C. Kunin: The legendary oak appears in the prolog to
Pushkin's first popular success, his fairy tale epic 'Russlan and
Ludmilla', a famous opera by Glinka based thereon is still beloved of many
(V Markov's favorite composer, by the way). The poema is referred to by
Pushkin himself in the second stanza of E.O.: I don't recall
'Pushkin's poem in Ada, but assume it must be a fragment of R
& L. How to relate the one to the other is something someone else will
have to undertake.
Jansy Mello: Quoting - " The first item in the evil series had
projected one of Van’s initial impressions of Ardis Manor at an angle that
differed from that of his own recollection. Its area lay between the shadow of a
calèche darkening the gravel and the white step of a pillared porch shining in
the sun [ ].Then came several preparatory views
of the immediate grounds: the colutea circle, an avenue, the grotto’s black O,
and the hill, and the big chain around the trunk of the rare oak, Quercus
ruslan Chat., and a number of other spots meant to be picturesque by the
compiler of the illustrated pamphlet but looking a little shabby owing to
inexperienced photography.". These references were discussed in the
List by Sklyarenko et alii. Chat = cat?
Chateaubriand?