Letter de Vincent van Gogh à Theo van Gogh (30 January 1889) ... n'y
ayant plus compté.
Je terminerai cette lettre comme celle à Gauguin, en te disant que
certes il y a encore des signes de la surexcitation précédente
dans mes paroles, mais que cela n'a rien d'étonnant puisque dans ce bon
pays tarasconnais tout le monde est un peu toqué.
Bonne poignée de main aussi à De Haan et Isaäcson,
j'attendrai ta lettre le plus tôt possible après
le 1er février,
t à t, Vincent
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (30 January 1889) ... as I did not expect it
any more.
I will finish this letter like Gauguin's, by telling you
that there certainly are signs of previous overexcitement in my
words, but that is not surprising, since everyone in this good
Tarascon country is a trifle cracked.
With a good handshake, also for De Haan and Isaäcson. I
shall expect your letter as soon as possible after February
1.
Ever yours, Vincent
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (3 February 1889) ... everything the doctor says, but…
When I came out of hospital with good old Roulin, I fancied
there'd been nothing wrong with me, it was only
afterwards I felt I'd been ill. Well, that's only to be
expected, I have moments when I am twisted with enthusiasm or
madness or prophecy, like a Greek oracle on his tripod. I
display great presence of mind then in my words, and speak like
the Arlésiennes, but in spite of all that, my spirits
are very low. Especially when my physical strength returns. But
I've already told Rey that at the first sign of a serious
symptom I would come back and submit myself to the alienists in
Aix, or to himself.
What else except pain and suffering can we expect if we are
not well, you and I?
Our ambition has been dashed so low. So let us work very
calmly, look after ourselves as best we can, and not exhaust
ourselves in futile attempts at mutual generosity. You do your
duty and I will do mine, and as far as that's concerned, we've
...
Letter from Reverend Salles to Theo van Gogh (7 February 1889) ... Dear Sir,
Your brother, whom we had believed more or less
cured and who had taken up his usual work once more, has again lately shown signs of
mental distress.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 17 February 1889) ... My dear Theo,
I have been so completely out of sorts mentally that it
would have been useless to try to write an answer to your kind
letter. Today I have just come home provisionally, I hope for
good. I feel quite normal so often, and really I should think
that if what I am suffering from is only a disease particular
to this place, I must wait here quietly till it is over, even
if it returns (and let's say that it won't).
But this is what I told M. Rey once and for all. If sooner
or later it is desirable that I go to Aix, as has already been
suggested, I consent beforehand and I will submit to it.
But in my character as a painter and a workman it is not
permissible for anyone, not even you or a doctor, to take such
a step without warning me and consulting me about it, also
because since up till now I have always kept a comparative
presence of mind in my work, I should have the right to say (or
at least to have an opinion on) whether it would be better to
keep my studio...
