In the same year, when the restructuring of the Admiralty was completed, another event took place in St. Petersburg. Not as noticeable as the erection of an architectural monument in the center of the capital, and not only members of the august family, not only ordinary inhabitants, but also people writing, working for the glory of Russian literature, did not attach any importance to it. It is unlikely that anyone then imagined that a new stage in the development of Russian culture was beginning, the name of which would be given by a modest, but efficient and honest clerk in a bookstore on Moika Embankment, 70.
Alexander Filippovich Smirdin.
In 1823, he became the owner of a bookstore and continued the work of Vasily Alekseevich Plavilshchikov.
“Of all the booksellers of that time, the name of Plavilshchikov is distinguished by the greatest merits in the field of education,” wrote M.I. Pylyaev. “He is the founder of the first Russian library for reading: before him, books for reading could be obtained from book sellers not at the choice of readers, but at the behest of the latter, who gave out spoiled or old books.” “According to contemporaries, his shop represented “a quiet cabinet of muses, where scientists and writers gathered to make inquiries, extracts and meetings, and not tell insulting anecdotes and read epigrams and satires on the absent.” Almost all writers used his library without money, even after his death (1823, August 14), according to a spiritual testament (1). The opening of this one of the first Russian libraries, which became truly widely accessible, was a great cultural event not only for St. Petersburg, but for the whole of Russia (2). In 1820, his library numbered seven thousand books (4).
The description of the books in the Plavilshchikov library (1820) with annual additions was the first experience in Russia of current bibliographic registration (3).
Plavilshchikov launched a large book publishing business in St. Petersburg. For 30 years he has published more than 300 books and periodicals (3).
In 1813, Plavilshchikov opened a bookstore next to the Public Library at 18 Sadovaya, in 1815 he transferred it to Moika, 70. Here he worked as a clerk A.F. Smirdin. “... honesty, accuracy, knowledge of the matter and the ability to deal with customers,” recalls a contemporary, “Smirdin gained the favor of Plavilshchikov, who made him the chief clerk and manager of the store.” And since 1823, after the death of the owner, Smirdin took over the business, accepted all the debts of Plavilshchikov and his bookstore (5).
In 1832, Smirdin moved with his shop to Nevsky (house number 22), which then meant the same as today.
The shop began to be located on two floors of the left wing of the Lutheran Church of St. Peter. The new shop on Nevsky, according to contemporaries, was magnificent - a spacious bookstore on the first floor and a large bright hall of the library on the second (6).
At the end of 1831, the Northern Bee wrote: “...A.F. Smirdin wanted to give a decent shelter to the Russian mind and founded a bookstore, which has never happened before in Russia. About fifty years before this, there were not even shops for Russian books. Books were kept in cellars and sold on tables like rags. The activities and mind of Novikov, unforgettable in the annals of Russian education, gave a different direction to the book trade, and bookstores were founded in Moscow and St. Petersburg on the model of ordinary shops. The late Plavilshchikov finally opened a warm store (see Note 1) and a library for reading... Finally, Mr. Smirdin confirmed the triumph of the Russian mind and, as they say, planted it in the first corner: on Nevsky Prospekt, in a beautiful new building belonging to the Lutheran Church of St. Peter, in the lower housing there is a book trade in Smirdin. Russian books, in rich bindings, stand proudly behind glass in mahogany cabinets, and polite clerks, guiding buyers with their bibliographic information, satisfy everyone's needs with extraordinary speed. The heart is comforted at the thought that at last our Russian literature has entered honor and moved from the cellars to the halls. It somehow inspires the writer. In the upper dwelling, above the store, in the vast halls, a library for reading is arranged, the first in Russia in terms of richness and completeness. Everything printed in Russian is at Mr. Smirdin's, - everything that is printed in the future worthy of attention, without any doubt, will be at Mr. Smirdin's before others, or together with others. Subscriptions to all magazines are also accepted there.
Alexander Filippovich himself “from the face was a man constantly serious, as they say, concentrated, he was never seen laughing or even smiling, extremely attached to his work and industrious to the point of ridiculousness. His former clerk (later a book dealer), Fyodor Vasilievich Bazunov, said that Alexander Filippovich sometimes greatly annoyed the clerks and boys with his unnecessary activities. As a rule, most of the book dealers did not go out to their shops to trade on Sundays, but he ordered his shop to be opened on Sunday as well; Of course, both clerks and boys were supposed to appear, and when it happened that there was absolutely nothing to do in the store, he covered the piles of books lying in one corner of the store, without any purpose transferred them to another, shaking off the dust from them first ”( 7).
Smirdin's bookstore and library have become a real literary club. Writers and lovers of literature gathered here, literary news was discussed, and heated debates were held.
Smirdin decided to solemnly celebrate on February 19, 1832, the housewarming of his store and library and unite the most prominent writers of the capital at the festive table. About fifty people gathered. The table was set in the large hall on the second floor. Pushkin sat down next to Krylov. On the other side of Krylov sat Zhukovsky. Opposite Pushkin were Bulgarin and Grech, the publishers of the Northern Bee. After dinner, the assembled writers decided by joint efforts to compile the almanac “A.F. Smirdin.
The almanac saw the light of day a year later. On its cover was a lithograph depicting a bookstore. But the vignette was especially interesting, representing a festive dinner at Smirdin's. The authors of the vignette are the artist A.P. Bryullov and engraver S.F. Galaktionov constantly collaborated in the publications of Smirdin, knew many writers (5).
According to V.G. Belinsky, the release of "Novoselye" marked the beginning of a new period of Russian literature, which "can and should be called Smirdinsky; for A.F. Smirdin is the head and manager of this period. All from him and all to him; he approves and encourages young and decrepit talents with the charming ringing of a walking coin; he gives direction and shows the way to these geniuses or half-geniuses, does not allow them to be lazy, - in a word, he produces life and activity in our literature ”(8).
The books of "Housewarming" were, as it were, the prototype of the Smirda magazine "Library for Reading" that began to appear in 1834 and largely predetermined its fate. It was the first thick magazine in Russia. Its popularity, especially in the early years, when Pushkin, Zhukovsky, Krylov, Yazykov, Baratynsky and other prominent writers were still published in it, was very high, and the circulation was unprecedented (5 and even 7 thousand). This magazine, oriented towards the provincial reader, played a role in the history of Russian journalism (9).
