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107 To Cornelis Marinus van Gogh. Dordrecht, Thursday, 8 March 1877.

metadata
No. 107 (Brieven 1990 107, Complete Letters 87a)
From: Vincent van Gogh
To: Cornelis Marinus van Gogh
Date: Dordrecht, Thursday, 8 March 1877

Source status
Original manuscript

Location
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b105 V/1962

Date
Letter headed: ‘Dordrecht 8 Maart 1877’.

Additional
Because this letter comes from Theo’s estate, it is doubtful whether it was ever forwarded to Uncle Cor. It is possible that Theo already had an appointment with Uncle Cor, which would have made Vincent’s letter unnecessary.

original text
 1r:1
Dordrecht 8 Maart 1877

Waarde Oom,
Toen Pa onlangs hier was1 deelde Hij mij mede dat U gevraagd had of Theo en ik eens een dag bij U zouden kunnen komen.–
Niet weinig verlang ik er naar om U en Tante eens weder te zien en te spreken en wilde U daarom vragen of het U zou gelegen komen als Theo en ik aanst. Zondag met den eersten trein uit s’Hage gingen om tot s’middags of s’avonds bij U te blijven.–
Theo moet spoedig op reis2 en als wij het nu niet doen komt er misschien in lang niet van.
Het was een heerlijken dag laatst toen Pa hier was, wij hebben zamen gewandeld en zijn nog op het museum geweest om de schilderijen van Scheffer te zien. Het gaat mij hier goed, er is in ’t begin van ’t jaar veel werk aan den winkel zoodat ik er s’avonds tot 12 of 1 uur ben.–
Het is mij goed weer in Holland te zijn, alleen was het werk ginder3 met al de moeite en innige teleurstelling er aan verbonden mij lief en is dat nog – en ben ik door de teleurstelling en voor ditmaal betrekkelijke mislukking innig aan verbonden.–
 1v:2
Het is heerlijk dat Anna ook weer dadelijk eene betrekking heeft gevonden, ik hoop maar zij het er goed zal treffen.4
In geval U goed vindt dat Theo en ik aanst. Zondag komen, schrijf dan s.v.p. nog aan een van ons een briefkaart en geloof mij intusschen na hartelijke groete aan U en Tante

Uw liefh. neef
Vincent

Reeds vroeger zou ik U hierover hebben geschreven indien niet Pa eerst gisteren mij gevraagd had aanst. Zondag te gaan.–5

translation
 1r:1
Dordrecht, 8 March 1877

My dear Uncle,
When Pa was here recently1 he told me that you had asked whether Theo and I could come and see you some day.
I long so much to see and talk to you and Aunt again, and so I’d like to ask if it would be convenient for you if Theo and I came next Sunday with the first train from The Hague, and stayed with you until the afternoon or evening.
Theo has to go on a trip soon,2 and if we don’t do it now it may not be possible for a long time.
It was a wonderful day when Pa was here recently; we took a walk together and also went to the museum to see the paintings by Scheffer. I’m doing well here, at the beginning of the year there’s a lot of work in the shop, so I’m there until 12 or 1 o’clock at night.
I’m happy to be back in Holland, only I loved the work over there3 – even with all the trouble and deep disappointment connected with it – and continue to do so, and the disappointment and, for once, relative failure make me deeply attached to it.  1v:2
It’s wonderful that Anna has found another situation straightaway; I only hope it will be to her liking.4
If it’s all right with you that Theo and I come next Sunday, please write a postcard to one of us, and believe me meanwhile, after warm regards to you and Aunt

Your loving nephew
Vincent

I would have written to you about this earlier if Pa hadn’t asked me only yesterday to go next Sunday.5
notes
1. Mr van Gogh had visited Vincent in Dordrecht on Friday, 16 February. On 19 February he wrote to Theo: ‘Last Friday I arrived home safely and found everyone well. From 2-6 o’clock I was with Vincent. He was already waiting for me at the railway station, and he was given time off for as long as I was there. Again I received a very favourable impression of Mr Braat. He is certainly an upright and amiable man. Together we visited Rev. Keller van Hoorn, who received us so charmingly. Then we went to his lodging-house for a little while. We also saw the museum with paintings by Ary Scheffer, extremely beautiful. Then we walked for a bit – and ate together, steak and potatoes and a glass of beer for 1.90 guilders for two, it was really good there. Dordrecht is positively beautiful. You must also go there some time, for I fear that Vincent does not have enough money at present to go and visit you. You could do it sometime on a Sunday. But then you should write to him in advance. Then you and he would have a pleasant day. I did my best to press some money into Vincent’s hand – but he won’t have anything to do with it. He had to pay 9 guilders to have his trunk sent from England, so he won’t have anything left over for a while. He really is such a good fellow, I enjoyed his company, and at the museum he was really in his element’ (FR b2507).
2. This refers to the sales trip intended to promote Goupil’s new prints and editions (the so-called nouveautés).
3. In Isleworth.
4. Anna was to become a companion to the Van Houten family in Hengelo in the province of Overijssel in the east of the Netherlands. She hoped to start work on 1 March (FR b2504 and b2505), but this was postponed until 6 April; see letter 110, n. 3.
5. This visit was to take place a week later, on Sunday, 18 March; cf. letter 108, n. 1, and FR b2514 and b2518.