Published:
First published in 1929 in the journal Proletarskaya Revolyutsiya No. 5.
Sent from Shushenskoye to Brussels.
Printed from
the original.
Source:
Lenin
Collected Works,
Progress Publishers,
1977,
Moscow,
Volume 37,
pages 196-197.
Translated: The Late George H. Hanna
Transcription\Markup:
D. Moros
Public Domain:
Lenin Internet Archive.
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Text
November 11, 1898
We received your letter, Manyasha, and were very glad to have it. We have now got out the maps and are trying to find out just where Brussels is—the devil take it. We have discovered it and have given it some thought—a stone’s throw from London, and from Paris and from Germany, which puts it pretty well in the very centre of Europe.... Yes, I do envy you. During the first period of my exile I decided not to look at a map of European Russia or Europe; there was always such a bitter taste in my mouth when I opened those maps and looked at the various black dots on them. Now it does not worry me, I have learned to be patient and look at the maps more calmly; we even begin to wonder which of those dots it would be interesting to reach later on. During the first half of my exile I looked mostly backwards, I suppose, but now I am looking ahead. Oh well, qui vivra, verra.[1] As for newspapers and books, please get hold of whatever you can. Send all sorts of catalogues from second-hand booksellers and bookshops in all languages. There is a request I should like to make of you today, but I have decided to put it off till next time. I would remind you of what I wrote to you or to Anna last year—the most interesting newspapers are the official organs that contain verbatim reports of parliamentary discussions. If you find out where such newspapers are sold (are there only Belgian or are there also French and English newspapers in Brussels?) and send the interesting issues (you keep up with the press, I hope?), it will be fine. I advise you not to confine yourself to Belgian newspapers but to subscribe to some German paper; you will not forget the language, and will get excellent reading material; the cost of the newspapers is not great.
Are you going home for Christmas?
Yours,
V. U.
After a long wait I have received my collection of articles at last.[2] I will ask Anyuta to send you a copy.
[1] He who lives will see (Fr.).—Ed.
[2] Economic Studies and Essays.—Ed.
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