... All of the above is perhaps the most famous facts of the biography of A.F. Smirdin, their presentation wanders from book to book. There are much fewer stories in the literature about the actual activities of the book publisher, and the last, difficult period of his life remains completely in the shadow. It was as if this man remained on that solemn day at the same table with Pushkin and there was nothing else in his fate but a housewarming bookstore on Nevsky Prospekt and the almanac "Housewarming" in almost every house where books were read ...
But life is long and, alas, it does not consist of joys and victories alone ... Although it all began really triumphantly.
“Under him, as now, there were no difficulties in publishing any useful book, each could be printed and have a sure sale,” the “Library for Reading” wrote in 1857. “He offered either to print at his expense, with the proceeds spent on the publication of the amount from the sale of the book itself, or, if the book was printed, he bought the edition of it in whole or in part and distributed it himself to other booksellers on an unconditional loan.”
Thanks to the activities of Smirdin, St. Petersburg became the focus, a kind of hegemon of the publishing business. “...the public has formed an opinion that only St. Petersburg books are good,” Xenophon Polevoy noted. - “Gradually, he accustomed Russian readers to serviceable, beautiful publications, and writers to the confidence that every conscientious work of them would be rewarded at its true worth. Finally, it happened that when the title page contained the words: A. Smirdin's edition, the book was in circulation, because one could always expect something sensible, curious, and well-published from this publisher" (7).
Historians admit that Smirdin's great merit was the expansion of the book market, oriented towards the general readership. Previously, the book trade was predominantly "metropolitan" (with the exception of popular literature and the literature of "servants") and was calculated mainly on the nobility and bureaucratic strata. Smirdin, on the other hand, increased the capacity of the reader's market at the expense of the provinces, addressing the local reader.
Another major reform of Smirdin was the reduction of book prices by increasing circulation and giving publications a commercial character (7).
Smirdin's name is associated with the introduction of royalties into the Russian writer's life. Fees existed even before Smirdin in the form of isolated cases, but they were not a massive, natural phenomenon. The era of Smirdin makes this phenomenon natural, in a way “canonizes” the literary fee (7).
In continuation of his activities, Smirdin published various works for more than ten million rubles in banknotes, paid writers for the right to publish 1,370,535 rubles of honorary remuneration. He published the works of more than 70 Russian writers (7). Among the publications of Smirdin are the works of Pushkin, Gogol, Zhukovsky, P.A. Vyazemsky, Baratynsky, Krylov and others.
The first two editions of Karamzin's History of the Russian State came out mostly during the author's lifetime. By the end of the 20s and the beginning of the 30s, when Smirdin's publishing business gained momentum, Karamzin's "History ..." was no longer in abundance on the book market, and sellers took 120 and even 150 rubles for it from those who needed it. Having bought for a lot of money from the heirs of Karamzin the right to publish his 12-volume "History ..." and having printed it in sufficient quantities, Smirdin began to sell the new edition for 30 rubles in banknotes. “The cheapness and availability of books spread the possibility and such a desire for reading, which we had not before and could not have, and without the assistance of a book seller beneficent for poor writers, it might not have appeared for a long time,” wrote V.T. Plaksin (9).
Business relations connected Smirdin with many writers, whom today we call classics. But in a separate line (figuratively speaking) I would like to tell about the relationship between Smirdin and Pushkin.
For the first time, the poet's collaboration with Smirdin began as early as 1827, when the bookseller acquired the right to reprint The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, and then The Prisoner of the Caucasus, Ruslan and Lyudmila. In April 1830, Pushkin instructed his friend P.A. Pletnev, on his behalf, conclude an agreement with Smirdin, according to which he was assigned the rights to all the published works of the poet for four years. In turn, Smirdin pledged during these years, starting from May 1, 1830, to pay Pushkin 600 rubles a month in banknotes. It was rumored in literary circles that Smirdin settled accounts with the poet for gold coins per line. And it looked like the truth. When Pushkin's Hussar appeared in the "Library for Reading", Smirdin paid two thousand rubles - huge money for that time (2).
In the 1830s, Smirdin completely bought the first edition of Boris Godunov, the print runs of the third and fourth parts of Pushkin's Poems. Smirdin published the first complete edition of "Eugene Onegin" and two parts of "Poems and Stories".
Highly appreciating Pushkin's talent and proud to know him, Smirdin paid the poet the highest fees and played an exceptional role in the sale and popularization of his works, regardless of who they were published by.
Smirdin retained a good attitude towards Pushkin even after his death. In one of his letters, Turgenev reported: Smirdin said that after Pushkin's duel he sold 40,000 worth of his works, especially Onegin. Sincere admirer and active distributor of Pushkin, who sought to effectively help his orphaned family, remained "noble scribe" and later. He buys Sovremennik, published in favor of the poet's family, buys the tragedy The Stone Guest and the prose passage The Guests Came to the Cottage from the Board of Trustees. In February 1839, from the same tutelage, he received 1,700 unsold copies of The History of the Pugachev Rebellion. Smirdin also takes an active part in the distribution of the eight-volume edition of Pushkin's works, published by the guardianship in 1837-1838. Instead of the 1500 stipulated by the contract, he sold 1600 copies ... (10).
And time passed, and after the rise of book publishing and one of its best representatives had to go through a crisis and recession, the reasons for which are still not very clear.
The heyday of the book trade in the 1830s in the early 1840s gave way to an era of its sharp decline. Since that time, the booksellers' business has been shaken, and one by one they begin to go bankrupt.
In an effort to help Smirdin, St. Petersburg writers publish in his favor a three-volume collection "Russian Conversation" (1841 - 1843). The first book contained an appeal to readers to help the publisher. But the appearance of the collection did little to ease his situation.
But even in his dark days, Smirdin did not cease to be active, fighting for his favorite work, for the right to serve the book. One of his initiatives was the two book lotteries organized by him in 1843 and 1844, which brought him about 150 thousand rubles, almost entirely spent on paying off debts.
Smirdin's affairs went from bad to worse. He had to sell his large house on Ligovka, lose his own printing house and bookbinding. In 1845, he stopped renting expensive premises in the house of the Lutheran church and opened his more modest shop in the Engelhardt house near the Kazansky bridge. It was the last and lasted only about two years, closing forever in 1846. In 1847, Smirdin parted with his famous library, which included 12,036 titles (9).
