"Our award "Alexander Nevsky" as a project is successful." Regulations on the literary award named after St.
On September 12, on the day of memory of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, in St. Petersburg for the fourth time the awarding of the laureates of the All-Russian literary prize named after Alexander Nevsky. The solemn ceremony took place in one of the old mansions northern capital- Sheremetyevo Palace, front facade looking at the Neva. This Historical building is the residence of one of the co-founders of the award - JSC "Talion". The award ceremony, which took place in luxurious old interiors, received a special shade of significance from this, as befits not a momentary phenomenon, but an event designed to make a serious contribution to the country's culture.
Indeed, the Alexander Nevsky Prize is an open literary competition, designed to revive and support the interest of Russians in the history of their homeland, the best literary works on this topic. The organizers of the award strive to identify the most talented literary works about the history of Russia, revealing the role and place historical figures, their heroic deeds for the glory of the Fatherland, to acquaint readers with these books and popularize historical literature in the country.
It must be admitted that the results of the four-year existence of this literary award indicate that its organizers manage to translate their plans into reality.As previously reported , this year the competition has already received about 200 works, which is noted by the organizers as a significant increase in the popularity of the award, since the scope of the competition is limited to compositions in which only historical theme. For comparison, let's say that in the first year only 50 books participated in the competition. The 2008 award winners were twelve writers, two journalists and one publishing house.
The first awards were given to:
- Prizes of the 1st degree- rector Literary Institute them. A.M. Gorky Boris Tarasov for the book “Nicholas the First. Knight of autocracy.
- Prizes of the 2nd degree- Writer, Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Alexander Zvyagintsev for the work “Life and deeds of prominent Russian lawyers. Ups and downs" .
- Prizes of the 3rd degree- literary critic, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Felix Kuznetsov for research" Quiet Don": the fate and truth of the great novel".
Four awards have been made this year special awards:
- « Gatherers» - Moscowpublishing house "Veche" ,
- « Compatriots» - Valentina Frolova for the book "Winds of the Bosphorus",
- « Spiritual Ascetics» - Evgeny Titkov for the book "Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky): a feat of service to the Church and Motherland"
- « Guardians» - Sergei Nekrasov for the book Lyceum Lyre.
- laureates Special Prize in Journalism « Brethren»: Chief Editor magazine "Moscow Journal. History of Russian Goverment" Anna Grushina and TV journalist, correspondent for the Vesti. St. Petersburg" TV channel "Russia" Alexey Oliferuk.
- Lev Anisov("Shishkin"),
- Alexander Kazin (« Great Russia. Religion. Culture. Policy"),
- Yuri Koginov("Bagration. God rati he"),
- Yuri Ligun("Ilya Muromets and the Power of Heaven"),
- Antonina Pikul("Valentin Pikul. Firsthand"),
- Kavad Rush("Time of officers").
In this regard, he cited as an example the winner of the first prize Boris Tarasov, whose work opened a new, important for an adequate perception of history, look at the era of Tsar Nicholas I and the Decembrists. As well as the second prize winner Alexandra Zvyagintseva, whose work has become a weighty argument against those who seek to present Russia as a "dense" state that does not have its own legal and legal traditions.
Book Felix Kuznetsov, the owner of the third prize, according to V.N. Ganichev, is " brilliant detective» and at the same time fundamental research the fate of an outstanding work of the 20th century.
Noting the merits of the works of each of the laureates, V.N. Ganichev settled on the book of the award nominee Yuri Arkadyevich Ligun. His story about Ilya Muromets - " not just a presentation of epic history, but the core that affirms the unity of Russian and Ukrainian peoples » . In addition to abundance historical facts, « The book surprises with the richness of the word. That primordial, folklore word, which is a precious heritage of the culture of the Slavic peoples».
V.N. Ganichev highlighted the work of the owner of the special award "Spiritual Ascetics" Evgeny Pavlovich Titkov for a deep and comprehensive study of such a complex and controversial figure in the history of the Russian Church as Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky). Valery Nikolayevich expressed his conviction that within the framework of the award it is necessary to encourage the study of individuals who played significant role in the history of the Orthodox Church. So, the topics of religion, faith, "Time of Troubles" still disturb readers.
