University of Virginia Library

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

ON comparing with the original Russian
some English translations of Count Tolstoi's
works, published both in this country and in
England, I concluded that they were far from
being accurate. The majority of them were re-
translations from the French, and I found that
the respective transitions through which they
had passed tended to obliterate many of the
beauties of the Russian language and of the
peculiar characteristics of Russian life. A satis-
factory translation can be made only by one who
understands the language and
spirit
of the Rus-
sian people. As Tolstoi's writings contain so
many idioms it is not an easy task to render
them into intelligible English, and the one who
successfully accomplishes this must be a native

of Russia, commanding the English and Rus-
sian languages with equal fluency.

The story of "Ivan the Fool" portrays Tol-
stoi's communistic ideas, involving the abolition
of military forces, middlemen, despotism, and
money. Instead of these he would establish on
earth a kingdom in which each and every per-
son would become a worker and producer. The
author describes the various struggles through
which three brothers passed, beset as they were
by devils large and small, until they reached
the ideal state of existence which he believes to
be the only happy one attainable in this world.

On reading this little story one is surprised
that the Russian censor passed it, as it is de-
voted to a narration of ideas quite at variance
with the present policy of the government of
that country.

"A Lost Opportunity" is a singularly true
picture of peasant life, which evinces a deep
study of the subject on the part of the writer.

Tolstoi has drawn many of the peculiar customs

of the Russian peasant in a masterly manner,
and I doubt if he has given a more comprehen-
sive description of this feature of Russian life
in any of his other works. In this story also
he has presented many traits which are common
to human nature throughout the world, and this
gives an added interest to the book. The lan-
guage is simple and picturesque, and the char-
acters are drawn with remarkable fidelity to
nature. The moral of this tale points out how
the hero Ivan might have avoided the terrible
consequences of a quarrel with his neighbor
(which grew out of nothing) if he had lived in
accordance with the scriptural injunction to for-
give his brother's sins and seek not for revenge.

The story of "Polikushka" is a very graphic
description of the life led by a servant of the
court household of a certain nobleman, in which
the author portrays the different conditions and
surroundings enjoyed by these servants from
those of the ordinary or common peasants. It
is a true and powerful reproduction of an ele-

ment in Russian life but little written about
heretofore. Like the other stories of this great
writer, "Polikushka" has a moral to which we
all might profitably give heed. He illustrates
the awful consequences of intemperance, and
concludes that only kind treatment can reform
the victims of alcohol.

For much valuable assistance in the work of
these translations, I am deeply indebted to the
bright English scholarship of my devoted wife.