Aphorism deservedly occupies not the last place in the family of literary genres. And no wonder, because here in a capacious phrase there is a very deep thought. This form is capable of striking with surprise of judgments, extreme expressiveness and implicit inner meaning. Often such statements are attributed an edifying tint, but you should not detract from the healthy grain of satire. Moreover, aphorism is not always befitting pathos and seriousness. The article will focus on the surviving era catch phrase “Better to overtake than not to finish” and about its immortal author. This man is remarkable for the fact that, despite the lack of a great mind, many consider it to be the most beautiful pearl that replenishes the treasury of Russian classics and humor.
about the author
So who said: “It is better to overdo than to overdo”, giving this phrase to the world? This person is very remarkable. He is a playwright, poet, and great philosopher, who won popular love and recognition, shone with his witty wisdom, and worked in the mid-19th century. The famous writer was born on April 11, but the year is not exactly known. However, biographers claim that this momentous event occurred at the very beginning of the century in the village of Tenteleva, Vologda province. He belonged to the famous noble family and was naturally endowed with an indefatigable passion for writing.
His portraits, created by a brush of famous artists, conveyed to the descendants the disheveledness of rebellious curly brown hair and a proud stubborn look in which complacency shines. Among the special signs, you can specify two warts on the face and a patch on the neck, hiding permanent cuts from the razor. Also noteworthy is the ridiculous costume with a tasteless bow. That was Kozma Prutkov. “Better to overtake than not to finish” is just one of his aphorisms. And this very extraordinary, but original person spawned a great many for his life.
Details biography wit
Education, the author of the repeatedly mentioned phrase “Better to overtake than not to finish” received homework. And the wisdom of the sciences was taught by a parish priest named John Proleptov. He assessed the knowledge of his ward with marks “boldly excellent” and “instructive-commendable, ” which undoubtedly promised the young man who came to life a success in all his endeavors.
Further Prutkov Kozma Petrovich served as a cunker in the hussar regiment, but very soon left this occupation for a very good reason. Having once fallen asleep with a binge, he saw in a dream a brigadier general, but not just like that, but naked at epaulettes, and, apparently, felt a bad omen in this. Then Kozma entered the Ministry of Finance, where he was awarded the highest ranks, guided solely by his own conviction that "zeal overcomes everything."
Acting in the service in accordance with his principles, Kozma was carried away by numerous reform projects. But they did not always find a response in the hearts of contemporaries. In this regard, Prutkov was usually terribly indignant and had the habit of becoming discouraged, declaring neglect of him disrespect for his great talents and experience.
Literary activity
But the most remarkable success was achieved by the Prutkov in the literary field. True, his play “Fantasy”, staged on the stage of the Alexandria Theater, for some reason did not quite please Emperor Nicholas I. He found her surprisingly stupid, which is why it was banned. But Kozma was not upset and began to create fables, ballads and epigrams. He composed poetry, mysteries, drama, comedy and vaudeville in a multitude. And it was published in many respected publications of those times, such as Sovremennik, Entertainment, and Iskra. And the number of his works constantly increased with great speed, growing like a snowball.
Great phrases
His aphorisms were often perceived by contemporaries with a grin, but there was some charm in the work of Kozma's original wit. For example, the meaning “Better to overtake than to be under-finished” is difficult to understand even for the most educated people. Yes, and many other catchphrases sometimes cut the ear. But they are easy to remember. It is believed that the author died unforgettable masterpieces at the desktop, not letting go of the pen. And it happened in January 1863.
What did the writer mean when he wrote “It is better to overtake than not to finish”? An analogue in Russian (“correct”) of this strange phrase, apparently, could sound something like this: “Be careful, and even if it turns out to be superfluous, this is still preferable to frivolity and credulity.” But it seems that neither the contemporaries nor the descendants managed to accurately capture the full depth of the author’s thoughts.
Ingenious hoax
By the way, Kozma Petrovich Prutkov in real life, as you know, never existed. However, not all of the writers of that time guessed this. Ostroslov had his fans, opponents and zealous critics. It is not surprising, because many famous writers of that time mistook him for a very real person. But the writer Prutkov, the creator of the phrase “It’s better to overtake than to miss”, was just a literary mask, under which worked not only one, but several talented writers of the mid-19th century.
