Been reading a bunch of Rilke lately and during a random crawl of the web for related materials, I came across a vast amount his letters on e-manuscripta.ch (a portal for digitised manuscript material from Swiss libraries and archives).
I’m enchanted by the greeting, the flourish in his script, especially in the delicately nuanced letter ‘d’, that stem is majestic, as well as slight slant of the line.
The above “Chère Madame / Dear Madam” was written on Sunday 10th December 1922, from Château de Muzot in Veyras, Switzerland, (where the author completed the famed Duino Elegies in ‘a savage creative storm’ earlier that same year):
Even though Rilke was Austrian and wrote most of his prose / poetry in German, he could also speak and write in French, in which this letter was penned to a lady called Marie Morisse (who I can’t find anything of online). Using a translation app on my phone and others online here’s the whole letter in English (apologies to any native speakers and any mistakes):
“Dear Madam,
The misfortune is not great. Nothing is easier than to reconstitute the small list: here it is, (minus the “Letters to Lieutenant Dupont” that I received at the same time as your letter.) If I ask for something, it is only the absence of of a few follies images in my missive of the other day which could have amused your little boy, for the rest he flatters me that he feels so attracted by my peril that he prefers it to all others.
Again: it would be good to hurry to have The Last Years by Marcelle Tirel on Rodin. I was just reading this morning that the family makes efforts to make it possible to get out of business! X
Accept, dear Madam, the assurance of my feelings sinuously devoured –
RMRilke
*This book anchors me to the moment! Thank you. However, I would like to make sure that a second copy that I would like to make cadean (sp? / name?) to my friend for Christmas.”
The two books referenced are The Last Years of Rodin by Marcelle Tirel which starts in the Preface stating: here is a very curious book about Auguste Rodin (Rodin was a friend, inspired this essay from Rilke and had died five years previous to this letter), and Letters of Lieutenant Duponey / Dupont (which might relate to this chap / book who was an Admiral not a Lieutenant, maybe not).
His penmanship is different in many other letters, probably due to what we all suffer from like basic tiredness, lack of focus and / or other things going on (Rilke was nothing but feelings personified).
Such a delight to explore and ‘trace’ through a correspondence written over 100 years ago by an author whose words and sentiments echo through me!
Now where is my fountain pen‽