Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(13 December 1875)
Dear Theo, I was looking forward to the letter I received this morning, and am very glad that you are recovering. Your parcel was only sent today; the little book by Jules Breton is in it. I am longing for Christmas and am eager to see you, boy, but it will be soon enough now. I think I shall leave here a week from Sunday, in the evening. Try your best to get as long a holiday as possible. And now there is another thing, which I hope you will pardon my mentioning. You too, you have found the poems of Heine and d'Uhland are beautiful. Be on guard, old son, they are dangerous traps. The illusion is of short duration, do not abandon yourself to them. Don't you think it would be best to put away those little old books I copied for you? If, later, the books of Heine and d'Uhland fall into your hands again, you may reread them with other feelings and a more serene heart. I like very much Erckmann-Chatrian, as you know. Do you know L'Ami Fritz? To get back to Heine: Take the portraits of Father and that ... |
