Letter 668 - Revision history

Tony at 11:51, 23 April 2024

2024-04-23T11:51:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:51, 23 April 2024
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	My letter today will be very short. Yesterday and today I have been a true martyr. I knew that I would miss my brother, but did not know that the feeling would be so strong. [[Venice]], which had seemed so pleasant when I was with him, today came across as something sombre, barren and dreary like the grave. It is hard to put into words what I am feeling now. It is dreadful!		My letter today will be very short. Yesterday and today I have been a true martyr. I knew that I would miss my brother, but did not know that the feeling would be so strong. [[Venice]], which had seemed so pleasant when I was with him, today came across as something sombre, barren and dreary like the grave. It is hard to put into words what I am feeling now. It is dreadful!

	On the journey I recalled that I had not replied to you from Vienna concerning the doctor. Forgive me, my dear friend, but I did not go to a doctor at all. Firstly, I have recently felt fine. Secondly, I have a fear of doctors in general and of well-known ones in particular. Thirdly, I truly have become convinced that going to well-known doctors is completely useless. You only go through all that suffering with them and to no avail. I would much rather talk to a simple doctor, ''not well-known'' but diligent, friendly and well-disposed towards me. In point of fact, my illness is not complicated. The most important thing for me is hygiene. I know very well what it requires and will now do my utmost to ensure it. The best treatment for me is taking the ''waters'', which cannot be done in the winter. As for the special preparation of ''chalk'' as prescribed by the Parisian doctor, it is pure charlatanism. Of course, chalk, like anything ''alkaline'', is a good palliative for my illness, which is no more than an excessive quantity of acids extracted by my organism. But what is the point of all those pills and that whole procedure which he prescribed for me when I can simply drink a glass of water with a spoonful of soda to neutralise the acids! Forgive the detail, and forgive me also for not carrying out your wish. I give you my word that if I should feel ill I will consult a doctor and, in the meantime, will refrain from anything that would be harmful for me. I hope to remain for a long time in this excellent state of health which I have been in precisely ever since I stopped following the Parisian celebrity’s prescription, having become convinced of his charlatanism.		On the journey I recalled that I had not replied to you from Vienna concerning the doctor. Forgive me, my dear friend, but I did not go to a doctor at all. Firstly, I have recently felt fine. Secondly, I have a fear of doctors in general and of well-known ones in particular. Thirdly, I truly have become convinced that going to well-known doctors is completely useless. You only go through all that suffering with them and to no avail. I would much rather talk to a simple doctor, ''not well known'' but diligent, friendly and well disposed towards me. In point of fact, my illness is not complicated. The most important thing for me is hygiene. I know very well what it requires and will now do my utmost to ensure it. The best treatment for me is taking the ''waters'', which cannot be done in the winter. As for the special preparation of ''chalk'' as prescribed by the Parisian doctor, it is pure charlatanism. Of course, chalk, like anything ''alkaline'', is a good palliative for my illness, which is no more than an excessive quantity of acids extracted by my organism. But what is the point of all those pills and that whole procedure which he prescribed for me when I can simply drink a glass of water with a spoonful of soda to neutralise the acids! Forgive the detail, and forgive me also for not carrying out your wish. I give you my word that if I should feel ill I will consult a doctor and, in the meantime, will refrain from anything that would be harmful for me. I hope to remain for a long time in this excellent state of health which I have been in precisely ever since I stopped following the Parisian celebrity’s prescription, having become convinced of his charlatanism.

	I am in such a dreadfully sad mood today that I am in no state to write any more to you, my sweet and dear friend!		I am in such a dreadfully sad mood today that I am in no state to write any more to you, my sweet and dear friend!

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:28:30Z

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Brett at 10:45, 18 February 2021

2021-02-18T10:45:00Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=2/14 December 1877
|To=[[Nadezhda von Meck]]
|Place=[[Venice]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 3097)
|Publication={{bib|1934/36|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с Н. Ф. фон-Мекк ; том 1}} (1934), p. 108–109 <br/>{{bib|1961/38|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VI}} (1961), p. 271–272
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Nick Winter
|Original text={{right|''Венеция''<br/> 2/14 дек[абря] 1877}}
{{centre|Дорогая Надежда Филаретовна!}}
Приехал сегодня в Венецию и нашёл здесь Вашу телеграмму. Вы уже видели из моего венского письма, что и я ликовал по случаю взятия Плевны. Благодарю Вас за то, что при получении столь радостного известия Вы вспомнили обо мне.

