Pushkin - Mirsky - 'incisive kisses'

Wed Aug 6 06:13:31 UTC 2008

??? ????????? ??????? ?????
????? ??????????? ?????????

(from Bakh. Fontan)

The adjective was switched to "?????????????" for the original 
publication, then switched back at some point; not sure which one 
Mirsky's using--Tynianov quotes it as "?????????????" in "??????" I 
believe.

Here's a link to Pushkin's letter to Vyazemsky about changing the line:

http://feb-web.ru/feb/pushkin/texts/push17/vol13/y132080-.htm

Does anyone know the 7-letter word omitted in this letter, and perhaps 
the story behind it?

-JP

Robert Chandler wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> In his fine book on Pushkin, Mirsky quotes these 2 lines.  Can anyone give
> them to me in Russian?
>
> Whose passionate embrace is more alive
> Than thy incisive kisses?¹
>
> They are from either Kaf. Plennik¹ or Bak. Fontan¹.
>
> And if anyone happens to know where Mirsky¹s little story is from, that will
> be beter still.
> When a reader objected that incisive¹ was an inappropriate epithet for
> kisses¹, Pushkin replied that he wanted people to understand that my
> Georgian bites when she kisses¹.
>
> Best Wishes,
>
> Robert
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>   options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                     http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>   

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------