Both the teacher and the pupil came out of the situation easily, gallantly, at ease.
Some optimism felt Nikolai from Nikolsky, and from his kindly look.
I write this letter, dear dear Ivan Alekseyevich, and in process of its writing I reflect over its subject. Here's another option: "Tireless creative energy. To act or not to act? To work or not to work?".
I mentioned about yesterday's my conversation with Jack London above.
London got acquainted in January, 1906 with the correspondent of one of local American newspapers Sinclair Lewis. Lewis came to take from him, London, an interview. At that time London actively agitated for "socialism". Not to me to you, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, to tell about 1905! The world raged.
Acquaintance between London and Lewis took place, but several years did not develop.
Judging by subsequent events, Lewis was full of ebullient creative energy. The energy, that is actively seeking a way out.
1913 comes. It's a year of finishing the construction of Jack London's extraordinary house. Year when the amount of monthly debts of London fluctuated approximately in borders from 25000 to 50000 dollars.
Jack London was widely known figure. And certainly the correspondent Sinclair Lewis was to some extent aware of the affairs of London.
The unusual charming mirage vision appeared before readers of the American newspapers.
Great writer. Builder of the great house. The person, burdened with great debts.
The person who is paying out the salary of numerous workers from the small leather pouches, intended for transporting gold, from the leather pouches, brought from the Klondike.
By some estimates his(Jack London) annual earnings from literary activity made seventy five thousand dollars, and annual amount of expenses was hundred thousand dollars. Everything, than he owned, was mortgaged and remortgaged. For Russian literature familiar economic model?
This great writer was forced to write as much as possible. Literary royalties were directing to payments on current expenses, to pay debts.
Sinclair Lewis also knew about Jack London's adherence to "socialism", and London's desire to do good, to be a patron, a philanthropist.
It is even clear logically, that prolonged overloads are reflected on creativity in the form of fatigue, overwork, reduced activity.
In 1913, before the completion of the construction of the famous house, Lewis sends a letter to Jack London. In the letter - a few story sketches (projects) and an offer to buy them. The cost of one plot outline ranged around seven and a half dollars. At this time, Jack London's publishers were paying him for one story 500-750 dollars.
Having learned about acquisition, Lewis at once informs London on use of these 15 dollars for purchase of the detail of a coat intended for Lewis's protection against cold wind.
After a short period of time Lewis Sinclair sends Jack London additionally more than ten sketches, and a price list.
In the cover letter reports that he, Lewis, hopes that London will widely use projects and it eventually will give to Lewis the chance to throw servitude and to return to free creativity.
Jack London chooses some sketches and sends Lewis a check for fifty-two dollars and fifty cents. Lewis immediately tells London that his (Lewis) the party-membership card of the member of socialist party - in a complete order.
Approaching the completion of the construction of the famous house, conceived by London. Anyway, but no further correspondence between Lewis and London - seems like - is revealed.
From biographic data it is possible to draw a conclusion that at least one of Lewis's sketches was used by London: London wrote the work and published it. The publication took place in 1913, even before completion of construction of the famous house.
You may Agree, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, what with the aforementioned literature projects, the situation is ambiguous. On the one hand, Jack London - writer, who gained international fame. On the other hand, one of the thousands (tens of thousands) of journalists.
Risky situation.
Positive reaction of Jack London to Lewis Sinclair's proposals became part of history of the American literature.
But London's reaction and negative was could to be.
Hypothetical negative reaction would also become the part of the history of American literature.
Even if we take into account the special conditions of 1913 for Jack London, the risk of a negative reaction was still quite real.
Why were Lewis Sinclair's proposals accepted?.. Moment? Has everything "coincided"?
The matter is not in 15 and is not in 52 dollars.
Sharing creative concepts, ideas, thoughts - is a normal thing.
History of literature knows, for example, about the perception Nikolai Gogol of certain creative ideas from Alexander Pushkin. Remember the Arzamas ("Арзамас") literary society: communication for an exchange of creative ideas, plans.
I note that at one time the subject of discussion was the role of A. Dumas's creative assistants.
Your humble servant, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, was one of the initiators of the Central House of Writers, Moscow club of writers. I also endeavoured about the establishment of the Literature Institute.
Any form of communication, the interaction of creative people, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, presupposes creative exchange.
But sometimes not only the environment is needed, but also a personal volitional effort, tactical action, perseverance, initiative. Intrigue. Breakthrough. Jump. Rapid maneuver. Knight's move to "made"-Fate.
And so, I will continue a thought. The matter is not in 15 and is not in 52 dollars.
Permit, I will distract further from the specific relations of Jack London with Sinclair Lewis.
I will talk about abstract "the great writer", "journalist", "coauthor", "sub-coauthor".
If the great writer purchases sketches, were been created the journalist (one the journalist among the thousands, tens of thousands journalists), uses sketches or a sketch at least in one published work, then someone may feel appearance of concepts such as "coauthor" or "sub-coauthor".
