Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy
GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0058 (433)
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[Alexandria] 19 January 1885
My dear Constantine,
I have your letter 10th instant with postscript of the 13th and thank you for the
cutting out of the Times ― I anxiously
await “the something more interesting
next week”, though I cannot
picture to myself of what nature
this something is likely to be. “Cinque-pace” I have unwillingly
given up as a bad job ― The
mystery therein concealed has
baffled all my exorcisms, and I
am equally disappointed to have
to write that I am unable to
give you any idea how to put in
Greek the phrase: “The pleasure
you may find on a knife’s point” etc.
The thought is so transcendentally -
original that I can hardly say
I understand it ― You might
translate word for word as I have
tried but the sum total is thus
reduced to mere jargon, inco- herent of sense and all. As far
as trouble is concerned you of-
fend me by using the word ―
Trouble, what trouble? how can
pleasure be trouble? and I feel
no greater pleasure than to be
of some use to you.
Poor Albrecht is dead! A good,
honest and gentlemanly person,
whom I liked sincerely, and who
had always a kind word for me,
apart from any business relations
I had with him, and which he ever succeeded in making
pleasant and easy. I mourn him
in heartfelt sorrow. ― -
You will be pleased to hear I
have again appeared in the
Public Opinion with some
verses rejoicing in the title
of “The Poetry of Song” ― I have
only one copy of the paper and
that I have sent to George,
knowing it will please him, ―
but I shall send you a number
of the paper within two weeks as
Mr. Moss has ordered half
a dozen. I may mention the
verses have been appreciated
a good deal and figuratively
speaking have walked Ramlé
from one end to the other ―
Excuse this hurried and brief
letter and believe me ever
Your affectionate
Johannisberg
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DIGITAL OBJECT DESCRIPTION
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GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0058 (433)
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Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy
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19/1/1885
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Item
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26.5 x 22 cm
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Handwritten letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy on the recto of a letterhead and on both sides of a second letterhead of R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. John announces the publication of a second poem of his in the Public Opinionl. Reference to the translation effort of C. P. Cavafy. (Alexandria)
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English
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Writing in ink. Watermark: R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria.
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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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Publication of John Cavafy’s poem “The Poetry of Song” in the Public Opinion.
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CITATION:
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Cavafy, John Constantine. “Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy”. Letter, 19.01.1885. GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0058 (433), 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-SF001-0058.
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DOI: 10.26256/ca-sf02-s01-ss02-f20-sf001-0058
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PERSONAL PAPERS
Correspondence of C. P. Cavafy
Family correspondence
Incoming correspondence of C. P. Cavafy
Incoming correspondence by John Cavafy