Poetry
Опыты в стихах и прозе
Not translated into English
Konstantin Batyushkov · 1817
Synopsis
A collection in two parts, published a few months apart. The first brings together prose pieces: articles on the Russian poets, on Italian literature, on the history of culture. The second gathers the poems, arranged by genre, elegies, epistles and miscellaneous pieces; a verse address to the author's friends presents them as a mere list of verses, which has value only for friendship.
Context
The book came about on the initiative of Nikolai Gnedich, who became its editor and wrote its preface. The two parts appeared in Saint Petersburg in 1817, the prose in July, the verse in October. The opening poem, addressed to friends, sets the tone of a book first offered to a circle. Pushkin, who regarded him as one of his masters, exclaimed over his verses: “Italian sounds! What a miracle-worker this Batyushkov is!”
Who it is for
Two volumes, one of critical prose, the other of poems; no French translation of the entire collection has been found, only scattered poems.
Prizes and reception
The book was well received by critics and by readers; Pushkin in particular admired some of its elegies.
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