The anthology includes texts by prominent critics of the second half of the 19th century: A.S. Khomyakova, I.V. Kireevsky, K.S., I.S. Aksakov, SP. Shevyreva, A.A. Grigorieva, A.V. Druzhinina, N.N. Strakhova, K.N. Leontyeva. Their critical heritage was in the Soviet era either completely excluded, or interpreted through the prism of positivism and politically biased ideologies. At the same time, their works did not lose either the relevance of the problems (national origins and beginnings of Russian literature, the thirst for the ideal, the search for truth, the ratio of art and morality), or the perfection of style and speech. The publication is addressed to students of schools and lyceums, students, teachers, university teachers and everyone interested in Russian criticism, literature and culture of the 19th century.