Letter to Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova, January 3, 1899

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January 3, 1899

Nadya and I returned from Minusinsk yesterday, Mother dearest, where we had spent a week with Gleb and Basil very pleasantly and saw the New Year in among com- rades.[1] There were many toasts on New Year’s eve but the one most heartily greeted was that proposed by one of the comrades “to Elvira Ernestovna and absent mothers”.

Today we have not been able to get back into our routine, but tomorrow we shall set to work again. Chapter VI of my book is finished (but not yet rewritten); in a month or so I shall finish the book altogether. I answered Anyuta’s letters of December 5 and 8 while still in Minusinsk[2] ; I wrote to her that I agreed to the immediate despatch of the first chapters to the printer, to having the proofs corrected without the author (it is desirable to have three and not two proofs) and the despatch of the final (clean) copy only to the author and, in general, that Anyuta should take charge of publication and do as she thinks fit. I hope Anyuta received my letter. At the same time I sent a letter to Mitya asking him to buy me a gun. Will it cause any difficulties of a financial nature? Something seems to have gone amiss with my fees and I keep ordering books from Kalmykova’s warehouse, so I am beginning to have twinges of conscience.

Many kisses for you and regards to all.

Yours,

V. U.

Y. V. and Nadya ask me to convey their regards.

  1. ↑ See Krupskaya’s Letters Nos. 12 and 14 for a description of how Lenin, Krupskaya and their comrades in Minusinsk spent New Year’s Eve.
  2. ↑ See Letter No. 67.—Ed.