Reverend Van Gogh to Theo, on visiting Vincent in hospital.

14 June 1882

Vincent was somewhat surprised to see me, he was a little irritated, but I succeeded in bringing him back to a more normal mood, and promised to come back the next day. He does not look bad, his pulse is calm, and he is quite normal. He nurses grievances against Uncle Cor because he has not been very enthusiastic about his drawings. Van Rappard, who had seen them, had called them good. This Van Rappard remains faithful to him; he has written Vincent again to encourage him.

[…] I hope that there could not be any danger in that so-called model, could there?

[…] He always remains strange, and my expectations are not great; if only he does not go down more and more, and if only he does not throw himself away on an unworthy creature…Don't say I am too suspicious; I say these things to no one but you, and you will understand only too well what I fear. He has always had a pechant for people of lower classes, and out of sheer cussedness and a feeling of loneliness a man might get entangled in the wrong sort of ties.

Reverend Van Gogh to Theo.

28 November 1882

Cor is enjoying much friendship from the Carp family in Helmond, one of the most distinguished families in that town. Therefore on St. Nicholas Day Cor should give a present to Naud Carp who is at the H. B. [Hogere Burgerschool] with him.