Andrew gets caught up in the government reform movement, and meets its leader Speránski.
Summary:
In Petersburg, Andrew quickly becomes very interested in government reform, and in Secretary of State Speránski its chief promoter, so much so that specific questions of army regulations quickly fade in Andrew’s mind. Everyone in Petersburg was very interested in Andrew. Liberals liked that he had freed his serfs. Conservatives liked that he was the Old Prince’s son. People talked about him, were interested in him, and wanted to meet him. He interested feminine society as a distinguished and romantic newcomer. His old friends notice that Andrew had matured since they last saw him. At a social event, Andrew meets Speránski, the chief architect of the reform movement. Being kindred spirits, Andrew and Speránski hit if off at their first meeting.
quote from the chapter:
From the irritation of the older men, the curiosity of the uninitiated, the reserve of the initiated, the hurry and preoccupation of everyone, and the innumerable committees and commissions of whose existence he learned every day, he felt that now, in 1809, here in Petersburg a vast civil conflict was in preparation, the commander in chief of which was a mysterious person he did not know, but who was supposed to be a man of genius-Speránski. And this movement of reconstruction of which Prince Andrew had a vague idea, and Speránski its chief promoter, began to interest him so keenly that the question of the army regulations quickly receded to a secondary place in his consciousness.
Book 6, Chapter 5
Andrew gets caught up in the government reform movement, and meets its leader Speránski.
Summary:
In Petersburg, Andrew quickly becomes very interested in government reform, and in Secretary of State Speránski its chief promoter, so much so that specific questions of army regulations quickly fade in Andrew’s mind. Everyone in Petersburg was very interested in Andrew. Liberals liked that he had freed his serfs. Conservatives liked that he was the Old Prince’s son. People talked about him, were interested in him, and wanted to meet him. He interested feminine society as a distinguished and romantic newcomer. His old friends notice that Andrew had matured since they last saw him. At a social event, Andrew meets Speránski, the chief architect of the reform movement. Being kindred spirits, Andrew and Speránski hit if off at their first meeting.
quote from the chapter:
From the irritation of the older men, the curiosity of the uninitiated, the reserve of the initiated, the hurry and preoccupation of everyone, and the innumerable committees and commissions of whose existence he learned every day, he felt that now, in 1809, here in Petersburg a vast civil conflict was in preparation, the commander in chief of which was a mysterious person he did not know, but who was supposed to be a man of genius-Speránski. And this movement of reconstruction of which Prince Andrew had a vague idea, and Speránski its chief promoter, began to interest him so keenly that the question of the army regulations quickly receded to a secondary place in his consciousness.
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