Smirdin's last effort to break out of the tenacious embrace of the economic crisis was the edition he undertook of the Russian classics in the fullest possible way, in a small format, in small print, and at an unheard-of cheap price for that time. From 1846 to 1856 Smirdin published over 70 volumes. This publication had some success, but the proceeds were not enough to cover his debt, which reached 500 thousand rubles in banknotes (7).
At the same time, for the first time in the practice of the Russian book trade, Smirdin organized the "Office for the publication of Russian classics and their expulsion to non-residents", a distant prototype of "Books by mail" (9).
At the end of 1851, the publisher and his entire family were classified as hereditary honorary citizens, only the publisher did not have money to receive a certificate of honorary citizenship from the heraldry. In 1852, all the books that remained with Smirdin were described at the request of creditors. And four years later, the worst thing happened, which Smirdin was most afraid of - he was declared an insolvent debtor.
The year of Smirdin's death - 1857 - was also the year of the 50th anniversary of his activity in the book field. Petersburg publishers and writers intended to commemorate the anniversary with a collection specially dedicated to it. 6 volumes were published in 1858 - 1859, were dedicated to the memory of Smirdin. What were the income from the collection and how they made life easier for the seven children of Smirdin is unknown. Some of them were severely poor in the 1860s (9).
... In May 1995, an article by Gennady Azin “About Smirdin, his shop and Housewarming” was published in St. Petersburg Vedomosti. The author proposed to install a memorial plaque on house number 22 on Nevsky Prospekt and, perhaps, "swing" at a literary salon and make his "Housewarming" - contemporary writers of St. Petersburg - in the former shop of Smirdin.
I do not know if this appeal was the only one or other publications remembered Smirdin in connection with the 200th anniversary of his birth; the important thing is that the proposal was heard and the plaque on house number 22 was installed.
And now, passing by, we commemorate with a kind word the person who did so much for the development of Russian literature. And we can’t help but recall that those who did not know his home address addressed Pushkin’s letters here: Nevsky Prospect, 22. Smirdin’s bookstore ...
in the newspaper "Center Plus" St. Petersburg
Note 1. Previously, the book trade took place in open spaces. In winter, it was very cold in such premises, the number of buyers fell to a minimum. In old engravings, the bookseller was often depicted with a glass of steaming tea, which they drank to keep warm.
Literature:
1. Pylyaev M.I. "Old Petersburg" - 1887. M., 1997; 2. Kashnitsky I. "Bookshops of Pushkin's Petersburg" - "Agitator's Notebook", 1981, No. 30; 3. Schukin A.N. "The most famous people of Russia", volume 2 - Moscow, "Veche", 1999; 4. Kann P.Ya. "Walks around St. Petersburg" - St. Petersburg, 1994; 5. Bunatyan G.G., Charnaya M.G. Petersburg Literary Places. Guide" - St. Petersburg, 2005; 6. "Star Petersburg" - St. Petersburg, 2003; 7. Grits T., Trenin V., Nikitin M. Literature and commerce. Bookstore A.F. Smirdin" - M., 2001; 8. Belinsky V.G. Collected works in three volumes - M., 1948. Vol. 1, p. 83; 9. Kishkin L.S. “Honest, kind, humble. Works and days of A.F. Smirdin" - M., 1995; 10. Kishkin L. "Noble scribe" - "Literary Russia", June 18, 1982.
Years of existence: 1825 - 1857
Description:
Illustrations:
Ex-libris monogram of A.F. Smirdin
In Smirdin's store Cover of the anthology "Housewarming" (engraving, Galaktionov)
A portrait of A.F. Smirdin and an ex-libris put down on the books of his public library.
Smirdin Alexander Filippovich(January 21, 1795 - September 16, 1857) was born in Moscow (now Bakhrushina Street) in the family of a cloth merchant Philip Sergeevich Smirdin. The father of a man whose surname later, from the light pen of the critic Vissarion Belinsky, would give the name to a whole period of Russian literature (“The Smirda period of Russian literature” - the article “Literary Dreams”), for some reason known only to him, decided not to involve his son in the family business, but, after teaching him to read and write, he appointed him (13 years old) to work in the bookstore of his relative, the book dealer Ilyin.
Smirdin then served as a clerk in Shiryaev's bookstore in Moscow. In 1817 he moved to the service of a St. Petersburg bookseller Vasily Alekseevich Plavilshchikov who gave him boundless confidence and soon entrusted him with the conduct of all his affairs. Plavlshchikov died in 1825; there are two versions of how the merchant's will was drawn up. According to one, he offered Alexander Filippovich two options: either take over the entire enterprise, burdened with debts that the heir was obliged to pay, or sell the company's goods at a profit and go home. Alexander Filippovich chose the first. According to another version, Smirdin received the privilege to buy the Plavilshchikov case at a price that he himself would like to set. As one literary legend says, the noble Smirdin did not use this right, but called his metropolitan colleagues to a meeting-auction, where he offered the highest price.
Since that time, Smirdin's independent book-selling and publishing activities began. His first publication was the novel "Ivan Vyzhigin" by Faddey Bulgarin. Not without good reason, Bulgarin was “lucky” to become the hero of numerous caustic epigrams of his great contemporaries, but by a strange irony of fate, Bulgarin, unloved and despised by many, whose surname became a household name with a minus sign in the history of Russian literature, wrote the first Russian adventure novel, which did not slow down become our first bestseller. The adventures of the protagonist of this book were published in a large circulation for those years and so captivated the Russian reader that they were instantly sold out and made popular both its author and publisher.
