to
labour upon his tragedy, and to produce the second and third cantos of
"Evgenii Oniegin," in addition to which, our indefatigable poet found
means to collect and publish a number of smaller poems, some of which
will be found among the translations which we are about to offer; and to
aid his friend and brother-poet Delvig in an annual volume of prose and
verse (illustrated after the manner of our Keepsakes, &c.) entitled
"Northern Flowers." This publication was commenced in 1826, and
continued to appear, always enriched with something by Pushkin, till its
existence closed at the early and lamented death of the projector and
editor.

Pushkin's life at this period was characterized by intense industry, and
an uniformity of exertion modified and compensated by variety of
occupation. He has left a minute description of the manner in which his
time was distributed between labour and repose; and even if we did not
possess his letters, it is described with sufficient accuracy in the
fourth canto of "Evgenii Oniegin," to enable us to transcribe it here.
He was in the habit of rising early, and of devoting the morning and
forenoon to those parts of his literary occupation which demanded the
exercise of the intellectual or reasoning powers, the memory, &c. &c.
Before dinner (whatever was the state of the weather) he took somewhat
violent walking exercise; he then dined, (it should be remarked that the
dinner-hour is earlier in Russia than is usual in England,) and having
passed the evening in society either at home or at some neighbouring
country-house, he returned to his poetical labours, which he sometimes
continued far into the night.[1] He has frequently repeated that he
found himself more perfectly disposed to composition in the season of
autumn; and that his poetical vein flowed most generously and
abundantly on a dark and stormy night. To those who are acquainted with
the climate of Russia (particularly of that part of the Empire where
Pushkin now resided) this will not be surprising; and the abundance and
splendour of the descriptions of the autumnal season introduced into his
various works, will show that his mind and imagination had something in
harmony with that which is, in our opinion, the most poetical portion of
the year. Like many persons of a highly nervous organization, the
brilliant sunshine of spring-tide produced in Pushkin's temperament an
impression of melancholy, which he explained by a natural tendency