[140] These thoughts were called forth in Tolstoi by a letter received on October, 1896, from V. V. Rakhmanov, who, being acquainted with this work of Tolstoi, found it written in a cold and didactic tone and advised Tolstoi to abandon it. [141] See Journal, Oct. 20, 1896. Thoughts 9 and 10. [142] This served as a beginning to Tolstoi’s book, _What Is Art?_ completed by him only in 1898. [143] The initials I. G. C. in the original. [144] The Spaniard, Demetrio Zanini, wrote from Barcelona to Tolstoi that the members of a certain club, who were his admirers, decided to offer him a present of a splendid inkwell, money for the purchase of which was being collected by subscription. At the request of Tolstoi, his daughter, Tatiana Lvovna, wrote to Zanini, saying that he preferred this money to be used for some good work. In answer to this, Zanini informed Tolstoi that they had already collected about 22,500 francs. Tolstoi explained in a letter to him the miserable condition of the Dukhobors and suggested using the money collected for their help. [145] A close friend of Tolstoi, Senator Alexander Mickailovich Kuzminsky, president at this time of the St. Petersburg District Court. The finance-Minister, S. Y. Witte, wanted to communicate with Tolstoi through A. M. Kuzminsky, hoping to call forth his approval in the matter of his introducing the government sale of vodka and the founding of temperance societies. Tolstoi’s letter to A. M. Kuzminsky, in which he answered Witte’s proposal in the negative, with the omission of the harsh opinions concerning General Dragomirov (the author of the periodical, _The Soldier’s Manual_, which was being displayed in the barracks) was printed in the bulletin of the Tolstoi Museum Society, 1911, Nos. 3 to 5. [146] This article has remained unfinished and up to the present has not been printed anywhere. [147] Ilya Efimovich Repine, an old acquaintance of Tolstoi and one of his most favourite Russian painters. On the occasion of the celebration of his twenty-fifth year of artistic work, I. E. Repine wrote a letter in the _Novoe Vremia_, 1896, No. 7435, Nov. 7th, expressing gratitude to all those who honoured him, in which among other things he said, when comparing the work of artists with the work of teachers, officials, bookmakers, doctors, agricultural workers, “We are the lucky ones, our work is play.” [148] Ivan Michailovich Tregubov, a friend and follower of Tolstoi, later a noted student of religious sects. [149] Ivan Ivanovich Gorbunov (Posadov), an adherent of Tolstoi’s views and a close friend of his; an active contributor and from 1897 the editor-publisher of _Posrednik_, and his brother, Nicholai Ivanovich, a performer (pianist and reader). [150] Paul Alexandrovich Boulanger, a friend and adherent of Tolstoi’s views, author of several works on Oriental religions published by _Posrednik_.