3 September (1899): Anton Chekhov to Maxim Gorky
…Now for one more thing: by nature you are a lyricist and your spirit is tuned to melody. If you were a composer you would avoid composing marches. Being coarse and noisy, taunting, accusing frantically – such things are not characteristic of your talent. Consequently you will understand why I advise you in reading proof not to have any mercy on the sons of bitches and curs that flit here and there through the pages of “Life”…