Finally V.N. Ganichev expressed the wish that more books about creators whose efforts multiplied the spiritual, intellectual and material capital of our Fatherland.
Representative of the Organizing Committee of the Alexander Nevsky Prize Marina Anatolyevna Guseva spoke briefly about charitable activities award publishing group. Books collected during charity events were received by the libraries of the Black Sea Fleet, the Sevastopol branch of Moscow State University, the St. Petersburg Military Medical Academy, and the library of the Kronstadt Naval Cadet Corps.
Another member of the organizing committee, Alexander Yurievich Segen, who has been the head of the award's review group for the fourth year, said that from the books submitted to the commission, he could well have compiled a second list of laureates, which would include no less brilliant and worthy works, and expressed the hope that these books would still compete for awards next year.
A.Yu. Seguin concluded with the following words: If a Russian reader, at least once a year, read one of the books submitted to our competition, the fullness of his life would become more tangible . Even if Russian reader read those of the books that are on the selection list, this would already be enough to make him feel much happier in this world and worthily carry the title of a Russian person».
The authors themselves, who were present at the awards ceremony, spoke about the winner books.
Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Felix Feodosevich Kuznetsov(winner of the 3rd degree award) thanked the founders of "Alexander Nevsky" for the award that his book " about the great Russian writer of great moral strength Fyodor Mikhailovich Sholokhov”, whose name is associated with one of the tragic pages in Russian literature, when they tried to take away his favorite brainchild, his novel Quiet Don, from the writer.
Rector of the Literary Institute. A.M. Gorky (1st degree laureate) dedicated his speech to the hero of his work “Nicholas the First. Knight of autocracy. He pointed to the existing negative, truncated attitude towards Emperor Nicholas I, clinging labels to him "tyrant", "dictator", "gendarme". But this view was established at the suggestion of a narrow circle of people interested in the fact that the name of the monarch, who opposed the embodiment of their anti-state interests, was discredited.
As a result, in the opinion of our contemporaries there are no other, opposite assessments that were given by the deepest thinkers and writers, public figures and representatives of different classes - contemporaries of Nicholas I. For example, F.M. Dostoevsky, who suffered from Nicholas I for his revolutionary hobbies, later rated him the most in a high way. Or V.S. Solovyov who wrote that Nicholas I stood not only at the height of his time, but much higher, because he was a true Christian in his politics.
B. Tarasov noted that NicholasI had a genuine artistic sense which led him to pay particular attention to A.S. Pushkin, guessing in the poet the ancestor of classical Russian literature. It was after the high appraisal given to Alexander Sergeevich by the Emperor that Ivan Kireevsky and other writers began to perceive Pushkin as an outstanding writer.
B. Tarasov sees his task in presenting those facts, evidence of the era that would allow revealing the personality of Nikolai I in its entirety, including elements of established opinions, but only as an addition, and not a dominant in the assessment of the figure of the monarch.
Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Alexander Grigorievich Zvyagintsev(rewarded with the 2nd degree prize) could not personally attend the presentation, since, being the representative of Russia in the Security Council of Europe, he was forced to leave for Strasbourg. The organizers announced the decision of Zvyagintsev to transfer the prize money (200,000 rubles) to the fund orphanage No. 26 of the Admiralteisky district of St. Petersburg.
The final word in the press conference took Alexander Iosifovich Ebralidze, General Director of OAO Talion. He thanked all the writers, " thanks to the work of which we all become a little better and our knowledge of our own history becomes richer.
A.I. Ebralidze also announced changes in the format of the award: starting from November 1, the literary award will be transferred to the Alexander Nevsky Historical and Literary Prize. It will have 2 directions: literary and museum-memorial. Accordingly, the premium budget will increase by 2 times.
