To V. M. Sobolevsky, 7 October 1891. Moscow.

7 October 1891. Moscow.

Read this letter first, and then mine.

Chekhov.

Anton Pavlovich, could you propose to the editorial board of the "Russkiye Vedomosti," which wishes to publish a "Miscellany" in aid of the starving, the following arrangement, which I shall explain by example. You, for instance, write a story for this "Miscellany," but first publish it in "Novoye Vremya," where it will be stated in a note that this story is intended for such-and-such a "Miscellany"; you receive double the per-line rate for it, that is, 50 kopecks a line, and the proof of the story, together with the fee for it, is sent by the editorial board of "Novoye Vremya" to the editorial board of "Russkiye Vedomosti." It seems to me that this arrangement would make the "Miscellany" a matter for literature as a whole and would, of course, increase the collection by two or three thousand. Prior publication of the story – I judge by long experience – would not diminish its interest when it appeared together with the other pieces in the "Miscellany." Naturally, this arrangement I am proposing would only make sense if the other editorial boards agreed to it as well.

Your A. Suvorin.

7 October ’91.

Moscow.

7 October. Malaya Dmitrovka, the Firgang house.

Much-esteemed Vasily Mikhailovich!

I have received a letter from A. S. Suvorin, which I enclose. When, after reading the letter, I went to see him, he formulated his proposal verbally as follows: "It is desirable that the ’Miscellany in Aid of the Starving’ should be joined not only by contributors to the newspapers and journals but also by the editorial boards themselves, which have at their disposal far greater means than their contributors. In this respect the initiative of the editorial board of ’Russkiye Vedomosti,’ which has taken upon itself all the trouble and all the risk of the publication, serves as a good example, which, one way or another, given the present mood of society and the press, the other editorial boards cannot help but follow. The participation of the editorial boards in the ’Miscellany,’ however, ought to express itself only materially, and in a more serious form than the printing of announcements, reviews of the ’Miscellany,’ and the like. If we, following the good example of ’Russkiye Vedomosti,’ were to undertake another ’Miscellany,’ this would bring no benefit whatever, since two miscellanies published for one and the same purpose usually only hinder each other in sale. Therefore, as it seems to me, our participation can express itself only in the form I propose. If, setting aside ’Russkiye Vedomosti,’ which has already taken upon itself the lion’s share of participation in the ’Miscellany,’ ’Novoye Vremya,’ ’Russkaya Mysl,’ ’Novosti,’ ’Vestnik Yevropy,’ and so on print in their own pages, before the ’Miscellany’ comes out, the whole of its literary material with the note I spoke of in my letter, and pay double the fee, then the collection will grow by a minimum of 3 thousand. I say minimum, because if the editorial boards were to pay, say, 400–500 rubles for each printer’s sheet of the ’Miscellany,’ this could yield around 10 thousand. As for the consideration that stories printed beforehand in the newspapers and journals will no longer hold any interest for the readers of the ’Miscellany,’ my experience runs entirely counter to that consideration. It is understood that I do not insist on my proposal. If ’Russkiye Vedomosti’ works out and indicates to me some other form of participation by all of us in the ’Miscellany,’ I shall submit to it fully and gladly abandon my own."

Sincerely yours, with respect,

A. Chekhov.