fourth double crush
(part 3)
The double crush on
Edvard Collin and his sister Louise.
Andersen and Edvard
Collin (continued)
In this relatively
long account of the relationship between H.C. Andersen and his three-year
younger friend, Edvard Collin, we have now reached the year 1836. The exchange
of letters between the two continued, preferably when one of them was traveling
and stayed abroad for a shorter or longer period. However, it was Andersen who
made smaller and shorter and larger and longer trips abroad each year, which is
to say in Europe, just as he usually spent his holidays in the country at home
in Denmark, mainly in the manors of Zealand and Funen.
On April 21, 1836,
Andersen's second real novel, "O.T.", was published, and on June 1,
so. He went on a summer vacation, first to Næstved, where he visited his
father's friend and patron, Colonel Høegh-Guldberg, and stayed for a few days,
and from there to Sorø, where he spent the night with his good friends, Lucie
and B.S. Ingemann, before making a detour to Slagelse, to visit old friends and
acquaintances there. He was a guest of Ingemann's until June 14, after which he
traveled to the birthplace of Odense. From there he visited the manor
Lykkesholm and made his way back home with his two dear old friends in Sorø.
Only on August 18 was he again in Copenhagen, in the apartment of Mrs. Larsen
in Nyhavn 20.
The day of
departure from Copenhagen on June 1, Andersen sent a bottle of porter attached
to a note with the following text to Edvard Collin:
Dear friend!
Mrs.
Bügel sends me a bottle of porter tomorrow, which she says the only and last
she has, I can not drink it, take it with is too difficult, I must therefore
send it to you. Greet them all! now I travel. / Their fraternal / H.C.
Andersen. (145)
In Sorø, Andersen
spent a wonderful time with his paternal friend and colleague, B.S. Ingemann,
partly with pleasant, heartfelt conversations about literature and partly with
enjoyable excursions in the beautiful area. However, there was also time to
visit other staff at the Sorø Academy, such as. the teacher and poet Carsten
Hauch, whom Andersen had a good relationship with over time, especially after
Hauch reassessed his view of him, both as a human and a poet.
Throughout this
period, however, Andersen had made vigorous but vain attempts to win Louise
Collin's erotic interest and affection, and continued with her somewhat
peculiar 'free letters' to which the young lady never replied, so far, neither
verbally nor in writing. She, for her part, seems to be doing what she could to
keep him at a proper distance, and not least after her engagement to Wilkens
Lind at New Year's Eve 1833. This young and aspiring cand. juror and auditor
found both her family and herself a more appropriate party than the quirky,
"separate" human, H. C. Andersen. It made no difference to her that
the sensitive and gifted poet eventually had a considerable literary and
dramatic production behind him, and that in time he probably also had prospects
of insignificant income. It all played no role whatsoever for the 1836
twenty-three-year-old young woman, who also absolutely preferred her Lind.
Although Andersen
actually respected Louise Collin's choice of Wilkens Lind as her future husband,
Andersen still had a hard time getting used to the situation. Initially, he
probably hoped that the engagement would overpower, which it did not, but on
the contrary led to a wedding, not until 1840. But during his stay in Næstved
in 1836, he wrote and sent a letter to Louise Collin, dated June 6, but who was
more restrained and subdued in content and tone than his previous letters to
her. It was probably because he now knew that both Louise's brother, Edvard,
and her sister, Ingeborg, each acted as a kind of censors of the letters before
they were left in the hands of the little sister:
To
Miss L. Collin.
On
Friday I expect to be in Sorø and will then send my song piece, which at that
time is cleanly written, to Eduard; in the same envelope should be letters to
him and you; but now that I think ahead, I think it will be far too long before
I talk to them at home and that's why I write this epistle. Yes, you probably
don't think so? I have not missed them all at home this summer, like this time,
but I have never quite lived with you as in the last year! When I last traveled
abroad, I felt only one home, one day in Paris I was humming "little
Viggo"! when I came out on a similar trip, I would probably feel longing,
because I have a home in Denmark. At Guldberg’s they are all so gracious to me,
you admire the poet, treat me with an esteem - yes, you, Miss Louise (I dare
not just write Louise) probably know how I want it! notwithstanding all the
tribute I am not amused… On Thursday or Friday I take a carriage to Sorø! I
have to take one for my own mouth, because here goes no records. Reasonably, I
come to the Slagelse race and then see Drewsen and possibly Theodor? You just?
I'm looking forward to it! Next week, Renzo's Wedding and a letter to Eduard occur,
bring him a greeting so far! Tell the sister that all of the formed part of
Næstved sings "Little Viggo" after the Kalundborg tune. Tell her I
would like to give a Rdlr. for a nod of her white hand. Tomorrow morning I
heard the housekeeper shout inside the stable to the horses: "Look to the
beast"! it sounded like home tunes to me! I felt what the Swiss feel when
his alpine song sounds in a foreign country! “Look at the beast!” How many
sweet memories cannot be contained in these three simple words. Greet the
mother, the dear, good mother! Will you let her read this. Greet the three
brothers, with wife and girlfriend minus 1. Don't forget the father and Lind! /
Their fraternally devoted / H. C. Andersen. (146)
On June 14,
Andersen traveled from Sorø to Korsør, where he stayed overnight, to sail the
next morning to Nyborg and from there to his destination, Odense. In Korsør,
the currently calm, balanced, self-aware and humorous poet wrote a slightly
longer letter to his friend in Copenhagen, from which the following must be
quoted:
My
dear, faithful Eduard!
Before
I leave Zealand, I gossip with you! in this moment I came to Korsør:
"where Baggesen was born and Birckner buried", as one of our best
novelists says; while the supper is being prepared I sit in a munchback with
the pen in my hand, the lighthouse shines through the window and the lake
swells so that I do not get anything in my stomach soon, then I get seasick. I
do not finish this letter early tomorrow, then I may agree with myself whether,
after landing in Nyborg, I drive straight to Odense or first to Lykkesholm! my
spiritual, good self, says: Go to Odense! my stomach says: what food do you not
get at Lykkesholm! hot breakfast, wonderful wine and good beds. Shouldn't the
belly sound? However, it is the center! Louise, however, has shown you the
letter she received from Næstved? The father and brothers have brought
greetings later, I hope. Everything in Næstved you should have had an epistle,
but when I did not get "Renzo's Wedding" written, I postponed it
until I came to Sorø; However, the race in Slagelse made a cut in my diligence,
I did not get it cleaned until the parcel post went and now, in Odense, must
send it off next Saturday. But look, it was for me, after all, I am a poetic
figure, a person of sensitivity, too long to bite; They must have a letter from
me while I am in Zealand. It really comes out so that I can almost say I wrote
it with one leg in my belt. […] But now a little about the journey, as a
continuation of Louise's letter. With the city staff trumpets I traveled from
Næstved and when I was a friend of his colonel there was a subordination which
almost bothered. Every time I spoke a word to the man, his hand flew to the
hat, he smiled when I smiled and was silent when I was silent. - Ingemann’s
received me very lovingly. He has always kindly treated me, but it was the
older poet who had the younger one with him, this time on the contrary, as the
peers, who equalized, he consulted, again spoke unreservedly about what he
liked less about my works. I was very pleased! I feel his esteem and the many I
met. For me, Hauch made a big picnic out to Suserup, one of the most beautiful
things I know in Denmark. The most beautiful trees, the magnificent meadows and
a lovely lake, which is connected to Bavelse lake, the Susåen meander through.
We cooked coffee in the green and on the way home I had an interesting
conversation with Hauch about our poets. He sets me very high; God knows how I
really stand. Sometimes I feel unbelievably great, other times - yes, they
believe me Eduard - then I feel pretty much all my shortcomings and disappear
sadly between the scruples. Hauch's children sang to me: little Viggo! it's
marvelous where this song goes into the people. You ask me everywhere: But is
this Viggo so lovely? Tell his mother. However, it must please her. Not true?
[…] (147)
The letter
continues the next morning and reads as follows:
About Slagelse
Race, the four of you can tell you, I only have to add that I am quite amused.
[…] When you write let me finally know how the trip has come to your father!
Greet your dear mother and tell her that I have been to Birckner's grave this
morning. Now the railing is completely gone, leaving only the stone where the
vase is damaged. Torp's tomb next to it is much better kept. I talked to a
henchman and asked why the tomb was so neglected, he said: “yes now they both
are gone! There must be room for gymnastics. Our Lord knows where they want to
make the monuments, these were two excellent men, I have known them both!
”Louise greeted me warmly, and asked her to share the greeting with the linen.
You also have to nod your Jette. Lately she has been a bit of a jerk - (God,
what does he mean? ”She says probably)! yes you forgive! In essence, she is
beautiful and a poet to love the beautiful can not be averted - again. Finally
go to the theater when "A Troubled Evening" is played; I am curious,
though, about how things are going. I couldn't find Drewsen saying goodbye at
the race; therefore bring him a double greeting. Your sister with all the
little years every twenty greetings, but would you not say that she could have
let Valdemar come to Slagelse. It would have pleased me so much, I should have
looked after the boy and that with real pleasure. You don't forget Gusta
Collin, the brother and Thyberg. Next time a letter with more depth! / Their
fraternally devoted / H.C. Andersen. (148)
It is not seen
whether Edvard Collin replied to the above letter, nor the two following
letters from Andersen. Collin first replied to Andersen's letters in a letter
of June 28, when Andersen was then at Lykkesholm, a place he loved to come,
allegedly because he got good food and was otherwise spoiled. We should turn
the letter in chronological order, and instead quote Andersen's next letter to
the friend. It is dated Odense on June 15, 1836:
My
dear, excellent friend!
Now
I am in Odense. Yesterday, before I left Korsør, I sent you an epistle that you
have received; the same letter contained a depiction, or whatever you want to
call it, of Birckner's monument. After the letter was sent, a gentleman
presented to me, it was the police chief in Korsør who had seen the familiar
name of H.C. Andersen, and now wanted to see the person. I first talked to
Birckner's monument and he said that the place was to be cleared this week, but
that on my return journey I would find Birckner's monument placed in the wall
next to the street itself and that it would be beautiful and worthy of the man.
