Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0039 (414)

ROTATE

MAGNIFY

ENLARGE

DOWNLOAD

DOWNLOAD ALL

DOWNLOAD

[Ramleh] 18 December 1883

My dearest Constantine,
I am in receipt of your affectionate letter of the 10th instant which I have read with great interest, particularly so as regards the state of your eyesight: and cannot say how much I am grieved to read the distressing accounts you give me. Learning is mere dross compared to the value of man’s sight, and I earnestly implore you to throw all books and writing to the days, until such time as your ocular organs may be strengthened. About spectacles I don’t know and you must ask better advice than mine, but I should certainly recommend you to refrain from any straining exercise ― As an instance I mention Miani. Your eyes are certainly not as bad as his were ― and yet he can see now as well as I can. And what did the doctors recommend him to restore his fast-going faculty? Simply this: they required of him to abstain all reading and writing for a period of three months and not to expose himself to the broad daylight. I know you have sufficient good sense to feel certain that you will be careful, ― and I further beg of you to cease writing to me: do not think I shall in such case forget you ― I promise faithfully to send you my weekly news as hitherto. ― Your happiness and welfare I have nearer at heart than anything in the world, and it is sadly distressing to me to hear that anything ails
you.
     The Gentleman’s Magazine I posted last week ― The Annual has not yet come to hand. I shall not fail to subscribe you for the first six months of 1884 to the Temple Bar ― in fact I shall do so tomorrow as soon as I get into town, for I write these lines from my room at the Hotel in Ramleh, where I am again staying at Moss’ invitation ― Your various questions about Alexandria Society I have asked Aristides to respond to: he being more “au courant” of such matters than I am.
     The Greek parable is very nice and much to my taste. I am now very sorry I sent you “Ossian”, for I am afraid your curiosity for literary works will have the better of your prudence and induce you to read the poems to the detriment of your eyes ― Put the old bard away in a corner. ―
     Pray excuse this hurried letter and offer my love to mother, Alexander and Paul
          believing me ever
               Your very affectionate
                    John

[Ramleh] 18 December 1883

My dearest Constantine,
I am in receipt of your affectionate letter of the 10th instant which I have read with great interest, particularly so as regards the state of your eyesight: and cannot say how much I am grieved to read the distressing accounts you give me. Learning is mere dross compared to the value of man’s sight, and I earnestly implore you to throw all books and writing to the days, until such time as your ocular organs may be strengthened. About spectacles I don’t know and you must ask better advice than mine, but I should certainly recommend you to refrain from any straining exercise ― As an instance I mention Miani. Your eyes are certainly not as bad as his were ― and yet he can see now as well as I can. And what did the doctors recommend him to restore his fast-going faculty? Simply this: they required of him to abstain all reading and writing for a period of three months and not to expose himself to the broad daylight. I know you have sufficient good sense to feel certain that you will be careful, ― and I further beg of you to cease writing to me: do not think I shall in such case forget you ― I promise faithfully to send you my weekly news as hitherto. ― Your happiness and welfare I have nearer at heart than anything in the world, and it is sadly distressing to me to hear that anything ails
you.
     The Gentleman’s Magazine I posted last week ― The Annual has not yet come to hand. I shall not fail to subscribe you for the first six months of 1884 to the Temple Bar ― in fact I shall do so tomorrow as soon as I get into town, for I write these lines from my room at the Hotel in Ramleh, where I am again staying at Moss’ invitation ― Your various questions about Alexandria Society I have asked Aristides to respond to: he being more “au courant” of such matters than I am.
     The Greek parable is very nice and much to my taste. I am now very sorry I sent you “Ossian”, for I am afraid your curiosity for literary works will have the better of your prudence and induce you to read the poems to the detriment of your eyes ― Put the old bard away in a corner. ―
     Pray excuse this hurried letter and offer my love to mother, Alexander and Paul
          believing me ever
               Your very affectionate
                    John

PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
PHOTO 3

DIGITAL OBJECT DESCRIPTION

IDENTITY AREA

REFERENCE CODE:

Records the unique identifier that has been appointed to the unit of description by the archivists, in order to facilitate references made to the fonds on an international level.

GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0039 (414)

TITLE:

Records the name of the unit of description.

Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

DATE(S):

Identifies the date of creation of the unit of description.

18/12/1883

LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION:

Identifies the level of arrangement of the unit of description (fonds, sub-fonds, series, sub-series, file, sub-file, item).

Item

EXTENT AND MEDIUM:

Records the extent of the unit of description. In case of an item description, it records the exact dimensions of the item.

44 x 27.5 cm

FORMER REFERENCE CODE:

Records the former identifier of the item as given by the Historical G. P. Savvidis Catalogue.

F52_Φ1-31

CONTEXT AREA

NAME OF CREATOR(S):

Identifies the author or the creator of the unit of description.

Cavafy, John

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

SCOPE AND CONTENT:

Provides a summary of the scope (such as, time periods, geography) and content of the unit of description.

Handwritten letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy on the first three pages of a double sheet letterhead of R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. The last page is blank. Advice on the problems with the eyes and vision of C. P. Cavafy. (Alexandria)

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

CONDITIONS GOVERNING REPRODUCTION:

Specifies the conditions governing the reproduction of the unit of description.

CC BY-SA 4.0 Cavafy Archive Onassis Foundation

LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT NOTES:

Identifies the language(s) and script(s) employed in the unit of description.

English

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Provides information about important physical characteristics of the unit of description.

Writing in ink. Watermark: R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. Physical item wear: oxidation; holes.

NOTES AREA

NOTE:

Provides information that cannot be accommodated in any of the other fields.

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.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Literary annotation, providing additional information on the digital object.

Reference to Ossian, which in this case is most probably a poem by John rather than a publication of the known collection of Ossian poems by James Macpherson.