this confidence of a stupid man in his own talents has been wonderfully depicted by gogol in the amazing character of pirogoff. pirogoff has not the slightest doubt of his own genius, nay, of his superiority of genius, so certain is he of it that he never questions it. how many pirogoffs have there not been among our writers scholars, propagandists? i say "have been," but indeed there are plenty of them at this very day.