He then asked me when I wrote your father to tell you this.
Here is my ballad opera "Renzo's
Wedding", read it through and help me correct the carelessness mistakes
you find. It is, as you can see, the first piece of me that shows quite
familiarity with the theater and, even with tolerable music, must stand out.
Zinck wanted to get started as soon as possible, so I would ask you to clean
our sloths. Look forward to a letter soon, I long for it. Then tell me how a
restless evening turned out and how "the romantic" is in "Capriziosa".
Tell me when the wedding is about to be done, for I wait, upon my return, to
find a new lady between my girlfriends. Greet him. As I have mostly sat and
cleanly written, I have no stories from Odense yet. Last night I was with the
lady in the maid's cloister, a very formed lady. Miss Schleppegrel, who, as you
know, showed me last year what she had never shown to any men, was dressed in
blue, the color of which she gave me a bow last year when I traveled. She had
probably waited to see the bow, for she spoke of "the glorious time of the
knight, when the knight sank at the lady's foot, leapt down to lions" and
other gossip. She is mad! Pastor Bentzien heard it and amused himself, we
laughed well behind the tight hedges. There was otherwise a large ladies' company,
all of them sitting by the creek, suddenly three good men jumped into the water
and swam past, then the entire convent's crew fled. "It looks like
tritones!" Said Miss Schleppegrel. At Krüger I made a visit. They were all
well! I was very much greeted by Lind and Louise, although it is not my duty! I
now return, upon request, greetings. They would like to have Lind employed here
in Odense. Abrahamson makes big companies. People praise his wine and his fine
tone. All the people in "O.T." I hear now mention that there must be
resident people here in the city and the surrounding area. Greet your mother
and father, neighbor's, Thyberg's, Lind and Louise and think lovingly of me!
Also, don't forget to greet Augusta and the brothers. My next letter should tell
you a great deal I have on my heart, but today I can't make time for the
heartfelt letters. Now, though, it's a little hot in the weather! / Their
faithful / H.C. Andersen.
E.
S. After my arrival, all copies of "O.T.", except two, were sold out.
(149)
Already on June 24,
Andersen again wrote a letter to the friend in Copenhagen, who, incidentally,
could also have failed to respond to the opposite letter. The letter is dated
Lykkesholm on June 24, 1836:
Dear friend!
Now
I am on the farm where I have let my Otto Thostrup find his Louise; for my
heart you can be calm, it has no one and no one wants, for that I am too
sensible. Yesterday afternoon I was picked up from Odense, in the old lady's
closed carriage, for it was a cold, which is only allowed here in April. Three
times it hail so the street was white and the boys made snowballs. No summer
have I ever seen hail so high. I then drove off, in two coats and a dressing
gown, wore two pairs of wool socks, yet I noticed the Danish Zephyrs. That bit
of summer is over. People are hurting enough of it! “When only our Lord would
give us some rain! It looks sad to the farmer! ”This is our true national song,
which is sung in the summer when the earth is not in one fell swoop! I heard in
Funen, as in Zealand; Now you hear the chorus: "It drew so well this year,
but now it's joy over!" All people sing miseries, which I sometimes give
my weak voice, to complete the chorus. However, at Lykkesholm you feel so good
that you forget the dark colors! Last night we got lovely rose, wine and punch.
Today crab soup, rose, fish pudding and strawberries. You live so blessed. […]
God knows if you, dear friend, sent me a letter when this arrives, but don't
let go! Writing is, as my hostess once said, "my livelihood," so I
write. The first thing you got was only canter, the second, on the other hand,
business, now we would gossip. I have a lot on my mind, things that have been
there long before I traveled here. These are serious matters, you will please
be in the mood. Whether in this world, you or you say to each other, whether
you become prime minister and I am merely Mr. H.C. we are friends, as faithful
and devoted as friends could become; You entrust to me what you can tell me by
your nature, I do the same. This time, I want a piece of advice for you; on the
other hand, no living rules at all; In this my case, I can say all of them
myself. Now let's start. They know how audiences were expecting me before I
went abroad; "Many good people searched", I couldn't wait to be
considered then. I got off and thank goodness, but I have shown, as well as
anybody I had used my journey; shown fruits of it. But I was too short out!
only half was done! I suffered. (Do not misunderstand me). Had I said before my
trip: "Let me get out, I have to give a book, like the Improvisator etc.
etc.!" They had hardly believed me. Now I say: Your Majesty! let me
travel, just one year, to Sicily or Greece! I have to show even bigger fruits.
This road is my upbringing school! I must, with God's help, deliver a work that
must, as it was last time, bring everyone to say, "He deserved to
travel!" - Yes, dear Eduard: I will apply for, next year, to get, 400
species at once. 600 I use, but I have the 4, the two must and must then come.
“It's all impossible! what do you think of etc. etc.! ”yes, dear friend! don't
tell me that! I can say that myself! All the objections I know. If, on the
other hand, you can give me advice, give me a single thought, then come with
it! the second is of no use; only pity for you to write and even more pity for
me to read. An urge and a pang of soul drove me away the last time, I did not
enjoy the journey, yet it worked well and fruitfully on me. Now it is not pain,
not enthusiasm that drives me, but the sense. I feel: now I can bring something
out of it! Let’s go, 6 or 7 years, who knows how receptive I am to the
stranger. Now my eye is clear, my imagination is moving; now is the moment and
it must, it must come back! However, many people travel there every year. When
the thing is clearly prepared the people who have to decide it, then it must be
able to put through. I must calmly and clearly state my reasons. In this letter
I will only familiarize you with what your sister Louise has known for a long
time. Let's talk mutually about this thing, but don't show me the shadow pages,
the impossibilities, nothing is impossible and everything you can say against,
I know: from the previous trip I have a random remark. Also, tell me the time
when I have to submit my application, etc. etc. - Neither time will seem more
appropriate than now, as the Improvisator (the result of the previous trip) is
so alive. The new edition will come to the New Year, the court and the person,
could then get a copy. It is not unheard of that such a great book of
motherhood, so when it comes to other editions. - But now enough about this
story, write me about it soon! see that you forget the secretary. I do not seek
his favor and I will not hear his officials. Verse level? From Roed, I have to
greet you many times. I showed him the oddities of Odense. They unearthed
ancient boats (which have probably been water troughs that several horses have
been drinking). St. Knud’s and Our Lady’s Church, as well as several views.
Hillerup is bored! Have a longing for the Student Union. Ove Thomsen has bought
himself, on shares, food. Iversen's printing press. Jette Wulff is the only one
I have yet received a letter from, she tells me about how bad Arnesen's fun
game was and how it was unanimous. Rather, he must have chosen: "An
Evening on the Billiards", there really is something about; had he put
songs with funny chorus in, it would have done good luck. Finally, tell me how
your father's cough goes. I wasn't too happy about him driving to Slagelse.
Tell me something about your married sister, though. The last thing I heard
about her was that she had been given leeches. You must bring a special
greeting to your mother, but she is the one who most appreciates my greetings.
Give dear Louise a greeting to share with Lind. Tell me where Emil is, tell me
what you and your father think of Renzo's wedding. Tell Theodor that in large
company I have torn down the black velvet coats and said I know only one of the
right clothes: the youngest Collin. A new novel haunts my head. Are you very
pleased? Greet the sweetheart! / Their fraternal / H.C. Andersen. (150)
In the letter,
Andersen assures the friend that his love for his sister Louise no longer
dominates his consciousness and interest. It happens with the words: "to
my heart you can be calm, it has no one and wants no one, for that I am too
sensible." - This may have helped to calm Edvard Collin a little, but at
the same time he knew Andersen's labile minds with the many emotional ups and
downs, so you could never know when the annoying human again began to whine and
complain. But at least Edvard Collin was tentatively restrained, partly because
he did not want to provoke the friend with his almost inevitable critical
remarks, and partly because he himself was extremely busy. It must have been
the laborious and dutiful Collin a source of some annoyance, but certainly not
by petty envy, that the only 31-year-old poet roamed freely around like another
butterfly, and quite free of his stay and catering with friends and
acquaintances around the country, where he came on shorter or longer visits.
After all, Edvard Collin, who himself was a calm and insane person, and an
extremely hardworking and conscientious official, told many years later in the
book “H. C. Andersen and the Collins House” (1882), partly about Andersen's
personality and partly that he and the family did not value Andersen's writing
very highly. It was much appreciated for example. Oehlenschläger’s,
Heiberg and Hertz 'respective authors. However, it must be
mentioned here that there were at least two in the Collin family who did not
share Edvard Collin's reserved view of Andersen, and it was primarily his
sister's daughter, Jonna Stampe, b. Drewsen, and his eldest daughter, Rigmor.
Stampe. The latter, incidentally, was Andersen's god-child. In addition, in
recent times there is a defense of Andersen versus the Collin family by the
author Inga Nalbandian, b. Collin. This gifted and well-meaning woman, in the
late 1920s, gave rise to some polemical statements pro et contra in the daily
press. Inga Nalbandian straightforwardly claimed that the Collin family
generally viewed Andersen as "the family's torment" and in this
connection she quotes the following statement: "He was the torment spirit
of all of us. And to my horror, an old aunt added with an unforgettable,
polite-vengeful gleam in his wise eyes. In fact, I abhorred him. ”The latter
old aunt is not named, but it is probably the same Louise Lind, b. Collin, whom
Andersen was so impossible and painfully in love with. (151)
Finally, Edvard
Collin broke his long silence by responding to Andersen's letter of 24 p.m on
June 28:
Dear
friend!
It
is not very flattering to me that I have not received any disgrace letter from
you, because I had not yet written; for I should have done that long ago.
