Война и мир

Chapter 19

           

           BeforethebattleofBorodinóourstrengthinproportiontotheFrenchwasaboutasfivetosix,butafterthatbattleitwaslittlemorethanonetotwo:previouslywehadahundredthousandagainstahundredandtwentythousand;afterwardslittlemorethanfiftythousandagainstahundredthousand.YettheshrewdandexperiencedKutúzovacceptedthebattle,whileNapoleon,whowassaidtobeacommanderofgenius,gaveit,losingaquarterofhisarmyandlengtheninghislinesofcommunicationstillmore.IfitissaidthatheexpectedtoendthecampaignbyoccupyingMoscowashehadendedapreviouscampaignbyoccupyingVienna,thereismuchevidencetothecontrary.Napoleon’shistoriansthemselvestellusthatfromSmolénskonwardshewishedtostop,knewthedangerofhisextendedposition,andknewthattheoccupationofMoscowwouldnotbetheendofthecampaign,forhehadseenatSmolénskthestateinwhichRussiantownswerelefttohim,andhadnotreceivedasinglereplytohisrepeatedannouncementsofhiswishtonegotiate.

           IngivingandacceptingbattleatBorodinó,Kutúzovactedinvoluntarilyandirrationally.Butlateron,tofitwhathadoccurred,thehistoriansprovidedcunninglydevisedevidenceoftheforesightandgeniusofthegeneralswho,ofalltheblindtoolsofhistorywerethemostenslavedandinvoluntary.

           Theancientshaveleftusmodelheroicpoemsinwhichtheheroesfurnishthewholeinterestofthestory,andwearestillunabletoaccustomourselvestothefactthatforourepochhistoriesofthatkindaremeaningless.

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