Answering a reporter's question about how the idea of the award was born and why JSC Taleon was its founder, Alexander Ebralidze noted that the company has always supported the direction historical literature. Back in 1999, the firm held the All-Russian Conference of Writers Writing on Historical Themes. Even then, the organizers of the event responded to the words His Holiness Patriarch Alexia II, that Russian literature during the years of hard times, the dictatorship of the godless power, affirmed the morality of the Russian people. For Russian Orthodox Church, which was under a ban, could not directly address the majority of the country's population, but the line of spirituality was maintained through Russian literature. OJSC "Talion" fulfills its task of being a successor and collector best traditions domestic literature.
In Russia, there are many historical awards, awards of a patriotic nature: "Prokhorovo Pole", "Stalingrad", the Prokofiev Prize and others. But such a large-scale, comprehensive, covering all layers of writers, the entire layer spiritual heritage Russia, as the award "Alexander Nevsky" - no.
Journalists noted the fact that the award is presented against the backdrop of difficult relationship with Georgia (as you know, many Georgian cultural figures refused to have relations with Russia). The General Director of OAO Talion was asked to comment on why the organizers of the award not only did not abandon their cultural activities, but presented a book about the Russian military leader for the award Georgian origin and suggest expanding the format of the award.
Alexander Iosifovich Ebralidze, answering this question, illustrated his attitude to the Russian-Georgian conflict, citing as an example the story of one of the Georgian writers "Eleanor". His story is this. Aslan Giray, the rich, courageous leader of the Lezgins, asks for the hand of Eleanor, the daughter of one of the noble Georgian landowners. The father refuses Aslan Giray, since the Lezgins are Muslims, and the Georgians are Orthodox. The beautiful Eleanor declares that she agrees to marry someone who will prove with his blood how deep his love for her is. As a result of an instant battle, the leader of the Lezgins kills all the Georgian knights who were here, who disputed the right to become Eleanor's chosen one. Only one crippled groom remained. He entered into single combat with Aslan Giray and defeated him. The groom could rightfully become the husband of the noble Eleanor. But he refused this offer with the greatest dignity, saying: « A Georgian woman who, for the sake of her whim, sacrifices the lives of her compatriots, is unworthy to be the wife of a Georgian» .
On such legends, according to Ebralidze, Georgian mothers bring up their children. " A man who, no matter what circumstances force him, starts a fratricidal war, a man who beautiful country turned it into a springboard for sorting out relations between East and West - not a groupzine", - said Alexander Iosifovich. - " And the best thing he should do is retire».
« I was born in Georgia, lived there for 16 years, then lived in Russia. I am a Soviet, imperial person, everything that I do, I do solely from these ambitions and for this reason ”, - concluded A.I. Ebralidze.
We add that the Prize Fund is 900,000 rubles: 1st Prize - 300,000 rubles, 2nd Prize - 200,000 rubles, 3rd Prize - 100,000 rubles. In addition, each laureate of the first three Prizes was awarded, respectively, with a gold, silver and bronze sculptural image of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky (sculptor Eduard Mkhoyan).
Cash reward authors-laureates special awards amounted to 50,000 rubles each. The publishing house "Veche", awarded the special prize "Collectors", was awarded a bronze sculpture of Prince Alexander Nevsky and an honorary diploma. Journalists Anna Grushina and Aleksey Oliferuk, who received the "Brothers" award, were awarded a sculpture depicting an ancient Russian bronze bowl on a pedestal in the form of a book, as well as an honorary diploma.
The rest of the authors - nominees for the award received a monetary incentive in the amount of 25,000 rubles each.
According to the leading Russian publication - " Russian newspaper", the Alexander Nevsky Prize is one of the largest in Russia and today is on a par with such well-known and influential prizes as" Big Book”,“ Russian Booker ”,“ National Bestseller and the Alexander Solzhenitsyn Prize.
The main advantage of the award is that it contributes to the establishment of the principles of spirituality and service to the Fatherland in society, teaches everyone by the example set in history by our ancestors to act in their place in the name of the greatness of our country.
