V. I.

Lenin

263

To:   HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW

Registered.

His Excellency

Mark Timofeyevich Yelizarov, Po Volge Steamship Co., Nevsky, 45, Petrograd, Russia

Wl. Oulianoff, Spiegelgasse, 14, Zürich I, Switzerland

Dear Mark Timofeyevich, From the enclosed you will see that Nadya is planning
the publication of a Pedagogical Dictionary or Pedagogical
Encyclopaedia. [2]

I am strongly in favour of this plan because, in my opinion, it fills a very serious gap in Russian pedagogical
literature; it will be a very useful work and will provide an
income, which for us is extremely important .

With the increase in the number of readers and the broader circles involved, there is now a quickly growing demand
for encyclopaedias and similar publications. A properly
compiled Pedagogical Dictionary or Pedagogical
Encyclopaedia will become a handbook and go through a number
of editions.

I am sure Nadya can do this because she has been working
in pedagogy for years, has written about it and has undergone systematic training. Zurich is an exceptionally
convenient centre for work of this kind; it has the world’s
finest pedagogical museum.

There is no doubt that such an undertaking would be profitable. The best thing would be for us to undertake the publication of it ourselves , borrowing the necessary
capital or finding a capitalist who would come in as a partner in the enterprise.

If that is not possible, and if it would be merely a waste
of time to go chasing after it—you, of course, will know
what is best, and when you have given it some thought and obtained some information, decide the matter for
yourself—the plan should be offered to the old publisher, who
will probably accept it. The plan must not be stolen, i.e.,
somebody else must not get in first. Then a detailed contract
must be concluded with the publisher in the name of the
editor (Nadya) that covers all the terms. If not, the publisher (the old publisher too!) will grab all the profit for
himself and enslave the editor. That happens .

I should very much like you to give this plan your best
attention, take a look round, talk with people, worry them,
and answer [1] me in detail.

All the best, Yours,

V. Ulyanov

P.S. The publication is in two volumes, two columns to a page; to be issued in parts of 16 to 32 pages. Advertise
for subscribers . Then the money will come in quickly.

---
Notes:
[1]
If you are successful send a telegram “Encyclopaedia contract
concluded” and Nadya will speed up the work.— Lenin

[2]
Enclosed with the letter was a plan of this work drawn up by
Nadezhda Krupskaya.