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TERRIBLE_KNOWLEDGE

                                                         WAR_AND_PEACE

Quoting from Tolstoy's
"War and Peace" (1865-1869):


     "In moments of pride, when he thought of his position it
     seemed to him that he was quite different and distinct
     from those other retired gentlemen-in-waiting he had
     formerly despised: they were empty, stupid, contented
     fellows, satisfied with their position, 'while I am
     still discontented and want to do something for
     mankind.  But perhaps all these comrades of mine
     struggled just like me and like me were brought by
     force of circumstances, society, and race -- by that
     elemental force against which man is powerless -- to
     the condition I am in,' said he to himself in moments
     of humility; and after living some time in Moscow he
     no longer despised, but began to grow fond of, to
     respect, and to pity, his comrades in destiny, as he
     pitied himself."

          Book VIII, Chapter I, p. 167 (WC)
          Pierre


     "... My brother Masons swear by the blood that they
     are ready to sacrifice everything for their neighbour,
     but they do not give a ruble each to the collections
     for the poor, and they intrigue, the Astraea Lodge
     against the Manna Seekers, and fuss about an authentic
     Scotch carpet and a charter that nobody needs, and the
     meaning of which the very man who wrote it does not
     understand.  We all profess the Christian law of
     forgiveness of injuries and love of our neighbours, the
     times forty churches -- but yesterday a deserter was
     knouted to death and a minister of that same law of love
     and forgiveness, a priest, gave the soldier a cross to
     kiss before his execution.'  So thought Pierre, and the
     while of this general deception which every one accepts,
     accustomed as he was to it, astonished him each time as
     if it were something new.  'I understand the deceptions
     and confusion,' he thought, 'but how am I to tell them
     all that I see?  I have tried, and have always found
     that they too in the depths of their souls understand
     it as I do, and only try not to see it.  So it appears
     that it must be so! But I -- what is to become of me?'
     thought he.  He had the unfortunate capacity many men,
     especially Russians, have of seeing and believing in
     the possibility of goodness and truth, but of seeing
     the evil and falsehood of life too clearly to be able
     to take a serious part in it.  Every sphere of work was
     connected, in his eyes, with evil and deception.
     Whatever he tried to be, whatever he engaged in, the
     evil and falsehood of it repulsed him and blocked every
     path of activity.  Yet he had to live and to find
     occupation.  It was too dreadful to be under the burden
     of these insoluble problems, so he abandoned himself to
     any distraction in order to forget them.  He frequented
     every kind of society, drank much, bought pictures,
     engaged in building, and above all -- read."

         Book VIII, Chapter I, p. 169 (WC)



     "Sometimes he remembered how he had heard that soldiers
     in war when entrenched under the enemy's fire, if they
     have nothing to do, try hard to find some occupation
     the more easily to bear the danger.  To Pierre all men
     seemed like those soldiers, seeking refuge from life:
     some in ambition, some in cards, some in framing laws,
     some in women, some in toys, some in horses, some in
     politics, some in sport, some in wine, and some in
     governmental affairs.  'Nothing is trivial, and nothing
     is important, it's all the same -- only to save oneself
     from it as best one can,' thought Pierre.  'Only not to
     see it that dreadful it!'"

            Book VIII, Chapter I, p. 169-170 (WC)
            Pierre


                                                  IGNORANT


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