To Al. P. Chekhov, 1888. Sumy.

1 Written from Sumy shortly after 6 May 1888 to Chekhov’s elder brother Alexander Pavlovich, who was handling business in Petersburg and Moscow on Chekhov’s behalf, including arrangements for his forthcoming story collection ("V sumerkakh"/"At Dusk").

2 Chekhov reports that he has settled in for the summer at the Lintvaryov estate near Sumy, fishing on the Psel and observing local Ukrainian life, then turns to practical instructions about the book: he asks whether Alexander received two earlier letters, requests ten author’s copies be sent on once it is printed, and lists the eight journals and newspapers that should each receive a review copy. He further directs Alexander to personally hand out individual copies – one each to Petersen, to the writer Alexei Maslov (pen name "Bezhetsky"), to Alexander himself, to Anna Ivanovna Suvorina, and to the writer Ivan Shcheglov – and separately asks Alexander to tell Maslov to send Chekhov a copy of Maslov’s own new book. A copy for the poet Yakov Polonsky depends on whether he is still in Petersburg; otherwise Alexander should track down his summer address. Chekhov closes with a brief description of the Psel river and a sign-off, noting he will handle the copy for "Severny Vestnik" himself.