BALMONT, 'Constant:it' Dmitriyevitch, Russian poet: b. on his father's estate, near the village of Gumnishtche, in the government of Vladimir, 15 June 1867. His education was much interrupted: he was expelled from the seventh class of the Gymnasitnn, being suspected of secret political activity. He later attended the University of Moscow, intending to pre pare himself for the profession of the law; but again he was implicated as one of the leaders in student uprisings. He was arrested and expelled from the city. He traveled ex tensively in southern Russia, Turkey and western Europe, where he attained consider able familiarity with English and German. On his return to Russia he devoted himself to literary pursuits, and he has translated many of the poems of Shelley, Poe, Ibsen and other European writers. In 1894 appeared his first volume of poems, 'Under Northern Skies.' This was followed at intervals of two years by a second and third volume; then in 1904 by a fourth collection, entitled 'Let us be like the Sun.' Many of his lyrics were set to music by the later Russian composers. The Yiddish monthly Die Zuksinft charged him with having several times changed his political views; but he was regarded as one of the leaders of the modern Russian thought. He wrote many patri
otic songs and other lyrics. His rather un satisfactory ((Hymn of Free Russia* (Himn Syob6dnoi Rossiya), occasioned by the Revolu tion of 1905 and set to music by Ralchmaninot has carried his name all over the world. This hymn was accepted by the men of the Revolu tion of 1917. The metre corresponds to the familiar English hymn, (Trom Greenland's Icy Mountains,° and the three stanzas literally translated are as follows: 1. Hail Russia—Free land1— Free Element — Destined to be great! 2. Mighty realm —Boundless oceanl— Glory to those that fought for freedom — That dis pelled the mist! 3. Forests, fields and meadows— And steppes and seas1— We are free and happy, The dawn glows for us all1 4. Same as stanza 1.
Balmont also translated Shelley, Edgar Allen Poe, Ibsen, Hoffmann and Hauptmann, but as an original poet he is reckoned as one of the most notable in recent times.