About the book: year / “Your Majesty, I thought for a long time about how I could present to you a matter that deeply affects me, and I came to the conviction that the direct path here, as in all other circumstances, is the best. Sir, service, whatever it may be, is deeply repugnant to my nature; I know that everyone should benefit the fatherland to the best of their ability, but there are different ways to benefit. The path shown to me by Providence for this is my literary talent, and any other path is impossible for me…