Bertel Thorvaldsen
Rom
Herman Schubart
Montenero
Ingen udskrift.
Dateringen fremgår ikke af brevudkastet, men da pesten i Livorno omtales, er udkastet skrevet i efteråret 1804. Den præcise dato skyldes dernæst Schubarts svarbrev af 2.11.1804, hvor modtagelsen af Thorvaldsens brev nævnes med dets dato.
Thorvaldsen worries that the yellow fever in the area of Leghorn will affect the Schubarts.
Det giør mig inderlig undI at Deres Exellenze nu er paa Monte NeroII da man her taller om at den Gule FeberIII er i Livorno
[på hovedet i forhold til ovenstående:]
Det gjorde mig inderligt unt at Deres Exellenze nu er paa Monte nero, da man nesten ikke taller om andet her en som Pest i Livorno Jo mer ieg hør tale derom jo mer smerter det mig at tenkke Deres Exsellenze er der mellem en saa faligIV Sydom, noget har det trøsted mig – de Brev – den efterretning ieg har faaet hos Hr Baron HonboltV fra Dem at Sydomen ikke er saa stor som man her udbreeder den men dog er jeg bange at Deres Exellence ikke er frygtsom nogk og vaagerVI for meget. Hver saa God og Gleed mig med et par Ord fra Dem og lad mig hvide vorledes det gaar Dem og Deres gode KoneVII om vi dog snart skal have den Glæde at see Dem i Rom
[for sig på den anden halvdel af arket:]
Det er mig ikke muligt at kunde skrive Hvad ieg føler
I am sincerely sorry that Your Excellency is now at Montenero as they here talk about the yellow fever in Leghorn
[Upside down compared to the above writing:]
I was sincerely sorry that Your Excellency is now at Montenero, as they hardly speak about anything here but a plague in Leghorn. The more I hear of it the more it pains me to think that Your Excellency is there among such a dangerous illness, it has comforted me rather – the letter – what I learned at Baron Humboldt’s from you that the illness is not so widespread as it is here disseminated; however, I fear that Your Excellency is not timid enough and dares too much. Please be so kind as to delight me with some words from you and let me know how you and your kind wife are, if we soon shall have the pleasure of seeing you in Rome.
[Separate, on the other half of the sheet:]
It is not possible for me to write what I feel
[Translated by Karen Husum]
This draft is very characteristic of Thorvaldsen’s writing process and his attitude to committing his thoughts to paper generally. His dyslexia stands out clearly in the inconsistent and phonetic spellings.
In addition to the spelling, the disposition of the text also causes him problems: He begins his draft once, turns the paper upside down and begins again. This is followed by a sigh, complaining that he cannot express himself clearly in writing.
Then (or perhaps before) he starts from the last sentence and writes another, shorter draft, which is not finished either. There may well have been even more drafts.
It is clear that the process caused Thorvaldsen difficulties, but we know from Schubart’s answer of 2.11.1804 that he finally managed to send off a letter after all.
Last updated 29.06.2015
Dvs. ondt.
Montenero was the Schubarts’ country house just outside Leghorn.
Regarding the epidemic in Leghorn and the cordoning off of the city because of the yellow fever, see Anna von Sydow (ed.): Wilhelm und Caroline von Humboldt in ihren Briefen, Berlin 1907, vol. II, p. 278ff. and 283f.
The epidemic claimed about 1100 victims, cf. Emanuela Barellai: En dansk diplomat i Italien i 1800-tallet, Herman Schubart and Elise Weiling, Odense 1998, p. 44.
Dvs. farlig.
I.e. the German diplomat and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt.
He was on holiday at this time until 20.11.1804 at Marino on Lake Albano south of Rome. Thorvaldsen may have visited him there like Georg Zoëga and Baron Brown, cf. Anna von Sydow (ed.): Wilhelm und Caroline von Humboldt in ihren Briefen, Berlin 1907, vol. II, p. 267 and passim. Thorvaldsen, however, may also have been informed by letter.
Dvs. vover.
I.e. Jacqueline Schubart.