Soon Smirdin expanded trade - he moved from Gostiny Dvor to the Blue Bridge, and then to Nevsky Prospekt, to the house of the Peter and Paul Church. At that time, he was already in close acquaintance with many contemporary writers, and Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Krylov and other writers were present at his housewarming celebration. In memory of this holiday, the collection "Housewarming" (1833) was published, compiled from the works of the guests who were present at this housewarming party and printed in Printing houses of A. Plushar
The fruit of Smirdin's long and tireless publishing activity was an extensive range of the most diverse publications: scientific books, textbooks, works of fine literature - he published works by Karamzin, Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Krylov and other prominent contemporaries, as well as some such writers who, perhaps, would never have been published had it not been for Smirdin. In 1834, Smirdin founded the Library for Reading magazine, which was the most widespread magazine of its time and laid the foundation for the so-called "thick" magazines. After Smirdin's death, one publication calculated that for all his publishing activities he published books worth 10 million rubles, while about 2 million went to the preparation and printing of publications and about 1.5 million to pay royalties. Such unheard-of generosity, often bordering on disinterestedness, according to many, was one of the reasons for the ruin of the publisher.
Smirdin's generosity in respect of the fee attracted the best contemporary writers to participate in his journal, and their attitude towards Smirdin was in the nature of a sincere friendship. Appreciating in him a well-read and educated person in many respects, almost all the famous writers of his time constantly visited him, spending whole hours in conversation with him. For his part, Smirdin, devoted to the interests of literature, treated its representatives with remarkable cordiality and did not miss an opportunity to render them this or that service. Every good work found a publisher in him, every novice talent could count on his support.
For quite a long time, Smirdin's publications were widely distributed and his enterprise was successful, but then his business was shaken. The reason for this was his excessive credulity and disinterestedness in trade, and most of all his extraordinary generosity in the payment of literary labor. So, he paid Pushkin for each line of poems "a piece of gold", and for the poem "Hussar" placed in the "Library for Reading" for 1834, he paid 1200 rubles. In total, according to the calculations of the well-known writer, bibliographer and book historian Nikolai Pavlovich Smirnov-Sokolsky, Alexander Filippovich paid Pushkin 122,800 rubles over the years of cooperation. - almost half of the amount that the poet earned in his entire life through literary work and, at the same time, going towards him literally in everything - see below. Printing house of the Department of Public Education .
Krylov for the right to publish his fables in the amount of forty thousand copies Smirdin paid 40,000 rubles. Today, Smirdin's commercialization of writing is considered one of his greatest merits, but in the 19th century this step was not taken so unambiguously. Detractors accused the altruist Smirdin of destroying Russian literature with his unheard-of fees, forcing creative people to work for money.
In addition to the "Library for Reading", Smirdin from 1838 published "Son of the Fatherland" (edited by Polevoy and Grech). Bibliography was Smirdin's favorite pastime - with his close assistance, Anastasevich compiled "A List of Russian Books for Reading from A. Smirdin's Library" (1828-1832), which for a long time served as the only reference book on Russian bibliography. Until the very last days of his life, Smirdin did not stop compiling additions to this bibliography. The main merit of Smirdin, who devoted his whole life to selfless service to the book business, is to reduce the cost of books, to worthily evaluate literary works “as capital”, to strengthen the strong connection between literature and the book trade. His work played a significant role in the history of Russian education.
In 1841-1843, the collections "Russian Conversation, a collection of works by Russian writers published in favor of A.F. Smirdin" saw the light of day - a desperate attempt by domestic writers to help Alexander Filippovich. In the preface to the first collection - an emotional article by V.G. Belinsky, where there were such lines: “The very way to turn to the aid of the public lent to him does a great honor to Smirdin. He does not ask the public for help, but for attention to the publication, which should bring him benefits if everything disperses. Russian writers have done their job: forgetting about any partiality, they hasten to combine their feasible works in one book. Now it remains for the public to pay its debt to Smirdin and support the glory of Russian society.. However, this good undertaking was not successful - the public remained indifferent to him. The authorities also tried to help Smirdin, favoring him and appreciating his merits - the state issued a loan of 30 thousand rubles to the publisher. silver. But this does not help, and in 1847 Smirdin sells part of his business - the premises and funds of his library - to his trusted clerk Petr Ivanovich Krasheninnikov, at which he opens his own bookstore.
In the end, Smirdin lost all the capital he had accumulated and came to complete ruin. He was forced to gradually reduce and then completely stop his book trade. Burdened with heavy debts, he did not lose hope of paying them and resorted to the most ruinous means for himself, starting one or another enterprise. During this period, Smirdin began to publish the works of Russian writers, starting with Lomonosov, Tredyakovsky, etc., in the fullest possible extent, but in the smallest possible format and in small print, in order to be able to sell each volume at a cheap price. A total of 70 books by 35 authors were published. The Complete Works of Russian Authors turned out to be in demand and quickly sold out, but, as expected, the proceeds from the series were not enough to pay off debts.
Even the support of the government did not help, which did take an unprecedented step, allowing Smirdin in 1843 to arrange a win-win lottery from books in his favor. A lottery ticket cost a ruble, its owner got the right to purchase books in the Smirdin bookstore in the amount of 1 to 50 rubles, one lottery ticket was with a large cash prize - 1 thousand rubles. The first edition of the book lottery was successful, and in 1844 Smirdin started a second lottery. However, her tickets were never completely sold out. In total, Alexander Filippovich managed to gain about 150 thousand rubles from two lotteries. - this was sorely lacking to cover all his debts and he was declared an insolvent debtor. Most of his books were transferred to the merchant L.I. bookstore of Serno-Solovyevich .
The last years of the life of the publisher and educator were sad. Poverty and unsuccessful struggle with failures undermined his health. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Smirdin's state of mind at that time was extremely difficult. Alexander Filippovich Smirdin died on September 16 (28), 1857 in poverty and almost complete oblivion, he was 62 years old. The publisher was buried at the Volkovsky cemetery in St. Petersburg. Money for the monument, as well as to help the family of the educator, was collected by St. Petersburg booksellers, who started a publication for this "Collection of literary articles dedicated by Russian writers to the memory of the late bookseller-publisher Alexander Filippovich Smirdin".
Smirdin's business was tried to be continued by his eldest son Alexander, the heir to what was left of his father's enterprises. In 1854 he, together with the publisher V.E.Genkel founded a famous company A.Smirdin & Co. For the first time, Alexander succeeded in something, but by the beginning of the 1860s he was also ruined.
Note:
In 1823-1832, the bookstore and library of A.F. Smirdin were located on the Moika embankment, 63 in the house of Gavrilova near the Blue Bridge (the building was preserved and built on). In 1832 they moved to Nevsky Prospekt, the home of the Lutheran Church (the building has been preserved and built on).
The publishing house has ceased to exist.