Their
last letter has pleased me perhaps more than usual. There is such a human tone
- I would call it, but don't get angry, v o k s e n - in it; yet, of course, it
is, as always, a mixture of gracious goodness and pretense, a rut of not
agreeing with yourself about which of these role subjects suits you best or
what best suits you.
There
is one note in your letter that I so agree with you that I may never have been
before, it is the weather; because it has been really cold. In the account of
the food at Lykkesholm, I miss information about what kind of pudding you
received, as well as whether there were capers on the crayfish soup.
[...]
Now
you have to answer your questions: 1) Father's horses are doing very well, I do
not know that they hurt anything; at least the trip to Slaughter, you suppose,
could hurt them somewhat, for they were not there at all. - 2) Since the last
news you had about Ingeborg was that she had been given leeches, it will
interest you now to find out that they have fallen off again. 3. Emil is in his
youth. 4. I like Renzo's Wedding, because it looks like Ludovic, and it's a
nice piece. Father has, as far as I know, nothing to remember; at least he
hasn't read it.
Do
not I think, God help me, that the old man think to tease me by saying that the
only one who wore a velvet coat is Theodor. However, I must communicate Th.
this suspicious recommendation, as I ask him whether he will thereby be
flattered.
There
is no man against whom I am, with such pleasure, gross as against you, for I am
never angry; I would thus like to stay through a whole letter by scolding you
and making fun of you, without thinking the least.
2th
section (or 25 years thereafter).
Their
reasoning about Theirs’s- and You's-substance pleases me. It has been taken out
of my soul, and only late acknowledged by you. - As far as the rest is
concerned, it is today too heretical to begin on such a far-fetched matter, as
a trip to Greece or Jerusalem, to see if the Holy Sepulcher is well preserved.
Only one teaching rule, contrary to your wish, will give you that it is not
worth thinking so long in advance of a thing which, if ever, can only be
realized in a year. - From all people many greetings. Toepfer greets you. /
Your Little Man and True Friend / E. Collin. (152)
The above letter
testifies that the old cheerful and pleasant tone was resumed in the two
friends' exchange of letters, which perhaps especially suited Edvard Collin,
because he apparently did not like the big emotions and arm swings. One might
assume that his basic attitude was that expressed in Grundtvig's song:
"Far higher mountains so know on earth", where the last line of the
first verse reads: "By the earth being, it serves us best. ”But since
Andersen was just now enjoying himself and his surroundings, he fell into the
tone of his next and very long letter to Edvard Collin, but gave it an extra
turn in the humorous-satirical, because he allegedly, the contents of Collins's
latest letter found him somewhat well-schooled, as was the case with several of
Collins's previous letters. Andersen's reply letter is dated Lykkesholm July 3,
1836:
Dear
friend!
“Your
letter has pleased me perhaps more than usual. There is such a human tone - I
would call it, but don't get angry, "- childlike -", in it; yet, of
course, it is, as always, a mixture of gracious "- cordiality and
masterful dexterity -" a consequence of not agreeing with yourself as to
which of these roles you best suit or what best suits you ! "
It
is a beautiful period, which is why I copied it after your letter and, as you
can see, only allowed me insignificant changes. How clever you are with your
German! yes, you have also recently been to Altona, where you can smell what
food they are doing in Hamburg. Yes, traveling is very good! I have also
traveled extensively throughout Funen in recent times to study the Funen
language and nature. […] Thus, while traveling, I have an eye for nature, you
for the language, and one must be done, then the other may well be neglected.
Tell
me now, dear friend! can you find all the rubbish fun I have now written. If
you want to annoy me, say yes, you will flatter, then say the opposite. When I
am in the countryside, eating and drinking as for a birthday, being immensely
flattered, and having sun-warmth, I feel very obviously saying nonsense. “They
are very witty!” I hear tell. It's a shame they didn't hear me at home when I'm
witty. I would like to give you a little joke - "but it must be saved for
the novel!" You probably say. You have been told badly by you, and -
therefore you should have none! In my last letter I did not talk about your
father's horses but his cough. This one was in Slagelse, it has remained on the
track, I should be happy. They ask me what kind of pudding we got at
Lykkesholm, the answer is marble pudding. However, I have to describe to you
what we got yesterday all day, then you can join the way of life. First tea
with nice grass butter on the bread; then coffee with a cream that could stand.
It was 8 o'clock; but at 10 we got chicken roasts and asparagus, as well as
port wine. At 2½ meat soup with delicious fish balls. Roast; melon; pike.
Chicken and strawberries, then coffee. 8 o'clock tea with Christmas cake and
the lovely butter and at 10 o'clock sandwich with all kinds and warm (fried)
perch. For that, as at the dinner table, red or white wine. It is a true
sybaritic life, which is why I also brought a lovely province rose in bed that
I kissed before I slept and then put it under the pillow. The nun, after all,
has his Bambino, Lord God, but a poet must have an innocent province of praise,
especially when he is not engaged, ask your Jette and my other friends; Mrs.
Drewsen and Louise are able to be so trapistically finding the "rose
kiss" inappropriate, but they can easily talk, one has a husband, the
other a boyfriend they didn't have, so they probably kissed the roses too. I
have written a poem about it that you should hear on occasion. […] O Edward! I
had you with me though! however, in the mind I look into the faithful eyes. If
you laughed at me, my feeling called sentimentality, which it certainly is not
- well, you were "a little man!" Don't forget to tell the sisters that
the Improvisator is "ein rein unschuldiges keuschen Buch!" Who knows,
I should be right wrote if they didn't have much part in it. […] Now again to
your letter! Those who want to tease me! The!!! little human! Of course, you
looked like yourself! an admonition, however, I had to have. There was no time
to write a sensible piece of advice, but still an admonition: “It is not worth
thinking so long in advance of a thing which, if ever, can only be realized in
a year! I do not see enough in your "if ever", a whole sentence of
your old headmaster speaks. It wasn't after "demanding". Now I'm
really mad at you as I write this. When I was here at the top of the page, I
could have kissed you, now at the bottom I want to scare you. - - But now I'm
good again. Let the sisters and the dear mother read some of this letter, or
the whole letter. Their Jette would like to say separately. Louise had received
a letter now, but since she has not thanked me for what she got, I suspect she
is angry because I have written her to. The priestess in Gudme sang to me the
other day: "little Viggo" after the Kalundborg tune. Now I have to go
in and drink coffee. Adio! / Their "adult" friend, / who has:
"such a human tone".
NB:
now you have to see that I owe it to you too?
E.
S. Greet him who "enjoys the spring of his youth", ask him from me to
be constant in enjoyment. This is a very interesting letter. Should you not,
with the next letter, which I hope will come soon, be able to send a little
thunderstorm, I long for such. (153)
Imagine that
a novel like "The Improvisator" could then be perceived as daring and
uncaring by the female members of the Collin family mentioned in the text! It
must be the descriptions of Santa and the eruption of the Vesuvian volcano,
which in both cases have undeniably erotic undertones that may have affected
the obviously delicate, bourgeois women. So embarrassed was Mrs. Ingeborg
Drewsen, the married couple, and Louise Collin, the fiancé since New Year 1833,
allegedly said that Andersen's remarks that he kissed and slept with the rose
flower were able to arouse their outrage. If they had been allowed to read what
Andersen has written here. But 'censor' Edvard Collin carefully made sure his
virtuous sisters did not get to see and read such descriptions. The sexual side
of life sought to hide the civil society of the 19th century as much as
possible, and so it is for good reason that this Puritan attitude has been
referred to as double morality, because behind the 'neat' facade it was not
unusual, that fathers and sons in nice bourgeois families went to brothels or
to single prostitutes, probably for married men, because wives did not always
want sex, and for unmarried men, because bourgeois gender morality dictated
that sex before marriage was forbidden . By the way, Andersen had - to several
of his friends, including Mrs. Læssøe’s indignation - depicted such a situation
in the novel "OT", where a father and son accidentally find that they
both, but separately, have visited the same prostitute, a most embarrassing
situation for the concerned. (R&R II, "O.T." Part Two, Chapter 3,
pp. 136-36)
In his reply letter
of July 16, Edvard Collin continued the - perhaps a little strained - cheerful
tone that the two friends had embraced in their latest letters to each other.
But for so long, this tone was maintained, which later led Andersen to resume
his more confident and emotional writing style, what we should return to as of
Andersen's letter of August 4, in which only the headline "My dear, best
friend!" a change of style back to many previous letters to the friend.
But first to Collins reply letter, dated Copenhagen on July 16, 1836, which,
incidentally, has no heading:
Sir!
Your very honored by 3die's I have received. This letter could not interest
anyone more than me, as I recognize throughout its humorous section all the
moments which I had set out in my letter to you, which you have copied with no
friendly honesty without any substantial change.
The
capitatio benevolentiæ, with which you, as a routine vaudeville writer, end
your humorous considerations, reads as follows: "Tell me now, dear friend!
Can you find all the rubbish I have now written? If you want to annoy me, say
yes, you will flatter, then say the opposite. - No, dear Andersen, I do not
want to upset you, I really do not find it amusing; but therefore you must not
think that I will flatter you. However, I must say that there is one expression
that, as far as I know, is the only one that has used and which is really good.
They say: "I am in the countryside, eating and drinking, as for birthdays,
being flattered etc. ..." I realized immediately that you had not made a
mistake and intended to flutter, but only later came to understand the
etymology, namely: flatus a wind, fluttering, "suffering from wind, which
is strained by wind," and this is consistent with the context.
You
still say, "You are very witty," I hear tell, "adding that it is
a shame that we did not hear you at home. It is true! it's a shame that I
haven't heard you be witty, and even more so that I haven't even heard anyone
tell it; I beg of you, let a witness testify to it, to give the doubters faith
in their hands; They do not have to leave it silent, for fear of deposition. No
one will be able to mock your jokes without being immediately revealed; for I
am sure that even in your jokes you retain your pure, childless-innocent mind;
I would know one of your jokes between a thousand, just as the mistresses of
the old knight novels always knew their lovers. I ask you to understand this
just as with much caution. - They say, You could give me a little joke,
"but it should be saved for the novel," I say probably. Yes, I say
that, and I also say that it is well hidden, inasmuch as after many years it
should not be possible to say that it is a worn-out joke. - I still hope you
don't think I will flatter you.
