Herzen

From: La Correspondance de Michel Bakounine, "Lettres A Herzen et A Ogareff, Paris: Librairie Academique Didier, 1896.

Dear Herzen,

In all honesty, you have as much of a talent for misunderstanding my thoughts as you do my words.

I never had the slightest doubt about the usefulness, nay the necessity, to unite with the Polish people; I leave this matter to your very own argument. The only thing here which could lead me to doubts is that you yourself have no strong faith in this alliance, and if you think you saw discontent in my reaction, it was certainly not caused by Martianoff, but rather by the fear that you could still hesitate at the last moment. I was wrong; so much the better.

About the conflict in opinion between us and Martianoff concerning this matter. I am saddened by his position, but only in sake of the cause; because, for a long time now, I have been holding an unwavering faith in its saintly justice and its necessity.

I am sending you an issue of the Daily Telegraph, in which you will find one article on Russia and another one about the Hyde Park riot.

I believe that you owe me 10 shillings: If so, send them to me.

I will write to Padlewski, in compliance with the order you gave me.

M. Bakounine