Olga Tokareva, Anna Barkhatova
In addition, the book of the editor-in-chief of the portal "Orthodoxy and the World" Anna Danilova "Nun from Intelligence" received a special award "In the service of the Fatherland".
Literary competition results
1 prize– A group of authors under the direction of Podberezkin Alexei Ivanovich (under the general editorship of Naryshkin Sergey Evgenievich, Torkunov Anatoly Vasilyevich) " a great victory» in 15 tons (MGIMO-University, Moscow, 2015)
2nd prize- Dotsenko Vitaly Dmitrievich, Makarov Sergey Ivanovich, Medvedev Sergey Viktorovich "Admiral Ushakov: Naval commander is a saint righteous warrior"(CF "Sea Glory of the Fatherland", St. Petersburg, 2016)
3rd Prize- Shargunov Sergey Alexandrovich "Kataev" (Young Guard, Moscow, 2016),
Special Prize "Chroniclers"– Ilyinsky Igor Mikhailovich “I Live and Remember” (Publishing house of the Moscow University for the Humanities, Moscow, 2014);
Special award "In the service of the Fatherland" - Danilova Anna Alexandrovna “A nun from intelligence. Veteran's life story Patriotic War nun Adriana (Malysheva)" (Nicaea, Moscow, 2013),
Special Award "Collectors" - Kruzenshtern Alexey Vyacheslavovich, Kolotilo Leonid Grigorievich "Russian world travel. From Kruzenshtern to Sedov (Kriga, St. Petersburg, 2013), Special award "Creators" - Ponomareva Galina Borisovna "Dostoevsky: I am engaged in this secret" (Russian World, Moscow, 2016), Special Award "Heritage" - Kudrina Yulia Viktorovna “From the height of the throne. Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna (Russian World, Moscow, 2013), Special Prize "Pedigree" - Naryshkina-Prokudina-Gorskaya Natalya Andreevna "The Man Who Walked Fast" (NPPL "Native Spaces", St. Petersburg, 2015).
Museum competition results
1 prize– Chernyavsky Sergey Vladimirovich, Kolosenkova Natalya Vitalievna, Ivanova Lyudmila Nikolaevna, Manoilenko Yury Evgenyevich, Historical and documentary exhibition “The Brilliant Son of the Golden Age. N.M. Karamzin and his epoch” (to the 250th anniversary of his birth), Russian State Historical Archive, St. Petersburg
2nd prize– The team of the Museum Historical and Memorial Complex under the leadership of Volodin Valery Ivanovich, “Grandchildren of Heroes”, Museum Historical and Memorial Complex “35th Coastal Battery”, Sevastopol
3rd Prize– Stupin Sergei Gennadievich, Stremenetskaya Yulia Konstantinovna, Eloyan Sergei Norikovich, “Near light from afar” (on the anniversary of the death of the writer V. G. Rasputin), Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore
On solemn ceremony award ceremony, which will be held in St. Petersburg on September 14, the winners who take the first three places in each of the competitions will be awarded a sculptural image of the Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky. The winners of the first three prizes will also receive cash prizes in the amount of 300, 200 and 100 thousand rubles, respectively. Holders of special prizes will be awarded with diplomas and cash prizes - 50 thousand rubles.
Laureates of the Alexander Nevsky Prize in different years became not only professional historians, writers, museum workers, but also public figures, politicians, diplomats, artists, church ministers, journalists. Among the laureates writer Alexander Prokhanov, Hero Soviet Union front-line writer Vladimir Karpov, literary critic Felix Kuznetsov, former ambassador of Russia in Israel Pyotr Stegniy, cardiac surgeon, academician Yuri Shevchenko, famous church historian hegumen Damaskin (Orlovsky), politician Nikolai Ryzhkov, daughter of Marshal Zhukov Maria Zhukova, president of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve Alisa Aksenova, employees of the Russian state library, director State Museum-Reserve M.A. Sholokhov Alexander Sholokhov, artist Ilya Glazunov, literary critic and journalist Lev Danilkin and many others. The laureates of the award were not only recognized masters of Russian literature and major museums countries, but also writers from the provinces and small private museums. It is worth noting the widest geography of the competition: from Moscow literally to the very outskirts of Russia, near and far abroad.
