Letters of Anton Chekhov to His Family and Friends
CONTENTS
Of the eighteen hundred and ninety letters published by Chekhov’s family I have chosen for translation these letters and passages from letters which best to illustrate Chekhov’s life, character and opinions. The brief memoir is abridged and adapted from the biographical sketch by his brother Mihail. Chekhov’s letters to his wife after his marriage have not as yet been published.
In 1841 a serf belonging to a Russian nobleman purchased his freedom and the freedom of his family for 3,500 roubles, being at the rate of 700 roubles a soul, with one daughter, Alexandra, thrown in for nothing. The grandson of this serf was Anton Chekhov, the author; the son of the nobleman was Tchertkov, the Tolstoyan and friend of Tolstoy.
There is in this nothing striking to a Russian, but to the English student it is sufficiently significant for several reasons. It illustrates how recent a growth was the educated middle-class in pre-revolutionary Russia, and it shows, what is perhaps more significant, the homogeneity of the Russian people, and their capacity for completely changing their whole way of life.
Chekhov’s father started life as a slave, but the son of this slave was even more sensitive to the Arts, more innately civilized and in love with the things of the mind than the son of the slaveowner. Chekhov’s father, Pavel Yegorovitch, had a passion for music and singing; while he was still a serf boy he learned to read music at sight and to play the violin. A few years after his freedom had been purchased he settled at Taganrog, a town on the Sea of Azov, where he afterwards opened a “Colonial Stores.”
This business did well until the construction of the railway to Vladikavkaz, which greatly diminished the importance of Taganrog as a port and a trading centre. But Pavel Yegorovitch was always inclined to neglect his business. He took an active part in all the affairs of the town, devoted himself to church singing, conducted the choir, played on the violin, and painted ikons.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
LETTERS OF ANTON CHEKHOV TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
With Biographical Sketch
Translated By Constance Garnett
TRANSLATOR’S NOTE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
LETTERS
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
DEAR BROTHER MISHA,
TO HIS COUSIN, MIHAIL CHEKHOV.
TO HIS UNCLE, M. G. CHEKHOV.
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO D. V. GRIGOROVITCH.
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO MADAME M. V. KISELYOV.
MOSCOW,
September 29.
December 3.
December 13.
TO HIS BROTHER NIKOLAY.
TO MADAME M. V. KISELYOV.
TO HIS UNCLE, M. G. CHEKHOV.
TO HIS SISTER.
April 6.
April 8, 9, and 10.
April 25.
RAGOZINA BALKA,
TAGANROG,
TO V. G. KOROLENKO.
TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDR.
November 24.
TO D. V. GRIGOROVITCH.
TO V. G. KOROLENKO.
TO A. N. PLESHTCHEYEV.
February 9.
March 6.
TO I. L. SHTCHEGLOV.
May 3.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO A. N. PLESHTCHEYEV.
TO HIS SISTER.
July 22.
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
July 28, 1888.
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
MOSCOW,
November, 1888.
MOSCOW,
November 11, 1888.
November 15, 1888.
(No date), 1888.
December 23, 1888.
December 26, 1888.
December 30, 1888.
January 7, 1889.
March 5, 1889.
SUMY,
May 4, 1889.
May 7.
May 14, 1889.
May 15, 1889.
TO A. N. PLESHTCHEYEV.
October, 1889.
MOSCOW,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
February 28.
March 4.
TO N. M. LINTVARYOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO I. L. SHTCHEGLOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
March 29.
April 1.
April 11.
April 15.
TO HIS SISTER.
FROM THE STEAMER,
MY DEAR TUNGUSES!
April 29, 1890.
MY DEAR TUNGUSES!
TO MADAME KISELYOV.
TO HIS SISTER.
TOMSK,
TOMSK,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS SISTER.
TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDR.
MY EUROPEAN BROTHER,
TO A. N. PLESHTCHEYEV.
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO HIS SISTER.
IRKUTSK,
STATION LISTVENITCHNAYA,
TO HIS MOTHER.
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO HIS SISTER.
June 21, 1890.
POKROVSKAYA STANITSA,
June 26.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS SISTER.
TELEGRAM TO HIS MOTHER.
TELEGRAM TO HIS MOTHER.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS MOTHER.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
MOSCOW,
TO HIS SISTER.
January, later.
January, later.
January 16, 1891.
TO A. F. KONI.
DEAR SIR, ANATOLY FYODOROVITCH,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
February 23.
March 5.
TO MADAME KISELYOV.
TO HIS SISTER.
VIENNA,
MY DEAR CZECHS,
TO HIS BROTHER IVAN.
