Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (13 October 1876) ... if Anna can go too, we might come together. And
now winter is slowly approaching again - try to be your old
self by that time. How welcome is that Christmastime in winter.
Oh! my boy, I look forward so much to the time when it will be
cold here and I shall have to make my rounds at Turnham
Green.
When I think of you as one “who comforts his mother,
and who is worthy to be comforted by his mother,” I
almost envy you. But try to get better soon. Yesterday, I asked
Mr. Jones to let me go to Holland, but he would not allow it,
and at last he said, “Write to your mother; if she
approves, I will too.”
What beautiful poems are De Genestet's 1
“On the Mountains of Sorrow” and “When I was
a Boy.”
A handshake for both of you and for the Roos family, and for
Willem and any others you see whom I know. And let me hear soon
from you again and believe me,
Your loving brother, Vincent
A popular Dutch preacher-poet....
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to His Parents (17-18 November 1876) ... Dear Father and Mother,
Thank God that Theo has almost recovered, and bravo that he
has already walked with Father in the snow to the Heike [a
hamlet near Etten]; how I wish I could have been together with
you both. It is already late, and early tomorrow morning I must
go to London and Lewisham, for Mr. Jones. I hope to visit the
Gladwells, and it will be late in the evening when I come
back.
Where do Mr. Jones and others get their incomes? Yes, I have
often thought about it myself. A saying here is: God takes care
of those who work for Him. I am longing to speak and consult
with you about this question.
And then you asked me if I still teach the boys; generally I
do so until one o'clock in the afternoon, and then after one
o'clock I go out for Mr. Jones, or sometimes give lessons to
Mr. Jones's children or to a few boys in town. And then in the
evening and between times I write in my sermon book.
Last Sunday I was at Turnham Green early to teach at Sunday
school...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (3 August 1877) ... me a very cheerful letter from
Helvoirt. I also heard from home that you had a 40-guilder bill
from Dr. Coster; that is a big sum, and paying it will remind
you of the feeling of having a tooth pulled. If only I could
help you a little, but you know that I possess neither gold nor
silver. I often have to resort to all kinds of devices to get
money for the collections in church - by changing stamps for
pennies in a tobacco shop, for instance. But, my boy, by
struggling we can keep on, and you know that it is written that
the poor will be blessed in the Kingdom of God.
Whenever I see Uncle Vincent, I am struck anew by something
indescribably charming and, I should say, something good and
spiritual in him; I do not know what to call it. Father has it
even more; Uncle Jan, in another way; and it is also in Uncle
Cor. Even in a hundred people you would not always find one
like them, so let us carefully treasure their memory and their
image. Can it be what Fénelon described in
...
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...