Voltaire. From the writings of Mr. Walter, a mixture containing philosophical, moralizing, allegorical and critical articles: Translated from French: [In 2 hours, Part 1]. - In St. Petersburg: Printed with permission, 1788. -, 1-24, , 25-156 p. = s.
A. F. Smirdin expanded the bookselling business of his predecessor and began publishing. He published large editions of the works of Pushkin, Gogol, Zhukovsky, Vyazemsky and other contemporary writers, published new editions of the works of Lomonosov and Derzhavin, three collections of One Hundred Russian Writers (1839-1845) and much more. For the first time in the Russian press, Alexander Smirdin introduced a constant sheet payment for author's labor (he paid huge fees to famous writers). Smirdin reduced the prices of books and magazines by increasing their circulation. In the history of Russian literature, the 1830s are called the Smirda period.
A major event in Petersburg literary life in the early 1830s. was the relocation of Smirdin's bookshop from the Moika (near the Blue Bridge) to Nevsky Prospekt, where he placed a well-equipped store on the first floor, and a first-class commercial library on the second. The library and bookstore of Alexander Filippovich Smirdin was a kind of club of famous Russian writers (Pushkin, Krylov, Zhukovsky, Vyazemsky, Gogol, Odoevsky, Yazykov, etc.). On the occasion of a housewarming party on February 19, 1832, they presented their works to Smirdin as a gift, which were published by Smirdin as the almanac "Housewarming" (part I, 1833 and part II, 1834).
In the early 1840s. as a result of the crisis in book publishing and the shaken financial situation, Smirdin was constantly under the threat of ruin. He had to sell first the printing house, then the library, he repeatedly stopped the book trade, but nevertheless continued to publish the works of Russian writers. The last grandiose project of the publisher was the release of the mass series "Complete Works of Russian Authors" (1846-1856); within its framework, he published over 70 small format volumes of works by more than 35 Russian writers (K. N. Batyushkov, D. V. Venevitinov, A. S. Griboyedov, M. Yu. Lermontov, M. V. Lomonosov, D. I. Fonvizin and others, as well as Catherine II).
A.F. Smirdin finally went bankrupt and retired from the publishing business. Difficult material circumstances and constant failures undermined Smirdin's health. On September 16 (28), 1857, he died in poverty and oblivion.
Smirdin's library was an extensive collection of works of Russian literature. By 1832, the library had 12,036 books (in 1820, Plavilshchikov's library had only 7,009). These included the libraries of V. A. Plavilshchikov, a collection of books about the theater of P. A. Plavilshchikov, brother of V. A. Plavilshchikov. The collection included a Russian book of the civil press of the 18th - the first quarter of the 19th century, as well as prohibited editions.
In 1842, when Smirdin's business fell into decline, his library passed to M. D. Olkhin. The library was bought by P. I. Krasheninnikov, V. P. Pechatkin, L. I. Zhebelev. Since 1847, his clerk P. I. Krasheninnikov became the owner of the Smirdin library. Krasheninnikov, who continued Smirdin's "Painting" and published two more additions to it (1852, 1856), brought the number of titles to 18,772. This figure characterizes the expansion of Smirdin's library in the period from 1832 to 1842 and later, when it belonged to M. D. Olkhin and P.I. Krasheninnikov. When the latter died (1864), the numerically increased library was dumped into the cellars. In 1869, the widow of P. I. Krasheninnikov sold the rest to A. A. Cherkesov, and in 1879 the surviving part of the library from Cherkesov was acquired by N. Kimmel, a second-hand book dealer from Riga.
Having bought the library of A. F. Smirdin, N. Kimmel published a catalog of its humanitarian part, which he put into retail sale, but was still not completely sold out. Books on technology and natural science, being obsolete, did not have much sales. In 1929, in order to free up storage space, the owners decided to wholesale the remaining books. The surviving part of Smirdin's library showed interest not long before the Slavic Library formed in Czechoslovakia (1924), whose task was to acquire special book collections on the history and culture of the Slavic peoples. In 1932, the Slavic Library purchased Smirdin's books and took them from Riga to Prague. From the library of Smirdin, 11,262 units were included in the main composition of the Slavic Library and 5,741 units of doublets (including 647 defective ones) were included in the exchange fund.
At present, the Sm fund (Smirdin's library), according to documents, consists of 7,809 numbers (ciphers) or 12,938 books; among the last 8,938 authentic ones from the library of Smirdin and his successors and 4,000 who replenished the fund in accordance with the "Painting" and four additions to it. The books of Smirdin's fund in the Slavic Library have the same numbering as in the Mural and occupy 11 double-sided shelves, which is approximately 340 linear meters of bookshelves.
The significance of Smirdin's library is best evidenced by the fact that its catalog, published in 1828 on more than 800 pages, together with additions published in 1829, 1832, 1852 and 1856, has always been and remains to this day one of the main bibliographic reference books on Russian literature of the previous time.
- Zakrevsky, Y. In the footsteps of the book publisher Smirdin / Y. Zakrevsky // Science and Life. - 2004. - No. 11 // Access mode: http://lib.rus.ec/node/237055
- Kishkin, L. S. Book collection of A. F. Smirdin in Prague / L. S. Kishkin // Access mode: http://feb-web.ru/feb/pushkin/serial/v77/v77-148-.htm
- Smirdin Alexander Filippovich - http://photos.citywalls.ru/qphoto4-4506.jpg?mt=1275800780
- Bookplates and stamps of private collections in the funds of the Historical Library / State. publ. ist. library of Russia; comp. V. V. Kozhukhov; ed. M. D. Afanasiev. - Moscow: GPIB Publishing House, 2001. - 119 p. - S. 70.
1 Plavilshchikov Vasily Alekseevich(1768-1825) - Petersburg bookseller and publisher. Together with his brother, he rented the Theater Printing House from the beginning of the 19th century. Created a library at the store (1815).
"Distant pictures are floating,
The past comes back to mind…”
Our journey begins at 22 Nevsky Prospekt. From 1832 to 1856, the bookstore of Alexander Filippovich Smirdin (1795-1857), a prominent large bookseller, publisher and bibliophile, was located here.
Smirdin A.F.