From your eating list I see that you have
not only the eye but also the stomach for nature, and, I must suppose, the
latter even at the first expense, for when it must be done, the second must be
neglected. By the way, like all poets, you do everything on behalf of nature.
They
say you got "red or white wine" at the table. Yes, what was it now?
They will realize that it is damned little said about wine that it is red or
white.
It
is a strange place now coming in your letter; in order to review the exact and
future generations to enlighten the obscure that can first be understood,
"wenn Andersens und Collins Briefwechsel erschienen ist", I must
write this off with: "It is a true sybaritic (?) life, therefore took I
also brought a lovely provincial rose in the bed, which I kissed before I slept
and then put it under the pillow ”Now I ask: because you live a sybaritic life,
you must therefore bring a rose in bed. Admittedly, you say, you have nothing
else, since you are not engaged; but then you must have a strange concept of
engagement. Second, what does it take to kiss the bed? However, I can rightly
ask: what should it taste like? That you kissed it before you slept, and not
while you slept, is perfectly understandable, just like and that it was a
provincial rose you took, because you have nothing else in the provinces. That
the nun has her Bambino must be her case, she must defend it; but that is why
there is no way that such an old man lies in bed making potpourri of roses; had
you even been lying down eating a Nonnetitte, I might have found that. -
I
can comfort you that I am now sorry to write that way ...
The
poem you wrote in your last letter you can tell me in your next letter. It's
been so long since you've written a poem. -
[...]
Today
I'm waiting for Emil with the Stettiner steamer. On Tuesday next week the
entire Hornemann family will travel to Nyborg, from there to Svendborg and V.
Skjerninge and later to Hofmansgave.
My
wedding day is not decided yet.
Are
you thinking of gathering members for the Music Society; look to bomb the
ladies at Lykkesholm. Floribella has to be released first.
Live
well now my good-natured friend. I have so many greetings for you from home,
specialties from Louise and my Jette. I hope you regard the first part of my
letter as something to amuse, not annoy you, and I conclude with the wish that
you no longer feel so flattered. / Their devoted friend / E. Collin. (154)
It should be noted
that Edvard Collin has continued Andersen's witty tone and slightly cheerful
wit in his aforementioned letter, which also testifies to his great linguistic
sense. After all, it's funny when Collin notices Andersen's phrase:
"that's why I also brought a lovely provincial rose into the bed that I
kissed before I slept," which can be misunderstood, as if Andersen kissed
the bed before he slept. But Andersen, on the other hand, probably did not find
it particularly funny to be called "my real friend", because if there
was something Andersen often was not, then it was real, which means: one who
behaves nicely and orderly, good-natured and graciously. Andersen could have
been in the mood for it, but he was far from it. This is already seen in an
example in his response to Collin’s quoted above, which also has no headline,
which is quite unusual for him, but the letter gives the explanation: he felt
depressed and ill-suited. The letter is dated Tolderlund on July 19, 1836:
Now I am in
Tolderlund, as you see, but do not feel well. It's an unbearably cold weather!
Wind and rain; in addition, now that it is a small country house, small, low
rooms that you can not move, sitting and moist, I have a sore throat ache in
the back and feel too lonely. On the occasion of Odense Market, I came here and
because I am actually a guest at Mad. Iversen. At Lykkesholm I had started to
get fat, felt very well, in the big halls, by the good food and by the rich
nature. We did many excursions and at Ørbæklunde, your sister's poet Bulwer,
could not have received more flattering treatment than I, my dish was first
issued: "Denmark's Andersen, which honors our old castle with its presence!"
(Honestly, I felt a little embarrassed by the very compliment). […] Now you
must hear my suffering story. My suitcase couldn't go on the trolley, it had to
be reopened and I, while the others were on the trolley, peeled something out
for the journey. In a hurry I got my scissors into the wallet and in the back
of my pocket. We drove, the scissors slid out, I got off at a tavern where we
would have mead, I rise again and now the scissors have turned so that I put a
whole inch into it. I could feel the blood running and now I had to bathe in
the back with vinegar and water. Paulli held the cup and Foersom squeezed the
wound, it was a brilliant scene. Now I came to Odense; the market was bad, the
weather and I was bad, then an ashes of a shellfish fly right into my eye, we
couldn't get it out, no one could see it and I was in pain. Then you would
imagine it was arthritis. Uh! where I was lightning mad. All night I tormented,
the next day the doctor gave me some eye water and then, but only in the
afternoon, a monster room, a flying dromedary came out of my eye. After this
affliction I got a stomach ache and chest pain and then your letter arrives.
Now you have to think that I was rather saddened, had a longing for you and
yours that I have not felt for a long time, and when I then read your half
letter, the so-called funny rubbish, which I was not the least obvious to
receive. I was in the mood now that I thought: Oh man, he doesn't love me the
way I love him. I was glad you said: Today I wait for Emil! it seemed to me.
Yes, look he waits, he loves him, he also shows more confidence, he walks with
him and plays chess with! Ugh! I was sorry for you, the world and you. Today
the weather out here is as bad as yesterday. Here it is winter cold, the rain
is pouring down, but I'm calmer. I have read their letter twice and now find
that it is quite in the tone which I stated from Lykkesholm; but colder it
certainly is; and why do you call me your "real friend"! I don't want
to be real! it's the most embarrassing, boring word you can use. You really
call every good cod! For the nonsense I wrote about the rose and the kissing,
you probably call me that! yes bi! When I travel again, I should not be decent,
I do not want to, I have warmer blood maybe, than you and half Copenhagen.
Eduard, I feel so lightening mad in this nasty weather! I also long for you to
rush you, to see your convulsions, to be offended and not come home to you for
two whole days. If you are a human being with emotion, then write me soon and
by soon I will understand immediately, a long letter to, answer me what I have
asked in one of the previous letters, or just say that you will not answer me
on it, then I know. Emil, I love you very much, but if you do more of him than
of me, then I get something against him. Here you have the poem you wanted.
Paulli has put it into music.
NB! The poem below,
like many of Andersen's other poems, is written in rhymed verses, but
unfortunately these cannot be translated directly into English. We must settle
for a second best: Sorry, Andersen, Poems in prose:
1.
Rose bud, so firm
and round,
lovely, like a
girl's mouth!
I kiss you, like my
bride!
lovely more, you
come out.
Another kiss the
lip sends you,
feel where i am
burning!
2.
I want to confess,
as it should,
nobody I've kissed
before.
No girl is waiting
for me!
Rose, I have to
kiss you.
Alas, you do not
know my longing,
feel where i am
burning!
3.
With every kiss you
get a song,
when you are dust
once,
the song calls you
in mind.
No one kissed me,
only you.
Only by you I know
the kiss.
Feel where I am
burning!
4.
The daughters of
Denmark at my grave
says for every song
I gave:
"He just
deserved a kiss!"
wonderfully, but a
little too late.
Pay me while I'm
alive!
Kiss you give me!
E.
S. Three chapters are all written by the new novel. The improvisator was a
Northern resident who portrayed Italy, now you must see the piece, an Italian,
which depicts the North. The plan is laid out, devised, etc. etc. - Greet your
gracious Jette and the dear, faithful Louise. Jette gets a letter from me when
I'm in the mood, Louise I will write to when she - even only through you -
thanks for the letter she received. Mrs Bügel, I promised a letter, but do not
know her address, so you will send it to her concierge, you see in the guide,
the address. Live well now! Greet them all at home and soon write to / Your
Friend / H.C. Andersen. (155)
Andersen was
undeniably in a sad mood when he wrote the above letter, in which he also
mentions his longing for his friend in Copenhagen. His dear Eduard obviously
makes him feel jealous and jealous that he prefers Emil Hornemann to Andersen
himself. This is expressed in the phrase: “Emil! it seemed to me. Yes, see how
he waits, he loves him ”. (regarding Emil Hornemann, see note 154). Andersen
had thus far from put his crush on the friend behind him, it constantly lurking
just below the surface of the mind. The partly cheerful poem "Rosebud, so
firm and round" must almost be said to be an expression of a suppressed
protest against the fact that Andersen did not even have a girlfriend to love
and kiss. After all, according to this thesis's main hypothesis, he was
sexually both sexes, since he could periodically fluctuate between the interest
in and attraction toward soon one sex and soon the other sex, just as he had
periods in which he was in love with both a woman and a man. at the same time.
This is especially the latter, this main section about Andersen's double
crushes.
However, on July
29, 1836, Jonas Collin wrote and sent the following brief letter to Andersen,
who then resided in Odense:
Dear
Andersen
From
my daughters, I must inform you that Edward's wedding is set for Thursday or
Friday next week. The reunion center, Louise, is very weak and moody. Ingeborg
is, in a sense, healthy, the children in equal measure. / Devotional / Collin.
(156)
On July 28,
Andersen left Madame Iversen's country house Tolderlund, to travel to
Svendborg. On the way he visited and spent the night at the manor Lykkesholm,
from where he made an excursion to the manor Broholm. The brief but important
message quoted above was received by Andersen during his stay in Svendborg, but
before July 30, he had sent his paternal friend a short letter with a letter to
Louise Collin:
Dear
father and all at home, my sweet Viggo not to forget, I send here my best
greetings, soon I will come myself! Will you, on August 3, give Louise a
letter! - / Your son-in-law / H.C. Andersen. (157)
The letter from
Andersen to Louise Collin reads as follows:
Lykkesholm, July
30, 1836:
To
Miss Louise Collin
handed
to her on August 3, 1836.
