To Al. P. Chekhov, 21 February 1889. Moscow.

1 Written from Moscow on 21 February 1889 to Chekhov’s eldest brother Alexander Pavlovich Chekhov, a journalist then living in Petersburg. The letter follows immediately on Chekhov’s own hurried return to Moscow after the stormy premiere of "Ivanov" there, and opens with an apology, relayed via the publisher Suvorin, for having left Petersburg without saying goodbye to Alexander and his household.

2 After the dateline (1) repeated in short form (2), Chekhov apologizes (3) for his abrupt departure from Petersburg – a promise Suvorin was to relay on his behalf – and sends mock-stern paternal blessings to "the dearest N. A." and the children. He then turns to business (4): now that the theater season has ended, Alexander is to go to Suvorin for instructions on collecting the royalty payments due from the theater directorate for "Ivanov" and the one-act farce "The Bear," and, if shortchanged, to threaten a complaint to the meshchanin headman Vukov; a joking wish that envy over the roughly one thousand roubles due will spur Alexander to write his own plays – "a play is a pension" – follows. Chekhov then mentions his plan (5) to raise money that spring toward buying a family farmstead, and gives brief family news (6): all well, brother Nikolai characteristically unaccounted for, brother Ivan characteristically himself. The letter closes (7) with a wish of good health and regards to all, and the signature (8).