HermitshChekhov Entire

Letter · 1886

To R. R. Golike, 11 September 1886. Moscow.

P. P. Голике, 11 сентября 1886 г. Москва.

Headnote

1 Written from Moscow on 11 September 1886 to Roman Romanovich Golike, a St. Petersburg printer and publisher Chekhov knew through the satirical journal Oskolki ("Splinters"), where Chekhov was a regular contributor. The letter is a detailed, good-humored print order: Chekhov wants 100 booklets of school report cards printed as a gift for a schoolmaster, and he spells out specifications for binding, paper, typeface, and cover design down to the last leaf, which is to serve as an "examination sheet."

2 The letter is a small window into Chekhov’s practical, ever-busy sociability in 1886 – the year his career decisively took off after Grigorovich’s famous letter of encouragement. Even amid mounting literary demands, he takes evident pleasure in commissioning a whimsical, thoughtful present, and closes with a joking aside about being a "rival in talent" to his fellow Oskolki writer N. A. Leikin, the journal’s editor and Chekhov’s frequent correspondent and collaborator at the time.

11 September 1886. Moscow.
11 сентября 1886 г. Москва.
Moscow, 1886, September 11.
Москва, 1886 г., сентябрь 11.
Dear Roman Romanovich! Together with a six-story bow and every good wish, I send you an order for your printing house. It is a tremendous order, and the success of your firm depends on carrying it out properly. What must be done is to print report cards (for schools) according to the enclosed pattern. The terms of the contract are as follows: 1) 100 booklets, stitched and with a colored cover. Each booklet to have 12 leaves, after the pattern of the enclosed leaf, in the same format, or better still, a little longer; 2) the last leaf, the twelfth, is to bear the title "examination leaf"; 3) the type – Oskolki brevier; 4) glossy paper; 5) a rather smarter little border. Forgive me for troubling you with such nonsense. I want to make the schoolmaster a present, and it seems to me the pupils will be very pleased to receive their marks in pretty little booklets (payment for the order will be made to you by the secretary of the satirical journal "Oskolki," where I am a contributor and rival in talent to the well-known Russian writer N. A. Leikin). In November oder or (Germ. oder). December I shall be in Petersburg. Farewell, keep well. My regards to Ivan Grek.
Дорогой Роман Романович! Вместе с 6-этажным поклоном и пожеланием всех благ шлю Вам заказ для Вашей типографии. Заказ громадный, и от исполнения его зависит успех Вашей фирмы. Делав том, что нужно напечатать листки для баллов (школьных) по прилагаемому масштабу. Условия подряда таковы: 1) 100 книжек оброшюрованных и с цветной обложкой. В каждой книжке по 12 листов, по образцу прилагаемого листка такого же формата или, что лучше, несколько подлиннее, 2) последний листок, двенадцатый, имеет заглавие "экзаменационный листок", 3) шрифт – осколочный петит, 4) бумага с лоском, 5) рамочка пошикарнее. Простите, что беспокою Вас такой чепухой. Хочется сделать педагогу подарок, и, мне кажется, ученикам будет очень приятно получать отметки на хорошеньких книжках (плата за заказ будет уплачена Вам господином секретарем сатирического журнала "Осколки", где я сотрудничаю и соперничаю в таланте с известным русским писателем Н. А. Лейкиным). В ноябре одер или (нем. oder). декабре я буду в Питере. Прощайте, будьте здравы. Поклон Ивану Грэку.
Yours, Chekhov.
Ваш Чехов.

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To R. R. Golike, 11 September 1886. Moscow.

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