My
best regards, I send you to August 3rd. That day, I would rather think of you,
remember the many dear moments when you were quite sisterly to me. I have hours
in my memory, from previous days, which you may have forgotten because they
were of no importance to you. Every comforting kind word you have told me I
received to never lose it. The third of August I am in Svendborg, where there
is a church concert, I will of course meet all Hornemann's and we will talk
about dear Louise, so you are there too. If I meet Emil in the evening at
Hvidkilde, then we two should drink your bowl, (of course in all silence). We,
as two long-distance from the silent islands gathered between strangers, will
look at each other meaningfully, remembering the blue lotus that the others do
not know, and thus keep the worship of our hearts. - two days ago I spoke with
the priest Lassen, he told me that you and Lind had a neck pain, yes that Lind
later lay to bed with scarlet fever. I can think of your sadness at home. With
the throat it is better now, but the fever is no joke. Greet the excellent man
from me. They visit him in his illness, it will help the patient, even a small
epistle from your hand must be the most invigorating and healing drops. - For
the third of August I will send you, as a present, an assurance on a copy of my
new novel, which will be published by God, in April, thank you! I'd like to
send something better, but you mostly look at the good will, I know! The last
eight days I spent at Tolderlund, where it was always rainy and very dull; more
about this orally! Yesterday I came here to Lykkesholm, where the summer, when
I arrived, sprang forth, like a flower of passion. A careless bathing in a lake
with spring springs has given me a little fever, but it has nothing to mean,
the air is so gentle, here is a wealth of living bunks, so you only breathe
scent, the cherry trees are in a blood of juicy fruits and we are full of
melons. On Monday morning I travel to Broholm and Wednesday, birthday, I am in
Svendborg; Eight days later I was shown at Nørager or in Sorø, so Eduard should
receive a letter. I received an invitation from Agent Voight’s in Faaborg, but
I turned it down. Now I hear since they all reasonably all of the family come
to a concert in Svendborg and then think enough to persuade me. We meet in
church. Rumor has it in Funen that Stage and Jomf. Kofoed has been holding a
wedding! When is Eduard sitting? By my calculation, it should have been in
June! Greet the dear mother, the sister and everyone at home, and think of me a
little, and if you have a wish for me, leave it: guess that next year Andersen
may drink the bowl of the third August between the pines and the mountains
"standing there, as the most beautiful indigo! ”In between, I yearn for
the home of the home quite sincerely; then you are so alive to me, and it is a
different picture than what Marstrand has given us. The expression in my eyes I
remember best in all my friends, the soulful expression is the real portrait,
could I even forget every sisterly word you have told me, the soul in your eyes
would not disappear, it is also this one and these, we in the other unknown
world should know each other. Live well now! Wish the next 3 August you still
feel happier than this year, wish Lind must be employed in Helsingør or Odense,
and I from the South must address my letter to Mrs. Louise Lind! / Their
fraternally devoted / H.C. Andersen. (158)
The last lines of
the letter with Andersen's wish that he himself should be in Italy and that
Louise Collin would have become "Mrs. Louise Lind" for his next
birthday in 1837 may indicate that he was little by little, that his love for a
female being this time was and remained what he called "self-disappointment,"
that is, a love that was purely a product of his own emotions - and hormones,
and initially of his sexual polar constellation, but which did not resonate
with the object of the crush.
As usual, Louise
Collin did not respond in writing to Andersen's letter, but on Saturday, August
6, Andersen was back in Odense, and a few days later he received a short reply
letter from Jonas Collin, which was just dated August 6:
Louise
received your letter of 3 August. in the early morning; none of her friends
could visit her through the scarlet fever suites. Even Ingeborg had to get
lost.
Edward's
wedding is set for August 10 Wednesday - / Live well! / Collin (159)
A failure date -
and a new moment of destiny
On his tour in the
summer of 1836, Andersen had arrived in Odense on June 15, and from there he
visited the manor Lykkesholm and the town of Svendborg. He arrived at the
latter place on August 3rd, and here he stayed and stayed until August 5th.
What is interesting to us in retrospect is that Andersen has left diary notes
from his short stay in Svendborg, which the expertise in Andersen research
initially incorrectly dated to the year 1830. This was later corrected by
Andersen researcher Niels Oxenvad . However, it was more precisely the literary
historian Hans Brix, who in his doctoral dissertation from 1907. ”H.C. Andersen
and his Fairy Tale, "drew some erroneous conclusions from the error date,
which, however, I shall not go into here, but instead refer the possibly
interested reader to the mention of the article 3.18." ... a changeling, a very noble
child ... "A contribution to the discussion of H. C.
Andersen’s biological origin.
On August 7,
Andersen responded to Jonas Collin’s epistle from the day before:
Odense, August 7, 1836.
With
the next post I come to Zealand, stay a few days at Nørager and meet in Sorø
with the daycare, so that I will probably be with you in 14 days. I'm longing
now! I bring a pretty good yield to my new novel, just as remembrance of the
infinite amount of occurrence that I have shown everywhere. For the trip I took
50 Rdlr. with, I still have 13 of these, I can reasonably escape for these, but
it is safer to get a little more and so I ask you, the next one will send me to
Sorø, post remand, 10 Rdlr. Upon my arrival in town, I have to pay my hostess
for accommodation, it will be 16 Rdlr for two months, so when I come, I must
have 20 Rdlr. to. Now, as you know, in Sparekassen, I have to take these off,
if you cannot - will I know you will - without these, a total of 30 Rdlr, until
I get 180 Rdlr by Reitzel. for the second edition of the Improvisator. I
received their little letter in Svendborg, the day before Eduard's wedding; It
was therefore too late to send any wise men, but he and Jette each received a
small letter. Louise, did you give my little epistle on August 3rd? Last night
the prince came here to Odense, here a sport of honor was erected, and though
the sun was not down, the lamps were on. In the evening there was light in
every window and the gentlemen were driving about; I had to suffer from fever,
which occurs every day in the afternoon! Greet the "mother", I send
her the first and best regards, she definitely loves me, but they all do. For
Louise I am quite sad, I must find her and Lind healthy! / Their filial / H.C.
Andersen. (160)
It must probably be
characterized as a fate in Andersen's life when, on August 10, 1836, Edvard
Collin married his beautiful, gifted and kind-hearted fiancé, Henriette
Thyberg, in daily speech and writing referred to and addressed as
"Jette" by family and close friends . But since Andersen was
"Theirs’" with Edvard Collin, he probably felt the most natural to be
"Their's" with his friend's spouse. The fact is, at least, that he
never became "You’s" with Jette Collin. During his stay in Svendborg
4th-5th. August, as mentioned, he received the letter from Collin in which he
announced that the wedding between Edvard and Jette was imminent, which is why
Andersen rushed to write a letter to each of his two very good friends. The
letters must of course be reproduced here, but first we will see what he has
noted in the diary of the latter date, namely the following:
[…]
Almighty God! you alone I have, you control my destiny, I must indulge you!
Give me a try! Give me a bride! my blood will love, as my heart will! - (161)
The diary note
indirectly suggests that Andersen was clearly influenced by his knowledge that
the wedding should now stand between his two closest good friends. At the same
time, he had to realize that the faithful Edvard - like the faithful Louise -
was now forever lost to him as an erotic love partner. It also features the
congratulations letter to Edvard Collin, but in no way the congratulations
letter to Jette Collin. Both letters are dated Svendborg on August 4, 1836, and
the letter to the friend reads like this.
My dear, best friend!
Yesterday
afternoon I came here, after a large flurry, from manor to manor, all letters
which, however, occurred in Odense, should be sent here. I went to the post
office and found a letter there from your father, he writes "Thursday or
Friday is Eduard's wedding day!" - I was glad and saddened. You probably
don't appreciate a show and possible, you feel quite differently than having a
song, but I was of the opinion that since your first friend (at least on my
part) is a poet, so should just you have a show for the wedding. Now I only get
here the day before and the post for Copenhagen does not leave earlier than
Saturday. So it is impossible to get my wish fulfilled. I'm coming postal. You
are husband when my letter comes, you own your gracious Jette. Today and
tomorrow, both days I would rather go and think of you both, one of these days
is the wedding day. Although I cannot come along, not even with a sage, I am
nevertheless present. I see you both, serious and yet so happy. In my heart I
pray the good God, make you pretty happy! The water penetrates my eyes as I
write this. My dear, dear Eduard! God bless and accompany you! yes, you will be
happy and deserve it. Jette will be faithful and lovable as she always was. I
can think of domestic happiness, like Moses, I stand on the mountain and look
into the promised land that I will never come to. God has given me a lot in the
world, but maybe what I lose is the best and happiest. You only have a home
when you have a faithful, lovable wife, when you see yourself reborn in the
dear children. - All the happiness awaits you now! I stand alone all my life,
friendship must be everything to me, friendship must fill every space,
therefore maybe my utterances, my demands, are so great, too great! but give me
as much as you can, you are the one I love most. I feel for all my future, with
all its wants, I have to become one, and have to become it. My mind hopes I
will always show it straight. But my feelings are strong, like yours, which you
love Jette, I have loved too! twice I have loved, but it was only
self-deprecation, however, the self-deprecated suffers most profoundly, I never
forget, but even we two never talk about it. These are some of the ailments
that you can't even talk to your girlfriend. After all, I'm also healed, only
in between, it still works in the cured parts. At best, it might not have even
been written these words. However, Edward's wedding, going deep into my heart,
awakens all my memories there. Whoever can love twice will probably come a
third time, you think, but Eduard, that's exactly what I want God to keep me
from and he will! He only wants the sensible.
