A Chevalier Of A Sentimemtal Epoch: The Biography Of A Little Aristocrat

Abstract

The article presents the forgotten book “The Model of Children, or the
Life of the Little Count Platon Zubov” (1801), written in French by A.
S. Vsevolozhskaya and translated into Russian by S. Sokovnin. The son of
General Valerian Zubov (a favorite of Catherine II) died in 1800 at the age
of 4 and a half years and is presented in the book as an ideal child. The text is examined in the context of literature about children of the 18th — early 19th centuries. We can see here the influence of A.-F.-J. Freville’s “Life of the famouses children”. Compared with most of the texts, “Model of Children”, although it contains canonical features of hagiographic and didactic works, demonstrates an attempt to introduce elements of psychologism and reality, to capture a specific image of a little aristocrat of his time. It combines elements of a sensitive nature as a result of female upbringing and the traits inherited from little count’s father as a courtesan with class prejudices. This image anticipates the characters of Nokolai Karamzin’s later prose.

Keywords: literature for children, Russian literature of 18th century, Valerian Zubov, sentimentalism