Incredibly rare and important Ukrainian literary anthology which includes the work of Taras Shevchenko and Ivan Kotliarevsky.

'Lastovka' is one of the most interesting almanacs of the first half of the 19th century and marked an important step in the development of Ukrainian language literary works. The initial idea for the publication came from the writer Hryhorii Kvitka-Osnovianenko and work began on collecting material in 1838. The same year the editor, Yehven Hrebinka (who also worked on the publication of Kobzar in 1840) entered into talks with Krayevsky, the publisher of the major literary St Petersburg magazine 'Otechestvennye Zapiski'. However, Vissarion Belinsky who had overall say in the artistic direction of the magazine at the time was totally against printing Ukrainian works as he thought it was unnecessary and even harmful to publish literature in a language other than Russian.

Hrebinka was left with the portfolio of collected material and didn't want it to go unpublished. Working with Shevchenko, he managed to print it under the title 'Lastovka' [Swallow] in 1841, bringing together some of the brightest Ukrainian voices of the time. The almanac proved immensely popular and cemented Shevchenko's position as one of the greatest writers. Hrebinka was equally passionate about Shevchenko, in a note for 'Haidamaky' he wrote, 'last year Shevchenko delighted us with "Kobzar", and now he has written again the poem "Haidamaky." It's a beautiful thing, very beautiful, as delicious, they say, as a beautiful watermelon on a hot day after lunch!'

The full list of contributors are: Levko Borovykovsky, Hrebinka, Hryhorii Kvitka-Osnovianenko, Viktor Zabila, Porfyrii Korenytsky, Panteleimon Kulish, P. Pysarevsky, Oleksander Afanasiev-Chuzhbynsky, as well Shevchenko and Kotliarevsky.

OCLC locates just four copies: University of Manitoba, Harvard, University of Illinois and the Royal Danish Library. This copy is in an attractive morocco binding from the library of prominent Russian bibliophile and collector Pavel Gubar.

First edition, 16mo (15.4 x 12 cm); some scattered foxing, more so to preliminary leaves otherwise fairly fresh, some wear to title with some loss to lower corner repaired, small damp stain to upper right corner to title and p1; Soviet bookseller's label and stamp to lower pastedown; early 20th-century half light tan morocco over marbled boards, original pink lower wrapper bound in, spine in parts with raised bands, title in gilt to second part, a very good copy, title, 382pp.,[2] pp. table of contents.