V.A. Zhukovsky and the Adelungs' epistolary intercourse (publication and commentary)

The article focuses on a topical issue ofmodern philology: preservation and academic registration of significant literary works. K.A. Zedergolsm's poetic letter to the Russianpoet is published for the first time, as well as the correspondence of V.A. Zhukovsky with Friedrich (Fyodor Pavlovich) Adelung and hisson Nicolay Fyodorovich. The study of Zhukovsky's friendship with the Adelungs brings light into the ''the blind spots'' of his and hiscontemporaries' biographies, it also adds to the description of the poet's philanthropic activity. Five messages are disclosed fromZhukovsky to Friedrich and Nicolay Adelung, as well as answering letters of Adelung-son to the Russian poet. The epistolaryintercourse with Adelung, Sr. dates from the 1820s. Three short notes written by Zhukovsky in French considering their content weredelivered to the addressee in St. Petersburg. The life of Fyodor Pavlovich Adelung (1768-1843), a German, born Friedrich (Friedrichvon Adelung) to a large extent resembles that of V.A. Zhukovsky. In the humanitarian field they both were mostly preoccupied withRussian affairs having at the same time indissoluble connections with Germany. They got their earth-houses in their second motherland(Zhukovsky - in Baden, Adelung - in St. Petersburg). The intensive personal contacts between Zhukovsky and Adelung date back tolate 1810s and late 1830s, the most active period in the poet's educational work at the Royal court. The contacts with Adelung, Jr. aremore likely to be induced by some external circumstances, particularly, the long-awaited parcels delivery from Russia. But this plot,fairly plain at first sight, reveals a large variety of the correspondents' feelings and moods, as well as a wide range of Russian-Germanpersonal contacts. In the 1840s Zhukovsky was far from Russia, from his close compatriots, therefore he did appreciate the mediation ofNicolay Adelung. Zhukovsky's epistolary heritage comprises a number of plot lines, each of them conveying a certain aspect of literaryeveryday life. The correspondence with the Adelungs, first of all, reflects the poet's characteristics: his good nature and scrupulousnessconcerning the matters of ethics both in everyday life and poetry. Secondly, this dialogue in letters, which began in French in St.Petersburg of the 1810s and continued in Russian in Germany of the 1840s, includes interesting pictures of Russian-European court lifein the two monarchies. In the end, from the letters it is quite easy to recognize the philosophy of fellowship, unity and the peculiar style,introduced by Zhukovsky in Russian epistolary culture where it is impossible to separate the serious from the jocose, the literary fromthe common.

Keywords

Authors

References