Letter to Maxim Gorky, January 9, 1908

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January 9, 1908, Geneva

Dear Al. M.,

My wife and I arrived here a few days ago. We both caught cold on the way. We are settling down here just anyhow, for the time being temporarily, so everything is bad. I was very glad to have your letter: it would really be fine to make a trip to Capri! I shall definitely find time one of these days to visit you. At present, unfortunately, it is impossible. We have come here with the commission to establish a newspaper: to transfer Proletary here from Finland. We haven’t decided yet finally whether we shall choose Geneva or some other city. In any case we must hurry and we have our hands full with the new arrangements. It would be nice to pay you a visit in the spring or summer, when things here are well under way! What is the best time for Capri?

How is your health? How do you feel? Does your work go well? I heard while passing through Berlin that you and Lunacharsky have been touring Italy and, in particular, have been in Rome.[1] Do you like Italy? Do you meet many Russians?

It would be best for me to visit you when you are not engaged on anything big, so that we can wander about at leisure and chat together.

Have you received my book (the first volume of collected articles for twelve years)[2]? I asked for it to be sent to you from St. Petersburg.

My very best regards to Maria Fyodorovna. Au revoir!

Yours,

N. Lenin

My address is: Mr. Wl. Oulianoff, 17, Rue des deux Ponts, 17, (chez Küpfer), Genève.

  1. Gorky toured Italy in October–December 1907 and met Lunacharsky in Florence.
  2. This refers to the first volume of Lenin’s writings entitled Twelve Years published in St. Petersburg in November 1907 (the cover bore the date 1908).^^See Lenin’s “Preface to the Collection Twelve Years”, Vol. 13 of this edition.^^