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reigning and extremely fashionable philosophy of Schopenhauer and
Hartmann。 If such is life； 'tis better for the coming generation
not to live；〃 say corrupt medical science and its newly devised
means to that end。
In the Bible； it is laid down as the law of man： 〃In the sweat of
thy face shalt thou eat bread； and in sorrow thou shalt bring forth
children；〃 but 〃nous avons change tout ca；〃 as Moliere's character
says； when expressing himself with regard to medicine； and asserting
that the liver was on the left side。 We have changed all that。 Men
need not work in order to eat； and women need not bear children。
A ragged peasant roams the Krapivensky district。 During the war he
was an agent for the purchase of grain； under an official of the
commissary department。 On being brought in contact with the
official； and seeing his luxurious life； the peasant lost his mind；
and thought that he might get along without work； like gentlemen；
and receive proper support from the Emperor。 This peasant now calls
himself 〃the Most Serene Warrior； Prince Blokhin； purveyor of war
supplies of all descriptions。〃 He says of himself that he has
〃passed through all the ranks；〃 and that when he shall have served
out his term in the army； he is to receive from the Emperor an
unlimited bank account； clothes； uniforms； horses； equipages； tea；
pease and servants； and all sorts of luxuries。 This man is
ridiculous in the eyes of many； but to me the significance of his
madness is terrible。 To the question； whether he does not wish to
work； he always replies proudly： 〃I am much obliged。 The peasants
will attend to all that。〃 When you tell him that the peasants do
not wish to work； either； he answers： 〃It is not difficult for the
peasant。〃
He generally talks in a high…flown style； and is fond of verbal
substantives。 〃Now there is an invention of machinery for the
alleviation of the peasants；〃 he says； 〃there is no difficulty for
them in that。〃 When he is asked what he lives for； he replies； 〃To
pass the time。〃 I always look on this man as on a mirror。 I behold
in him myself and all my class。 To pass through all the ranks
（tchini） in order to live for the purpose of passing the time； and
to receive an unlimited bank account； while the peasants； for whom
this is not difficult； because of the invention of machinery； do the
whole business；this is the complete formula of the idiotic creed
of the people of our sphere in society。
When we inquire precisely what we are to do； surely； we ask nothing；
but merely assertonly not in such good faith as the Most Serene
Prince Blokhin； who has been promoted through all ranks； and lost
his mindthat we do not wish to do any thing。
He who will reflect for a moment cannot ask thus； because； on the
one hand； every thing that he uses has been made； and is made； by
the hands of men； and； on the other side； as soon as a healthy man
has awakened and eaten； the necessity of working with feet and hands
and brain makes itself felt。 In order to find work and to work； he
need only not hold back： only a person who thinks work disgraceful…
…like the lady who requests her guest not to take the trouble to
open the door； but to wait until she can call a man for this
purposecan put to himself the question； what he is to do。
The point does not lie in inventing work；you can never get through
all the work that is to be done for yourself and for others；but
the point lies in weaning one's self from that criminal view of life
in accordance with which I eat and sleep for my own pleasure； and in
appropriating to myself that just and simple view with which the
laboring man grows up and lives；that man is； first of all； a
machine； which loads itself with food in order to sustain itself；
and that it is therefore disgraceful； wrong； and impossible to eat
and not to work； that to eat and not to work is the most impious；
unnatural； and； therefore； dangerous position； in the nature of the
sin of Sodom。 Only let this acknowledgement be made； and there will
be work； and work will always be joyous and satisfying to both
spiritual and bodily requirements。
The matter presented itself to me thus： The day is divided for
every man； by food itself； into four parts； or four stints； as the
peasants call it： （1） before breakfast； （2） from breakfast until
dinner； （3） from dinner until four o'clock； （4） from four o'clock
until evening。
A man's employment； whatever it may be that he feels a need for in
his own person； is also divided into four categories： （1） the
muscular employment of power； labor of the hands； feet； shoulders；
back；hard labor； from which you sweat； （2） the employment of the
fingers and wrists； the employment of artisan skill； （3） the
employment of the mind and imagination； （4） the employment of
intercourse with others。
The benefits which man enjoys are also divided into four categories。
Every man enjoys； in the first place； the product of hard labor；
grain； cattle； buildings； wells； ponds； and so forth； in the second
place； the results of artisan toil；clothes； boots； utensils； and
so forth； in the third place； the products of mental activity；
science； art； and； in the forth place； established intercourse
between people。
And it struck me； that the best thing of all would be to arrange the
occupations of the day in such a manner as to exercise all four of
man's capacities； and myself produce all these four sorts of
benefits which men make use of； so that one portion of the day； the
first； should be dedicated to hard labor； the second； to
intellectual labor； the third； to artisan labor； and the forth； to
intercourse with people。 It struck me； that only then would that
false division of labor； which exists in our society； be abrogated；
and that just division of labor established； which does not destroy
man's happiness。
I； for example； have busied myself all my life with intellectual
labor。 I said to myself； that I had so divided labor； that writing；
that is to say； intellectual labor； is my special employment； and
the other matters which were necessary to me I had left free （or
relegated； rather） to others。 But this； which would appear to have
been the most advantageous arrangement for intellectual toil； was
precisely the most disadvantageous to mental labor； not to mention
its injustice。
All my life long； I have regulated my whole life； food； sleep；
diversion； in view of these hours of special labor； and I have done
nothing except this work。 The result of this has been； in the first
place； that I have contracted my sphere of observations and
knowledge； and have frequently had no means for the study even of
problems which often presented themselves in describing the life of
the people （for the life of the common people is the every…day
problem of intellectual activity）。 I was conscious of my ignorance；
and was obliged to obtain instruction； to ask about things which are
known by every man not engaged in special labor。 In the second
place； the result was； that I had been in the habit of sitting down
to write when I had no inward impulse to write； and when no one
demanded from me writing； as writing； tha