The problem of the title of one of Gogol’s polemical works, written in 1847, is posed. Traditionally, this work, untitled and published after the writer’s death, still bears the editor’s title . The article explores various ideological and artistic aspects of Gogol’s work. It is established that Gogol’s “story... of authorship” is not “confessional”, but mainly teaching in nature and is subject to a special preaching plan. In it, the writer argues with his Western opponents for a patriotic, state-oriented ministry. The autobiographical part in the essay plays the role of a personal example in the affirmation of religious and patriotic values. As in the previous book, “Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends” (1847), Gogol continues to instruct the liberal-Western audience. The new essay is a development and strengthening of the ideas of the published book. An inaccurate title makes it difficult to understand the author’s intention and does not contribute to the comprehension that this work is a programmatic presentation of the artist’s creative principles, the main of which is “to serve one’s land”. The task of explaining and apologising for “Selected passages from correspondence with friends” is paramount here. Numerous features are noted that distinguish Gogol’s work from the church sacrament of confession, as well as from the genre of literary confession. The history of the origin of the editorial title is traced, a new title is proposed – . The features of Gogol’s religious-pastoral approach to his critics are outlined in detail. It is pointed out that the Christian tone of the conciliatory response determined the Gogol choice as a means of preaching his writer’s autobiography. The time of creation of the polemical essay and its connection with other works of the writer are specified.