SOURCE: "The Story-Teller: Reflections on the Works of Nicolai Leskov," in Chicago Review, No. 16, 1963, pp. 80-101.

In the following excerpt, Benjamin praises Leskov's craftsmanship and admires what he considers the author's ability to tell a good tale and gently counsel his readers by sharing with them his life experiences.

"Leskov," writes Gorky, "is the writer most deeply rooted in the people and is completely untouched by any foreign influences." A great story-teller will always be rooted in the people, primarily in the working class. But just as this includes the rural, the maritime, and the urban elements in the many stages of their economic and technical development, there are many gradations in the concepts in which their stores of experience comes down to us. (To say nothing of the by no means insignificant share traders had in the art of story-telling; their task was less to increase its...