I'm
not well today! the other day i bathed in a lake where there was spring water
and it has brought a fever into my blood. On Wednesday I leave Odense and take
4 to 5 days to Nørager, today I received a friendly epistle from Emma that the
wagon would wait for me in Slagelse, I am now waiting for a letter on Nørager,
e.g. Sunday night, a letter from you my dear, dear friend, maybe Jette writes a
few words in it. I have here let a small epistle follow her. The wedding I
think stands in Elsinore and the next morning the young couple drives to the
city. Tomorrow, when this letter comes in the mail, you and Jette, as husband
and wife, sit next to each other. Happy people both. Feel right about how much
you have for your friend. However, I fly to the South. Italy is my bride! Live
well! Live well! God bless you both! (162)
The above-quoted
letter contains perhaps one of the clearest statements ever from a resigning
Andersen that, especially with his soulful constitution, it served him best to
remain unmarried and thus bachelor throughout the rest of his life. He
allegedly writes that "Italy is my bride!" But elsewhere he expresses
it in the way that "The Muse of Poetry" is the bride, and poetry he
especially found inspiration in Italy, which the novel "Improvisator"
in high degree testifies. In addition, the Muse of poetry was primarily present
in his own consciousness, in the form of what he termed his "half
femininity", implying that his psyche was half female and half male, ie
half feminine and half masculine. It just wasn't always that he reminded
himself that it was so. Therefore, for example, he could write in the diary:
“Give me a bride! My blood will love, as my heart wants it! ”The blood will
love, after all, means the sensual love, and that the heart will, it means the spiritual
love. But together with the Museum of Poetry, Andersen would have to breed a
large number of beautiful children in the following many years, in the form of
the marvelous and most interesting adventures and stories he already set in the
world, children, such as the fairy tales ”Thumbelina" and "The Little
Mermaid," and many more were to arrive until 1872, when his creative
prowess had largely ceased.
But now to
Andersen's letter of congratulations to the dear friend, Jette Collin, b.
Thyberg:
My
dear Edward's Jette!
In thought, I kiss your hand and congratulate you on the momentous day
that has united you with dear, faithful Eduard. Though I did not love you,
however, like his wife, you must be near to my heart, but you are me, for your
own sake, so endless dear, I treasure your excellent sides and believe you will
make him very happy. It went well with you, as I did with Louise and Eduard, in
the beginning I had suffered against you, you see, I write; You became Eduard's
fiancé and I became more aware of how beautiful you are, I had always seen, but
now you became interesting to me, since I came to judge you and for a long time
I have loved you a lot and it totally without regard to Eduard. That is why I
now want to give you some good advice in bridal gifts! Don't let him get the
power, don't let him get a little weird, don't add him in everything. There is
a good nature in him, head he has and heart - yes, you have given him yours -
then he has at least one good, but he must be put in step, taken in the right
way. first, give him a loving kiss from me now, then the domestic upbringing
begins. Yesterday afternoon I came from Broholm here to Svendborg, where I met
Emilie and Maria Hornemann at the concert. It was the third of August that I asked
her if she remembered what it was for a day she said no, and I mentioned:
Louise. This morning I was out in St. Jørgensgaard and I were told that Emile
and Tabitha Plum had drunk Louise's toast. On the other hand, I was in the
evening in a strange house here in Svendborg, no one I could drink Louise's
toast with, I was sitting next to a young, very beautiful lady, in the course
of the conversation in which I interested her, I said: today is it's one of my
friends' birthday, you want to drink the toast with me, she thought of a
gentleman, but I clinked and thought of her sister, Lind's gracious bride. She
is still suffering, the father wrote, it distresses me greatly, about Lind, I
do not yet know how it is. Greet them both and bring my sweet greeting to Mrs.
Collin, as you nod to all of you at home. Soon I come and see the little
household, the beautiful young wife, rejoice in your happiness and never lose
friendship. / Their faithful devotees / H.C. Andersen. (163)
Despite Andersen's
direct request to Edvard Collin to reply to the letter of congratulation, this
does not appear to have been the case, for Andersen did not actually receive
any more letters from his friend in 1836. On the other hand, he himself wrote
two letters to him after his return to Copenhagen, namely one a little longer,
dated August 25 and - over two months apart - one, dated November 10, which was
only on a few lines, which might indicate that there was again cold air between
the two friends. The letter break lasted until March 25, 1837, and it was again
Andersen who took the initiative, but apparently without getting a reply from
the friend, at least no written answer. Whatever the reason for Edvard
Collins's written silence, we shall seek to find out as this study progresses.
Andersen's
letter to Edvard Collin, dated Copenhagen on August 25, 1836, is of a fair
length and suggests that Andersen sought to meet the friend with a more 'matter
of fact' content than usual for him in the two friends' exchange of letters.
But the letter also shows some disappointment, irritation and some bitterness
at Andersen, partly because the friend does not respond, verbally or in
writing, and partly in Andersen's opinion, does not do enough to provide him
with funds for a new larger journey:
Dear
friend!
From
Funen I wrote you a confidential letter, told you what was close to me and of
life's significance on my heart, asked if you, as my closest friend, had
attendance and your response was: "There is still a whole year to go to
talk about it! ”- Does that mean, let's set up that conversation for as long as
possible? Is it possible for you to forget the secretary of the Fund and be
Eduard alone, for it is only with him I have to do. It is not impossible that I
can travel again, it is solely due to showing the utility in a way that is poor
for the authorities. How do I do this best? My travel scholarship was not great
last time, but expected a much different result from others than me. I have
shown the benefit of the trip and will be able to show more when, for only a
year, I have to continue it, for the other was interrupted by lack of money
just as I had learned to travel. - Last time I said: let me go, you must see I
have to show myself worthy! I doubted that I had to give testimony that I had talent,
the rest I owe to you and your father's influence, for the sake of others I
came on a journey, now I ask for it for my own sake and will God show me
strength then I must show even more clearly that I deserve it as far as a human
being can earn mercy. I must go out next year! now I have sensitivity to nature
and people! now I can benefit from it, it is postponed for several years, then
maybe I am another human being, can not have more - than pleasure only. Now,
while the Improvisator, the result of the first outing, is under discussion,
the moment must be seized, an even more mature work I must then give to my
fatherland, who, after all, travels hundreds who do not deserve it, but only
once! Does the secretary answer me; but since I have made an exception, an
exception must also be possible with me! The manufacturer who seeks and
receives support from the Foundation to enable it to provide its business with
a higher degree of completeness, after showing a satisfactory result, will not
refuse when he next seeks and with honest man's heart predicts an even happier
outcome, be it butter or cheese that it shows up in. May the same not be
transferable in spiritual terms, or can the officials of the Fund evaluate the
spiritual inferior? I only demand from the friend that he tells me the best way
to go, for I will do everything! must do it! Can you and will not go into my
views? Does your silence imply this? I visit you soon, then you do not talk to
me about what is close to me, then I will have understood you and - our
friendship is still old. / Your faithful devoted A. (164)
While reading the
above letter, one cannot help but notice the bitterness of Andersen, when, in
1833, he applied for a travel grant for the Italy trip, he had to ask
well-known men to write recommendations for him. Andersen himself believed that
he had already proved his worth as a poet and writer beforehand, which the
Foundation's board obviously did not think since the letters of recommendation
were required. But "the authorities," which is to say the board of
the Foundation ad usus publicos, still did not understand or understand that
Andersen was now a literary recognized author of poems, plays, travel
descriptions, novels and fairy tales. The very good success his literary
production had received from both the critic and the audience so far confirmed
him in his self-understanding as the "priest of God" whom he had seen
in 1825 as himself. This self-awareness meant that, in particular to Edvard
Collin, in his later letters to this one, he always signed himself with the
name “H.C. Andersen ”and not only with“ Andersen ”. It is exceptional that, as
is the case in the letter quoted above, he only signs himself with an
"A."
However, there is a
letter from Andersen to Jonas Collin, dated August 27, 1836, stating what could
be the reason for Edvard Collin's written silence:
What
I have in your heart, since Eduard shows me to you; but I do not know how it
has been given to you. It was completely outside of my plan that you should
still be informed of what thus occupied me, I would have first discussed and
considered the whole thing with Eduard, my dearest, perhaps true friend,
besides you. He totally dismisses me without answer, shows me to you. Well,
maybe I should have gone right away too; what I have on my heart is discussed
and considered by myself. Instantly, you were amazed to hear that already, only
two years after I was traveling, I was thinking of starting a similar one
again, but you will hear what I have to say. It is not the businessman but the
"father" I write this to. When I was last allowed to travel, there
was little expectation of it, I had to obtain some kind of certificate that I
was a poet, and thus I got a sum, though great for me, who received it, but
little in regard to what was given, thereby reducing my travel time, just as I
had learned to travel, just as I began to reap the benefits, I had to return
home. I have shown the benefit of my journey, shown that it has been a true
spiritual school for me, and my aesthetic work which followed has won an
applause as they work better in our literature. Now that the Foundation
supports an artist and the result has been fortunate, will it then become
undeniable whether the same will emerge again and seek help to show even more
its capabilities? My school of upbringing is life and the world, I have the
perception and manufacturing ability, I have to have my workshop and it is to
tumble into the world. Unfortunately, I belong to such a small nation that although
my writings are among the most read, they hardly give me the bread. Now Denmark
supports the art, I need this support, and upon receiving it has shown a
successful result. In several years, maybe, I will be able to reconsider, you
answer me, but in several years I am no longer who I am now. Now I can benefit
from renewing the previous truncated journey, now I have youthfulness, the
power to perceive and reproduce, now, through God's assistance, one must
receive glory and joy from me. It is not a light barbecue that has occurred to
me, it is a mature operation to work in honor of the Fatherland and mine. I
have to get out! To Greece my thought stands, but I want to be satisfied by
visiting Sicily. Only one year out yet! The expenses are not great, for those
who donate and I must be able to receive them, the case is only clearly
presented to the person who has to decide it. This is what I have asked Eduard
for advice on, this is what I ask you for guidance. What can I do? How do I
make sense to get to the goal? Now is the time for it, now I notice, now comes,
at the New Year, second edition of the Improvisator, this result of my first
trip. Be more confident and kind to me than the only one I ever approached with
all confidence. It has saddened me to be referred where I knew, I know one safe
leader yet. / Your son-in-law / H. C. Andersen. (165)
The letter to Jonas
Collin testifies that Andersen had become increasingly dissatisfied and bitter
that Edvard Collin, as secretary of the Foundation ad usus publicos, would
obviously not use his influence to help his friend obtain a new travel
scholarship. That thought did not bother him, however, that Edvard Collin was
'only' secretary of the Fund and as such had a personal reputation as an
independent case manager. But Andersen was also disappointed that the equally
influential, paternal friend, Jonas Collin, who also had business access to the
country's supreme patron, the king himself, Frederick VI, would also apparently
not benefit from fulfilling Andersen's hot wishes and longing to embark on
another great overseas trip. But since Andersen's letter to Jonas Collin is the
last in the exchange of letters between him and his paternal friend in 1836, it
indicates that Edvard Collin, as well as Jonas Collin, considered it
nonsensical to continue to discuss the subject, in writing as orally , which,
of course, brought the Andersen tormentor into harness. That is why his letter
of November 10, 1836, which is one of the shortest he ever wrote to Edvard
Collin, certainly testifies. Andersen then resided at his residence in Nyhavn,
Copenhagen, and the letter reads in all its conspicuous, small-minded and
ironic brevity as follows:
Why
are we now enemies, my presumptuous Mr. Assessor? Will you give the transferor
answers. NB, if you are not at the Chess game. / Your devotees / H.C. Andersen.
