the means that he used to eke out a livelihood was portrait painting
to order, and in this work he finally attained such proficiency that
his price rose from $1.50 apiece to $6.00.

In 1897 he began to practise law, but he gave most of his time to
reporting court cases for the "Courier," a Moscow newspaper, and later
to writing _feuilletons_ and stories. He tried only one civil case,
and that one he lost. His work in the "Courier" attracted Gorky's
attention, and the older writer zealously interested himself in
Andreyev's behalf.

In 1902 his story named "The Abyss" appeared and created a sensation
immediately. Even Countess Tolstoy joined in the dispute which raged
over this story, attacking it as matter unfit for literature. But the
verdict of Andreyev's generation was in his favor. Since then nearly
every new work of his has been received as an important event in
Russia and has sent the critics scurrying to his attack or defence.
His first drama, "To the Stars," appeared while the Russians were
engaged in fighting for liberty (1905), and, naturally enough, it
reflects that struggle. "Savva" was published early the next year, and
"The Life of Man" later in the same year. The production of "Savva"
is prohibited in Russia. It has been played in Vienna and Berlin, and
recently it was staged again in Berlin by "Die Freie Bühne," meeting
with signal success.




A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PLAYS