Nikolai Vasilievich Shelgunov (1824-1891), as a prominent figure in revolutionary democracy, was formed and in many ways widely, multifaceted revealed in the turbulent, but short time of the revolutionary social upsurge of the 60s. He belonged to the brilliant galaxy of the sixties, grouped around Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, Pisarev, around Sovremennik and the Russian Word. In an article about G. E. Blagosvetlov, who headed the magazines Russkoe Slovo and Delo, in which Shelgunov collaborated for many years, he wrote: "Blagosvetlov is a pure product of the 60s; he is one of the last Mohicans of this time, full of life, brilliance and impulse, who exposed a lot of ideological, talented people with character." These words are even more related to Shelgunov himself.