HISTORY - Pyotr Kropotkin (Moscow, 1842 - Dmitrov, 1921) - Beautiful and very long autograph letter

Pyotr Kropotkin (Moscow, 1842 - Dmitrov, 1921)Beautiful and very long autograph letter in English, signed and dated Sept 24. 1891 by the scientist, Russian socialist, theorist of libertarian communism. After his arrest in France during the trial to the Lyon anarchists, Kropotkin was released thanks to a petition in 1886. He moved to London, where he was welcomed by Russian political refugees and English anarchist intellectuals. In this letter, Kropotkin addresses Charles Rowley, a journalist with the London anarchist newspaper The Torch, discussing a recent conference about his theories on mutual aid between human beings: "…I did not ask you whether you were pleased with the lecture, because I was not myself. It seemed to me, all the time, as if the subject was not very familiar to the audience and which I told facts from animal life it, all the time seemed to me as if to audience was not quite convinced by them and listened rather with some doubts as to the exactitude or the right interpretation of the facts – what was your impression? Tell it, please, with entire frankness. My idea is not to reduce the lecture entirely: to reduce the animal illustrations from animal life and to consider under separate leadings what are the best conditions (struggle or mutual support) for the security of the species, the longevity of the individual, the regular supply of food, the means to resist calamities, and so on, and to ensure further development. May be, Man (primitive Man) will have to be introduced in that review. At any rate – may be because I expected the lecture to be much better – such as I delivered it on Sunday last, it did not please me at all.You would very much oblige me by saying entirely what you, or your friends think about it…". Kropotkin mentions the reception of the English salons: "… I had not tell you that we had a most pleasant musical evening on Sunday, at Mr. [H. S.] Jones’s house. Mr. [Carl] Fuchs came with his cello, the young delightful basso sang a few more songs, and a trio of Brahms was quite artistically played by Miss Jones, Miss Wraith and Mr Fuchs. Miss Jones, all nerves and music, played again one of Beethoven’s Sonatas, and so on, till late is the night. For long time since I did not so deeply enjoy music…". For a total of 8 pp. on two sheets. In-8°.