Letter Marco to Cesar - 18th August 1877 - Archive No 876
Translated from French
Dear old chap,
I have carried out the instructions you sent me, that is to say I have read your letter to Georges and Coralie. The poor mother reacted by bursting into a convulsion of tears, and, if you don't mind my saying so, I could well understand it. After all, these poor people have had expenses of more than six hundred francs; I have seen the figures: but one could still have found a solution to this; What cannot be mended is the boy's ruined future. Indeed he cannot return to the Conservatoire; so what will he do? The parents had relied on your promise to train the boy for a year so that if, at the end of the year, you did not wish to keep him he would at least have obtained some idea about your art; and then he could have been placed with a photographer and his problems would have been solved. You must appreciate, dear old chap, that this poor boy, before he had typhoid, was at a school at Le Grand Sablon where all his masters were tremendously pleased with him; but after the poor little fellow was struck by that terrible disease he was no longer any good; one day he would do excellent work and the next day he couldn't remember anything. It was therefore a really marvellous thing to have found him some active occupation. And he himself was very happy to go and work for you. In this connection I must say to you, with my usual frankness, that I didn't at all approve of you sending him to enjoy himself in Wales since he was already too much inclined to amuse himself anyway. What you ought to have done was to keep him with you and to have used the opportunity to force him to work like a xxxxxx and I am sure that you would have made something of him. As for the violin, you tell me that there are people who think he has talent; but I, who consider that I know something about it, said to his parents that he would never be any use; since I have always been convinced of the saying of Feuerbach, the celebrated German philosopher, that excellence can only be based on art. You see therefore, dear old chap, that this poor boy is lost if you do not alter your decision; and I am sure, knowing your good heart, that you will change it -when you think about the matter; I know you well enough to hope this, I almost feel sure of it. Naturally, if the boy absolutely refused to work, you would be fully entitled to bother with him no more, but you tell me yourself that what he does, he does fairly well; Therefore there is no need to be pessimistic. So think it over, dear old chap, and do not render desperate a poor mother who, after all, as Julie herself says, has cared for your child even better than its own mother would have done. I do beg and beseech you, grant me this kindness, perhaps the last that I shall ask you: keep to your good promise; retain this boy for a year and work him to death. I am sure you will finish by giving him at least an idea of your art and in doing so you will have greatly benefited the boy, comforted his poor mother, and given immense pleasure to your old father.
Although it may be rather hard not to see your child for ten months, I approve of him being sent away from the house. You never told me what sort of thing he seems most interested in: When you write to me, please do not forget to tell me about this. You know that old me
n are sometimes more concerned with their grandchildren than with their own children. This may appear odd, but it is the nature of the human animal.
I beg you once more to allow your natural kindness to sway you; Love to all in your household, as always,
Your affectionate father,
M.A.
18.8.77
If I am not being too indiscreet, I would be so grateful if you would send me a little bit of Bruges ribbon.
Dear old chap,
I have carried out the instructions you sent me, that is to say I have read your letter to Georges and Coralie. The poor mother reacted by bursting into a convulsion of tears, and, if you don't mind my saying so, I could well understand it. After all, these poor people have had expenses of more than six hundred francs; I have seen the figures: but one could still have found a solution to this; What cannot be mended is the boy's ruined future. Indeed he cannot return to the Conservatoire; so what will he do? The parents had relied on your promise to train the boy for a year so that if, at the end of the year, you did not wish to keep him he would at least have obtained some idea about your art; and then he could have been placed with a photographer and his problems would have been solved. You must appreciate, dear old chap, that this poor boy, before he had typhoid, was at a school at Le Grand Sablon where all his masters were tremendously pleased with him; but after the poor little fellow was struck by that terrible disease he was no longer any good; one day he would do excellent work and the next day he couldn't remember anything. It was therefore a really marvellous thing to have found him some active occupation. And he himself was very happy to go and work for you. In this connection I must say to you, with my usual frankness, that I didn't at all approve of you sending him to enjoy himself in Wales since he was already too much inclined to amuse himself anyway. What you ought to have done was to keep him with you and to have used the opportunity to force him to work like a xxxxxx and I am sure that you would have made something of him. As for the violin, you tell me that there are people who think he has talent; but I, who consider that I know something about it, said to his parents that he would never be any use; since I have always been convinced of the saying of Feuerbach, the celebrated German philosopher, that excellence can only be based on art. You see therefore, dear old chap, that this poor boy is lost if you do not alter your decision; and I am sure, knowing your good heart, that you will change it -when you think about the matter; I know you well enough to hope this, I almost feel sure of it. Naturally, if the boy absolutely refused to work, you would be fully entitled to bother with him no more, but you tell me yourself that what he does, he does fairly well; Therefore there is no need to be pessimistic. So think it over, dear old chap, and do not render desperate a poor mother who, after all, as Julie herself says, has cared for your child even better than its own mother would have done. I do beg and beseech you, grant me this kindness, perhaps the last that I shall ask you: keep to your good promise; retain this boy for a year and work him to death. I am sure you will finish by giving him at least an idea of your art and in doing so you will have greatly benefited the boy, comforted his poor mother, and given immense pleasure to your old father.
Although it may be rather hard not to see your child for ten months, I approve of him being sent away from the house. You never told me what sort of thing he seems most interested in: When you write to me, please do not forget to tell me about this. You know that old me
n are sometimes more concerned with their grandchildren than with their own children. This may appear odd, but it is the nature of the human animal.
I beg you once more to allow your natural kindness to sway you; Love to all in your household, as always,
Your affectionate father,
M.A.
18.8.77
If I am not being too indiscreet, I would be so grateful if you would send me a little bit of Bruges ribbon.