Volsky (semi-anarchist), Lunacharsky, Aleksinsky — have they learned from the bitter experience of 1908–1911? Have they understood that Marxism is a far more serious and profound thing than it seemed to them, that one cannot mock it as Aleksinsky used to do, or treat it as a dead thing, as the others did? If they have understood — a thousand greetings to them, and all the personal animosity (inevitably introduced by fierce struggle) will be forgotten in an instant. But if they have not understood, have not learned, then don't blame us: friendship is friendship, but duty is duty.
For attempts to slander Marxism or to confuse the politics of the workers' party, we shall fight without sparing ourselves.

I am very glad that a road has been found for the gradual return of the forward-ists precisely through *Pravda*, which has not directly attacked them. Very glad indeed. But it is precisely in the interests of a firm rapprochement that we must now approach this slowly and cautiously. That is what I have written to *Pravda*. The friends of reuniting the forward-ists with us must direct their efforts in this direction: a cautious return of the forward-ists from Machism, recall-ism, God-building — verified by experience — can accomplish a devil of a lot. The slightest carelessness and a "recurrence of the disease of Machism, recall-ism, etc." — and the struggle will flare up even more fiercely... I have not read Bogdanov's new *Philosophy of Living Experience*: it is probably the same Machism in new dress...

With Sergei Moiseevich in Paris we are excellently connected; we have known him for a long time and work together. He is a true party man and Bolshevik. With such people we are building the party, but there have become devilishly few of them.

Once more I shake your hand — I must end this letter, otherwise I have dragged it out shamefully. Be well!

Your Lenin

N. K. sends warm greetings!
(We have had several more good workers come to us here from Russia. We are arranging a conference.¹⁵⁹ Ah, we have no money, otherwise we would have done the devil knows how much from our base here!)

I am writing to *Pravda* today asking them, after checking with Tikhonov, to print that you and Tikhonov are in charge of the fiction section of *Pravda*. Is that not so? Drop them a line too if they don't print it.

(Italy)

Written before January 8, 1913

Sent from Krakow to the island of Capri

First published in 1925 in Lenin Miscellany III

Printed from the manuscript