In 1834, having founded the journal "Library for Reading", the publisher initiated the publication of "thick" literary and artistic magazines in Russia. Smirdin mainly published the works of Russian writers. He published the Complete Works of Russian Authors by Pushkin, Gogol, Zhukovsky, Krylov. He also made new editions of the works of Lomonosov and other prominent figures of the 18th century.
To be involved in the name of Smirdin is an honor for any book! Today we are waiting for an acquaintance with an old book with witchcraft charms. 1834 edition! "The Works of Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin". The rustle of book pages is heard, and we no longer just read the poems of the great poet of the 18th century, but see them through the eyes of Pushkin, Belinsky, Gogol. Let's breathe in the aroma of yellowed pages and feel the charm of past centuries.
The sensually simple-hearted style of the 18th century... One cannot remain indifferent to it: it awakens a sense of the continuity of times dormant in each of us. Under the pen of Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin, the pages of Russian history come to life: the mighty Perth I leads the regiments into battle, Count Orlov "soars over the fleet of the Russians." Turning over the pages of the book, we find the famous "Ode to the wise Kyrgyz-Kaisat princess Felitsa." Once the Great Empress Catherine II shed tears, reading her lines.
It seems that there is nothing on paper, except for slightly faded lines, but some kind of inner vision penetrates deep into the book, causing involuntary visions ...
Here flashed the image of the young Pushkin, bending over the immortal "Monument". And here is the serious look of the literary critic Vissarion Grigoryevich Belinsky, reading the poem "Waterfall":
A mountain of diamonds is falling
From the heights of four rocks;
Pearls abyss and silver
Boils below, beats up with mounds;
From the splashes the blue hill stands,
In the distance, a roar rumbles in the forest.
"Father of Russian poets" - so called Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin during his lifetime. Batyushkov, Ryleev, and Tyutchev studied with the great genius.
Severe and elegant XVIII century! It will never run out of readers, and each new generation will discover its history in it.
Y. ZAKREVSKY, film director and book lover.
Portrait of A. S. Pushkin (watercolor 20.5x17 cm). 1831. The artist is unknown.
Book publisher and bibliophile Alexander Fedorovich Smirdin. Portrait of the middle of the XIX century.
V. Gau. Portrait of Natalia Nikolaevna Pushkina. 1842
The title page of the anthology "Housewarming" with the image of Smirdin's Shop, located on Nevsky Prospekt next to the Lutheran Church.
A. P. Bryullov. "Dinner on the occasion of the opening of a new bookstore Smirdin." 1832-1833 years.
A. P. Sapozhnikov "In the bookstore of A. F. Smirdin".
On a watercolor by N. G. Chernetsov - St. Petersburg, Academy of Arts. 1826
Title page of the first issue of the journal "Library for Reading".
About dear companions who are our light
They gave life to their companions,
Do not speak with sadness: they are not!
But with gratitude: would be.
V. Zhukovsky
St. Petersburg, Moika Embankment, house 12. January 1837. On the second floor lies the seriously wounded Alexander Pushkin. Doctors at the bedside - Spassky and Dal, friends - Vyazemsky, Danzas, Zhukovsky, Arendt, Zagryazhskaya. In the next room, his wife and children - Pushkin did not want to disturb them. The staircase and the hallway are full of people, people of all conditions.
The dying man is tormented by pain, and even more so by death longing. A few minutes before his death, he tried to get up. “I dreamed that I was climbing up these books and shelves with you!” Zhukovsky recalls the words of the poet. It may very well be that Pushkin also said goodbye to his book friends. I didn’t finish writing, I didn’t finish reading, I didn’t return the books to the library ... On each one there is a sticker: “From the library of A. Smirdin. Those who wish to use it are favored to subscribe and pay: for a whole year - 30 rubles, and with magazines in addition - 20 rubles. ". Pushkin was her regular, although he laughed at the owner:
No matter how you come to Smirdin,
You won't buy anything
Il Senkovsky you will find,
Or you will step on Bulgarin.
Alexander Filippovich Smirdin idolized the poet, and he laughed it off:
Smirdin got me into trouble,
The merchant has seven Fridays in the week,
His Thursday is actually
There is "after the rain on Thursday."
What did this "merchant" annoy Pushkin with? Paid for poetry a little later than the deadline? So after all, the poet was more than once in his debt.
Who is A.F. Smirdin?
He is a little older than Pushkin (born in 1795), but his childhood also took place in Moscow. He did not belong to the nobility, from the age of fifteen he served in a bookstore. The product was colorful: from "The Story of Vanka Cain" and "The Tale of the English Milord" to the magazines "Drone", "Hell's Mail", "Northern Bee", "Useful and Pleasant", "And this and that" ... The future writer Stendhal , finding himself together with the Napoleonic army in Moscow, was amazed by the abundance of books. And Sasha Smirdin, along with his friends, had to save them from fires. I wanted to join the militia - they didn’t take it, and the enemy had already “got away”. In the late autumn of 1812 he went to St. Petersburg. I had never been there before, but I knew a lot about Northern Palmyra - from books and magazines.
Vasily Alekseevich Plavilshchikov (1768-1823) was then known as a venerable Petersburg bookseller and publisher. Together with his brother, he rented the Theater Printing House from the beginning of the 19th century, expanded trade, and created a library at the store. The lyceum student Pushkin also visited them, in one of the first poems he wrote:
Virgil, Tass with Homer,
All are coming together.
Here Ozerov with Racine,
Rousseau and Karamzin,
With Molière the Giant
Fonvizin and Knyazhnin.
You are here, lazy, careless,
The pure sage
Vanyusha Lafontaine.
Of course, Sasha Smirdin dreamed of working for Plavilshchikov. And he took him on the recommendation of the bookseller P. Ilyin, as a knowledgeable scribe, as a clerk, and then made him the manager of the store.
“From his face he was a man constantly serious, concentrated, extremely attached to his work and industrious to the point of being ridiculous,” one of his contemporaries wrote about Smirdin. Almost all writers, historians, and artists visited the store and the library. They were attracted not only by books, but also by an honest, courteous clerk striving for enlightenment. Krylov and Karamzin, Zhukovsky and Batyushkov, Fyodor Glinka and Karl Bryullov later became his friends. And Melters, bequeathing his trade to the clerk, sold him the library for a small sum. True, he left behind considerable debts: Smirdin had to pay about three million rubles in banknotes in order to keep the bookstore near the Blue Bridge.