The founders of the award invite journalists to a press conference dedicated to the results of the 2016 Alexander Nevsky All-Russian Historical and Literary Prize.
At the event, which is traditionally held in St. Petersburg, its founders, General Director of Talion JSC Alexander Ebralidze and Chairman of the Union of Writers of Russia Valery Ganichev, winners, publishers and representatives of the museum community, members of the Prize Award Commission will talk about the results of the twelfth competitive year of the Prize .
The press conference will take place September 14 at 12:00 at the address: St. Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt, 15 Taleon Imperial Hotel. Accreditation runs until 18:00 September 13. After the press conference, a tour of the palace complex and a cocktail will be organized for guests and journalists.
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All-Russian Historical and Literary Prize "Alexander Nevsky"- an open annual all-Russian creative competition, according to the results of which prizes are awarded, bearing the name of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky. It was established in 2004 and over the past years has acquired the status of one of the most prestigious literary awards in Russia.
As part of the All-Russian Historical and Literary Prize "Alexander Nevsky", two open creative competition: literary competition historical works and a competition of museum memorial projects dedicated to outstanding personalities who entered the history of our Fatherland.
Founders
- Award Founder- (Saint Petersburg) ( CEO A. I. Ebralidze).
Alexander Ebralidze:
“The name of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky arose at important critical stages in the development of our country. Having established the award, we want to emphasize that today one of these turning points in the history of Russia, when every citizen must give clear answers to the questions posed by life - who am I? what are we living for? Fatherland, people - what meaning do we put in these words? Most importantly, in answering these questions, we must understand that we live in a society where others always compare our words with our actions.
- Award co-founder- Union of Writers of Russia (Chairman of the Board - V. N. Ganichev).
Valery Ganichev:
“Over the years of the existence of the Alexander Nevsky Literary Prize, we have fully realized the acuteness of the problems that it was designed to solve. This led us to the idea of expanding the scope of the project. With the help of the Alexander Nevsky All-Russian Historical and Literary Prize, we hope to find the origins of Russian spirituality and patriotism not only on the pages of literary works on historical theme but also in museums. These origins in life path and the deeds of the heroes of our history, capable of serving as an example for the education of present and future generations. The founders of the award intend to celebrate the people who tell us about them from the pages of their books, with their created expositions at the end of each year.”
the main objective
The award is intended to support the interest of our compatriots in the history of their Motherland and its heroes, to encourage the best museum memorial projects and literary works dedicated to outstanding personalities who have entered the history of our country and their deeds for the glory of the Fatherland.
Competition objectives
- increased interest in national history, promoting conservation historical heritage Russia;
- preservation of the memory of the heroes of the history of our Fatherland, whose military deeds and spiritual feat became a model for fulfilling one's duty and an example of selfless devotion to the Fatherland, and talent and accomplishments had a special impact on public life, culture, science and history of Russia;
- assistance objective assessment the significance and role of historical figures in the fate of our Motherland;
- public support for the selfless labor and talent of authors and groups of authors who have dedicated their activities to preserving the memory of outstanding compatriots;
- popularization publicly significant projects museum workers and books of writers-historians.
Prize fund
The Prize Fund is 1,800,000 rubles:
- 1st prize - 300,000 rubles for each competition,
- 2nd prize - 200,000 rubles for each competition,
- 3rd prize - 100,000 rubles for each competition.
The winners of the first three Prizes are also awarded with a sculptural image of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky by sculptor Eduard Mkhoyan: gold - winners of the 1st prize, silver - winners of the 2nd prize, bronze - winners of the 3rd prize. The monetary reward for the other laureates of the Selected List is 50,000 rubles each.
All laureates are awarded honorary diplomas of the award.
