1,000 rubles is owed, so each brothernreceives 700-800 paper rubles, up ton1,000 in a good year. That is yournbasic capital.n”Apart from the sorrow induced bynthe realization that a son does not valuenthe labors and cares of his late parents,nwishing to squander everything theynhave suffered for one year after leavingnschool and God only knows in thenname of what — it has not been possiblento sell a share of the estate in yournbehalf legally since you were still anminor. It remains impossible, becausenthe estate is held in trust, the debt hasnnot been repaid, and there are othernminor siblings. Even if after a longnprocess of legal petitioning of the relevantnauthorities one were to obtain theirnleave to redistribute the estate, onenwould still be in a similar difiEculty,nsince there would not be enough to paynyou off all at once, while even now younregularly receive more than your sharenagainst future proceeds, to be accountednfor in the final reckoning. Thisndifficulty will remain not only as anmoral but also as an official obstacle tonany redistribution.n”I hesitate to tell you this truthnbecause you understand it yourself, butnalso because it is easier to imagine thencarelessness of youth rather than coldnegoism and utter indifference to one’snfamily.n”No sooner did you put on yournuniform than you began mentioningntwo things: your inheritance and yourndebts. 1 kent silent rKir,^;.^” ;j- -” -nmany people—you are not the first—nare out there, making their way in life,nguided by pure, clear, and ever-justnprinciples of work, duty, and patience,nwith all the intelligence the good Lordnhas granted, with a good education. . . .nAre you destined to cling to your splendidnsophistry, to abide in the abstractnsloth and languor of your Shakespeareanndreams? What’s in them, besidesnsome enfevered, inflated, inchoate —nexaggerated, and soap-bubble-like —nimage? Whereas, in reality, before younlies a road of honor, of serious endeavor,nof social good—not in some slavishnimitations of another’s vision, but in thenachievements of your own, hard-earnednintelligence and knowledge.n”If you have ears still for the advicenand friendship and kin, then may younhear this, dear brother!” I have run outnof space. Karepin’s letter continues fornanother paragraph.n”Those Muscovites are unspeakablynvain, stupid, and quarrelsome,” youngnFyodor commented on Karepin’s advicenwriting to his brother on Septembern30, 1844. “In his last letter, Karepinnfor some unearthly reason advised mennot to get too enthusiastic about Shakespeare!nHe says Shakespeare is just likena soap bubble. I wanted you to knownabout this idiotic resentment of Shakespeare.nHow in the world does Shakespearencome into the picture? Younshould have seen the letter I wrote him!nIn one word, it was a model piece ofnpolemics. 1 really gave it to him.” Anparagraph later: “In the name of God,nask them to send me that money! Whatnworries me most is that I shan’t havenanything to put on.”nThe letter ends: “Karepin drinksnvodka, has a rank, and believes in God.”nAndrei Navrozov is poetry editor fornChronicles.nGreat Topics, Great Issues!nCatch up on the CHRONICLESnyou’ve missed by orderingnfrom the following collectionnof recent back issues.nTitlenQty. Amt.n• Who’s In Charge? March ’88—Editor Thomas Fleming discusses the private diplomats’nand public scoundrels’ fight over the corpse of the American empire; Samuel Francis asks,n”If Presidents have a free hand in foreign policy, who needs a Constitution?”; and JacknDouglas wonders if it may be time to elect federal judges. $2.50 .n” Back to Nature Feb. ’88—The Greening of America, Part 11, by Allan C. Carlson; Mutinynin Paradise or Sexual Freedom/Political Slavery by John Chodes; and Jigs Gardner examinesnrepentant radicals—conservative” and doing well. $2.50n[nstitutionalized Writing: Are Universities the Last Stop for New Leftists and Burnt-nOut Writers? Jan. ’88—Bulgakov—a White Survivor of the Red Tferror; plus Handguns innFlorida, the Homeless in North Dakota, and Lloyd’s of London’s New Tinkertoyntome. $2.50nRestoring the Constitution—Seizing Power From Judges, Congressmen, and OthernJsurpers Dec. ’87—Clyde Wilson asi^s, “What have they done to our laws?”; Barry Shainnin Conservative Commons and Kyle E. McSlarrow on Judicial Editing and Congressionalniiaction, plus much more. $2.50nAmerican Empire Nov. ’87—Anthony Harrigan examines “The War Years”; Wilham R.nlawkins studies Military History and Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn looks at the “Empire atnurope’sEnd.” $2.50n. Latin America Aug. ’87—Wayne Lutton on Crime, AIDS, and Immigration; Odie Faulknn Mexican Aggression; and managing editor Momciio Sehc explores the land of the Incas.n$2.50nultural Conservatism—Reassembling the Right After Reagan July ’87nSteven Goldberg on Science v. the Conservative Mind; Anthony Harrigan on Nostalgia; andnhtor Thomas Fleming on Cultural Conservatism. $2.50nige and handhng included in issue price. Total amount duen_ Address.n_ State. -Zip_nChronicles • 934 North Main Street • Rockford, IL • 61103 CBI787nnnAPRIL 19881 43n