Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (15-16 July 1882) ... home much more
bright and cheerful.
I am getting on well, though I still feel very weak, but I
shall get over it in time. It is not surprising when you
realize that for two months now I have had indigestion, poor
appetite, fever, etc., which still troubles me a little.
I have also started drawing again, and though it gives me a
headache and soon tires me, it will pass by and by, especially
as I shall be able to begin at home with the woman and the
child posing for me. It disappoints me to feel so weak still,
but it is always that way after an illness such as mine.
The two drawings I did recently are both watercolours
because I wanted to try it. However, it seems to me that even
now I must work harder on actual drawing, which is the
foundation of all the rest. But as you saw from the last one, I
am beginning to wash in by degrees.
As soon as I am quite well again,
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 21 August 1883) ... strength.
It is very troublesome that my stomach is upset by even the
most ordinary food, and if I followed my inclination, I should
only care to eat - sour apples. I don't indulge myself in this,
but my stomach is weaker than it ought to be.
I expect another letter from Rappard about Drenthe. At all
events I will write you again soon, also about another plan of
staying quietly here, when I have had information from my
landlord about the house at Voorburg, which he says I can
perhaps get cheaply.
Adieu, again many thanks.
Yours sincerely, Vincent
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (7 or 8 September 1883) ... some
time ago, but it has disappeared again. Perhaps eggs are the
best thing to restore the stomach, at least if weakness is the
cause.
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 3 February 1886) ... in
this way: I may have become weak, but I have been as careful as
I could not to take unwholesome food. Neither is the
overexertion too great - because, notwithstanding everything, I
keep up my spirits, so it is only that I am overstrained
because I am weak. I think it will redress itself. But
you understand, if it got worse and took a vicious turn, it
might develop into malignant typhus or at least typhoid fever.
And the only reason why I do not suppose this will happen is,
in the first place, that I have had a great deal of fresh air;
in the second place, I repeat, though I obviously haven't had
enough nourishment, I have been careful to take very simple
food instead of the rotten things in the cheap restaurants; and
thirdly, that I have a certain calmness and serenity,
notwithstanding everything, so we must wait and see how things
turn out.
You must not worry about it, for I don't either. I repeat,
suppose I got a fever; I have lived and nourished...
