Published:
First published in 1929 in the journal Proletarskaya Revolyutsiya No. 4.
Sent from Shushenskoye to Moscow.
Printed from
the original.
Source:
Lenin
Collected Works,
Progress Publishers,
1977,
Moscow,
Volume 37,
pages 143-145.
Translated: The Late George H. Hanna
Transcription\Markup:
D. Moros
Public Domain:
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Text
January 4, 1898
I have received, Mother dearest, your letter of December 15. One mail delivery was missed this week (January 1), so I do not know the outcome of Anyuta’s efforts.[4] It is probable, however, that the outcome is favourable because if the case has already gone to St. Petersburg it means that it is a petty one and there is no reason for any great delay.[1]
You need have no fears about my big coat. With my winter suit (which we all brought with us from St. Petersburg) it is quite enough even for travelling (and I very rarely have to travel). For walking it is too warm and I wear a quilted jacket—there have been a couple of cold days (yesterday and the day before) but they are the exception. Altogether, the winter here is exceptionally warm. Nor is there any need to be afraid of my going shooting; there is no danger. Now, by the way, there will be an end to all shooting, probably until spring.... (The money has arrived, the first and the second lots, both for the same sum.)
It is 55 versts from Shusha to Minusinsk, in winter there is a shorter road—50 versts.
Gleb left here the day before yesterday, after a stay of ten days. There was a real holiday this year in Shu-shu-shu and the ten days passed unnoticed. Gleb liked the place and said that it is much better than Tesinskoye (I said the same thing about Tes! I made fun of Gleb by saying that anywhere is better than where we are), that there is forest near here (in which it is good to walk in winter) and an excellent view of the distant Sayan Mountains. He was enthusiastic about the Sayans, especially on a clear day when the sun is on them. Gleb, by the way, has become very fond of singing, so my silent rooms grew merry during his stay and fell quiet again after he left. But he has no music and no songs. I think we had a lot of that rubbish (from the times when we also used to “bawl”). If nobody needs them any longer it would be a good idea to send them to him; he would be very glad. Basil is the musician (on the guitar) and would rearrange them for him. Gleb’s health improved somewhat during his stay with me due to the regular life and plenty of walking; he was much livelier when he left.
I think I have already written that Nadezhda Konstantinovna intended asking to be sent here (she was sentenced to three years in the northern gubernias). If that plan is carried out it will afford a good opportunity for books, music and everything.
Kisses,
Yours,
V.U.
January 4, 1898
I have received your letter of December 16 in which two interesting announcements with theses were enclosed. I must admit that the prohibition of the lectures by Tugan-Baranovsky and Struve did not very greatly surprise me since the letter’s article on the same subject was cut out and the theses were perfectly clear. I did not understand, however, which minister banned the lectures. But, of course, it does not take the St. Petersburg government departments long to get in touch with each other[5]....
I was very surprised to learn that the Chicagoan is in St. Petersburg. The last time I heard of him it was said (or rather, written) that he was somewhere in the Caucasus. So he has a job now. He does not answer my letter and I suppose I shall have to stop expecting him to; he is probably very busy now at his job, and with his perpetual journeyings could have forgotten it a dozen times over. I’ll manage without him. How did you find him? How is he looking (not in the physical sense) and what does lie plan to do? What contacts has he made and is he thinking of resuming his attempts at literary work? (Perhaps Anyuta will write and give me answers to some of these questions, as many [answers, that is] as she can, so I am probably wasting your time asking you.) By the way, have you written to him about my last request (I wrote to Manyasha about it)—to inform H. Braun about permission for a translation?[2]
The lecture (Lozinsky’s) is really a masterpiece of foolishness.[6] If P.B. does not write about it in the home news,[7] send me the issue of Trudy Volno-ekonomicheskogo obshchestva containing it—if it is easy to find. He should be put in his place beside Mr. Yuzhakov. [If you send the lecture buy me at the same time the verbatim report of the discussion in the Free Economic Society, 1896, on the currency reform. Some Narodnik, it might even have been Lozinsky, also distinguished himself on that occasion. ]
What have you heard about Syn Otechestva?[8] I wrote to St. Petersburg that they should subscribe to it for me if it is worth the trouble.[3] It is interesting because of the Narodniks on its staff. Do you ever see that sheet?
All the best,
V. U.
P.S. I have a gun dog again, a setter. A friend brought it from town. We’ll see how it turns out, whether it will live till spring (it is still very young and I am again afraid it will get distemper). It has one disadvantage—it is of the female estate....
[2] It is not known what translation is referred to.—Ed .
[3] The letter has been lost—Ed.
[4] This probably refers to the efforts made by Lenin’s sister Anna on behalf of their brother Dmitry, who had been arrested and whose case was being examined in St. Petersburg (See Note 62).
[5] The lectures referred to are “The Development of Our Factory Legislation” by M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky and “The Law of June 2, 1897 and the Rules of September 20 on the Length of the Working Day” by P. B. Struve that had been fixed for December 6, 1897 in the Third Division (Agricultural Statistics and Political Economy) of the Free Economic Society. The announcements containing the theses of these lectures have been lost.
The article by Struve which Lenin speaks of as cut out by the censor was a regular review in the “Current Home News” column of the November 1897 issue of Novoye Slovo.
[6] The lecture referred to was “Peasant Landed Property and Measures to Prevent Peasants Losing Their Land” delivered by M. A. Lozinsky on December 13, 1897 in the Third Division of the Free Economic Society.
[7] This refers to Struve’s article in the “Current Home News” columns of Novoye Slovo.
[8] Syn Otechestva (Son of the Fatherland)—a daily liberal news- paper published in St. Petersburg from 1856 to 1900 and again November 18 (December 1), 1904. From November 15 (28), 1905 the paper became an organ of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party. The newspaper was suppressed on December 2 (15), 1905.
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