The special award for journalists "Fellows" is awarded to a journalist whose contribution to the coverage of events in national history in the media mass media especially significant. Laureate of the "Fellows" award is awarded sculptural composition, which is a bronze ancient Russian bowl (brother) on a pedestal in the form of a book
Award Ceremony
The award ceremony is timed to coincide with the Day of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, celebrated annually on September 12.
The place of the award ceremony is determined by the commission in agreement with the founders of the Prize.
Some laureates
Among the award winners:
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Evgeny Anisimov.
Laureate 2007
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Ilya Glazunov.
Laureate 2010
Vladimir Karpov.
Laureate 2006
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Konstantin Kovalev-Sluchevsky.
Laureate 2010
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Anastasia Shirinskaya-Manstein.
Laureate 2005
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Marina Kolotilo.
Laureate 2011
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Stanislav Kunyaev.
Laureate 2011
Boris Tarasov.
Laureate 2008
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Nikolay Ryzhkov.
Laureate 2012
Full list of award winners
2005 year
2006
2007
2008
year 2009
2010
2011
year 2012
year 2013
year 2014
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Notes
Excerpt characterizing Alexander Nevsky (prize)
“Oh yes, hospitals, medicines. He has a stroke, he is dying, and you bled him, cured him. He will be a cripple for 10 years, a burden for everyone. Much calmer and easier for him to die. Others will be born, and there are so many of them. If you were sorry that your extra worker was gone - as I look at him, otherwise you want to treat him out of love for him. And he doesn't need it. And besides, what kind of imagination is it that medicine has ever cured anyone! Kill like this! he said, frowning angrily and turning away from Pierre. Prince Andrei expressed his thoughts so clearly and distinctly that it was evident that he thought about it more than once, and he spoke willingly and quickly, like a man who had not spoken for a long time. His gaze became the more animated, the more hopeless his judgments were.“Oh, this is terrible, terrible! Pierre said. “I just don’t understand how one can live with such thoughts. The same moments were found on me, it was recently, in Moscow and dear, but then I sink to such an extent that I do not live, everything is disgusting to me ... the main thing is myself. Then I don’t eat, I don’t wash… well, how are you?…
“Why not wash yourself, it’s not clean,” said Prince Andrei; On the contrary, you should try to make your life as pleasant as possible. I live and it’s not my fault, so it’s necessary somehow better, without interfering with anyone, to live to death.
“But what motivates you to live with such thoughts?” You will sit still, doing nothing ...
“Life doesn’t leave you alone. I would be glad to do nothing, but, on the one hand, the nobility here honored me with the honor of being elected leader: I got off hard. They could not understand that I did not have what was needed, that well-known good-natured and preoccupied vulgarity, which is needed for this. Then this house, which had to be built in order to have its own corner where you can be calm. Now the militia.
Why don't you serve in the army?
- After Austerlitz! said Prince Andrei gloomily. - No; I humbly thank you, I promised myself that I would not serve in the active Russian army. And I won't if Bonaparte was standing here, near Smolensk, threatening the Bald Mountains, and then I wouldn't serve in the Russian army. Well, so I told you, - Prince Andrei continued calming down. - Now the militia, the father is the commander-in-chief of the 3rd district, and the only way for me to get rid of the service is to be with him.
- So you serve?
- I serve. He paused a little.
So why are you serving?
- But why. My father is one of wonderful people of his century. But he is getting old, and not only is he cruel, but he is too active in nature. He is terrible because of his habit of unlimited power, and now this power given by the Sovereign to the commander-in-chief of the militia. If I had been two hours late two weeks ago, he would have hanged the recorder in Yukhnov, ”said Prince Andrei with a smile; - I serve this way because no one except me has influence on my father, and in some places I will save him from an act from which he would later suffer.
- Ah, so you see!
- Yes, mais ce n "est pas comme vous l" entendez, [but this is not how you understand it,] continued Prince Andrei. - I don't the slightest good I didn’t want and don’t want this bastard recorder who stole some boots from the militias; I would even be very pleased to see him hanged, but I feel sorry for my father, that is, again for myself.
