THE NOVELS OF
BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON
Edited by EDMUND GOSSE
Fcap. 8vo, cloth, 3s. net
Synnövé Solbakken
Arne
A Happy Boy
The Fisher Lass
The Bridal March, & One Day
Magnhild, & Dust
Captain Mansana, & Mother's Hands
Absalom's Hair, & A Painful Memory
LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN
21 Bedford Street, W.C.
[The two somewhat anomalous stories which are here publishedtogether have little in common except the difficulty of finding a placefor them in the category of Björnson's works.
"Captain Mansana," under the title of "KaptejnMansana, en Fortælling fra Italien," was originallyprinted, in 1875, in the Norwegian periodical "Fra Fjeld ogDal." It did not appear in book form until August 1879, when itwas published, in a paper cover with a startling illustration, inCopenhagen. "Captain Mansana" was written at Aulestad. Itwas almost immediately published in a Swedish, and later in a German,translation.
A Norwegian magazine, entitled "Nyt Tidsskrift," wasstarted in Christiania in 1882, and continued to represent extremeliberal views in Norway until 1887, when it ceased to appear. In 1892an attempt was made to resuscitate this periodical, under the generaleditorship of J. E. Sars. The first number of this new series appearedin November of that year, the opening article being the story of"Mors hænder" ("Mother's Hands"). It was reprinted inAugust 1894, in the collection called, "Nye Fortællinger."It is now for the first time translated into English.
E. G.]
The following note was prefixed by the author to the first edition of"Captain Mansana: an Italian Tale":
This story was originally published, several years ago, in a Danish Christmas Annual, "From Hill and Dale," which was edited by Mr. H. J. Greensteen. "Captain Mansana" has already run through two editions in German, and many friends have urged the author to republish it, in a separate form, and in his own tongue.
The following remarks seem necessary in consequence of some criticisms which have appeared in the Danish and Swedish press. The narrative, in all essential particulars, is based on facts, and those of its incidents which appear most extraordinary, are absolutely historical, the minutest details being in some cases reproduced. Mansana himself is drawn from life. The achievements credited to him in these pages, are those he actually performed; and his singular experiences are here correctly described, so far, at least, as they bear upon his psychological development.
The causes which induced me to make him the subject of the following sketch may be found in a few lines of Theresa Leaney's letter, with which the story closes. The reader should compare Theresa's observations on Mansana, with the account of Lassalle, given contemp