1873.07.01 English

Undated letter from RMH to brother Jørgen, probably written around 1873. My copy has been cut in the right hand side, and a few letters are missing. However, I have tried to guess the missing parts. cb

MY DEAR, GOOD BROTHER! WE ARE ALL VERY WELL – THANK GOD. I MUST BLAME THE HORRIBLE LAZYNESS OF SUMMER VACATIONS – DO YOU KNOW THE FEELING? – FOR NOT HAVING WRITTEN EARLIER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEAR LETTER AS WELL AS FOR A PREVIOUS ONE, WHICH I THINK I ALSO HAVE NOT REPLIED TO.  I HAVE BY NOW COPIED ALL THE ENGLISH TEXT THAT YOU WERE SO VERY KIND TO TRANSLATE FOR ME, BUT I HAVN’T COME AROUND YET TO DRAFTING THE FINISHING PART; HOWEVER, IN A FEW DAYS TIME I GUESS MY OTHER WORK, AND MY LAZINESS, WILL ALLOW ME TO FINISH THE TASK. RIGHT NOW I WAS INTERRUPTED BY A MESSENGER WHO REQUESTED ME TO CALL ON THE GERMAN CONSUL, WHO WAS TRAVELLING BETWEEN BERLIN AND CARLSKRONA. HE MERELY WANTED TO ASSURE ME THAT MY MACHINE IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE ONE MADE BY THE AMERICAN[1], AND THAT HE HIMSELF CONTINUED TO BE VERY SATISFIED WITH WITH HIS WRITING BALL. IN ADDITION, HE SHOWED ME A REMARKABLY INGENUOUS CASE USED BOTH FOR TRANSPORTING THE WRITING BALL AND FOR USING IT AS A DESK FOR THE MACHINE. BUT NOW TIME IS GETTING VERY SHORT AND I HAVE TO END HERE. WARMEST GREETINGS AND KISSES TO ALL OF YOU FROM ALL OF US. I AM VERY SAD THAT DEAR MOTHER DARES NOT THINK ABOUT VISITING US THIS YEAR, BUT YOU MY DEAR BELOVED BROTHERS I DO HOPE WE WILL SEE   WE ARE LIKELY TO MAKE OUR SHORT JOURNEY AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH. VERY HASTILY,

                                               YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER   R. M. H.