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Sovremennik [The Contemporary]. A literary magazine
published from 1847 by I. Panaev and N. Nekrasov. Volume XXXV. The book
IX. Sankt-Petersbourg, in Edward Pratsa's printing house, 1852. p.p.
5-104. L.N. [Tolstoi L.N.] «History of my childhood». It’s signed: L.N.
Censor A. Krylov. Contemporary half calf (slightly repaired, hinges
broken, rubbed). Internally a clean and fresh copy. Original wrappers
preserved. Format: 24х16 cm. The copy from library of 3rd Spb. Grammar
school [High school]. The first publication of the great Russian
writer!
Nekrasov acquired «Sovremennik» [«The Contemporary»]
together with Panaev in the end of 1846 from N. A. Pletnev. By that
time, V. Belinskiy had also moved to «Sovremennik» [«The
Contemporary»]. This provided the initial success of the enterprise.
When Belinskiy died and reaction attacked to the events of 1848, «Sovremennik»
[«The Contemporary»], which remained the best literary magazine of
Russia at that time, gave up and started to publish numerous fiction:
novels and stories, and even adventures. As we know, a large loss in
card play in spring 1851 forced Leo Tolstoi to follow his elder
brother Nikolai to the Caucasus. Soon he decided to join the army. In
autumn of 1851, having passed an exam in Tiflis, Tolstoi as a cadet
joined the fourth battery of the twentieth artillery brigade. This
unit stayed for a long time at a remote Cossack settlement of
Starogladovo on the Terek bank near Kizlyar. Shaking off the dust and
soot of civilisation, Leo got the best part of himself: he started
writing. Most probably that the «History of My Childhood» is the first
work of Tolstoi; there is at least no information evidencing that he
had earlier attempted to write anything in the literary form. In 1852,
Tolstoi send to the editorial board of «Contemporary» the first part
of his autobiographical trilogy. When he received the manuscript of
«Childhood», Nekrasov recognised at once its literary value and write
a kind letter to the author, where he blessed the author to further
deeds in the field of literature. Being published by Nekrasov and
signed by modest initials L. N.; «Childhood» won an extraordinary
success and the author was once referred to as a great figure of the
young literary school.
Reference literature:
1. Bitowt Uyrii «A Count Leo Tolstoy in literature and art», Moscow,
1903, №380.
2. Kilgour (to be absent).
3. A. Mezier «Russian literature» , St. Petersbourg, 1902, №18154. |