TO MADAME KISELYOV.
TO HIS SISTER,
VENICE,
BOLOGNA,
FLORENCE,
FLORENCE,
TO MADAME KISELYOV.
TO HIS SISTER.
NAPLES,
NAPLES,
MONTE CARLO,
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
TO HIS SISTER.
PARIS,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
ALEXIN,
ALEXIN,
TO L. S. MIZINOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
BOGIMOVO,
BOGIMOVO,
BOGIMOVO,
TO L. S. MIZINOV.
TO L. S. MIZINOV.
TO THE SAME.
TO HIS SISTER.
TO MADAME KISELYOV.
TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDR.
MY PHOTOGRAPHIC AND PROLIFIC BROTHER!
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
July 29.
August 6.
August 18.
August 18.
August 28.
August 28.
MOSCOW,
TO E. M. S.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
TO MADAME LINTVARYOV.
HONOURED NATALYA MIHAILOVNA,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
TO E. M. S.
HONOURED ELENA MIHAILOVNA,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
TO N. A. LEIKIN.
TO E. P. YEGOROV.
HONOURED EVGRAF PETROVITCH,
TO A. I. SMAGIN.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
December 13, 1891.
TO A. I. SMAGIN.
TO A. N. PLESHTCHEYEV.
DEAR ALEXEY NIKOLAEVITCH,
TO V. A. TIHONOV.
TO A. S. KISELYOV.
TO I. L. SHTCHEGLOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO MADAME AVILOV.
HONOURED LIDYA ALEXYEVNA,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
TO MADAME AVILOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
May 28, 1892.
June 16.
MELIHOVO,
August 16.
MELIHOVO,
November 22, 1892.
November 25, 1892.
February, 1893.
April 26, 1893.
MELIHOVO,
YALTA,
TO L. S. MIZINOV.
DEAR LIKA,
TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDR.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
May 9.
TO MADAME AVILOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
MELIHOVO,
MOSCOW,
MELIHOVO,
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS SISTER.
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO E. M. S.
TO A. F. KONI.
TO V. I. NEMIROVITCH-DANTCHENKO.
DEAR FRIEND,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
MOSCOW,
MOSCOW,
MOSCOW,
TO A. I. ERTEL.
DEAR FRIEND ALEXANDR IVANOVITCH,
TO SUVORIN.
TO MADAME AVILOV.
TO F. D. BATYUSHKOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO F. D. BATYUSHKOV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDR.
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
TO GORKY.
YALTA,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO HIS BROTHER MIHAIL.
TO I. I. ORLOV.
TO MADAME AVILOV.
TO GORKY.
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
TO G. I. ROSSOLIMO.
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
YALTA,
TO GORKY.
PRECIOUS ALEXEY MAXIMOVITCH,
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO P. I. KURKIN.
DEAR PYOTR IVANOVITCH,
TO V. M. SOBOLEVSKY.
DEAR VASSILY MIHAILOVITCH,
TO G. I. ROSSOLIMO.
DEAR GRIGORY IVANOVITCH,
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
DEAR ACTRESS,
TO F. D. BATYUSHKOV.
MUCH RESPECTED F. D.,
TO M. O. MENSHIKOV.
TO L. S. MIZINOV.
DEAR LIRA,
TO GORKY.
DEAR ALEXEY MAXIMOVITCH,
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
DEAR ACTRESS,
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
DEAR ACTRESS,
TO GORKY.
DEAR ALEXEY MAXIMOVITCH,
TO V. A. POSSE.
MUCH RESPECTED VLADIMIR ALEXANDROVITCH,
YALTA,
TO A. S. SUVORIN,
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
TO HIS SISTER.
DEAR MASHA,
TO O. L. KNIPPER.
TO HIS SISTER.
DEAR MASHA,
TO GORKY.
DEAR ALEXEY MAXIMOVITCH,
MOSCOW,
July 29, 1902.
TO S. P. DYAGILEV.
TO A. S. SUVORIN.
July 1, 1903.
TO S. P. DYAGILEV.
TO K. S. STANISLAVSKY.
TO MADAME STANISLAVSKY.
TO K. S. STANISLAVSKY.
TO V. I. NEMIROVITCH DANTCHENKO.
TO A. L. VISHNEVSKY.
TO K. S. STANISLAVSKY.
DEAR KONSTANTIN SERGEYITCH,
TO F. D. BATYUSHKOV.
TO MADAME AVILOV.
TO FATHER SERGEY SHTCHUKIN.
DEAR FATHER SERGEY,
TO HIS SISTER.
BERLIN,
BADENWEILER,
June 16.
June 21.
June 28.
THE END