To P. I. Kurkin
Yalta, January 18, 1900.
Dear Pyotr Ivanovitch
Thank you for your letter. I have long been wanting to write to you, but have never had time, under the load of business and official correspondence. Yesterday was the 17th of January—my name-day, and the day of my election to the Academy. What a lot of telegrams! And what a lot of letters still to come! And I must answer all of them, or posterity will accuse me of not knowing the laws of good manners.
There is news, but I won’t tell you it now (no time), but later on. I am not very well. I was ailing all yesterday. I press your hand heartily. Keep well.