Studia Litterarum Studia Litterarum 2500-4247 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/2500-4247-2026-11-3-466-479 Research Article and Publication of Archival Documents Articles N.S. Leskov’s Unknown “Notes” of 1872 Viktorovich Vladimir A. red@studlit.ru September 25, 2026 2026 March 16, 2026 In the second half of the 1870s, N.S. Leskov actively published in the moderateconservative newspaper-magazine Grazhdanin. Leskov’s letters indicate that he was preparing to participate in the weekly from its first year of publication (1872), but no real traces of collaboration have been found. This study establishes the fact that Leskov authored two journalistic “Notes” (Grazhdanin, 1872, no. 3, January 17). The first note raises the issue of preserving historical memory (including the loss of church values) and reveals the process of establishing a historical society in Kiev, following the example of St. Petersburg and Moscow. The writer’s interest in archeology (in both its highly specialized and broad cultural senses), which first appeared at that time, was then continued in his work and indicated a long-maturing need to engage with the lessons of history, thereby bringing the issue of Russian society’s inadequate historical education to the forefront. In the second note, Leskov returns to the idea of popularizing the spiritual and literary heritage of Bishop Innokenty (Borisov), whose heritage caused an ambiguous reaction from official church circles. At the same time, Leskov revealed the fact of commercialization of this circumstance by the book publisher Wolf, which put this note in a series of public statements by the writer against speculation in the field of book publishing and bookselling. N.S. Leskov attribution weekly newspaper Grazhdanin archeology historical societies Innokenty Tavrichesky book speculation Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 1. 1 Viktorovich, V.A. “Proiskhozhdenie ‘Grazhdanina’: avtory, kontseptsii, zhanry” [“The Origin of the ‘Grazhdanin’: Authors, Concepts, Genres”]. Problemy istoricheskoi poetiki, vol. 22, no. 4, 2024, pp. 117–157. https://doi.org/10.15393/j9.art.2024.14522 (In Russ.) 2. 2 Viktorovich, V.A. F.M. Dostoevskii — redaktor “Grazhdanina” (1873–1874) [F.M. Dostoevsky — the Editor of the “Grazhdanin” (1873–1874)]. Petrozavodsk, 3. Petrozavodsk State University Publ., 2019. 426 p. (In Russ.) 4. 3 Makarevich, O.V. “Ob umenii plesti lapti, literaturnykh iuznikakh i sekretnoi pechati (retsenzii N.S. Leskova v ‘Novom vremeni’ kontsa 1870-kh godov)” [“On the Ability to Weave Bast Shoes, Literary Prisoners and Secret Printing (Reviews by N.S. Leskov in ‘Novoe Vremya’ in the Late 1870s)”]. Russkaia literatura, no. 4, 2023, pp. 191–207. https://doi.org/10.31860/0131-6095-2023-4-191-207 (In Russ.) 5. 4 Stoliarova, I.V. “N.S. Leskov v ‘Russkom mire’ (Problemy atributsii)” [“N.S. Leskov in the ‘Russian World’ (Problems of Attribution)”]. Leskov, N.S. Polnoe sobranie 6. sochinenii: v 30 t. [The Complete Works: in 30 vols.], vol. 10: Sochineniia 1870–1871 [Works 1870–1871]. Moscow, Terra—Knizhnyi klub Publ., 2007, pp. 624–638. 7. (In Russ.) 8. 5 Tunimanov, V.A. “F.M. Dostoevskii i N.S. Leskov v 1873 godu: literaturnaia duel’” [“F.M. Dostoevsky and N.S. Leskov in 1873: A Literary Duel”]. Ars philologiae: 9. professoru Askol’du Borisovichu Muratovu ko dniu shestidesiatiletiia [Ars philologiae: to Professor Askold Borisovich Muratov on the Occasion of His Sixtieth Birthday], ed. by P.E. Bukharkin. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg State University Publ., 1997, pp. 172–189. (In Russ.) 10. 6 Edgerton, W., Gromov, V.A., Maiorova, O.E., Alekseeva, T.A., and L.G. Chudnova. “Leskov v gazetnoi periodike. Razyskaniia” [“Leskov in the Newspaper Periodicals. The Investigations”]. Literaturnoe nasledstvo [Literary Heritage], vol. 101: Neizdannyi Leskov [Unpublished Leskov], book 2. Moscow, Nasledie Publ., 2000, pp. 114–262. (In Russ.) 11. 7 Muller de Morogues, Inès. L’œuvre Journalistique et Littéraire de N.S. Leskov: Bibliographie. Bern, Frankfurt a/M., New York, Peter Lang, 1984. 168 p. (In French)