Dato: 31. juli 1864
Fra: Anne S Bushby   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

3 Halkin Street, Grosvenor Square. London, 31 July, 1864.

My dear Mr. Andersen,

I have many apologies to make to you for not having sooner answered your kind letter, but I have been long very ill, and smee 1 beeame a little better, 1 have been so much occupied that I have not had time even to write to my married daughters, or to my youngest son, who is settled in British Columbia, on the other side of America. Our friend Mr. Bentley begged me to undertake the translation of a French work for him, in fact he would not take any refusal. This book, forming 3 large volumes, is on the subject of theology, the Roman Catholic Religion, etc. etc., and required great attention and much time. I have now finished the manuscript, though the book is not yet printed, and I take my first day of emancipation from this work, to write to you.

I gave your message to Mr. Bentley, and he promised to send a copy af "In Spain" to Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, also a copy af it, and of the "Ice Maiden" to Sir J. Drummond Hay. The latter I advised him to send through the Foreign Office, so that I hope they may be safely received. I sent you by Md.e Bojesen 2 copies af "In Spain" and an Athenæum, which contained a review of it. I hope you will receive these safely from Md.e Bojesen. I enclose 2 notices of "In Spain", from other quarters.

Books have not been so much in request this year, as formerly, an account of the public mind being so much occupied with the affairs af Denmark, and those af America. I can well believe how terribly you must have felt and must still feel the cruel position in which poor dear Denmark is placed, oppressed and overrun by these lawless Miscreants, these worse than wild beasts, the hateful Germans, without one European power coming to its assistance. The conduct af the Governments of France and England is a disgrace to both. France had some slight excuse, for she had Mexico and Algiers on her hand; but England had only the pitiful little war in New Zealand to think of. The English people however, of all ranks, more especially the army and navy are angry and disgusted at the Queen and the Ministers. Ld. Russel is quite despised and is ridiculed from ane end af the country to the other. But however universal is the sympathy for poor Denmark, and the admiration of the brave Danes, that can do them no good. May the God af Justice and of Mercy help them! and may He punish those greedy bloodthirsty Germans who have so outraged all the laws af civilized society, and all the teachings af Christianity.

You mention some plays you have lately written, and which have been successful in Copenhagen, and speak af sending them over here, to be translated for the English stage. I should be very happy to do my best for them, but I do not think, from past experience, that any af the Managers af the London Theatres would take them. I have translated two ar three of Heiberg's best vaudevilles, and offered them to several af the managers af the theatres here, but I have received the same answer from all - that they only care to have translations ar adaptations from French dramas. Besides, there are now so many English writers for the stage, that there are quite a surfeit af pieces to be had.

I am also much afraid that there is no chance af a collection af the Autographs af celebrated Danish authors, actors, and military and naval characters being sold in London. The English know scarce1y anything af the Authors and celebrities of other countries, at least af those who are living at the present day. If the Bazaar for the benefit of the wounded Danish soldiers, and the families af those killed in battle, which we, and some other friends of the Danes were extremely anxious to have got up, had taken place, these Autographs could have been sold at it. But cold water was thrown upon this scheme, and it did not succeed. I am sorry I do not know how any such collection could otherwise be sold.

Every one is now gone, or going out of town - so that nothing can be done now at least. This part of London will be like a desert in a week or two more.

Many thanks for your charming verses. I had seen them before, however, in a Danish newspaper. I enclose you a proof copy of some lines of my own, which have just come out in Bentley's Miscellany for August 1864. Some of my military and naval friends liked the song, so I published it.

And now, dear Mr. Andersen, you must be quite tired of this long letter, so I shall only add my own and my family's kindest remembrances to yourself, and our warmest wishes for the restoration of peace and prosperity to dear Denmark.

yours most sincerely,

A. S. Busbhy

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