New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22

on him and to e onomlze every little scrap OF
space. but he ends after all by Transforming
the proof sheets into kind Of complicated net
work The same fate overtakes the second
batch Of proofs. II might be said without any
fear OF exaggeration that were Tolsto allowed
ninety nine rounds Of proof sheets to any one
OF hts productions even the ninety ninth would
not escape being covered al over with cor
rections
The auusion Of NJ. Sergienko to the persist
ent beggars" TO whom Tolstoi presents his sue
cessive works requires a word Of explanation
For reasons OF his own. the novelist now re
fusee to accept money for his newly written
stories and articles; yet when thev are printed
in book form additional volumes Of his com
plete works they are sold at rather high hg-
ure their publication being conducted by the
authors wife Countess Sophia Andrevna. VINO
is a very clever woman OF business. Mean
time the eagernese OF the public to get the latest
production OF Tolstoi is always great tha'
Oh some occasions a new work Of his is COPIED
IN writing on some duplicating apparatus ana
circulated among his friends and admirers III
this shape until II comes out in magazine OF
book form together with other articles or shor'
stories. OF late years, however, most or tht
new productions OF Tolstoi appear first IN the
ST Petersburg magazine 'Severny Niestnyk
whose publisher lady Of Hebrew descent
keeps sharp lookout on the author. She close
~ follows his work, and as soon az she hears
that new book approaches completion she
makes "a descent OF the family, in the guise OF
devoted admirer and disciple of the Great
writer and manaFec so skilfuy that the Count
generally rewards her by giving her his ne"
story he makes her a present Of It, In fact and
she forthwith prints it in her magazine win
the direct result Of greatly increasing the circu
lauon OF that periodical.
The faculty of sef-crticism is 50 strongly dc
veloped in Tolstoi that some OF his chapters
after undergoing his alterations bear no resem-
blance within covers to their manuscript form
In art" once said the novelist, "one need not
neglect the least, the most trihnG detail, some
times d button hanging on thread may thro"
d new light on a whole side Of persons NE
AnG SO that button must needs be reproduced
But il must be done in such a way that all one :
efforts-the half torn-off button acknowledgements
20 to elucidate the innermost substance Of the
thing and IN no case should it serve to distract
attention from the main issue and turn 1t from
the important point to silly details
The conversation at Tostois house once
turned on the Mookany-a sect that eschews al
secular books. ana VINO SDOulQ DldIne lhti
for IT." said the novelist. only stop and con
sider what d mass Of lies is piled up in our
books You could hardly tell whether there
are more lice found IN life than there are IN
books. ! am no exception 10 the rule myself
! also am apt 10 take W the and set II tC
paper writing let US say, OF early morning
Ivan Ivanytch got up and called his son'-and
then suddenly my conscience pricks me and the
pen falls out Of my hand What Is the use OF
telling hes old fellow? Nothing Of the sort ever
took place and thou dost not know any lvar
Ivanytch whatever. What If the need OF lying
in thine old age? Set down what has really taker
place what thou hast seen and lived through
There l. no need for lying there is too much Of
II as ii IS.
Where Is weighed down by such ethlca
restrictions II Is, Of course, impossible that h
should turn out d novel every year. Even were
Tolstoi disposed 10 do this II would hardly be-
possible for him to accomplish it, because the
ha bit OF eluCidation and elimination for the sake
Of clearness has become a second nature viii
him. He sometimes reWrites even the letters
addressed to private persons and be writes
them with as much intense feeling az would bt
displayed by a bridegroom Oh his way to be
welded 70 his lady love.
4 THELFEINCH WIRE WOUND Gun