It was 1823. Over Russia, "from the cold Finnish waters to the fiery Colchis," "Pushkin's sun" rose. From the southern exile, the poet sent a poem - they called it either "Key", then "Fountain". The poem diverged in the lists, and was soon published with a picture on the title. Having received the little book, Pushkin wrote to his friend Vyazemsky: "... I am beginning to read our booksellers and think that our craft, really, is no worse than others."
The obvious merit of the publishers of the brothers Glazunov, Shiryaev and Smirdin. On the writings of Derzhavin and Kapnist, on the beautifully illustrated fables of Krylov, the brand of the company appeared: "Published by the dependent of A.F. Smirdin." At the same time, he was "written into the St. Petersburg merchant class."
A peculiar "handwriting of Smirdin" arose - the quality factor and excellent taste of the publisher. The commonwealth of writers and poets with Smirdin guaranteed that the book would be quickly sold out and the author's work would be adequately paid. The publisher's special generosity was manifested in relation to Pushkin's works: he perfectly understood the poet's desire to live off literary work. Smirdin was one of the first to realize the great importance of the poet's work for the spiritual life of Russia. Therefore, he became a voluntary mediator between the "Creator" and the "People". In 1827, for a considerable amount at that time - 20 thousand - he buys three poems from Pushkin. Pays regardless of how they are sold. Poems published in separate books with illustrations. In "Ruslan and Lyudmila" a portrait of the poet by Orest Kiprensky appears for the first time. A little later, Smirdin also published "Boris Godunov", "Belkin's Tale" and seven chapters of "Eugene Onegin".
But Pushkin is far from satisfied with everything. He was outraged, for example, by the fact that Smirdin published O. Senkovsky and F. Bulgarin. Later, Natalya Nikolaevna may also have influenced the poet's relationship with the publisher. Avdotya Panaeva in "Memoirs" (publishing house "Academia", 1929) cites the story of Smirdin himself on this occasion:
"- Characteristic, sir, lady, sir. I once happened to talk to her. I came to Alexander Sergeevich for a manuscript and brought money; he made me a condition that I always pay in gold, because their wife, except for gold, does not want to take Alexander Sergeevich says to me: “Go to her, she wants to see you herself.” But I don’t dare to cross the threshold, because I see a lady standing at the dressing table, and the maid is lacing up her satin corset.
I called you to my place in order to announce that you will not receive a manuscript from me until you bring a hundred gold pieces instead of fifty ... Farewell!
She said all this quickly, without turning her head towards me, but looking in the mirror... I bowed, went to Alexander Sergeevich, and they said to me:
There is nothing to do, you need to please my wife, she needed to order a new ball gown.
On the same day, Smirdin brought the required money.
housewarming
In 1832, Smirdin's "Lavka" and the library moved to Nevsky Prospekt (next to the Lutheran Church). Only 12,000 banknotes were paid for the mezzanine rental. Luxurious for that time, the store was perceived by everyone as an unprecedented leap in the history of the Russian book trade.
Before the opening of the store, Severnaya Pchela reported: “A.F. Smirdin, who earned the respect of all well-meaning writers with honesty in business and a noble desire for the success of literature and the love of the public .., wanted to give a decent shelter to the Russian mind and founded a bookstore, which has not yet been happened in Russia ... The books of the late Plavilshchikov finally found a warm store ... our Russian literature entered into honor. Previously, the book trade took place in the open air or in unheated premises. Smirdin moved her "from the cellars to the halls."
His attitude to literature is all the more surprising because he himself was not a widely educated person, even in literacy he was not very strong. But his clerks possessed bibliographic knowledge, the bibliophiles Nozhevshchikov and Tsvetaev made friends with him, the translator and poet Vasily Anastasevich - with his participation, the so-called "Painting", that is, the catalog of the Smirda collection, was subsequently compiled. Four volumes of this painting have survived to this day in the Russian Fund of the St. Petersburg Public.
The grand opening of the store and library took place on February 19, 1832. In the large hall, in front of massive cabinets filled with beautiful folios, a dinner table was set. There were about a hundred guests. Then the "Northern Bee" published their names with its commentary: "It was curious and funny to see here representatives of the past centuries, expiring and coming; to see magazine opponents expressing feelings of respect and affection to each other, critics and criticized ..." In the chairman's place - the librarian and fabulist Krylov, next to him are Zhukovsky and Pushkin, on the other side are Grech and Gogol, a little to the side is Smirdin, who humbly bowed his head. This is how the artist A.P. Bryullov captured them on the sketch of the title page of the almanac "Housewarming" (1832-1833).
The venerable veteran of poetry, Count D. I. Khvostov, read the verses to the host:
Pleasant of Russian muses,
celebrate your anniversary
Champagne for guests
for housewarming lei;
You are Derzhavin to us,
Karamzin from the coffin
Called to immortal life again.
Finally, champagne frothed in the glasses and a toast was made to the health of the emperor. Then - for the owner. They also drank for his guests-friends. "Cheerfulness, frankness, wit and unconditional brotherhood animated this triumph," Grech recalled. The cozy "Smirdin's shop" very soon became a meeting place for St. Petersburg writers - the progenitor of writers' clubs.
At the same solemn dinner, it was decided to create an almanac by common efforts. They came up with a name - "Housewarming" - and asked Smirdin to lead it. In addition to poems and essays, the first issue of the almanac included a dramatic opus by the historian Pogodin and part of Gogol's "Mirgorod". "Housewarming" came out until 1839.
Smirdin's journals
At the same time, Smirdin began to publish the journal "Library for Reading". He was criticized for the "diversity" of the content, but many people liked it precisely because of the diversity - the number of subscribers quickly reached five thousand.
The Smirda journal is perhaps unfortunately named "Library for Reading" (and why do libraries exist if not for reading?), but its various sections: "Poems and Prose", "Foreign Literature", "Science and Art ”,“ Industry and Agriculture ”,“ Criticism ”,“ Literary Chronicle ”,“ Mixture ”- were invariably present in all issues (at times only“ Fashion ”with colored pictures was added; the volume also increased: from 18 to 24 printed sheets).
