the course), in 1843, Ostrovsky entered the
civil service in the commercial court, where he enjoyed further
opportunities of enlarging his observations on the life of the
Trans-Moscow quarter. In 1847 he made his first appearance in
literature, with "Scenes of Family Happiness in Moscow," which was
printed in a Moscow newspaper. Soon afterwards he printed, in the same
paper, several scenes from his comedy "Svoi liudi--sotchtyemsya," which
may be freely translated, "It's All in the Family: We'll Settle It Among
Ourselves." This gained him more reputation, and he resigned from the
service to devote himself entirely to literature, as proof-reader,
writer of short articles, and so forth, earning a miserably small
salary. When the comedy just mentioned was printed, in 1847, it bore the
title of "The Bankrupt," and was renamed in deference to the objections
of the censor. It made a tremendous commotion in Russian society, where
it was read aloud almost daily, and one noted man remarked of it, "It
was not written; it was born." But the Moscow merchants took umbrage at
the play, made complaints in the proper quarter, and the author was
placed under police supervision, while the newspapers were forbidden to
mention the comedy. Naturally it was not acted. The following summary
will not only indicate the reason therefor, and for the wrath of the
merchants, but will also afford an idea of his style in the first comedy
which was acted, his famous "Don't Seat Yourself in a Sledge Which is
not Yours" ("Shoemaker, Stick to Your Last," is the English equivalent),
produced in 1853, and in others:

IT'S ALL IN THE FAMILY: WE'LL SETTLE IT AMONG OURSELVES.

Samson Silitch Bolshoff (Samson, son of Strong Big), a Moscow
merchant, has a daughter, Olympiada, otherwise known as
Lipotchka.

Lipotchka has been "highly educated," according to the ideas of
the merchant class, considers herself a lady, and despises her
parents and their "coarse" ways. This remarkable education
consists in a smattering of the customary feminine
accomplishments, especial value being attached to a knowledge
of French, which is one mark of the gentry in Russia.

Like all merchants' daughters who have been educated above
their sphere, Lipotchka aspires to marry a noble, preferably a
military man. The play opens with a soliloquy by Lipotchka, who
meditates upon the pleasures of the dance.

"What an