10–16 October 1853

On the road.

Arrived. Alexeev received me well. Zdev seems to be a simple and good lad. Have put up at Epfshka’s.

Got up before dawn and began to write, but chucked it. Played cards for £ kop^k points. Went to hunt, wrote letters to Maslov and Barashkin. Killed two pheasants. Read a work on the literary characterisa- tion of genius to-day, and this awoke in me the conviction that I am a remarkable man both as regards capacity and 40££rj*e$s to .wo*k. From to-day I will take to it. In the morning write Boyhood , and after dinner and in the evening The Fugitive. Thoughts of happiness. Did nothing of what I had intended, but was lazy and read. Wrote a quarter of a sheet of The Maid's Room. I want to make it a fixed rule, having once begun a thing not to let myself do anything else ; and so that thoughts that occur to me may not be forgotten, note them down systematically in a book under the following headings : (1) Rules, (2) Information, (3) Observations. To-day, for instance, Observation on Epfshka’s way of singing. Information about the missions in Northern Osetfnia and Georgia, and Rules : not to allow myself anything else before the completion of a work I have once begun

In the morning wrote a little, read Golov- nfn with pleasure. Dined, played cards, thereby losing three hours, finished The Maid's Room. Supped. Began a long letter to Nikolenka and wrote some minor rules and scraps of information.