Alexandre HERZEN (1812-1870). L.A.S., Putney October 16, 185 - Lot 95

Alexandre HERZEN (1812-1870). L.A.S., Putney October 16, 1857, to the Citizens of the Polish Revolutionary Commune in London; 2 1/2 pages in-fol. in French, address in Russian (last page a little soiled). Communicates information he has received about "Michaloffsky's approaches to the Russian government": he has "addressed a letter from London to Prince Gortchakoff, offering his services to the Russian government, promising to keep abreast of all relations of MM. Trübner and Herzen with Russia", as "enjoying great confidence" on the part of Trübner and Herzen, and his position as agent of the Trübner bookshop enabling him to intercept manuscripts and letters from Russia... A second letter confirms that this Michalofsky is ready to inform the Russian government and has even denounced a shipment of Russian books to Hamburg, for which he complains of not having been paid. Herzen had realized that he was missing one or two manuscripts, and had no confidence in this "sad individual", who had been expelled from Paris in 1855 as an Austrian spy, and who had sent a report to Minister Gortchakoff on October 13...