ALS in French, signed “Iv. Tourgueneff,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8.25, personal monogram letterhead, March 5, 1873. Handwritten letter, in part (translated): "I had hidden your first letter without responding—I don’t wish to burden my conscience any further by not responding to your second! So—here goes! I am very pleased about the success of the concert given by Gounod… It’s a further nail in the heads of these dear Englishmen. I am also pleased to see that you have finally decided to go to London. You will have great times… your name and your talent, you have finally arrived and you will no longer need to travel incessantly on the railways… I haven’t responded to your question regarding a concert here… if it was a way to begin to establish you here, I have no issue. But from a creative point of view the concert would be, with the greatest of respect, worth nothing to you. It’s not worth taking the trip just to see what could be gained here. Everyone has the flu here, starting with your aunt… I am the only one who doesn’t leave his room anymore. It was rude of me—I am always like that… We’ve all taken to homeopathy." Turgenev concludes by sending regards to his recipients ‘Papa,’ stating that he is preparing "an epistle in verse pertaining to a certain project I discussed with him in a letter to Madame Viardot." In fine condition, with light creasing and soiling to the bottom edge.
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