10.5.1838

Sender

H.C. Andersen

Sender’s Location

København

Recipient

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Recipient’s Location

Rom

Information on recipient

Udskrift: Kunstneren A. Thorvaldsen, / Kommandeur af Dannebrogen, / Ridder af flere Ordner & & / à / Rom.

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Abstract

The commentary for this letter is not available at the moment.

Document

Kjøbenhavn den 10 Mai 1838

For dog paa en Maade at komme med Fregatten til det kjære Italien og kunde sige Dem en venlig god Dag og Tak for alt Godt, skriver jeg dette lille Epistel. Hvor kjær Kunsten og Landet er mig vil de have seet, dersom De har læst min Roman Improvisatoren, der tidligere er blevet sendt til Bibliotheket i Rom, men hvad Bogen ikke har kunnet sige dem, skal her mit Brev gjøre: Tak for al deres Venlighed imod mig, Tak for den kjærlige Trøst og Opmuntring de gav mig da jeg i Rom følte mig nedtrykt over en ukjærlig Dom i Hjemmet der tilfaldt mit Digt Agnete. Siden min Hjemkomst, da jeg optraadte med: “Improvisatoren”, har Alt forandret sig til det Bedre, jeg har fundet megen Erkjendelse, dog meest i Tydskland, hvor man næsten vurderer mit Talent for høit. Alle mine senere Bøger ere blevne oversatte og selv i Frankerige vil nu “Improvisatoren” udkomme oversat paa fransk. De hørte saa kjærligt paa mit Mismod, derfor maa de ogsaa høre paa min Glæde. Maaskee har de glemt deres trøstende Ord, jeg har det ikke! min Biographie udkommer snart i Tydskland, der vil de see hvor godt deres Venlighed gjorde mig. Mit nyeste Arbeide er en Roman i tre Dele: “Kun en Spillemand”, der viser hvorledes den meest begavede Natur, naar den ei har en kraftig Villie og udvortes gunstige Omstændigheder kommer til, maa gaae til Grunde. Dansk Natur og dansk Folkeliv pynter Scenen, der dog ogsaa har Malerier af Rom, Wien og Paris at opvise. Med stor Længsel see vi Alle den Tid imøde at Fregatten kommer tilbage, om den da skulde bringe os Dem. De vil finde utallige, varme Hjerter, men – et koldt Climat! Fra Collins har jeg mange Hilsener, de ere Alle vel. Kommer De ikke til os, da glæd mig med et Ord eller en Hilsen, som een af de tilbagevendende vil bringe mig, ingen skjønner meere der paa, end jeg. I vor litteraire Verden er meget Liv, skjøndt Politikken begynder at være meest høirystet. Øehlenschlæger har givet os en Tragedie: Oluf den Hellige, som har smukke Enkeltheder og meget Fortræffeligt. Ingemann gav os nyligt et dramatisk Digt Renegaten og Hertz en Vaudeville: Flugten til Sprogøe, fremsprunget ved den gjennemgribende Vinter vi iaar have prøvet. Næsten over to Maaneder var Danmark og Sverrig eet Fastland, der var et Liv og en Bevægelse paa Søen, som om Sundet var den store Landevei. Min venlige Hilsen til alle Landsmændene.

Deres af Hjertet, trofast hengivne
H.C. Andersen.

Oversættelse af dokument

Copenhagen May 10th 1838

In order to get to the dear Italy with the frigate in some way and to be able to wish you a good day and thank you for your kindness I write this little epistle. How kind the art and the country are to me you will have seen, if you have read my novel The Improviser, which has previously been sent to the library in Rome, however, what the book has not been able to tell you, my letter will: Thank you for all your kindness to me, thank you for the loving comfort and encouragement you gave me, when in Rome I felt in low spirits because of an unkind judgement that fell to my poem Agnete at home. Since my return, when I appeared with “The Improviser” everything has changed for the better, I have met much recognition, but mostly in Germany, where my talent is assessed almost too highly. All my later books have been translated and “The Improviser” will now be published even in France translated into French. You listened so lovingly to my discouragement, so you must also listen to my joy. You may have forgotten your comforting words, I have not! My biography will soon be published in Germany, there you will see how much good your kindness did to me. My latest work is a novel in three parts: “Only a Musician”, which shows how the most gifted character must perish if he does not have a strong will and if external, favourable circumstances are not added. Danish nature and Danish life decorate the scene, which also has paintings of Rome, Vienna and Paris to show. We all look forward with great longing to the time when the frigate will return, if it might bring you to us. You will find warm hearts without number, but – a cold climate! Many regards to you from the Collins, they are all well. If you do not come to us, then please me with a word or regards which one of the returning persons will bring me, no one appreciates it more than I do. Our literary world is full of life although politics begin to be rather loud. Øehlenschlæger has given us a tragedy: Saint Oluf, which has beautiful details and much splendid. Ingemann recently gave us a dramatic poem The Renegade and Hertz a vaudeville: The Flight to Sprogoe sprouted by the drastic winter we have had this year. For almost more than two months Denmark and Sweden were one mainland, there was a life and movement on the sea as if the Sound was the big highway. My kind regards to all the country fellows.

Yours from the heart , very sincerely
H.C. Andersen.

[Translated by Karen Husum]

Archival Reference

m22 1838, nr. 35

Thiele

Ikke omtalt hos Thiele.

Last updated 04.01.2018