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Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
Paris, January 1876

  Highlighting feelings - loneliness   - Turn off highlighting

Dear Theo,

Thanks for your letter, write to me often, for I long to hear from you in these days. Write me at length, speak to me of your daily life, you see that I am doing the same. What you told me about Boks was very interesting, how he arranged his studio, and that you go there often - keep me well informed about those things.

We feel lonely now and then and long for friends and think we should be quite different and happier if we found a friend of whom we might say: “He is the one.” But you, too, will begin to learn that there is much self-deception behind this longing; if we yielded too much to it, it would lead us from the road.

There is a phrase that haunts me these days - it is today's text, “His children will seek to please the poor.”

And now here is some news: my friend Gladwell is moving. One of the employees of the printing office convinced him to come and lodge with him; for quite a while he did everything he could to persuade him.

I know that Gladwell made this decision without thinking about it, I regret his departure very much; it will be soon, probably towards the end of the month.

For several days we have had a mouse in our “cabin”, which is what we call our room. Every night, we put bread on the floor for it, and it knows already where to find it.

Kind regards to Roos and others if they ask about me, and write soon. À Dieu. Tell me if Mr. Tersteeg mentions me to you; give him my kindest regards whenever I write to you. Always

Your loving brother, Vincent


At this time, Vincent was 22 year old
Source:
Vincent van Gogh. Letter to Theo van Gogh. Written January 1876 in Paris. Translated by Mrs. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, edited by Robert Harrison, number 052.
URL: https://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/3/052.htm.

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