1875.12.17 English

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE

 

FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB                                              

 

 

 

                                                                                  DECEMBER 17, 1875

 

 

 

                                   MY DEAR B R O T H E R !

 

 

LOTS OF THANKS TO YOU AND DEAR BROTHER JOHN FOR YOUR DEAR LETTERS. THE PITIFUL BUT ENTERTAINING AND FUNNY STORY ABOUT THE 2 WRECKED “BOTTLES” [1] REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPTIONED: “GETTING ONE’S JUST DESERTS”, DON’T YOU THINK?

 

 

BECAUSE IT IS QUITE TRUE WHEN DEAR GOOD MOTHER SAYS THAT I MYSELF HAVE REQUESTED TO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF PROVIDING DEAR MOTHER WITH THIS ELIXIR OF LIFE. I HAVE TODAY DISPATCHED 6 BOTTLES OF THE REAL THING AND HOPE THAT THEY WILL BOOST THE HEALTH OF OUR BELOVED MOTHER ONE MORE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

 

 

YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE READ SOMETHING IN THE PAPERS ABOUT THE NEW BALL. THE FINEST ARTICLE WAS IN “FÄDRELANDET”[2]. OLD PLOUG HIMSELF VENTURED OUT HERE AND WAS COMPLETELY FASCINATED BY THE MACHINE; HE WAS CERTAIN THAT THE MACHINE WILL HAVE A HUGE DEMAND AND SALE. PRESENTLY WOODCUTS ARE BEING MADE FOR “ILLUSTRERET TIDENDE”[3] AND A NICE LITTLE PICTURE USEFUL FOR VIGNETTES IN LETTERS AND ENVELOPES.

 

 

I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A LOT OF LETTERS FROM ABROAD AND THE FIRST ORDER CAME YESTERDAY – THE NEW VERSION[4] - PLACED BY A HALF-BLIND GERMAN CONSUL IN CARLSKRONA.

 

 

IN TERMS OF ORDERS, I WILL START WORKING SERIOUSLY AFTER CHRISTMAS. IN A COUPLE OF DAYS I EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SEND YOU AN EVEN FINER EXAMPLE OF BALL WRITING.

 

 

I AM NOW ALMOST ABLE TO OPEN MY MOUTH COMPLETELY. MY BELOVED WIFE AND ALL OUR TINY TOTS ARE ALL WELL. YOURS TRULY IS ALSO FARING WELL. I AM NOW CHEERING UP MY LAZY BODY WITH HALF AN HOUR OF EXERCISES EVERY MORNING TOGETHER WITH BROTHER-IN-LAW FREDERIK AS THE LEADER AS WELL AS THREE TEACHERS.

 

 

MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SALARY INCREMENT, AND TO BROTHER JOHN FOR THE NEW HOUSE-KEEPER. AS FAR AS MY NEW INCREMENT, I MAY PROBABLY WHISTLE FOR THAT, IT IS A CHEAT[5]

 

 

NEXT MONDAY A SMALL CASE OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES WILL BE SENT TO YOU DEAR PEOPLE.

 

 

                        YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER

 

 

 

Signed by hand:                     R.  Malling  Hansen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Sverre: The “elexir of life” Malling Hansen is mentioning in the letter, must be the one he referred to in his last letter as the “roborants”. I remember having read that he has sent some bottles to her, but that they were not the proper kind of bottles, and he is now informing his brother that he has just sent 6 of the correct type of bottles.

[2] JMC: A nationalistic newspaper, the name translates as “The Mother Country”. “Old Ploug” is probably the editor

[3]JMC:  This was a weekly magazine (“Illustrated News”) issued between 1859 and 1924. It was hugely popular and widely read. The articles and drawings are today a valuable historical source. Already in issue no 579 of  30 October 1870 (page 40), the first version of the writing ball was presented with half a page of text and a good illustrattion.

[4] Probably the newly designed “pivot ball” which was mentioned in the letter of November 3 the same year

[5] The implication must be that RMH has applied for a salary increment – that for instance his brother has achieved – but that he doesn’t expect to get it.