It was then that some young Russians, including Vadim, took refuge in the profound study of Russian history, while others took to German philosophy.
But Ogaryóv and I did not join either of these groups. Certain ideals had become so much a part of us that we could not lightly give them up. Our belief in the sort of dinner-table revolution dear to Béranger was shaken; but we sought something different, which we could not find either in Nestor’s Chronicle[[56]] or in the transcendentalism of Schelling.
[56]. The earliest piece of literature in Russian.
§12
During this period of ferment and surmise and endeavour to understand the doubts that frightened us, there came into our hands the pamphlets and sermons of the Saint-Simonians, and the report of their trial. We were much impressed by them.
Superficial and unsuperficial critics alike have had their laugh at Le Père Enfantin[[57]] and his apostles; but a time is coming when a different reception will be given to those forerunners of socialism.
[57]. Barthèlemy Enfantin (1796-1864) carried on the work of Saint-Simon in Paris.
Though these young enthusiasts wore long beards and high waistcoats, yet their appearance in a prosaic world was both romantic and serious. They proclaimed a new belief, they had something to say—a principle by virtue of which they summoned before their judgement-seat the old order of things, which wished to try them by the code Napoléon and the religion of the House of Orleans.
First, they proclaimed the emancipation of women—summoning them to a common task, giving them control of their own destiny, and making an alliance with them on terms of equality.
Their second dogma was the restoration of the body to credit—la réhabilitation de la chair.