- Ivan Khemnitser
Ivan Ivanovitch Chemnitzer or Khemnitzer (1745-84) was a Russian fabulist, born at
Yenotayevsk ,Astrakhan , the son of a German physician ofChemnitz , who had served in the Russian army under Peter the Great. He participated in the campaigns of theSeven Years' War and afterward devoted himself to mining engineering and subsequently visitedGermany ,Holland , andFrance . Upon his return he accepted a position asConsul toSmyrna , where an attack ofmelancholia hastened his death.In contradistinction to Sumarokov and others among the earlier fabulists of Russia, whose works are essentially
satire s, Chemnitzer was the first to introduce the genuine fable intoRussian literature . He was thus one of the predecessors of Krylov, having brought the Russian fable to its greatest perfection. Although to some extenttranslation s orimitation s of La Fontaine and Gellert, his works show considerable originality. Their good humor, vivacity of dialogue, simplicity, and distinctively national character have greatly endeared him to the Russian people. Among his best original fables are "The Metaphysician, The Tree, The Peasant and his Load", and "The Rich Man and the Poor Man". Grot produced the best edition of his works (St. Petersburg, 1873).
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