In 1880, a monument to the poet Alexander Pushkin was unveiled in Moscow, designed by the sculptor Alexander Opekushin. On this occasion, various festivities were held in the city, which included public gatherings and speeches from prominent figures in the literary scene. One such speaker was the renowned writer Fyodor Dostoevsky, who delivered a significant address on June 20 at a public gathering of the Society for the Advancement of Russian Literature.

Fyodor Dostoevsky began his speech as follows,

Dostoevsky further stated that Pushkin inspired the faith of the Russian people in their own independence, as well as a “conscious hope for our national strength now, and later, faith in our future independent position among the European nations <…> Pushkin died in the full maturity of his powers, and undeniably bore away with him a great secret into the grave. And now we, without him, are seeking to divine his secret.“