Brothers Zolotarev about the meaning of life and the role of intelligentsia in society

This paper introduces the reader to the representatives of the well-known family of priest A.A. Zolotarev in the city of Rybinsk. The correspondence his four sons, Nicholai, Sergei, Alexey and David is an interesting source, that reveals brothers’ search for the meaning of life and the role of the Russian intelligentsia in society. Stored in Central State Archiveof Literature and Art, letters of the writer, local historian, chairman of the scientific community of Rybinsk A.A. Zolotarev describe ​​his circle of communication: the outstanding scholars, writers - and are the subject of a separate study.