Dato: 14. september 1864
Fra: H.C. Andersen   Til: Alfred Holmes
Sprog: engelsk.

Copenhagen of September 1864

My dear Friend!

You have honored me, my dear friend, with the dedication of your latest composition "Three romances", receive my heartfelt thanks for this proof of your friendship. You have certainly favoured me a joy in this, for every danish hart so dark on heavy time.

[overstr: Thus I now have expressed my thankfulness at an earlier period You will perhaps wonder]

You will perhaps wonder at my not having expressed my thankfulness at an earlier period, but until this hour I have been ingorant of the joy you have procured my, your letter dated Gothenborg 22d of April having only reached me the 10th of Spetember here in Copenhagen together with the announced composition. My silence is the excuse, / your letter having made a voyage of four months.

After my return from Spain I felt very much refreshed. I became productive, wrote instantly my book "In Spain", as well as a comedy for Casino and one for the royal theatre. The last one entitled "He is not born" made a great success. But since that time I have done nothing, being depressed with sorrows and the hard trials, wich have come over us poor Danes. The good humour has disappaered, nor will the sun shine, only your king sympthy came as a sunbeam to show me how you will remember me. Receive therefore my heartfelt thanks and pay my best compliments to your dear excellent brother.

Yours truly

P.S.

Mrs. and Mr. Martin R. Henriques send you their best compliments with the heartfelt thanks from Mrs. Henriques for your kindness in sending her your last composition. They are starting for Paris next week, where they stay for a fortnight, perhaps they will visit London.

Tekst fra: Solveig Brunholm (microfilm 91, 442-44)