Reverend van Gogh to Theo.

7 May 1877

We are having an agreeable time with Vincent, it is very cozy. On Monday morning [14^th May] he will leave us. This morning again a nice letter from Uncle Jan; very kind and friendly also from Uncle Stricker; he has found a capable teacher, so that we now start the undertaking with courage, hoping for God's blessing.

We have improved his appearance a little bit with the help of the best tailor from Breda. Would you be so kind as to do another work of mercy and have his chevelure metamorphosed by a clever hairdresser - here in Etten we don't have such people. I suppose a barber of The Hague might be able to do something about it, therefore try to coax him into coming with you to one.

It is not clear how we will manage; the teacher costs 1.50 guilders per lesson, and every day a lesson makes nine guilders per week, and lessons in other subjects will probably also be necessary. We insist that Vincent pays visits to Tersteeg, Haanebeek and Mauve. Please collaborate! We hope Mrs. Tersteeg will be all right. Vincent hopes to arrive in The Hague on Monday afternoon around six o'clock. We wish him all the best!

Mrs. van Gogh to Theo.

7 June 1877

Theo, Uncle [Vincent] loves you so much, I believe that after the disappointment with Vincent, the thought that you may succeed in his old favourite trade gives him a hope in life, something that is so important to him. Write him from time to time; that will give him pleasure, and tell him about everything; he is so nice to us that we should cooperate as far as we can to give him some joy in life.