Travelling papers (permit) issued by the Kiev civil governor I.I.Fundukley to collegiate asessor N.V.Gogol to travel from Canev to Odessa on personal need

In this period N.V.Gogol worked hard on the second volume of "Dead souls" and intended to get to know Russia as much as possible; to examine not only life of the Capitals, but to also explore country roads of Russia; life of landlords and peasants in every aspect; to collect into the moneybox of life even the little things from life of provincial cities and towns; to absorb as much as possible impressions; he needs "a living, not a dead image of Russia, the essentials, its speaking geography, recorded with a strong, living tongue, which would make the Russian face Russia..."
At the same time Gogol had an idea to write a book on geography of Russia for youth. To this end, Gogol in June 1850 started a trip from Moscow to the family nest, Vasilevka estate in Poltava, where he was awaited by his beloved sisters and mother, and from there, in the fall proceed to Odessa, where he successfully arrived on October 28.
"Odessa Herald" of October 28 reported that "recently N.V.Gogol arrived to our city, and he is likely to stay here throughout winter". Thus N.V.Gogol kept his promise to come back, which he gave two years ago to his Odessa friends during his first visit to the city.
Ivan Ivanovich Fundukley (1799 - 1880) – Governor of Kiev in 1839 – 1852, historian, archaeologist, local historian and philanthropist. Honorary citizen of Kiev (1872). The son of a millionaire of Greek origin Ivan Yuryevich Fundukley, who in the early 1820s owned one of the best houses in Odessa; town of Gurzuf in Crimea and provisions-warehouses in Sevastopol.
In 1831 I. I. Fundukley entered the service as an official of special assignments under the Novorossiysk Governor-General Prince M.S.Vorontsov. At the recommendation of the latter in 1838 Fundukley received the rank of State Councilor and the position of Volyn Vice-Governor, and one year later he was appointed the Governor of Kiev. Fundukley remained the Governor of Kiev until 1852. Years of his governorship in Kiev are considered the best in the history of the province.