Oustrialov,
the historian, truly characterizes most of the voluminous writers
of this epoch, as mediocre verse makers, for claiming merits in the
cases of Bogdanovich, Khemnitzer, Von Vizin, Dmitriev, and Derzhavin.
Bogdanovich wrote a very pretty lyric piece, styled _Dushenka_
based on the story of Cupid and Psyche, and partly imitated from
Lafontaine, with a sportive charm about the verse which will preserve
it from becoming obsolete. With Khemnitzer begin the fabulists. But
I shall reserve my remarks upon this species of literature and
its Russian votaries until I come to Krilov, who may be said to
be one of the few Sclavonic authors who have gained a reputation
beyond the limits of their own country. In Denis Von Vizin, born
at Moscow, but as his name shows, of German extraction, Russia saw
a writer of genuine national comedy. Hitherto she had to content
herself with poor imitations of Moliere. His two plays, the _Brigadier_
and the _Minor_ (_Nederosl_), have much original talent. No such
vigorous representations of character appeared again on the stage
till _The Misfortune of being too Clever_ (_Gore et Ouma_) of
Griboiedov, and the _Revisor_ of Gogol.
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