themselves who publish such stories? Why not send a reprimand to the
Headquarters of the Press Department for not suppressing immoral
newspapers?

The fate of literature would be sad indeed if it were at the mercy of
individual views. That is the first thing. Secondly, there is no police
which could consider itself competent in literary matters. I agree that one
can't dispense with the reins and the whip altogether, for knaves find
their way even into literature, but no thinking will discover a better
police for literature than the critics and the author's own conscience.
People have been trying to discover such a police since the creation of the
world, but they have found nothing better.

Here you would like me to lose one hundred and fifteen roubles and be put
to shame by the editor; others, your father among them, are delighted with
the story. Some send insulting letters to Suvorin, pouring abuse on the
paper and on me, etc. Who, then, is right? Who is the true judge?

6. Further you write, "Leave such writing to spiritless and unlucky
scribblers such as Okrects, Pince-Nez, [Footnote: The pseudonym of Madame
Kisselyov.] or Aloe." [Footnote: The pseudonym of Chekhov's brother
Alexandr.]

Allah forgive you if you were sincere when you wrote those words! A
condescending and contemptuous tone towards humble people simply because
they are humble does no credit to the heart. In literature the lower ranks
are as necessary as in the army--this is what the head says, and the heart
ought to say still more.

Ough! I have wearied you with my drawn-out reflections. Had I known my