Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1888-03-07
VISIT TO COUNT roLsroL
Tho Famous Russian Romancist Rests
Himself at Mammal Inhnr

AAAhAheAL at Manual Labor.
M. Danilefsld, a Russian author, has
Just published an interesting account of a
visit he recently paid to Count Tolstoi on
MS little estate of Jassnala Poliana. The
writer IS happy to be able to DENY the ru-
mors circulated abroad concerning the
mental condition of the famous Russian
rOInanclst. Count TOlstOi has not gone
ouC Oh MS mind, nor has he given up lit
erature, while as for the report that he
medltated quitting his home and his fam
lily ana becoming kind of Salvation army
apostle, all that is pure imagination. For
the past twenty-five years the count has
hved on his estate almost retired from the
world, but surrounded by his children.
AT times, to repOse his mind, he indulpeg
IKE another great man of the epoch, in
telling trees, saving wood, and other
manual exercises; in the winter he takes
TO bookmaking by way of relaxation, but
at the same time he continues to write.
and IS in full possession of his faculties
pursuing on the one hand his study of
theology, and, on the other, endoWinr
Russia with popular literature for the
use of all
Thirty years ago." said he, ''when nv
contemporaries and myself began writing.
out of the 100,000,O00 of inhabitants in
Russia not 10000 could read or write but
now that the schools have multiplied both
IN towns and villages those thousands have
become millions, and these millions of
fellow countrymen are there before us
with mouths open like starving birds de-
handing intellectual nOurishment worthy
OF themselves and us. All, yes, the simple,
honest Russian people are well deserving
OF our attention" Hence no doubt those
popular tales and dramas which some per-
sons have been astOnished to see appear
under the name of Tolstoi. However he
continues none the less to take q deep
interest in the intellectual movement Of
europe, and renOunces none of the doc
trlnes OF his great works. The table in
his study is covered with English. Ger
man and French reviews, while on the
shelves of his bookcase may be seen among
others the works of Shakespeare, Goethe,
Notalre, SpinOza, Rousseau and Emerson.
During his conversation with his visitor
TolstOi dwelt glOwingly on the labors of
the field. "Ahr' he exclaimed, s'what n
JOY it is, when the head is tired with
work, to be able to repOse ones self by a
simple physical exercise! Every day, ac-
cordlng to the season, l go out moving.
digging or blowing. Oh, the pillow! You
little dream what a pleasure it is, and
what good it does to the heart! How iov-
fully the blood flows through the veins!
The head becomes clear and the feet so
light that you scarcely feel them. And
what an appetite one gets, and how
soundly one sleeps afterwardl'' The count
went on to explain that, after all, nature
was the only true and real inspirer of art.
when l read our Russian authors, or
foreign writer's instinctively distinguish
those who have worked after nature and
those who have not. There are many Of
the most celebrated authors of the day
whose works cannot read on this &C
count; 1 try all can, but 1 can't get
through even the first page.' NJ. DAM
lefski believes that Count Tolstoi will yet
produce works worthy to be placed on the
side of his ''Peace and War; and Gamma
Karenine. Pail Mall Gazette.