Tolstoy, Leo - Thomas Mann (essay date 1928)

Thomas Mann (essay date 1928)

SOURCE: "Tolstoy," in The Dial, Vol. 85, December, 1928, pp. 453-57.

[Mann was a German novelist and short story writer. In the following essay, he records his impressions of Tolstoy's philosophy.]

He had the stature of the nineteenth century, this giant, who bore epic burdens, under which our quick-breathing and more fragile generation would sink. How great was this period, in all its sombreness, its materialism, its scientific inflexibility and asceticism; how great was that race of writers to which Tolstoy belonged, whose creations dominate the five decades before 1900. Does any cosmic insight that we may have, or are beginning to have, does our yet timid dream of a gladder and more confident humanity, justify us in underestimating, as is now our habit, that earlier time; since after all it would be difficult to deny that from the moral stand-point we have fallen far below its level? In striking contrast...

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