25.2.1840

Sender

John Gibson

Sender’s Location

Rom?

Recipient

Margaret Sandbach

Recipient’s Location

Antagelig Hafodunos, Llangernyw

Dating based on

Dateringen fremgår af brevet.

Abstract

Fragments of a letter which must have been written over several days because it first says that Frances Mackenzie is dying – and then that she died the day before. Mackenzies is referred to in extremely positive terms.

Document

25th February 1840

[...] I am very sorry to say that the Honourable Miss Mackenzie^I is not expected to live. She is the most amiable generous person you can imagine and she has lived here^II the best part of twenty years. She was to have been married^III to Thorvaldsen. That is many years ago [...] Our friend Miss Mackenzie died yesterday^IV, she was very talented and ever generous, it is only a few days ago we were at her party^V. These deaths make one feel very gloomy. [...]

General Comment

Af brevet citeres kun de dele, som vedrører/omhandler Thorvaldsen. Brevet er afskrevet med enkelte ortografiske rettelser og venligt stillet til rådighed af Eric Forster.

Archival Reference

Thiele

Subjects

• Artistic Environment in Rome
• Social Life in Italy
• Thorvaldsen's Women

Persons

• Frances Mackenzie
• Bertel Thorvaldsen

Commentaries

1. Den skotske adelskvinde Frances Mackenzie.

2. Dvs. sandsynligvis Rom.

3. Romancen mellem Mackenzie og Thorvaldsen fandt sted fra et tidspunkt i sommeren 1818. I efteråret 1818 var den almindelige mening i Rom, at et ægteskab mellem dem var forestående, men Thorvaldsen brød med Mackenzie i foråret 1819. Se Mackenzies biografi.

4. Frances Mackenzie døde 24. februar 1840. Se The Gentleman’s Magazine, vol. XIII, London 1840, p. 669.

5. Den omtalte fest, som Mackenzie holdt, er p.t. ikke identificeret.

Last updated 01.08.2016