Boots, cesspools, and Pushkin

[Steve Baehr]

I was just re-reading +Crime and Punishment+, and a quick p.s. to
Paul Klanderlud's question re. Pisarev, Pushkin, and boots popped out
that I was trying to recall when Paul asked the question.

In chapter 1 of Part V, Lebeziatnikov, discussing the "future society", takes
Pisaerv one step further:  "I would be the first, I would be prepared to clean
whatever cesspools you wish. There is not even any self-sacrifice here.
There is simply work, noble work, an activity which is useful for
society, which is worthy of any other, and which is much more important
than the activity of any Raphael or Pushkin, because it is more useful!
    --And more noble, more noble, ha, ha, ha [chimes in Luzhin].
          (Dostoevskii, PSS, 30 tt., 6:285)

  Steve Baehr
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Stephen L. Baehr (slbaehr at vtvm1.cc.vt.edu)
Professor of Russian
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0225
Telephone: (540)-231-8323; FAX (540) 231-4812