avert. The warning he uttered was disregarded, and the class-war became a consuming fire in Russia. In England it has not flamed up in that way owing partly to our various unemployment schemes, but wherever those who are prosperous cut themselves off from personal association with those who are depressed and unfortunate, the reproach and menace of class enmity smoulders and causes the 'kind of unhappiness that banknotes cannot cure' of which Tolstoy speaks. Some attempt to bridge the gulf and supply mental sustenance where it is badly needed may be found in our village Women's Institutes, as well as in various amateur dramatic groups up and down the country and in the Citizen House movement at Bath. Among plays performed by them is Michael, Miles Malleson's adaptation of Tolstoy's story, What Men Live By. Another reminder of his influence among us is given by this 'World's Classics' series of cheap books, which arose in an indirect way from a conversation W. T. Stead once had with Tolstoy when he visited him at Yasnaya Polyana. This series is Leo Tolstoy 6 What Then Must We Do? gradually completing the set of Tolstoy's own works. It does not give such a collection of the world's literary masterpieces as Tolstoy aimed at, but should by no means be despised, for as he often said: 'The distance you have gone is less important than the direction in which you are going.' Such shrewd blows as Tolstoy struck at the self-complacency of the privileged classes were bound to evoke a retort, and those whose consciences he troubled soon realized that it was better tactics to cast doubts on his personal sincerity than to attempt to discuss his main propositions, which they wished to burk. Merezhkovsky was the first to start the game of detraction and insinuation, though after making Tolstoy's acquaintance and realizing his honesty he expressed regret for what he had written about him. But so unpleasant was it that so popular a writer as Tolstoy should point out that religion ought to have a practical effect on men's lives, that under the auspices of the Holy Synod a very libellous pamphlet was issued and hawked about the streets of Moscow denouncing Tolstoy in a way of which we have recently been reminded by eloquent, though belated, echoes in this country. What is curious is that his detractors always appear fully confident of their own mental and moral superiority to the man they attack though such superiority is not at all apparent to others. Tolstoy himself realized that 'to change another man's outlook on life one must oneself have a better one and live in accord with it', and it was precisely to that question-whether he lived in accord with his principles-that criticism was chiefly directed. When he finished this book he intended to hand his estate over to the peasants and to support himself by manual labour. Readers who remember the mowing scenes in Anna Karenina (written some eight years previously) can readily believe that he could have done so. But everyone must start from the spot where he stands, and Tolstoy had to encounter the demands of his wife, who was prepared to appeal to the Tsar to have her husband declared incapable of disposing of his property. Even apart from that, he wished to be considerate to his wife and not provoke her to anger; so it was arranged that his property should be dealt with as though he were dead. It was divided up equally between his wife and their nine living children, each of whom received property to the value of about £5,000. The question of book-rights remained to be dealt with, and he gave his wife an authorization to publish everything he had written before 1881, and he also issued an announcement that for the future he would neither accept money for what he wrote, nor claim any copyright in it. Anyone was to be free to publish and republish it as they pleased. By this arrangement he hoped to avoid all strife about property, but in this he was dis- appointed. Even apart from copyright, there was considerable advantage to be gamed by having the first publication of what he wrote. His wife had undertaken the publication of the works placed at her disposal and was very anxious to secure the first publication of whatever else he wrote and the censor permitted to be published. This desire of hers clashed with Tolstoy's own intention of allowing the publication of his works to help the causes he had at heart, such as the supply and circulation of cheap and good literature among peasants and workmen. Recurring strife with his wife over this matter rendered What Then Must We Do? 7 Leo Tolstoy life at Yasnaya Polyana a torment to them both, and the Countess worried herself over it to such an extent that she became deranged. From the time he wrote What Then Must We Do? Tolstoy always wished to get away from Yasnaya Polyana, but every time he attempted to do so his wife demanded that he should remain, and threatened to commit suicide if he left her. This state of things grew worse and worse till at last, at the age of eighty-two, he escaped secretly one night without even having decided where to go. He fell ill on the train, and died at the wayside station of Astapovo. Before her death his wife expressed deep regret for her conduct, saying, 'I really think I was insane .... I know I was the cause of his death ....' Let us, however, accept the plea she makes in her Diary: 'Let no one raise a hand against me, for I have suffered terribly,' and let us sincerely pity the woman who thought the money her husband was rejecting was worth the sufferings her efforts to secure it inflicted both on him and on herself. What Then Must We Do? is so powerful and obviously sincere that many readers assumed that Tolstoy himself lived by manual labour, and the reaction when they learnt that he was not doing so, gave rise to suspicions that his abandonment of property was a pretence and that he was living a self-indulgent life at his wife's expense.