Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (26 January 1882) ... of its coming back soon if I am careful.
I am very sorry to hear that you don't feel well either.
When I was in Brussels last winter, I also took a bath at the
bathing establishment as often as I could, two or three times a
week; and as it did me a lot of good, I will do it here too. No
doubt if you keep it up for some time, it will help you a great
deal, because it keeps the blood circulating well and the pores
of the skin open; that way the skin can fulfill its function -
otherwise it would shrivel up, especially in winter.
And I tell you frankly that in my opinion one must not
hesitate to go to a prostitute occasionally if there is one you
can trust and feel something for, as there really are many. For
one who has a strenuous life it is necessary, absolutely
necessary, in order to keep sane and well. One must not
exaggerate such things and fall into excesses, but nature has
fixed laws which it is fatal to struggle against. Well, you
yourself know all you have to know on that...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (18 February 1882) ... have not heard anything from you
this month. I thought you might perhaps be ill, because in your
last letter you mentioned not feeling well. But Mr. Tersteeg
told me that you were better, at least he was not aware of your
being ill.
As you can imagine, I am very hard pressed for money.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (13 October 1883) ... your nerves
do not play a dirty trick on you. You have gone through a
period of terrible mental strain: in fact, you are right in the
midst of it. You are not the man to break down - if such were
the case, there would be no danger. If you should have to go
through the shock of leaving Goupil & co., then calm down
before you attempt anything new, boy, for if you don't, you
will probably live to spoil your own constitution and energy,
and your affairs too.
For a month now I have been breathing the air of the heath;
I needed it absolutely - I have sat down by a peasant's fire
with a cradle beside it. Now I speak calmly - I think calmly -
It is excellent that you have written about it to me - go on
confiding in me - go on trusting me a little bit more, or
rather not me, but put your trust in the same thing I put my
trust in, namely that one ought to risk leaving the world in
order to look for “It” in a more quiet life with a
handicraft. You should do this, not because...
Letters from Andreis Bonger to his Parents (1886) ... now keeping their own cook in
optima forma. Theo is still looking frightfully ill; he
literally has no face left at all. That poor fellow has many
cares. Moreover, his brother is making life rather a burden to
him, and reproaches him with all kinds of things of which he is
quite innocent. For a long time he has had no news of his
sister Lize.
1886
It now appears that Theo's brother has come to stay; for the
next three years at least he is going to work in the painter
Cormon's studio. I think I told you last summer what a queer
life this brother has led. The man hasn't the slightest notion
of social conditions. He is always quarreling with everybody.
Consequently Theo has a lot of trouble getting along with
him.
August 27 th 1886
My patients (during Theo's absence Vincent van Gogh was
taken ill too) prevented me from writing you. Otherwise I
should have sought an earlier opportunity to thank you for the
cordiality with which you received Theo. He is quite elated
...
Letters from Theo van Gogh to his Family (1885 - 1887) ... into details it
is all other people's fault. No, the main reason was that I was
ill, especially mentally, and that I had a hard struggle with
myself.
Theo to Wil
26 April 1887
A lot has changed since I last wrote you. We have made
peace, for it did not do anybody any good to continue in that
way, I hope it will last. So there will be no change and I am
glad. It would have been strange for me to live alone again and
he would not have gained anything either. I asked him to stay.
That will seem strange after all I wrote you recently, but it
is no weakness on my side and as I feel much stronger than this
winter, I am confident that I will be able to create an
improvement in our relationship. We have drifted apart enough
than that it would not serve any purpose to make the rift any
larger.
Theo to Lies
15 May 1887
Vincent is working hard as always and keeps progressing. His
paintings are becoming lighter and he is trying very hard to
put more sunlight...
