8 ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁of ▁The ▁Russian ▁M essen ger ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁tr il ogy ▁which ▁also ▁included ▁Old ▁Years ▁in ▁Pl od omas ovo ▁( 1 8 6 9 ) ▁and ▁The ▁C athedral ▁C ler gy ▁( 1 8 7 2 ). ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁Les kov ' s ▁sever ing ▁all ▁t ies ▁with ▁The ▁Russian ▁M essen ger . ▁The ▁main ▁issue ▁was ▁the ▁magazine ' s ▁editor - in - ch ief ▁Mik h ail ▁Kat kov ' s ▁disag re ement ▁with ▁the ▁author ' s ▁position ▁as ▁regards ▁Russian ▁dv ory anst vo . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁publication ▁Kat kov ▁( while ▁pra ising ▁the ▁ ▁novel ' s ▁art istic ▁qual ities ) ▁told ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁magazine ' s ▁stuff : ▁" We ' ve ▁made ▁a ▁mistake , ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁our ▁man , ▁has ▁nothing ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁us , ▁[ his ▁departure ▁is ] ▁not ▁something ▁to ▁be ▁pit ied ." ▁Out rag ed ▁by ▁editor ial ▁cut s , ▁Les kov ▁decided ▁against ▁starting ▁upon ▁the ▁third ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁novel , ▁leaving ▁it ▁un fin ished . ▁ ▁Les kov ▁himself ▁r ated ▁A ▁Dec ay ed ▁Family ▁higher ▁than ▁The ▁C athedral ▁C ler gy ▁and ▁The ▁Se aled ▁Angel , ▁referring ▁to ▁it ▁as ▁his ▁" most ▁m ature ▁work ". ▁The ▁publication ▁in ▁the ▁magazine ▁of ▁parts ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 2 ▁received