Prince Andrei became more and more animated. His eyes shone feverishly while he tried to prove to Pierre that there had never been a desire for good for his neighbor in his act.
“Well, now you want to free the peasants,” he continued. - This is very good; but not for you (I think you didn't spot anyone or send them to Siberia), and even less so for the peasants. If they are beaten, flogged, sent to Siberia, then I think that this does not make them any worse. In Siberia, he leads the same bestial life, and the scars on his body will heal, and he is as happy as he was before. And this is necessary for those people who perish morally, earn themselves repentance, suppress this repentance and become rude because they have the opportunity to execute right and wrong. That's who I feel sorry for, and for whom I would like to free the peasants. You may not have seen, but I saw how good people brought up in these traditions of unlimited power, over the years, when they become more irritable, they become cruel, rude, they know this, they cannot resist, and everything becomes more and more unhappy. - Prince Andrei said this with such enthusiasm that Pierre involuntarily thought that these thoughts were induced by Andrei by his father. He didn't answer him.
So who do I feel sorry for? human dignity, peace of conscience, purity, and not their backs and foreheads, which, no matter how much you cut, no matter how you shave, everything will remain the same backs and foreheads.
“No, no, and a thousand times no, I will never agree with you,” said Pierre.
In the evening, Prince Andrei and Pierre got into a carriage and drove to the Bald Mountains. Prince Andrei, looking at Pierre, occasionally interrupted the silence with speeches that proved that he was in a good mood.
He told him, pointing to the fields, about his economic improvements.
Pierre was gloomy silent, answering in monosyllables, and seemed immersed in his own thoughts.
Pierre thought that Prince Andrei was unhappy, that he was mistaken, that he did not know the true light, and that Pierre should come to his aid, enlighten and raise him. But as soon as Pierre figured out how and what he would say, he had a premonition that Prince Andrei would drop everything in his teachings with one word, with one argument, and he was afraid to start, afraid to expose his beloved shrine to the possibility of ridicule.
“No, why do you think,” Pierre suddenly began, lowering his head and taking the form of a butting bull, why do you think so? You shouldn't think like that.
– What am I thinking about? Prince Andrew asked with surprise.
- About life, about the purpose of a person. It can't be. That's what I thought, and it saved me, you know what? freemasonry. No, you don't smile. Freemasonry is not a religious, not a ritual sect, as I thought, but Freemasonry is the best, the only expression of the best, eternal aspects of humanity. - And he began to explain to Prince Andrei Freemasonry, as he understood it.
He said that Freemasonry is the teaching of Christianity, freed from state and religious shackles; the doctrine of equality, brotherhood and love.
– Only our holy brotherhood has a real meaning in life; everything else is a dream,” said Pierre. - You understand, my friend, that outside this union everything is full of lies and untruths, and I agree with you that clever and good man there is nothing left but, like you, to live out your life, trying not to interfere with others. But assimilate our basic convictions, join our brotherhood, give yourself to us, let yourself be guided, and you will now feel yourself, as I felt a part of this huge, invisible chain whose beginning is hidden in the sky, said Pierre.
Prince Andrei, silently, looking in front of him, listened to Pierre's speech. Several times, not hearing the noise of the carriage, he asked Pierre for unheard words. From the special brilliance that lit up in the eyes of Prince Andrei, and from his silence, Pierre saw that his words were not in vain, that Prince Andrei would not interrupt him and would not laugh at his words.
They drove up to a flooded river, which they had to cross by ferry. While the carriage and horses were being installed, they went to the ferry.
Prince Andrei, leaning on the railing, silently looked along the flood shining from the setting sun.
- Well, what do you think about it? - asked Pierre, - why are you silent?
- What I think? I listened to you. All this is so, - said Prince Andrei. - But you say: join our brotherhood, and we will show you the purpose of life and the purpose of man, and the laws that govern the world. But who are we people? Why do you know everything? Why am I the only one who doesn't see what you see? You see the kingdom of goodness and truth on earth, but I do not see it.
