St. Emeran, Ratisbon. August 4 [1847].
My dear Andersen,
I have just finished the translation of "The Shadow", certainly containing as much humour, fine, piquant humour, as any tale I know. I have read it over several times and always with renewed delight. The humour is so genuine - the satire, too, so well pointed! Tomorrow I shall do the "Stopfnadel" and then all be done except the story which is in the other volume.
I was delighted to get your letter and thank you for it. At my return I was [so] exhausted from bodily fatigue and excitement that nothing but strong constitution prevented an attack of illness. I wanted a full week to rest and to recover. I hope you are not doing the same as myself - undertaking too much, and undergoing too great excitement.
From Frankfurth I went to Heidelberg to pay Auerbach a visit, but to my great disappointment found he had left a few hours before my arrival. How beautiful Heidelberg is! I know few places that are more so - I thought of you when wandering about the ruin and wished you could have been there to enjoy the lovely afternoon and the view upon the woods and river. I long to hear from you after you have seen Scotland: Edinbro' will most certainly delight you. If you get this before you have visited the spot where Scott reposes, be so good as to pluck for me a flower or even a bit of grass from his grave: you can send it me from Frankfurt or give it me when we meet again. -
You will, of course, see Lockhart before you leave England. Give my best remembrances to him and Miss Lockhart.
Do not think, dear Andersen, that you were not "liebenswürdig" when in London. You were so, I am sure, and you cannot help your strength not allowing you to do more than you did. We had some pleasant hours together, and the remembrance of them will be something to dwell on for a long time to come.
I should like to speak with you about the 6 Marchen, and I want to know if you could not go to Leipsig by Nürnberg. From Nürnberg to Leipsig you could go very quickly, as there are rail-roads very nearly the whole way; which is not the case from Frankfurth. It would make but little difference to you. If yau would do so, I would come to Nürnberg to meet you and stay with you for a day, or a day and a halt. If you do this, which would give me just pleasure, try to arrange it so that I can come to you on a Sunday. Have you seen Nürnberg? It is a most curious place. Did Jenny Lind get that article I wrote about her, and do you know if it pleased her? August 5 - I have now done all the tales I have got. There are some questions, however, I must ask you about them, which I hope to do at Nürnberg. - Uhland is at Munich at present. I thank you very much for the present of your works, which Lorck will no doubt send me soon. You must not forget to write something for me in one of the volumes. I only hope that some day I may have something of my own to offer, not unworthy of your acceptance.
I hope soon to meet you this next time in Germany, but later perhaps in Denmark. What a pleasure that would be, to see the beechwoods that you have told me about, to walk about Copenhagen with you, and to see the happy children that kiss their hands to you as you go by!
Farewell, dear Andersen, believe me always, Faithfully and affectionately, Yours
Charles Boner.