e lead of
Sainte-Beuve, while Hermann Grimm is a disciple of Emerson. The
Essayists of To-day are Legion.

It is hard to say whether what is set out in this brief and agreeable
mode will offer much resistance to the ravages of Time. In any case
its permanence is not excluded. It is conceivable that men, when
condemned to many months' imprisonment, might arm themselves with the
Works of Sainte-Beuve for their profitable entertainment, rather than
with the Writings of any other Frenchman, since they give the
Quintessence of many Books and many Temperaments. As to the permanent
value of the Literature of To-day, we can but express conjectures, or
at most opinions, that are binding upon none. We may hope that
After-Generations will interest themselves not merely in the Classic
Forms of Poetry and History, but also in this less monumental Mode of
the Criticism of our Era. And if this be not the case, we may console
ourselves in advance with the reflection that the After-World is not of
necessity going to be cleverer than the Present--that we have indeed no
guarantee that it will be able to appreciate the Qualities of our
Contemporaries quite according to their merits.

So much that is New, and to us Unknown, will occupy it in the Future!

GEORGE BRANDES.

Paris, May 1904.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Characterization

A New Romance

Scenes from the Abysses

English Translations of Gorki's Works

ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Maxim Gorki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

2. Maxim Gorki (in 1900)

3. Beggar Collecting for a Church Fund

4. Tartar Day-Labourer

5. Tramps--the Seated Figure is the Original of Luka

6. A Page from Gorki's Last Work

7. The Bare-footed Brigade on the Volga-Quay,
at Nijni Novgorod

8. Love-Scene between Polja and Nil,
Act 3 of "The Bezemenovs"

9. Gambling-Scene, Act 2 of "The Doss-house"

10. A Confabulation, Act 2 of "The Doss-house"

11. Concluding Scene, Act 3 of "The Doss-house"

12. The Actor, in "The Doss-house"

13. Vasilissa, the Keeper of "The Doss-house"

14. Nastja, servant in "The Doss-house"

15. The Baron, in "The Doss-house"

16. Letter to Herr Max Reinhardt

Characterisation; Environment; Gorki's predecessors; Reaction and
pessimism; Literature and society; Gorki's youth; Hard times; A vagrant
life; Journalist days; Rapid success; The new heroes; Creatu