1875.08.31 English

C O P E N H A G E N  AUGUST 31, 1875

 

 

 

 

                                   MY DEAR  B R O T H E R S  !

 

 

 

THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH FOR YOUR LETTERS AND FOR YOUR VISIT HERE.  OUR JOURNEY WAS IN EVERY RESPECT MOST FAVOURABLE AND WE FOUND EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME ON SUNDAY EVENING.

 

 

ARRIVING IN STEGE AT TWO THIRTY, WE ENJOYED AN ELEGANT DOCTOR’S DINNER WITH CHAMPAGNE, REACHED LISELUND AT SIX O’CLOCK, AND WALKED ALONG THE ENTIRE “SMALL CLIFF” UNTIL 8 O’CLOCK. THE NEXT DAY WE WALKED FROM LISELUND ACROSS THE SMALL AND THE BIG CLIFF ALL THE WAY TO “BIG KNUD”, ARRIVING AT HIS PLACE AT 1 O’CLOCK.

 

 

IMAGINE THAT CÄTHE WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPANY US ON THE ENTIRE JOURNEY.[1]

 

 

MAJOR FEEDING AT KNUD’S PLACE. AFTER THAT EVERYBODY TO THE BEACH, WHERE WE, THE TWO BROTHERS-IN-LAW,  WENT PUMMELING THE CLIFF WITH HAMMER AND CHISEL AND IN A COUPLE OF HOURS EXTRACTED SEVERAL VERY BEAUTIFUL FOSSILS. AFTER THAT, SAILING ALONG THE CLIFF AND HEADING BACK; GLORIOUS WEATHER. ENTERTAINING STORIES BY “KNUD THE GREAT”’S SONS WHO WERE CAPTAINING THE BOAT, SIGHTS OF SEALS, COMING ASHORE AT THE “SMALL CLIFF”. HUNGER AND IT’S SATISFACTION. THE NEXT DAY WE DROVE TO THE HILL CALLED “ABORREBJERG” ETC –

 

 

IN THIS VERY MOMENT WE ARE REACHED BY THE NEWS THAT AUNT BOLETTE HAD A SON LAST NIGHT AND THAT EVERYTHING IS WELL.

 

 

MAY DEAR SWEET MOTHER BENEFIT FROM THE ROBORANT[2]. IT HAS CURED MANY PEOPLE. I HAVE ORDERED MOTHER’S PRESENT FOR JULIANE.

 

 

THE NEW WRITING BALL EXCEEDS MY WILDEST EXPECTATIONS[3]

 

 

WARMEST REGARDS AND GREETINGS FROM ALL TEN OF US TO ALL OF YOU

 

 

                        YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER

 

 

signed by hand:                     R.  Malling Hansen

 

 

[1] I think we should understand this comment on the background of his wife, Cäthe, being at the time in an advanced state of pregnancy with their 7th child, to which she gave birth a few days afterwards – on the 2nd of September – who was given the name Marie and was the seventh daughter.

[2] Roborants is a generic term for strenghtening substances, mostly prescribed in herbal medicines, in traditional Chinese medicine and in homoeopathic practices. The term is rarely used nowadays, but roborants and tonics were commonly prescribed by European doctors in the 19th century.

[3] It is only as late as in 1875 that RMH achieves his patent on the high and well-known writing ball, that we know of today as “the Writing Ball”. Until that time, the versions had been electrical, with battery