First published in Writings and Letters, V, p. 291.

49. V. O. BALABINA.

Printed according to the text of the first publication, with additions to the "Letters", I, pp. 450-452.

First published in "Russian Word" 1860, XII, pp. 26-28, where the addressee was indicated incorrectly: instead of V. O. Balabina - M. P. Balabin.

Balabina, Varvara Osipovna, b. Paris is a Frenchwoman, the wife of Lieutenant General P. I. Balabin. (On the Balabins, see note to No 30*).

The letters of V. O. Balabina to Gogol are unknown.

A propos — by the way. (French)

Boyudoni is probably the surname of the restaurateur.

Smirnova — A. O. Smirnova-Rosset (see note to No 51*).

50. N. Y. PROKOPOVICH.

Printed according to the original (KAB).

First published by N. Gerbel in "Russian Word" 1859, I, pp. 103–104.

Prokopovich's pencil note: "1837"; postmarks: "Baden 20/7" and "Received 1837 Jul. 20, morning."

In the summer of 1837, Gogol experienced great financial difficulties. If, in a letter to Prokopovich from Rome dated June 3, he still quite calmly asks to find out whether Smirdin has paid him everything, this short letter is already of an alarming character. And two months later, in a letter to Prokopovich, he offered to hastily sell his entire library in St. Petersburg for one and a half thousand, if only to get the money he needed (see No 52*).

I am sending my large work to be printed at the beginning of next year... Obviously, Gogol is talking here about "Dead Souls", which by this time was still far from being completed.

Stieglitz is a St. Petersburg banker.

A letter from Rome is a letter from Gogol to Prokopovich dated June 3.

Two letters to the Institute are letters to the sisters and the class lady Melentyeva (see No 46*).

To Gogol's address, with another hand, is written at the bottom: "In the 9th line, Zheltoukhov's house."