Page:Czechoslovak stories.pdf/135

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JOSEPH SVATOPLUK MACHAR
121

in the form of the self-appointed censors of society, pursues to the end of a career that might have been beautiful; “Tristium Vindobona," a mirror of Czech national psychology; “Golgotha," a discussion of the Roman Empire; “Jed z Judey” (Poison from Judea), thoughts suggested by monuments of ancient culture.

Machar’s prose, like his poetry, represents the hapsing attitude of mind towards all big, vital questions. His reflections on life are presented in the many sketches in “Stará Prosa” (Old Prose Tales); “Hrst Belletrie” (A Handful of Tales); Stories in Prose (1901–1903) and two later collections with the same titles; “Krajiny, Lidé a Netopýři” (Lands, People and Bats); “Veršem i Prosou” (In Verse and Prose); “Kniha Feuilletonů” (A Book of Feuilletons); “Řím” (Rome), a discussion of ancient, papal and modern Rome; “Konfesse Literáta” (The Confessions of a Literary Man), a diary of a man striving to express his life in terms of literary service.

The story used here is from his “Stárá Prosa” and is done in his characteristic manner.