Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy
GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0020 (395)
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[Alexandria] 20 March 1883
My dear Constantine, I own receipt of your amusing letter 10th inst- ant which is very well written indeed. The play must ― on the whole ― have been very entertaining. Last week I sent you the Magazine for March: and this week Aristides sends mother under separate cover a remittance for £ 3. News of the day are reduced to a minimum ― Mallet is appointed Minister for Japan: ― who succeeds
him here is as yet unknown. It may be that with Dufferin in the Country, as minister plenipotentiary, the post held by Mallet becomes obsolete. Zervudachi on the 29th instant holds a Ball: Ari- stides and I, are invited ― It is generally acknowledged that the entertainment is going to be on a large scale. Invitations were issued on the 10th.
Moss leaves England for this about the 6th April and will probably be here on the 12th. I shall then be able to know more definitely about my going to England. He is to make a short stay only: say a month or five weeks. ― Nothing has transpired as to the fortune left by Nacouz. His funeral was of the grandest. Your grammatical, or rather linguistic, queries are of the easiest this time ― I would render -
“sécousse”, in English with “shock” ― “epreuve”, in English with “trial” or “experiment” and in another sense “affliction”. “εμβαθύνειν” = to search into, to explore. “flétrir” = when in neuter sense, of course, “to fade”, “to wither”: when in active sense “to tarnish”, “to destroy”. Remember me kindly to all with my best love and believe me Yours affectionately
John.
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GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0020 (395)
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Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy
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20/3/1883
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Item
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44 x 27.5 cm
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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 sender refers to the political situation in Egypt as well as to the social life in Alexandria. Linguistic remarks to relevant questions by C. P. Cavafy.
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English
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Writing in ink. Watermark: R. J. Moss & Co Alexandria. Physical item wear: oxidations.
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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.
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Cavafy, John Constantine. “Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy”. Letter, 20.03.1883. GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0020 (395), 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-SF001-0020.
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DOI: 10.26256/ca-sf02-s01-ss02-f20-sf001-0020
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PERSONAL PAPERS
Correspondence of C. P. Cavafy
Family correspondence
Incoming correspondence of C. P. Cavafy
Incoming correspondence by John Cavafy