Letter Marco to Cesar 4th May 1877 Archive number 874
(Translated from French)
Dear old chap,
I am late in writing but it is not my fault. I have given G. (?Georges) the address of L.(?Liverpool) ; and I think they will send him a photograph of Maurice so that he can recognise it. I must tell you that he leaves on Thursday, 10th inst.; one last time I recommend him to you, be a father to him. In my last letter I forgot to thank you for the newspaper you sent me; what is postponed is not forgotten; it interested me very much, despite the fact that I do not quite believe in all these marvelous discoveries, for I remember that a few years ago they discovered the tomb of Achilles……….and nobody even knows where Troy was or even if it ever existed.
Let us pass on to the books. I must begin by thanking you for the trouble you took and I must continue by saying my mea culpa for having wrongly informed you about the person who wished to acquire them, for this person is no other than your humble servant. The Cahille, Tibulle, etc. I bought here for 4 francs but it was bound in boards; unfortunately, those from the publisher, so far as I can see, are all very well bound and that, no doubt, is what makes the prices so enormous. I felt sure that each work would only cost me about fifteen francs more or less and if' one could have found them in boards I should not have been far wrong, considering that the publishers usually take at least 50%. I am sorry about it, for I would like to have had the two first on the list, that is to say Juvenal and Sallust; but you will appreciate that thirty francs and 53 are hardly the same thing. I am not particularly keen on those Baskerville editions, which are certainly very good to look at but fairly incorrect: this is no great inconvenience for I find it easy to correct the faults in them; but, on the other hand, I do quite like them because the type is very large and this does not fatigue me. So contro la forza la ragion non vale (reason cannot prevail against force); it only remains for me once more to thank you for the trouble you have taken.
Coralie tells me that G. (?Georges) is a bit better after having been brought back to the house by carriage in a dangerous condition. As for being able to do anything about it, you are mistaken if you think that my influence, as you describe it, would be of any help. Master Georges, since he became a property owner, no longer takes the slightest notice of anyone and if the good Lord came upon earth he would send him away. None the less, let us hope; and we can do so, I believe; for the scoundrel who led him astray has recently coughed up blood and the doctors have forbidden him to drink anything: furthermore I think that one of these fine days they will throw him out of the house. When I told Maurice that you drink water in your house he was delighted for he drinks nothing else and is very happy on it. I have told him that he must love and respect you for he will have no other father than you. Ah well, despite all appearances, or rather all the lies, was I not right about the war? May God grant that I may not be equally right about a general war. But let us not anticipate, for then the misfortune is twice as bad. I close with much love to you and yours, as always,
Your affectionate father,
M.A.
4.5.77
Dear old chap,
I am late in writing but it is not my fault. I have given G. (?Georges) the address of L.(?Liverpool) ; and I think they will send him a photograph of Maurice so that he can recognise it. I must tell you that he leaves on Thursday, 10th inst.; one last time I recommend him to you, be a father to him. In my last letter I forgot to thank you for the newspaper you sent me; what is postponed is not forgotten; it interested me very much, despite the fact that I do not quite believe in all these marvelous discoveries, for I remember that a few years ago they discovered the tomb of Achilles……….and nobody even knows where Troy was or even if it ever existed.
Let us pass on to the books. I must begin by thanking you for the trouble you took and I must continue by saying my mea culpa for having wrongly informed you about the person who wished to acquire them, for this person is no other than your humble servant. The Cahille, Tibulle, etc. I bought here for 4 francs but it was bound in boards; unfortunately, those from the publisher, so far as I can see, are all very well bound and that, no doubt, is what makes the prices so enormous. I felt sure that each work would only cost me about fifteen francs more or less and if' one could have found them in boards I should not have been far wrong, considering that the publishers usually take at least 50%. I am sorry about it, for I would like to have had the two first on the list, that is to say Juvenal and Sallust; but you will appreciate that thirty francs and 53 are hardly the same thing. I am not particularly keen on those Baskerville editions, which are certainly very good to look at but fairly incorrect: this is no great inconvenience for I find it easy to correct the faults in them; but, on the other hand, I do quite like them because the type is very large and this does not fatigue me. So contro la forza la ragion non vale (reason cannot prevail against force); it only remains for me once more to thank you for the trouble you have taken.
Coralie tells me that G. (?Georges) is a bit better after having been brought back to the house by carriage in a dangerous condition. As for being able to do anything about it, you are mistaken if you think that my influence, as you describe it, would be of any help. Master Georges, since he became a property owner, no longer takes the slightest notice of anyone and if the good Lord came upon earth he would send him away. None the less, let us hope; and we can do so, I believe; for the scoundrel who led him astray has recently coughed up blood and the doctors have forbidden him to drink anything: furthermore I think that one of these fine days they will throw him out of the house. When I told Maurice that you drink water in your house he was delighted for he drinks nothing else and is very happy on it. I have told him that he must love and respect you for he will have no other father than you. Ah well, despite all appearances, or rather all the lies, was I not right about the war? May God grant that I may not be equally right about a general war. But let us not anticipate, for then the misfortune is twice as bad. I close with much love to you and yours, as always,
Your affectionate father,
M.A.
4.5.77