1876.07.10 English

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF-MUTE

                                                                                              JULY 10, 1876

MY DEAR BROTHER!  THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY I RETURNED FROM MY TRIP TO STOCKHOLM – IN MANY RESPECTS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. THERE IS NOW SUCH AN AMOUNT OF WORK WAITING FOR ME HERE, THAT I HAVE TO BE BRIEF, AND IT WILL TAKE ME A COUPLE OF DAYS TO FINISH MY LETTER TO THE AMERICAN. – I HAD THE HONOUR TO BE ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE SESSIONS OF THE SECTION FOR THE DEAF AND MUTE, AND I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE – AND I MYSELF – DISCOVERED THAT I HAD SOME CONSIDERABLE TALENT TO FILL SUCH A POSITION. IT GAVE ME QUITE A LOT OF EXTRA WORK, BUT I HAD THE PLEASURE THAT THROUGH A DISCUSSION THAT ALWAYS REMAINED CALM AND OBJECTIVE WE ACHIEVED QUITE A FEW AND VERY GOOD RESOLUTIONS, THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING VERY USEFUL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAUSE OF THE DEAF-MUTE. KELLER CHAIRED THE PLENUM MEETINGS, WHICH WERE VERY FEW AND ALSO SHORT. IN THE SECTION FOR THE DEAF-MUTES THERE WERE MORE THAN 80 PARTICIPANTS, IN THE SECTION FOR THE BLIND ONLY 7 AND FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED 14.

MY BELOVED CÄTHE HAS HAD A VERY HARD TIME DURING MY ABSENCE, SINCE SEVERAL OF OUR BLESSED TODDLERS HAVE CAUGHT CHICKEN POX RIGHT AFTER THE PERIOD OF THE SCARLET FEVER. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOW ALL UP AND ABOUT. I HAD THE HONOUR TO DEMONSTRATE THE WRITING BALL TO THE SWEDISH MAJESTY[1]. I LIKED HIM VERY MUCH, HE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD MY MACHINE AND COMMENTED ABOUT IT IN AN EXCEEDINGLY FLATTERING WAY. HE HIMSELF USED IT AND EVEN WROTE IN DANISH.

WARMEST REGARDS FROM ALL OF US TO DEAR SWEET MOTHER AND TO DEAR BROTHER JOHN FROM ALL OF US

                                               YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER  R. M. H