1881.09.08 English

C O P E N H A G E N  SEPTEMBER 8, 1881

DEAREST MOTHER  !

MAY GOD GIVE YOU PEACE AND BLESS YOUR BODY AND SOUL ON YOUR BIRTHDAY TOMORROW AND ALL DAYS OUR TO COME. I DO HOPE THAT GOD WILL HEAR OUR DAILY AND HEARTFELT PRAYER TO LEND YOU PROGRESS AND BETTER HEALTH, FREE FROM ALL THE SEVERE PAINS AND FROM ANXIETY. DURING MY PERIOD OF ILLNESS I FELT SO OFTEN HOW JOYFUL IT WAS WHEN THE PAINS SUBSIDED AND THE BODY FOUND PEACE AND REST; I PRAY THAT YOU MAY EXPERIENCE THIS MORE AND MORE.

TODAY IS THE WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF CATHRINE AND ME[1]. SWEET ANNA KNEW IT AND HAD TIED A WREATH TOGETHER WITH THE CHILDREN AND EACH ONE TOOK A SMALL BUNCH OF FLOWERS TO THE GRAVE.  – IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY, ALL OF US STANDING THERE. “HAPPY MEMORIES OF THE DEAR DEPARTED, THEY LIFT US UP” – SAID MY SWEET BELOVED ANNA. AND BY THE GRAVESIDE THE STEPMOTHER KISSED EACH OF OUR SWEET DAUGHTERS.

IT SEEMS, THANKS GOD, THAT MY FORMER STRENGTH IS BACK, MAYBE I AM EVEN A BIT STRONGER[2], IT SEEMS SOMETIMES, AND YET I AM STILL LAGGING FAR BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO MUSCLE STRENGTH. ONE REALISES SO CLEARLY DURING  PERIOD OF ILL HEALTH, DURING RECOVERY AFTER ILLNESS/ EACH AND EVERYONE CAN PERCEIVE IT IF WE JUST OPEN OUR EYES/ - THAT THE SOUL AND THE BODY ARE NOT ROOTED IN THE SAME SOIL AND THAT THE TWO ARE NOT DRAWING NOURISHMENT FROM THE SAME THINGS. – I WAS ABLE TO PERFORM LOTS OF USEFUL TASKS FOR THE INSTITUTE DURING MY ILLNESS, A LOT WAS CHANGED AND WAS DONE WELL. PERHAPS SOME WERE CHANGES THAT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED, UNLESS I HAD HAD SO MUCH SPARE TIME TO REFLECT. I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT MY ILLNESS, BUT I DO PRAY THAT GOD WILL SPARE ME A REPETITION, AND IN PARTICULAR I PRAY THAT HE MAY SPARE YOU, DEAR SWEET MOTHER, FROM SUCH A TERRIBLY PROTRACTED AND PAINFUL ORDEAL THAT HE HAS PUT ON YOU.

WARMEST THANKS TO YOU, DEAR MOTHER, AND TO DEAR BROTHER JÖRGEN FOR YOUR LETTERS AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR MY BIRTHDAY. THE DAY PASSED SO BEAUTIFULLY AND FATHER AND MOTHER AND ALL THE TODDLERS WERE SO QUIET/SOMETIMES LIVELY/AND HAPPY.

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH A WIFE WHO IS WONDERFUL AND LOVING AND SKILLED BEYOND DESCRIPTION, GOD BLESS AND PRESERVE HER FOR US ALL. GOD PROTECT YOU, MY DEAR MOTHER, FOR ALL OF US IN THE FAMILY, BIG AND SMALL, AND PRESERVE YOU FOR US IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT BECOMES EASIER FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY WITH THE HAPPY PEOPLE.

YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED SON

                        R. Malling Hansen

(at the bottom of the page: three handwritten illegible words)

SA: I think the words are: Mus, Langben, Skrivelupe. “Mus” was a nickname that RMH sometimes used on himself – from his name, Rasmus. “Langben”, meaning a person with very long legs, was the children’s nickname on the next to eldest daughter, Engelke, who was extremely tall and thin. The last word, “skrivelupe”, means an enlargement glass - may be RMH had to use that when he worked with his letters?

I think probably one or more of the daughters has been allowed by their father to dictate some words on this letter to their grandmother!