For the great writer who wrote tens of volumes of world famous works, the significance of use of one or several (stranger, were made by other author) sketches is equal to zero.
For an (ordinary) journalist, the importance of using one or more of his (journalist's) sketches in creativity of a great writer is infinitely great.
Yet, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, how powerful is the creative flow, the flow of creative energy! How diverse this mastery!
How diverse are the ways of coming, entering the literature!
For example, someone enters the literature through wanderings, pilgrimages, travels, various kinds of trials, through the formation of a person's reputation with a "bitter" fate.
Someone passes through participation in military operations and through their description.
Someone gradually increases creative potential, aims to develop capabilities.
Probably, cooperation with publishing company "Znanie" also was for someone the road to literature...
But if - hypothetically imagine - a person who firmly decided to become a writer, without any organizational or governmental support, without the support of patrons or relatives, became a co-author or a sub-coauthor of a great writer, - then this resolute and persistent person - becoming a co-author - entered the literature.
He does not become "friend", "drinking companion", "bootlicker", "footman"... He, I will add, does not try to become permanent "speechwriter" ("writer of literary sketches"). What for? He resolved to become a writer. He uses the force the mind. He makes subject sketches and writes letters.
He waits! Waits, waits and waits.
He uses organizational opportunities of the post service. And he - is a coauthor (sub-coauthor) of the great writer. He confidently entered the literature.
I am surprised to variety of this world and those ways which creative energy is opening for itself.
I switch, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, to other reflections on the of Jack London's literary career.
Let's move on, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, to a higher level of generalizations. Kindness. Kind person. His defenselessness. His fate. Bitterness. Anger.
One of heads of construction of the extraordinary house so remembered about Jack London: "Jack was the best of people. I have not met anyone more humane. He was kind with all, you will never see him without smile. He was a real democrat, noble person, gentleman; he loved family, he respected the workers". The same approximately estimates in memoirs of other people.
The kind person approximately in 1913, apparently, in a minute of psychological depression, at the moment of exasperation writes in one of letters to one of addressees: "Will burst a thunder, and then you'll have to beg not one day a forgiveness and to bow before the whole world; and when you will become ashes, echoes of this thunderstorm will reach those who are not now born, and you will make the coup - into your coffins".
Is it possible for me , dear Ivan Alekseyevich, to ask you what you think of kindness, of defenselessness, and of the fate of an abstract kind man, what you think of bitterness, anger ... These questions may be sound as naпve: eternal themes. Nevertheless, if there is a mood, write me about them...
I returning, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, to one of formulations of subjects of my letter: "to write and work and to act or refrain from writing and working and action?".
There will be time, write Your answer, expound Your reflections.
Your Maxim Gorky (Alexei Peshkov)."
After reading the text of the letter, Gorky meditated some moments.
- Eternal themes! - he said.
Having sighed, he wrote on a top margin of the first page of the letter: "The drafts!".
Gorky returned to giving out the books to readers of the Cafй-Library.
- What author, what book are interesting for you ? Again Jack London? We have in the catalog a section "American Literature". You can choose to yourself more authors.
He clarified the words, been heard from the reader:
- A little later? Do you plan then - Dreiser? And now you want to - Jack London? But yet after reading, look the catalog ...
May 13, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: 28 October 2017 - 29 October 2017.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Сказка о не отправленном письме М. Горького И.А. Бунину'.
4. The dialogue about Peter the Great
- Mr. Ivanov! - Florenty Fyodorovich Pavlenkov (Florence F. Pavlenkov) invited writer to talk.- In the series "Life of remarkable people" is scheduled for publication the biographies of statesmen.
Reader's interest and the reader's demand is currently such that the biographies of Russian writers - are the maximally popular.
Author, invited to talk, nodded, agreeing.
Pavlenkov continued:
- Now that the nineteenth century is coming to an end, in Russia is difficult to reach agreement on the issues about the evaluation of those or other Russian historical figures.
- Yes, - Ivanov reacted.
- But readers relate to our series with confidence. Paying heed to their trust, their desire to obtain basic knowledge of history of Russia, Russian state figures, we have to publish a biography of Peter the Great.
Ivanov nodded again, agreeing.
- How do you think Mr. Ivanov, is it correct to see in the biography of Peter the Great two biographies: his personal biography, characterizing his life's path, and the biography of the Russian Empire? - Pavlenkov asked.
- In 1721 Peter I declared the Russia as an Empire, - Ivanov reacted. - There are scientific definitions of the concept of "Empire". The empire is defined as a vast state that includes the territories of other peoples and states. Discussions are held about the content of the scientific definition.
In the ordinary consciousness - an Empire is a powerful, "brilliant" state.
The fates of Peter the Great and the Russian Empire are interrelated.
The processes that led to the emergence of the Russian Empire, began long before Peter I.
There are challenges, that facing any government. For example, state must to ensure the independence, security, development, trade and cultural relations with other countries.