A colleague of Ivan Pavlov, Professor Vladimir Ivanovich Dobrovolsky, often came by their place. Once, he said to Seraphima Pavlova, “Your children are simply wonderful! For a long time, since he was four, I have called your eldest one a professor because he always seems to be ‘defending a thesis, ’ and now I have got to know the others as well. The girl is pretty but very shy, although it may be the way it should be. The middle son is a true philosopher. He once came to me and asked, ‘Is it better to be kind or smart? ’ I replied, ‘What do you think? ’ He said, ‘I want to be both smart and kind.’ Is he not a philosopher? And the youngest one is quite a diplomat. Over tea, he looked at me slyly and said, ‘You know, my dad always gives me a biscuit and sugar in the morning! ’ I said, ‘Does that mean that I should also give you a biscuit and sugar? ’ He looked at me and replied, ‘What do you think? ’ When I gave him both, he took a biscuit and only a little sugar, saying that this is as much as his father gives him. These are some wonderful children.”