(166)
Since, as
mentioned, Edvard Collin did not respond to Andersen's latest letters in 1836,
nor to his letters in 1837, it is clear that there must again be cold air
between the two friends. In the past, it was Andersen's softness and intrusive
worshiping attitude that had annoyed Edvard Collin, and now it was the friend's
urgency to obtain travel support that was the stumbling block between them.
Evidently, this situation could not do much for fatherly friend Jonas Collin.
We will all look into this in the following section.
(Continued with
Part 4)
© March 2011 Harry
Rasmussen. Translated into English by the author in January 2020.
__________________________
145. BEC I, letter
no. 90, p. 241. - 'Mrs. Bügel': Catharina
Bügel, b. Adser (1767-1845), widow of grocer, wholesales C. P. Bügel. The
then 69-year-old Mrs. Bügel was quite prosperous and had particularly cast her
interest on the then 31-year-old poet Andersen. Andersen had come to know the
lady upon his return from Italy, and the supposedly eccentric lady in the late
1830s threw her care on him, though soon to some annoyance to himself. The
village lad would know that there was a prospect of marriage between the older
woman and the much younger poet, but there was obviously talk about a rumor.
146. Rigmor Stampe:
H.C. Andersen and His Nearest Lap, pp. 173-74. - 'My Singing Piece': Renzo's
Wedding. The play was written at the invitation of singer-songwriter L. Zinck,
and it was based on an episode in Manzoni's novel "I promeesi sposi".
It was filed with Det kgl. Theater June 14, 1836, but censor Molbech rejected
Andersen's text and left it to the composer to adapt the lyrics to the music.
Andersen reworked the text and submitted it to the theater, where it was most
graciously accepted for construction, but under the condition that unless the
play achieved 5 performances "without merit, and sufficient attendance, no
fee would be paid to Andersen, a condition, he had to accept. .It ended up not
being listed anyway. But in 1848 Andersen reworked the text of an opera
entitled "The Wedding at the Lake Como", with music by the theater's
then chaplain Frans Gläser. The opera premiered January 29, 1849 and the play
achieved 12 performances. - 'At Guldberg’s': Andersen was visiting his paternal
friend, Colonel Christian Høegh-Guldberg and his family, who at that time
resided in Næstved, where the colonel was the head of the Zealand Landseneer
Regiment. - 'no records': no mail carts. - 'N'est passport?': One of Andersen's
particular expressions of N'est passport? = not true?, which had become a
standing expression in the cheerful Collin family. - '' Look at the beast!'':
Probably a standing expression about Andersen at Ingeborg Drewsen, who was
probably the only one in the Collin family who could afford a free speech to
Andersen without being offended or hurt. - "Greetings to the mother":
Henriette Collin, b. Hornemann. - 'the three brothers': Gottlieb, Edvard and
Theodor Collin. The former was married to Augusta (Gusta) Collin, respectively,
the next was engaged to Jette Thyberg, and the latter was unmarried. -
'father': Jonas Collin. - 'Lind': Louise Collin’s engaged Wilkens Lind.
147. BEC I, letter
No. 91, pp. 241-42. - 'Where Baggesen was born': Jens Baggesen (1764-1826), poet. - 'and Birckner buried': M.G. Birckner (1756-98), pastor and
philosopher. Was married from 1795 until his death to Henriette Christine Birckner, b. Hornemann (1772-1845), with whom
he had the daughters Maria Birckner
(1796-1880) and Johanne (Hanne) Birckner
(1797-1881). In 1803 Henriette Birckner married Jonas Collin and with him she
had the daughters Ingeborg (1804-77)
and Louise (1813-98) and the sons Gottlieb (1806-85), Edvard (1808-86) and Theodor
(1815-1902). The good mother had thus given birth to a total of 7 living
children. - one of our best novelists': the phrase is a quote from Andersen's
own novel "O.T.", Part One, VII. Chapter. - 'the letter she received
from Næstved': Andersen's letter to Louise Collin, quoted above, is dated 6
June 1836. - 'his colonel': Christian
Høegh-Guldberg (1777-1867), - 'subordination': submissive obedience . -
Ingemann’s: Lucie and B. S. Ingemann. - Hauch ': Carsten Hauch (1790-1872), poet, associate professor of natural
sciences at Sorø Academy. - 'Hauch's children': William (1829-1906), Mathilde
(1831-1910), Elisabeth (1832-1903), Marie (1834-1915), the mentioned must be
the ones who can be talked about here. The possibly newborn Adam (1836-1914), as well as the later
born: Albertine Louise (1839-44), Ludvig Alfred Hauch (1845-1938) and Ottilie Margrethe (1847-75), cannot for
good reason be considered in this connection. - 'this Viggo': Viggo Drewsen (1830-88). - 'his mother':
Ingeborg Drewsen, b. Collin (1804-77).
- 'Not true?': : Andersen's "N'est pass?", Ironically-humorously
famous in the cheerful Collin family.
148. BEC I, letter
no. 91, pp. 243-44- - 'four who can tell you': In addition to the enterprising
Jonas Collin, in 1832 he was co-founder of the "Society for Horse Breeding
in the Provinces", and it was precisely this company , who had held the
races in Slagelse, also attended his sons Gottlieb and Theodor, as well as his
son-in-law Adolph Drewsen. - 'Birckner's grave': Jonas Collin's wife, Henriette
Christine Collin, had been married for the first time to M.G. Birckner, who
died December 1, 1798. Together the couple had two daughters. Birckner, a
philosopher and chaplain in Korsør, had been an avid advocate of freedom of the
press, so it pained Andersen to see the poor man's grave site in poor
condition. - 'Torp': Andreas Torp, died in 1801, had been city bailiff in
Korsør. - 'a bit of avn': It was not possible to find out what Andersen means
by the word 'avn', unless it has to do with the word avn. Avner is, as you
know, it must be separated from the grain during the threshing. - '' A Troubled
Evening'': Vaudeville by Andersen in an Act, edited by a German publisher. The
play was not performed at the theater's summer play in 1836 and was, moreover,
rejected on June 18 by Det kgl. Theater’s
Management .. - 'Your sister with all the little ones'; a reference to
Ingeborg Drewsen, who had the children Jonna, born 1827, Valdemar, born 1828,
Viggo, born 1830, Einar, born 1833, Harald, born 1836 - 'Valdemar': Valdemar Drewsen (1828-92), son of
Adolph and Ingeborg Drewsen, 1849 factory master at Silkeborg Paper Factory,
1858 manager of Bentse Brug and paper manufacturer at Christiania.
149. BEC I, letter
No. 92. s- 244-45. - 'The police chief in Korsør': Bernt Bentsen (1791-1860), mayor and city bailiff. - 'Birckner's
monument': a sandstone support with a vase, which is probably still preserved
in Korsør. - '' Capriziosa '': Comedy by Thomas
Overskou (1798-1873) and A. L.
Arnesen (1808-60) - - 'Priority in Miss Monastery:': Louise Catharine Sophie Heide (1793-1856), since 1825 prior of
Odense noble Virgin monastery. - 'Miss Schleppegrel': Christiane Charlotte Louise von Schleppegrel (1774-1841),
conventualist in the noble Virgin monastery of Odense. - 'what she had never
shown to any men': her bedroom. - 'Pastor Bentzien': V. B. Bentzien (1800-57), parish priest to Kerteminde, later
provost, former teacher at the Borgerdydsskolen in Copenhagen, from which
Edvard Collin knew him. - 'Krüger': probably Theodor Krüger (1778-1867), f. pharmacies, proprietor of the Swan
pharmacy in Odense. - 'Abrahamson': Joseph
Abrahamson (1789-1847), General War Commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel, dr.
phil., brother of Andersen's maternal friend, Mrs. Signe Læssøe.
150. BEC I, Letter
No. 93, pp. 245-49. - 'Otto Thostrup': The protagonist of the novel
"O.T." The book's other protagonist is Baron Vilhelm, who is clearly
identical to Edvard Collin. - 'Zefirer': Win. - 'The New Edition Will Come to
the New Year': Second edition of "The Improvisator" was first
published on June 28, 1837. - "See You Forget the Secretary": Edvard
Collin was secretary at the Foundation ad usus publicos in 1832-42. -
'Hillerup': F. C. Hillerup
(1793-1861), author and translator, editor of Hampel’s Avis (Fyns
Stiftstidende), who left the newspaper in the autumn of 1836 and was replaced
by Andersen's good friend, the author Carl
Bagger (1807-46), a student in the early 1820s. Sorø Academy School, later
author. Andersen knew Bagger from his time as a student in Slagelse scholar
School, where he regularly made visits to Ingemann’s in Sorø. - 'Ove Thomsen': (1801-62), co-editor of
"The Day" 1827-34, then editor of Hampel’s Avis in Odense and 1836-47
publisher of "Fyns Stifts Avis. 1849 postmaster of Assens, politician. -
'Arnesen's fun game': A. L. Arnesen
(1808-60), cand. 1834, acting author, 1841 clerk in the Tax Office, 1849 head
of the Ministry of Finance, the same year commissioned by the Director of Det.
