Karamzin, Nikolay

52 pages, in Russian, contemporary calf with green morocco label on the front cover "N.M. Karamzin’s letters", a few letters with corrections, one letter with a translation in French, 3 with a transcript in Russian, from another hand; Autograph poem signed "Bulgakov", and dated 11 October 1829 on the first blank sheet and dedicated to "K[aramzin] and K[ushnikov]": 
"K K. + K.
Как волны катятся в реке,
Одна другую обгоняя,
Найдет равно их вдалеке
Морей пучина вековая.
Так вы, за правду подвизаясь,
Один другому вслед неслись
И в мире бренном расставаясь
Давно в безсмертии сошлись.
Булгаков
1829 года
11 октября"

"To K. and K.
As the waves rolling down the river,
Overtaking one another,
Will be caught at the end 
By the eternal depths of the sea,
So you, who strove for the truth
And were racing one another,
Were parted in the mortal world
But in immortality reunited.
Bulgakov
1829
11 October"

Bulgakov family (autograph poem signed by Bulgakov on the first blank leaf dedicated to "K[aramzin] and K[usnikov]" - Anna Karlovna Von Meyer - Aleena Fedorovna Rauner (maiden name Von Meyer) - Sold to Vladimir Vacilovich Keller in 1920 who asked for the certificate - by descent to the present owner. 

The correspondence comes with a certificate from Vladimir Alekseevich Cherepnin of the Archaeological Institute in St. Petersburg, dated 1920.

Natalya Kotchetkova. Nikolay Karamzin. Boston, Twayne Publisher, 1975. 

the edges of two letters are slightly tron due to their format, a bit larger than the binding.
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Interesting correspondence of Nikolay Karamzin about the publication of the History of Russian State and his relationship with Tasr Alexander I.

Sergey Sergeevich Kushnikov (1767-1839) was Ekaterina Mikhailovna Karamzina's son, Nikolay Karamzin's sister. He entered military service and participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-91, and in Italian and Swiss Campaigns of A. V. Suvorov (1799). In 1802-04, he served as St. Petersburg Civilian Governor. In 1807 Kushnikov was appointed senator. In 1828, he was member of the State Council and, in 1829, he was appointed a member of St. Petersburg Representation of the Board of Trustees. He was buried in Tikhvinskoe Cemetery of Alexander Nevsky Lavra (on his tombstone is an epitaph by prince P. A. Vyazemsky).

Written in Saint Petersburg, where he moved in 1817 and Tsarskoe Selo, the letters are about politic or recommendations to his nephew, as member of the Senate, as well as family matters, the social life in Saint Petersburg and his work on his major publication The History of the Russian State. In the letters, Karamzin tells Kushnikov the progress of his writting of the History (published in 12 volumes, the last one was published post-mortem) between 1816 and 1829 and the second edition of the first volumes, published almost at the same period (from 1818): "I’m getting old and correct the proofs for the History [...] As soon as the second edition of my History is finished, I should be back in Moscow." In November 1818, he is in Saint Petersburg, working in the Senate Archive "The second edition of the History shall make me come to Saint Peterburg at least until 1820". In a 1822 letter, he mentioned being still working on the History. In 1824, he says to Kushnikov he wanted to send him the two new volumes of the History but then discovered he was already one of subcribers. In the last letter, he mentioned he's still working on the proofs of his History "from morning till night." He won't be able to finish it and the twelfth and last volume was published after his death. 

Karamzin is considered the founding father of Russian Modern History. Upon appointing him a state historian, Alexander I valued his advice on political matters. Karamzin published The Memoir on Old and New Russia in 1812 for the Tsar. In this correspondence, Karamzin writes about his relationship with Alexander I, mentioning the Tsar's schedule "The Tsar is leaving in 3 days and won't be back from Poland before mid-October" even if he tries to stay out of the social life as long as he can. He often met the Tsarina and the Tsar who come to visit him when he is in Tsarskoe Selo. He intends to help Kushnikov in his promotion interceding on his behalf to the Tsar when it's possible. In 1820 he writes: "The Tsar has flattering comments about you." He also mentions his friend, the famous poet Vyazemsky. Vyazemsky was, with his friend Puschkin, one of the leading figures of the Golden Age of Russian poetry. Karamzin tries to help his friend who has debts. The poet wants to sell land with 1,300 souls. At that time, the people who lived on the land were owned by the landlord. Karamzin already obtained from the Tsar a delay for the payment and he is now trying to help his friend to sell his land. 

The letters also discusses his personal life, his family and relatives, the pregnancy of Karamzin's wife, the birth of each other children, the wedding of Kushnikov's daughter.

A unique set of documents. Letters and manuscripts of Karamzin, the founder of Russian Modern history, mentor of Zhukovsky, Batyushkov and Pushkin, are of the utmost rarity.