Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/15

 twelve tales contained in this volume appeared originally, from time to time, in the columns of the Nurses' Periodical, "Misericordia," during the years 1891-1899. They were intended in the first instance for the recreation of convalescent hospital patients, and for the nurses themselves, with no thought of republication. Tolstoi, ten years ago, was not nearly so well known in England as he is now, and many of these stories (some of which I was the first to translate), which have since become famous, then had all the charm of absolute novelty. In course of time these little masterpieces insensibly accumulated synchronously with the growth of the great Russian writer's popularity amongst us, so that I am now able to offer them in volume form to a larger public. The introductory biography is to a great extent derived from Tolstoi's own works, or from the writings of Russians who have known him, and contains many hitherto uncommunicated details.

Finally, I must express my acknowledgments to the Editor of "Misericordia," the Rev. E. F. Russell, for his courtesy in permitting me to reproduce these stories in their present form.

R. N. B.