1876.01.13 English

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE FORTHE DEAF-MUTE

 

 

 

                                                                                  JANUARY 13, 1876

 

 

 

MY DEAR BROTHER !  THE AMERICAN LETTERS ARE AN EXCELLENT PROOF THAT MY MACHINE IS THE BEST. THE 2 GENTLEMEN[1] HAVE APPRAISED IT THE WAY SO MANY IDIOTS HAVE DONE.  THE DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE PISTONS ARE MOVING IS COMPLETELY WRONG,  AND SO ARE THE CONCLUSIONS THEY HAVE DRAWN. THE PAPER IS PLACED IN 10 SECONDS, IN OTHER WORDS 60 TIMES AS QUICKLY AS THE SON ASSUMES, AND IT IS REMOVED IN 2 SECONDS. MY GOOD BROTHER-IN-LAW HAS DEMONSTRATED IT POORLY[2]. THE INKING PAPER IS LOOSE ON ONE SIDE, ALLOWING TO SEE, IN LESS TIME THAN A PISTON STROKE, WHAT IS BEING TYPED ETC. EVERYTING THE SAME RUBBISH. MY MACHINE IS NOT INFERIOR IN ANY RESPECT WHATSOEVER; RAHTER, ITS MANY ADVANTAGES PREVAIL.

 

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TRANSLATIONS; I ADMIRE YOUR ABILITY TO FINISH EVERYTHING IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. THE ENTIRE FAMILY IS IN GOOD HEALTH AND WE SEND OUR FONDEST GREETINGS TO ALL OF YOU DEAR PEOPLE.  YESTERDAY THERE WAS A SMALL THEA-DANCING PARTY AT BROTHER-IN-LAW ENGEL, WHO IS NOW STAYING CLOSE BY. AND IMAGINE, MY DEAR CÄTHE WAS DANCING. BOLETTE NOW HAS A SMALL BOY IN ADDITION TO THE DAUGHTER. GRANDMOTHER AND WILHELM[3] ARE NOW STAYING ALONE IN ROSENVÆNGET. IN JUTLAND EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE GOING WELL. UNCLE PETER[4] SPENT HALF A DAY HERE AFTER HAVING RECOVERED HIS STRENGTH SOMEWHAT DURING AN EIGHT DAY STAY WITH A FORESTER AND DOING SOME HUNTING. GREAT HASTE! WARMEST REGARDS TO ALL OF YOU. YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER.

 

 

 

 

                                                                       R.  MALLING HANSEN

 

 

[1] Wonder who these two gentlemen are – will we ever find out? One is referred to as the son – so presumably we are dealing with a father and a son.

[2] It seems that RMH has sent a writing ball to the United States and his brother-in-law Johan Heiberg, who was a resident  of Chicago, has been demonstrating it to some experts, making a very bad impression from it. Perhaps this negative “test” is to be fatal for the future of the writing ball? Sverre:  RMH is noting that Johan Heiberg was using 10 minutes to change the sheet of paper. Well, yes – this was probably a fatal moment.

[3] This appears to be about the mother-in-law of  RMH.  Sverre: Yes, indeed, but it is the stepmother of his wife Cathrine, whose name is Emma. The biological mother of Cathrine, Engelke Marie, died in 1855 and the father, Søren Heiberg, married her two year older sister, Emma. Søren Heiberg died in 1871. This sister/mother-in-law is at this time staying with a stepson, Carl Wilhelm Heiberg, at Rosenvænget in Copenhagen.  The brother-in-law Engel, that RMH and Cathrine visited for the tea-dance, is Johan Engel, married to Cathrine’s sister Bolette Heiberg

[4] Uncle Peter from Jutland is either the brother of Cathrine, Peter Vilken Heiberg, but can also be Peter Rørdam, the brother of Emma and Engelke Marie.  They were also born Rørdam.