Сегодняшнее письмо моё будет очень кратко. Вчера и сегодня я настоящий мученик. Я знал, что буду тосковать о брате, но не знал, что это будет так сильно. Венеция, которая казалась мне так симпатична, пока я был с ним, сегодня произвела на меня впечатление чего-то мрачного, пустынного, могильно-скучного. То, что я теперь испытываю, трудно передать словами. Это ужасно!

Дорогой я вспомнил, что ничего не отвечал Вам из Вены насчёт доктора. Простите меня, мой милый друг, но я не был ни у одного доктора. Во-первых, все последнее время я чувствовал себя отлично. Во-вторых, я боюсь докторов вообще, а знаменитых в особенности. В-третьих, я, право, убедился в совершенной бесполезности посещения знаменитых врачей. Только напрасно промучаешься с ними. Гораздо охотнее я бы поговорил с простым, ''не знаменитым'', но добросовестным и дружески расположенным ко мне врачом. В сущности, болезнь моя очень несложная, и самое главное для меня гигиена. А в чем она должна состоять, я очень хорошо знаю и теперь буду по возможности следовать ей. Лучшим же лечением для меня ''воды'', которых зимой пить нельзя. Что касается ''мела'', особенным образом приготовленного по рецепту парижского доктора, то это сущее шарлатанство. Конечно, мел, как всякая ''щёлочь'', есть хороший паллиатив для моей болезни, заключающейся в излишнем количестве отделяемых моим организмом кислот. Но к чему эти капсюли и вся эта процедура, прописанная им мне, когда так просто выпить стакан воды с ложкой соды, чтобы нейтрализовать кислоты! Простите за эти подробности; простите также, что я не исполнил Вашего желания. Даю Вам слово, что, если буду чувствовать себя худо, обращусь к врачу, а покамест буду воздерживаться от всего для меня вредного и надеюсь, что останусь ещё долго в том отличном для моего здоровья фазисе, в котором нахожусь именно с тех пор, как я, убедившись в шарлатанстве парижской знаменитости, перестал следовать его предписанию.

Мне сегодня так ужасно грустно, что я не в состоянии больше писать Вам, милый и дорогой мой друг!

Простите меня.
{{right|Ваш, П. Чайковский}}
Как бесчестны итальянцы! Половину из всего, что мне обещал хозяин отеля, он не сделал и теперь уверяет, что не обещал мне ни лампы, ни большого стола, ни многих других нужных мне вещей.

|Translated text={{right|[[Venice]]<br/>2/14 December 1877}}
{{centre|Dear [[Nadezhda Filaretovna]]!}}
I arrived in [[Venice]] today and found your telegram here. You will already have seen from my Viennese letter that I also am rejoicing about the capture of Plevna. Thank you for remembering me when you received such joyful news.

My letter today will be very short. Yesterday and today I have been a true martyr. I knew that I would miss my brother, but did not know that the feeling would be so strong. [[Venice]], which had seemed so pleasant when I was with him, today came across as something sombre, barren and dreary like the grave. It is hard to put into words what I am feeling now. It is dreadful!

On the journey I recalled that I had not replied to you from Vienna concerning the doctor. Forgive me, my dear friend, but I did not go to a doctor at all. Firstly, I have recently felt fine. Secondly, I have a fear of doctors in general and of well-known ones in particular. Thirdly, I truly have become convinced that going to well-known doctors is completely useless. You only go through all that suffering with them and to no avail. I would much rather talk to a simple doctor, ''not well-known'' but diligent, friendly and well-disposed towards me. In point of fact, my illness is not complicated. The most important thing for me is hygiene. I know very well what it requires and will now do my utmost to ensure it. The best treatment for me is taking the ''waters'', which cannot be done in the winter. As for the special preparation of ''chalk'' as prescribed by the Parisian doctor, it is pure charlatanism. Of course, chalk, like anything ''alkaline'', is a good palliative for my illness, which is no more than an excessive quantity of acids extracted by my organism. But what is the point of all those pills and that whole procedure which he prescribed for me when I can simply drink a glass of water with a spoonful of soda to neutralise the acids! Forgive the detail, and forgive me also for not carrying out your wish. I give you my word that if I should feel ill I will consult a doctor and, in the meantime, will refrain from anything that would be harmful for me. I hope to remain for a long time in this excellent state of health which I have been in precisely ever since I stopped following the Parisian celebrity’s prescription, having become convinced of his charlatanism.

I am in such a dreadfully sad mood today that I am in no state to write any more to you, my sweet and dear friend!

Forgive me.
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
The Italians are so dishonest! The hotel keeper has not done even half of what he promised me and is now assuring me that he did not promise me any lamps or a large table or the many other things I require.
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0668}}