The article analyzes the influence of fiction on the development of Russian sociology of the mid-nineteenth - early twentieth century. The literary intertext provides an opportunity to complement and expand the vision of the process of formation and development of the sociology of this period. This connection existed in various forms. Its elements such as a reference to the names and texts of writers to illustrate their sociological concepts are highlighted; literary criticism, which was engaged in the evaluation of literary works in terms of problems of public life; articles about Russian writers; participation of sociologists in literary communities and organizations; their business and friendships with writers and poets. The focus is on the use of literature by sociologists as objective facts of empirical reality, “facts” of time and epoch based on the ontologically related method of realism (critical realism) in literature. Critical realism with the recognition of O. Balzac as his “founder” became the dom