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RECOLLECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD 107
ing. I have not this letter by me at the present
moment; but I read and re-read it so often in my
childhood that it engraved itself 011 my memory so to
speak, and I think I can give it almost word for
word:
Dear Madam Anna Vasilievna : Your letter, so filled with
sincere and charming confidence in me, interested me to such
a degree that I proceeded immediately to read the story you
sent me.
I must confess that I began to read it not without secret
trepidation. The sad duty so often falls to the lot of us editors
of magazines, of destroying the illusions of young writers, just
beginning, who send us their literary efforts for examination.
In your case this would have been very painful to me. But as
I read my trepidation vanished, and I yielded more and more to
the spell of the youthful directness, the sincerity, and warmth
of feeling with which your story is permeated. These
qualities so predispose me in your favor that I fear I am still under
their influence; therefore I dare not reply categorically and
impartially as yet to the question which you ask me, " Will you
develop into a great writer in the course of time f "
One thing I will say to you: I shall print your story (and with
the greatest pleasure) in the next number of my journal. As
for your question, I will advise you: write and work; time will
show the rest.
I will not conceal from you that there is still much that is
unfinished in your story, much that is too ingenuous; there are
also, pardon my frankness, crimes against Russian grammar.
But all these are petty defects which you will be able to con- ,
quer by diligent labor. The general impression is favorable.
Therefore, I repeat, write and write. I shall be sincerely
glad if you find it possible to communicate to me more about
yourself: how old you are, and what are the surroundings
among which you live. It is important that I should know this,
for a proper valuation of your talent.
Respectfully yours,
Feödor Dostoévsky.
I read this letter and the lines swam before my
eyes. Dostoévsky’s name was familiar to me; lie had
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