A Few Paragraphs on the
Editor of Helena
Blavatsky’s Writings in Russian Language
Blavatsky’s Writings in Russian Language
Boris de Zirkoff
by Boris de Zirkoff, entitled “The Writings of H.P.
After H.P. Blavatsky
and Col. H.S. Olcott had settled at Bombay, India, H.P.B. began writing her famous
Russian Series entitled “From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan”. Its sub-title
was “Letters to the Fatherland”. This series began appearing in an old and very
well-known Russian daily newspaper, the Moskovskiya
Vedomosty (Moscow Chronicle, or Moscow Gazette) [1], then under the editorship of the renowned publicist and
literary figure, Mikhail Nikiforovich Katkov.
Katkov was born in Moscow on November 1, Old Style, or
November 13, New Style, 1818, and lost his father in infancy. Together with his
younger brother, he was educated under the immediate supervision of his mother
who was of Georgian descent. In 1834, he entered the University of Moscow in
the department of literature, graduating with distinction four years later. His
literary career began even before graduation, and many of his essays, published
in some of the best journals of the day, gave expression to a mystical attitude
towards life, and the intimate unity between man and nature. His philosophical
views were strongly influenced by Schelling and Hegel. After three years
abroad, where he lived in several European countries and became a close friend
of Schelling in Berlin, he returned home to find himself in very difficult
financial circumstances and without any of his former friends, who did not
share his current views. He earned his livelihood by tutoring, and devoted
himself to the study of philology, history and classical antiquity. In 1845, he
successfully presented his Master’s thesis on Slavonian-Russian philology and
became an assistant professor at the Moscow University where he taught logic
and psychology for about five years, supporting both his mother and younger
brother. In 1850, he suddenly lost his position, due to the fact that the
teaching of philosophy in the universities was handed over to priests who were
professors of theology.
After another short period of struggle, Katkov was
very suddenly offered the position of editor of the famous Moskovskiya Vedomosty (Moscow Chronicle) which he assumed in March,
1851. On a salary of two thousand rubles, with a 25 kopeks’ commission on every
new subscriber and free lodging, Katkov considered himself secure; this led to
his marrying Princess Sophie Sergeyevna Shalikov, the daughter of a well-known
literary man.
Under Katkov’s leadership, the number of subscribers
to his newspaper rose from seven to fifteen thousand, and the quality of the
paper was greatly enhanced through the participation of new literary talent. To
this period of his literary activity belongs Katkov’s basic work entitled Outline of the most ancient Period of Greek
Philosophy (1854) which interprets the teachings of Heraclitus, Pythagoras,
and others in a symbolic manner, as expressing various abstract truths.
Various governmental restrictions, especially along
political lines, and the lack of freedom which Katkov experienced in the
conduct of his paper, which actually was the property of the Moscow University,
made him decide to seek permission from the authorities to publish his own
independent organ. After some tribulations and delays, he was allowed to
publish, a couple of times a month, a small journal under the name of Russkiy Vestnik (Russian Messenger) which began to appear in 1856. Katkov resigned from
the editorship of the Moscow Chronicle.
The new Journal soon acquired considerable reputation,
and some of the finest literary talents in Russia wrote for its pages, such as
Tolstoy, Turgenev, Goncharov and others. The number of subscribers rose
steadily. Dissatisfied with the way his political department was being
conducted, he took charge of it himself, even though he was conscious of not
being well versed along these lines. His chief characteristics in that field
were his passionate patriotism, so warmly commended by H.P.B. herself on
several occasions, his deep religious feeling, and his devotion to the Throne.
Some of these attitudes have been gravely misunderstood by later,
post-revolutionary writers, who have permitted themselves to classify Katkov
among the reactionaries, owing to their own narrow outlook and fanatical
adherence to new-fangled ideas. Such an appraisal of Katkov’s figure is
historically unsound.
Katkov was in favor of far-reaching reforms in the
structure of the State, and was inclined at the time towards the English form
of government. He was the proponent of a relatively free press and some of his
editorials, as well as his defense of other people’s contributions, repeatedly
provoked the ire of the censors. Katkov fought back, and with considerable
success. He soon realized that he needed a daily paper. At this time, the
University of Moscow decided to lease out its paper, the Moscow Chronicle. Katkov offered for it the sum of 74,000 rubles
and the paper passed into his hands for a second time, and began to be issued
under his editorship on January 1, 1863. His battle was against the existing
bureaucracy. At one time his Chronicle
was suspended for a period of two months, but resumed publication. In May,
1866, he obtained an interview with Emperor Alexander II who was visiting
Moscow, and was received with much kindness and assured of the Emperor’s special
protection.
In 1868, Katkov and his close friend Leontiev [2] opened a new educational
establishment, a Lyceum to be run on lines of classical education which had
always been a deep-seated conviction of Katkov’s. A special department was
devoted to the free education and upkeep of especially promising boys from
among the people, and from all parts of Russia, who were to be trained as
future teachers.
Katkov was greatly interested in the future of all
Slavonic nations, then under the yoke of both Austria and Turkey, and he became
the proponent of Slavophilism.[3]
His enthusiasm for reforms, however, was gradually undermined by the growing
abuses of various liberally-minded people, and his opposition against the
violent radical element became a real power after the assassination of the
Emperor on March 1, Old Style, or March 13, New Style, 1881.[4] The Moscow Chronicle acquired a position of importance such as no other
paper in Russia ever had before. In its pages were discussed the most important
problems of the day, and from these discussions matured in time various moves
of both internal and foreign policy. Katkov’s own life was completely submerged
in, and dedicated to, this activity of public and national service which he
looked upon as a perpetual crusade in the interests of the State. He worked day
and night, allowing himself no rest of any kind, and finally undermined his
health beyond the point where it could be restored. He died at his estate of
Znamenskoye, in the Province of Moscow, July 20-August 01, 1887, and was buried
in the Alexeyev Monastery in Moscow.
Such was the personality and the background of the man
whom H.P. Blavatsky considered to be one of the great patriots of her native
country, and who opened the pages of his publications to her pen.
NOTES:
[1] While Moskovskiya
Vedomosty can be translated as “Moscow Chronicle” or “Moscow Gazette”, it can
also be translated as “Moscow News”. Ms. Susanne Fusso, for instance, uses
“Moscow News” in her book “Editing
Turgenev, Dostoevsky & Tolstoy, Mikhail Katkov and the Great Russian Novel”
- Northern Illinois University Press, U.S.A., 2017, 309 pp., see p. 5 among
others. (CCA)
[2] Pavel Mikhailovich Leontiev (1822-1874), a
philologist and educator, not a close relative to the philosopher, diplomat and
monk Konstantin Nikolayevich Leontiev (1831-1891). (CCA)
[3] Read “Slavophilism and Theosophy”.
[4] See Helena Blavatsky’s article “The Assassination of the Czar”.
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The article “The
Life of Mikhail Katkov” was published as an independent item in the associated
websites on 20 December 2022.
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Read more:
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Helena Blavatsky
(photo) wrote these revealing words: “Deserve,
then desire”.
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