Павлов, Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov (1803–1864), Russian writer, poet and critic.
Шевырёв, Stepan Petrovich Shevyryov (1806–1864), Russian critic, poet, specialist in literature and a journalist; professor at Moscow University, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Гофман, Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffman (1776–1822), German romantic writer, author of Der Goldene Topf, Klein Zaches, Meister Floh, Kater Murr, etc.
Тик, Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773–1853), German romantic writer, author of comedies (Der Gestiefelte Kater and Der Blaubart), stories, etc.
Chapter 4
духом (coll.), very quickly, in a jiffy.
Свиньин, Pavel Petrovich Svinyin (1787–1839), Russian writer and collector of antiquities.
Бессарабия (hist.), Bessarabia area in the Dniester-Pruth interfluve. At present its principal part is incorporated
in the Moldavian SSR, and its southern part, in the Odessa Region of the Ukrainian SSR.
Соллогуб, Vladimir Alexandrovich Sollogub (1813–1882), Russian writer, author of the novel The Tarantass.
Вяземский, Pyotr Andreyevich Vyazemsky (1792–1878), Russian writer, poet and critic; he was a close friend of Pushkin.
Розен, Yegor Fyodorovich Rosen (1800–1860), Russian poet and dramatist.
фризовый (hist.), frieze, a heavy durable fabric with a rough surface.
пустить пыль в глаза (phras.), to deceive, to produce a false impression.
завязка, an episode that introduces the plot (the opposite of denouement).
Герцен, Alexander Ivanovich Herzen (1812–1870), Russian writer, philosopher and revolutionary figure. Author of the novel Who Is to Blame? the memoirs My Past and Thoughts, the philosophical treatises Dilettantism in Science, Letters on the Study of Nature, etc.
Сосницкий, Ivan Ivanovich Sosnitsky (1794–1871), Russian actor who excelled in comedies and vaudevilles.
Каратыгин, Pyotr Andreyevich Karatygin (1805–1879), Russian comic actor. He also composed and translated vaudevilles. Brother of the great tragic actor Vasily Karatygin.
Григорьев, Pyotr Ivanovich Grigoryev (Grigoryev I; 1806–1871), Russian actor, author of comedies and vaudevilles. He adapted the second volume of Gogol’s Dead Souls for the stage under the title The Adventures of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov.
Панаева, Avdotya Yakovlevna Panayeva (Golovacheva; 1820–1893), Russian writer, author of a famous book of reminiscences.
Смирнова, Alexandra Osipovna Smirnova, nee Rosset (1809–1882), maid of honour of the Russian empress, was on friendly terms with both Pushkin and Gogol.
Виельгорский, Mikhail Yuryevich Vyelgorsky (1788–1856), Russian statesman, patron of the arts and amateur composer.