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Abstract:

The article is devoted to the publication and commenting of a part of the epistolary legacy left by Mikhail Muravyev, the famous Russian writer of the last third of the 18th century. In this work, the poet’s letters to his father Nikita Muravyev and sister Fedosiya Muravyeva, which were sent in 1776 and which were stored in the Department of Written Sources of the State Historical Museum (Moscow), are published and introduced into academic circulation. These materials allow us to reconstruct many details of Muravyev’s biography. For example, they reconstruct the history of his entry into the Free Russian Assembly, the literary and academic society at Moscow University; the connections of the young poet in academia were revealed, he was closely acquainted with the director of the Academy of Sciences S.G. Domashnev, famous scholars V.E. Adodurov, A.A. Barsov, etc. In addition, these letters allow us to describe Muravyov’s relations with the major writers of the era — with V.I. Maikov, M.M. Kheraskov, etc. Moreover, these materials help to understand the specifics of Muravyev’s service in the Izmailovo regiment. Finally, the letters of 1776 are the most important source of our knowledge about Muravyov’s reading circle and his artistic intentions.

Keywords: Mikhail Muravyev, History of Russian Literature of 18^th Century, Epistolary.