Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0052 (427)

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   My dear Constantine,       I have yours 18th for which many thanks. I am sorry     I missed yesterday’s mail but I was not feeling so well, and     had to put off writing you until now. The question you     ask about Cartulis I am unable to answer positively, but     believe the amount you mention is pretty correct: ―     of course the indemnity-awards have been very profitable     to many whose consciences can be easily silenced.     I am staying at Ramlé this evening, whence I now     write this epistle. Moss is very kind and wants me     to stay with him for a week for change of air: he sends     his very kind regards to mother. The Hotel Beau Séjour
    is at present pretty full: the society is composed chief-     ly of “militaires”, and is rather a noisy one. I left it     about an hour ago revelling over B.+S. (brandy and soda)     and hot gin-toddy. There is first and foremost a Dr. Churchill     of the Army Medical Department; an Irishman with a     true Irish brogue: a man of 5 feet nothing in his shoes,
    who talks French like an ass and thinks three times more     about himself than you would be inclined to give him     the credit of brain-power wherewith to do so. There are     two other army Doctors with nothing remarkable about     them except tough hides and a general “bull-appearance”.     There is a Captain Burton of the Royal Engineers that     puts in mind of a butcher’s boy ― There are two
    lieutenants, nice gentlemanly fellows, but both of Ger-     man extraction. There is a Colonel with his wife, who     eats (the wife I mean) as never woman ate before:     meat, vegetables, sweets, fruit etc. etc., all go down     with astonishing rapidity into her enormous “gouffre”     than which no word is abler to describe this virago’s     mouth. ― There is another Captain Somebody who has     a strong conviction, like Darwin, of the descent of     man from apes, and who looks very much like a     Chimpanzee himself. And there are others, over which     ’tis but a waste of time to ruminate at all. ―     They are all fearfully conceited and egoistic. When     you come to see Englishmen at close quarters, you     are very frequently disappointed and pained at finding     so many “humbugs” amongst them.
    I enclose a newspaper-cutting giving the details     of Miss Antoniadis’ marriage with Musurus Bey.
    The general topic of interest here now is the     shortly impending autumnal expedition to the Soudan     and Reuter announces today the departure of     General Wolseley to head the forces ― Much good may     he do!      Remember me dearly to mother, Alexander and Paul           and believe me                Your affectionate                     John. C.F. Cavafy Esquire      Constantinople

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IDENTITY AREA

REFERENCE CODE:

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GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0052 (427)

TITLE:

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Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

DATE(S):

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27/8/1884

LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION:

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Item

EXTENT AND MEDIUM:

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44 x 27.5 cm

FORMER REFERENCE CODE:

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F53_Φ1-32

CONTEXT AREA

NAME OF CREATOR(S):

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Cavafy, John

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

SCOPE AND CONTENT:

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Handwritten letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy, on the first and third pages of a double sheet letterhead of R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. The remaining pages are blank. Personal and social news. John gives a negative account of the character and behaviour of the British officers in Alexandria. Brief reference to the Sudan. (Alexandria)

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

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CC BY-SA 4.0 Cavafy Archive Onassis Foundation

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English

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

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Writing in ink. Watermark: R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. Physical item wear: paper discolouration.

NOTES AREA

NOTE:

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The transcription and editing of the letters of John Constantine Cavafy addressed to C. P. Cavafy was first carried out by Katerina Ghika; said transcriptions were subsequently uploaded to the official website of the Cavafy Archive.

ACCESS POINTS

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SUBJECTS:

Letter

PLACES:

Sudan

PERSONS:

Antoniadis, Ioannis (John)

Burton, (?)

Cavafy (Fotiadi), Charikleia

Cavafy, Alexandros P.

Cavafy, C. P.

Cavafy, John Constantine

Cavafy, Paul

Churchill, (?)

Darwin, Charles Robert

Kartoulis, Stefanos

Moss, Robert Johnson

Mousouros, Stefanos (Musurus Bey)

Mousourou (Antoniadi), Maria

CITATION:

For citation purposes, please use the reference provided here.

Cavafy, John Constantine. “Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy”. Letter, 27.08.1884. GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0052 (427), Onassis Foundation C. P. Cavafy Fonds. From The Digital Collection of the Cavafy Archive, edited by Onassis Foundation, Athens, last modified 01.10.2025. https://doi.org/10.26256/CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0052.