Following the example of the "Library" and "Notes of the Fatherland", Pushkin's and Nekrasov's Sovremennik and our "thick" magazines were published later.
Whether Pushkin was directly involved in Smirdin's publishing activities is not known, but apparently, he could not do without mutual advice.
Smirdin's most serious reform can be considered a reduction in prices for books and magazines by increasing their circulation. In 1838, A.F. Smirdin undertook the publication of the works of contemporary writers - "One Hundred Russian Writers", "so that the public could see the features of each and judge his style and features." I also had a chance to leaf through these three voluminous volumes, printed on good quality paper with portraits of writers and engravings.
Even then, a true democrat, an admirer of Pushkin and Gogol, Vissarion Belinsky wrote about a new period in Russian literature, calling it "Smirdinsky". He defended his activities from the attacks of the aestheticists: "There are people who claim that Mr. Smirdin killed our literature, seducing its talented representatives with profits. Is it necessary to prove that these people are malicious and hostile to any disinterested enterprise." And as if confirming Belinsky’s thought, one of the newspapers of that time wrote: “We owe Smirdin that now literary studies provide a means of living ... He is a truly honest and kind person! Our writers own his pocket like rent. He can go bankrupt ".
Smirdin's disinterestedness is obvious. For example, by publishing Karamzin's "History of the Russian State", he was able to reduce the cost of its twelve books by five times. Thanks to Smirdin, books became available to the class of people who most needed them. The second component of his activity is also obvious: the more readers, the more educated the society. Smirdin put a lot of effort into publishing the collected works of those who are close to us today - I. Bogdanovich, A. Griboyedov, M. Lermontov.
Smirdin had competitors - far from disinterested. One of the main ones was Adolf Plushchar, who began by printing posters and announcements about entertainment in the capital, and then moved on to publishing the Encyclopedic Lexicon, which was a success. Intrigues began, leading to a quarrel between Smirdin and Plyuscher.
Alexander Filippovich started the publication of "A Picturesque Journey Through Russia" and ordered engravings for it in London. I waited for them for a long time, but for some reason I received them from Leipzig and they were very bad. In order not to go broke, Smirdin organized a book lottery. There was, however, not only a commercial intent in it, but also a desire to addict the population of many regions of Russia to reading. At first, the lottery was successful, but in the third year, thousands of tickets remained unsold. There was a general crisis in the book trade, caused by a sharp increase in the number of booksellers and publishers: many random people appeared in this business. Almost the entire book industry is taking on a market-speculative character.
One way or another, but Smirdin (like Plyuscher) went bankrupt. He wrote then: "Under old age, I remained naked as a falcon - everyone knows that." But he managed to save the books with their most complete bibliographic description. However, after the death of Smirdin (in 1857), and then his heirs, the Smirda library disappeared - 50 thousand volumes! Bibliophiles of the early twentieth century tried to find it, but in vain...
The ways of books are inscrutable
In 1978, a tiny note appeared in Vechernyaya Moskva by Yevgeny Ivanovich Osetrov, editor-in-chief of the Bibliophile's Almanac, who attacked the trail of that library. He managed to find out that a book dealer named Kimel bought it from someone on the cheap and shipped it to Riga. He sold something to second-hand booksellers, and most of the books were sold by his heirs to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the twenties of the twentieth century.
The story is almost detective, but not so unusual: books get to travel. I also traveled a lot, making geographical films and essays in the Film Travel Almanac. We met with Evgeny Ivanovich and decided to write an application for a film about the fate and search for Smirdin's library. At my studio, they looked askance at the application: now, if something about technical progress ... They sent an application to the Prague film studio "Brief Film". There, they willingly agreed to a joint production and sent their representatives to sign the contract.
A literary script was written and sent to Short Film. And then it was time for filming... Fabulous hundred-towered Prague! For more than five centuries, the chimes on the Old Town Hall have been counting down the time. The toy rooster was still crowing, and the apostles appeared in the windows, just as at that time, when Pushkin admired the white nights on the distant banks of the Neva, and Smirdin hurried to his shop. And here and there the love of books and wisdom is eternal. The alphabet, created by the "solunsky brothers" Cyril and Methodius - those that stand in bronze on the Charles Bridge - helped to rally the Slavs. And the Strahov Monastery became a treasury of Czech and other writings: books of the seventeenth, sixteenth, fourteenth, twelfth centuries!
In Clementinum, a Dominican monastery, schools and a printing press were opened at the beginning of the 17th century. Now there are libraries: national, musical, technical. One of the largest collections of books in Slavic languages, and the main thing in it is Russian literature.
Yes, this is Smirdin's bookplate! So here it is, the Smirda library!
No, this is only half of it, - the dearest Jiri Vacek, the head of the Russian sector, answers me, smiling.
Then he told how these books came to them.
We even have old Russian manuscripts, some of those published by Ivan Fedorov-Moskvitin. Since the beginning of the 20th century, almost all of your journals and almanacs have been sent to us. And when the Smirda library was purchased in Riga, it turned out that much was missing from it. According to the painting, the missing items were collected throughout Europe - this is how the Smirda Fund was formed.
There were also second copies - they were sent to Brodzyany, where our film crew decided to go. Once upon a time, the sister of Pushkin's wife Alexandra Goncharova, who became the wife of the Austrian envoy to Russia Gustav Friesengoff, lived in the Brodzyansky castle. Pushkin's children and grandchildren visited the castle - they are captured in the drawings of the family album. In the dining room there are traditional family portraits and watercolors of Natalia Goncharova, Pushkin and his friends. They appeared here already in our years: when a museum of Russian literature was created in the castle, they were brought here along with Smirda's books.
It was late autumn, the paths were covered with fallen leaves, the sun played in the crowns of oaks and elms. "Autumn time - eyes charm!" But I also remembered the poems of N. Zabolotsky:
Oh, I did not live in this world for nothing!
And it's sweet for me to strive
from the darkness
So that, taking me in the palm of your hand,
You, my distant descendant,
Finished what I didn't finish.
And I thought: after all, Alexander Smirdin thought about his descendants, doing a noble, important work. Customs, mores, ideologies change, but Russian literature remains alive for us. And if you, dear reader, happen to visit the St. Petersburg Public Library, ask the Russian Fund to show the only pictorial portrait of A. F. Smirdin. Bow from me to his memory.
