BOTKIN Vasily Petrovich

(1810 - 1869), brother of the famous clinician. Systematically studied only in a Moscow hostel Kryazheva, with the usual meager pensions program at that time, his father was taken out and put the clerk in the barn. A gifted and inquisitive by nature, he began to use the lessons for free time, enthusiastically surrendering literature. From the guesthouse he brought the knowledge of modern languages, which contributed to his early acquaintance with Schiller, Shakespeare and all the novelties of the German, French and English literature. As it was later recognized that he was at that time was under the influence of Saint-Simonism. In 1835, Mr.. Botkin visited France and Italy, where, he says, "first felt the art". Introduced in the Belinsky Circle Stankevich, Botkin became one of the permanent members to reflect on itself all their hobbies, interests and experiences. As, by definition, one of his friends, sunflowers, is pivoted his head to every luminary, "Botkin became close friends with Herzen, Belinsky, and Granovsky, took the last, as is evident from his letters to Botkin, a tremendous impact. Educated, erudite and sensitive Botkin Belinsky acquainted with Western philosophy and art and friendship participation warmed his talent. Botkin took an active part in the "Notes of the Fatherland", which published a series of articles about art and works of foreign literature, and later - in the "Contemporary", which published his "Letters on Spain". These letters have attracted worldwide attention and left in 1857. separate edition. In his first articles Botkin was an ardent admirer of Hegel, . but in the future from the influence of his partially freed, . recognizing, . that "Hegel - a genius, . but it ought to read with a critical eye, . and we, . Yes, and all his followers, . studied it as the new messiah, . and bowed to him, . as Buriats their fetishes ",
. Botkin concludes, . that "the notion, . idea of a completely conditioned by the public, . which man was placed, . and ideas, . developed by some books, . not repeated incessantly process of social, . quickly fading in abstraction, . yes, . besides, . take more color and combination of the public, . where to get these ideas ... "" But I'm lying, . - Continues Botkin, . - While in England, France and literature is a mirror of manners, . we have it - mentor,
. That is why all its strength lies in the ideology. Move the masses, not the ideas and interests, but also educate their ideas ". A typical representative of the 1840's, Botkin, paid tribute to the corrosive and reflection, which was a disease of the century and played a prominent role in the life of Stankevich and others 1840. This reflection is clearly evident in a failed marriage to a Frenchwoman with Botkin Kuznetsk bridge. This episode is described by Herzen art in the essay "Basile and Armance" (My Past and Thoughts ", t. II). Herzen so characterizes Botkin: "arguer in music and philosophy in painting, he was one of the most complete representative of ultra-Hegelians. All his life he raced in the sky aesthetic, philosophical and critical details. In life, he looked as Retsher on Shakespeare, by building everything in life to the philosophical significance, making the boring all living things, chew everything fresh, leaving no word in its immediacy, a single movement of the soul ". With the death of Belinsky Botkin somehow effaced, and his literary career had faded. "Place the - explains this phenomenon, Professor SA. Vengerov - to a modest source of great shining light reflector, and both together they will cast a bright light at long distances. Died Belinsky, and Botkin, disappears from the history of Russian literature. In 1860 Botkin only whine, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of strict censorship. Botkin died in 1869, bequeathed 70 thousand rubles. on scientific and artistic institutions. His collected works was published in three volumes in 1890 - 1893 years. Shortly before his death Botkin undertook an extensive collection of materials for the history of art, but do this work did not have time. - Literature of Botkin cm. in the sources of the Dictionary of Russian Writers SA. Vengerov. O. Larin.