Dato: 28. maj 1863
Fra: Anne S Bushby   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

3 Halkin Street, Grosvenor Place, London. 28th May, 1863.

Dear Mr. Andersen,

I was very happy to receive your kind letter by Mr. Henrik Scharling, and to make the acquaintance of that gentleman. He was at a musical party at our house a few evenings ago, at which we had also the pleasure of seeing Mr. and Md.e Jerichau, and Mrs. Bojesen.

I am very sorry you had so much trouble to find us out at Bordeaux; we left that place on the 2nd of January - and while we were there, we did not become acquainted either with the English Consul, or the English c1ergyman; we confined ourselves to the society of some French friends, and attendcd the French protestant church.

How glad you must be to return to your own charming country, and that interesting Copenhagen! I was delighted when we were there, last September, to visit "the Round tower" - and was thinking all the time we were in it of Niels Bryde in "To Be, or not to Be". I thought too of your fanciful and beautiful "Row of Pearls", as we were travelling from "Korsør to Copenhagen.

I am sorry to tell you that Mr. Bentley has not published "The Ice Maiden" yet. I sent the translation over to him in ample time from Bordeaux, for him to have had it out at, Christmas. He wrote me that the illustrations were not ready, and that he could not hurry the artist. I was very ill this spring, and entirely confined to my mom, therefore I could not call on Mr. Bentley; but after receiving your letter from Paris, I wrote to him again, giving him your messages - and asking why the Ice Maiden was not published. Re wrote to me on the 3rd April, that, owing to the illness of the Artist, the 38 illustrations for "The Ice Maiden" had not been finished. He said that he thought, now, as it was an - extremely bad literary season, that it would be better to postpone the publication of the work until next Autumn. So you see, dear Mr. Andersen, your beautiful tales will not appear for some months yet. But this is not my fault.

It certainly is a bad publishing season in England, on account of that dreadful civil war in America - to which there does not seem any chance of an end; as those detestable Pederals will not give up their unjustifiable claims on the allegiance of the gallant Southerners. Claims quite unjust and improper as those of the insolent Prussians on Denmark.

My family all unite with me in kindest regards to you, and believe me, dear Mr. Andersen,

yours very sincerely,

Anne S. Bushby

Tekst fra: Se tilknyttet bibliografipost