Petrovich Avvakum (1620–1682)

Avvakum was the last of HM's works to be published by Hogarth, and the first of the two Russian translations she did in partnership with Jane Harrison. The book is the autobiography of a seventeenth century Russian priest. To me at least, Avvakum's incessant bleating about his own piety and the tribulations he suffers at the hands of the unworthy are simply tiresome, and the best part of the book is Prince Mirsky's introduction. This is not to slight Mirrlees and Harrison's translation, which I'm sure is deft and accurate; both were accomplished linguists. It's the work itself I don't like.… (más)