Theater. Acting writer, 1855 Head of the Department of the Interior. His light
play mentioned here was entitled "Thanks for the Ball", only
performed at the summer performances on June 20, 1836. - "An Evening on
the Billiards": the play was never performed, - "Renzo's
Wedding": See note 146. - 'a new novel ': "Only a Fiddler".
151. Regarding.
Inga Nalbandian can be referenced in more detail by her in the section
Andersen's fourth double crush (part 7),
152. BEC I, Letter
No. 94, pp.249-50. - 'Ludovic': Singer in 2 Acts, by Hérold and Halévy,
performed for the first time on Det kgl. Theater May 24, 1834.
153. BEC I, Letter
No. 95, pp. 251-55. - 'Marble Making, a recipe for Madam Mangor's Cookbook: a
kind of white wine fromage. - 'sybaritic': lavish, voluptuous. - 'Bambino':
Dolls depicting the child of Jesus. - "Trapist": strict moral
requirements, an allusion to the strictest of all monks, the Jesuit order. -
"A pure innocent choice book!": A pure book of chastity. - 'written a
poem about it': The poem “The Rose bud” ("Rosenknoppen".) - 'the priestess in Gudme': Hedvig Kirstine Kjær, b. Friis (1811-80)
married in 1833 with the parish priest to Gudme-Brudager, Hans Magnus Kjær, a
brother of Edel Marie Sehested, b. Kjær
(1789-1839), widow of Anders Sehested
(1784-1819), owner of the estate Broholm. - 'the Kalundborg tune': not
identified. The best-known tune for the song is by H.S. Paulli (1810-91), kgl. Chapel Musician, 1849 Concertmaster,
1861 Chaplain by Det kgl. Theater, composer.
154. BEC I, letter
no. 96, pp. 155-57. - 'captatio benevolentiæ': prayer of indulgence. Usually
used in a vaudeville closing song, where the audience is asked to carry over
with the author and the play and are encouraged to clap. Andersen himself used
this in his vaudeville "Love on Nicolai Tower", 1829. - 'context':
the context. - 'Depossession': Being or being deprived of something. -
'Nonnetitte': a kind of bottle apple. - 'Emil': Emil Hornemann (1810-90), cand. med. 1834, dr. med. 1839 and from
1842 practitioner in Copenhagen. He has the honor of working to improve the
purity and quality of drinking water in the big city. - 'The Hornemann Family':
This family was akin to old Mrs. Henriette Christine Collin, b. Hornemann. -
'The Music Society': This was, on the initiative of Edvard Collin, originated
during the performance of the composer Weyse’s and Andersen's opera "The
party at Kenilworth" on the composer's birthday on March 5, 1836. The
music association saw it as its main task to publish unspoken significant
Danish musical works. - 'Floribella': Musical work by Weyse. - 'specialiter':
i.e .. special. - 'flattered': See Edvard Collin's letter of July 16, 1836.
155. BEC I, Letter
No. 97, pp. 257-61. - 'Ørbæklunde': Main farm at Ørbæk, 12 km. Southwest of
Nyborg. Owned by Rasmus Lange
(1777-1848), landlord and legal counsel, and wife Laurentze Lange, b. Lindegaard (1794-1869), a daughter of Mrs.
Lindegaard of Lykkesholm. The farms Lykkesholm and Ørbæklunde play an important
role in Andersen's new novel "Only a Fiddler", which, however, had
not yet been written at this time. - 'Paulli': H. S. Paulli (1810-91), chaplain at Det kgl. Theater, composer. In
addition to the melody for the poem, "Rose bud, so firm and round",
he also composed the well-known tune for Andersen's poem "Little
Viggo". - 'Mrs. Bügel's address': Was in 1836: Dronningens Tværgade
(Queen's Cross Street) No. 275, current No. 5.
156. BJC I, letter
no. 61, p. 124. - 'The Reconciliation Center, Louise': Louise was crippled by
some sore throat and possibly scarlet fever. - 'Thursday or Friday': on August
4th and 5th.
157. BJC I, letter
no. 62, p, 125. –
158. Rigmor Stampe:
H.C. Andersen and His Nearest Circle, pp. 174-76. - 'the priest Lassen':
possibly Jørgen Alexander Lassen
(1800-88), parish priest of Kværndrup, married Wilken Lind's (unnamed) sister
and brother of Justine Lassen, who was maid of Jonas Collin. - 'even a small
epistle from your hand': One, as well as a letter, Andersen received so far as
is never known from the worshiper. - 'My New Novel': The novel "O.T."
was published on April 21, 1836. In this, Edvard Collin plays a prominent role
as Otto Thostrup's alias Andersen's friend Vilhelm. See the section on Sources
for H. C. Andersen's Writing (Part 7). - 'Tolderlund': The Iversen family home
on the Odense Canal. - 'agent Voight’s': Laurits
Peter Voigt (1779-1859) and wife Anne
Christine Voigt, b. Brandt (1785-1861), as well as possibly the daughters Frederikke (1807-?) And Laura (1817-1904) and son Johan Peter (1810-65). - Probably
Andersen's great swarm of 1830: Riborg
Voigt (1806-83) and her spouse, Jacob
Bøving (1799-1885) were also among the guests at the church concert. -
'Stage': Gottlob Stage (1791-1845),
actor at Det kgl. Theater 1815-45. married 1836 to Augusta Stage, b. Kofoed (1816-94). Opera singer by Det kgl.
Theater. - 'When does Eduard sit ?: Edvard Collin and Jette Thyberg were
married on August 10, 1836. - 'Marstrand': Wilhelm
Marstrand (1810-73), painter. He had in 1833 painted a very beautiful
portrait of Louise Collin, who now hangs on H.C. Andersens Museum in Odense. -
'Address My Letter to Mrs Louise Lind': Louise Collin was married on 25
November 1840 in Frederiksberg Church to Wilkens Lind.
159. BJC I, letter
no. 63, p 125. - 'Edward's wedding': Edvard Collin and Henriette Thyberg were
married on August 10, 1836, and the wedding took place in Søllerød Church and
was made by Caspar Johannes Boye, who was married with Maria Boye, b. Birckner,
a half-sister of Edvard Collin.
160. BJC I, letter
no.64, pp. 125-26. - 'With the next post I come to Zealand': Andersen left
Odense on 10 August and then went on a visit to Chamber Council Claus Chr. Bang
on the main farm Nørager, 10 km. South of Jyderup, after which he returned to
Copenhagen via August at Ingemann's in Sorø. - 'My New Novel': "Only a
Fiddler", which was published on November 12, 1837. - "Second Edition
of the Improvisator": first published on June 28, 1837, so that there were
long prospects for new revenue for Andersen. - 'Your small letter I received in
Svendborg, the day before Eduard's wedding': Andersen must not yet have received
Jonas Collin's letter of 6 August, announcing that the wedding should only be
on Wednesday 10 August. - 'the prince': Funen's governor, the successor to
Prince Christian Frederik and his girlfriend Caroline Amalie. After all, the
couple had already lived in Andersen's childhood at Odense Castle. See possibly
more specifically in the section A new life situation - 'Lind': He was lying
with scarlet fever at the time.
161. Diaries I, p.
58.
162. BEC I, letter
no.98, pp. 261-63. - ""Thursday or Friday is Eduard's wedding
day!": Andersen was in good faith according to Jonas Collins letter of
July 29, having not yet received Collins letter of August 6. - 'as Moses stands
on the mountain': Deuteronomy. 34, 1-4- - 'twice I have loved': According to
traditional Andersen research, Andersen here refers to his crushes in
respectively. Riborg Voigt and Louise Collin, but according to the hypothesis
presented here, the crush also applies to the friend Christian Voigt and
probably to the friend Edvard Collin. - 'Emma': Emma Bang (1811-82), eldest daughter of Claus Chr. Bang (1778-1855), owner of the main farm Nørager near
Jyderup. - 'in Helsingør': Andersen was here in good faith, knowing that Caspar
Johannes Boye was a priest at St. Olai Church in Helsingør, but the wedding
took place in Søllerød Church, August 10, 1836. See note 159.
163. BEC I, letter
no. 99, pp. 263-64. - '' the concert ': The church concert mentioned in note
158, where Andersen expected that the Voigt family from Faaborg might also
attend. - 'Emilie and Maria Hornemann': Daughters of Professor J, W. Hornemann,
who was the brother of old Mrs. Collin. - St. Jørgensgaard ': Andersen visited
Christian Johan Bredsdorff, parish priest to St. Jørgens Hospital and Sørup,
later Consistorial Council. Her
spouse was Ulrikke Antonette Bredsdorff. F. Schlegel (1766-1850), who
had first married page informer Christian
Hornemann (1759-82), a brother of old Mrs. Collin. - Tabitha Plum': (1795-1856), grantee, daughter of Frederick Plum (1766-1856), bishop of
Funen Diocese.
164. BEC I, Letter
No. 100, pp. 264-65. - 'a confidential letter': See letter # 93. - 'the
secretary of the Fund': Edvard Collin was 1832-42 secretary of the Fund ad usus
publicos. - '
165. BJC I, Letter
No. 66, pp. 127-28.
166. BEC I, p. 265.
- 'assessor': a member of a court of several judges. - 'sitting at the chess
game': Edvard Collin was an ardent chess player.
(Continued with
Part 4)
© March 2011 Harry
Rasmussen. Translated into English by the author in January 2020.
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