Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883)
On the 'very grave' situation in Russia. 1879
Autograph letter signed ('Iv. Tourguéneff') to Princess [Anna Andreyevna] Trubetskoy, 50 rue de Douai, Paris, 28 April 1879.

In French, with two words in Russian and one phrase in English. Two pages, 211 x 133mm, on a bifolium with Turgenev's printed address and monogram.

On the 'very grave' situation in Russia: 'Yes, the situation in Russia is very grave – the government understands nothing and acts only foolishly; – we are not on the eve of a revolution – the ingredients are lacking in Russia – but perhaps of a social breakdown – "smutnogo vremeni" [time of troubles]'. As soon as the princess has time, he will come to Bellefontaine 'with a whole bundle of documents, letters, newspaper cuttings under my arm – and there, in the space of an hour – I hope to be able to update you on the present situation. It is more or less without precedent in our history – like what happened to me during the six weeks I spent there; – my head is still full of all that I saw, heard, of all that mass of new faces etc etc'. He is happy to hear that the princess is in good health, and sends greetings from the Viardot household: Pauline and Louise Viardot are in Weimar for the performance of a one-act opera by Louise; he also gives news of the Viardot children Paul, Marianne and Claudie, who 'is in an interesting situation' (i.e. pregnant: the phrase is in English in the original). He ends 'I feel very old – especially since my trip; – but in the end, that is of no consequence'.

Princess Anna Andreyevna Trubetskoy (née Gudovich, 1818-1892) lived at the Château de Bellefontaine, near Fontainebleau: Turgenev was close to the whole family, which included her husband, Prince Nikolay Trubetskoy (1807-1874), her daughter Yekatarina (1840-1875) and their son-in-law, Prince Nikolay Orlov (1827-1885) who was at this time the Russian ambassador to Paris.

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