From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:

1866

Journey to Portugal
Guest at the O'Neills'
First contact with Horace Scudder

1866: Journey to Portugal


12 January

Return to Copenhagen from Basnæs. Checks in at Hotel d'Angleterre. He is given two rooms on the 1st floor, as the violinist Ole Bull is staying in the two rooms he had earlier on the 2nd floor. HCA no longer has any interest in Ole Bull, as a person or an artist.

26th January: (and the following days)

Several arrangements are held to bid HCA farewell, before his departure. For example, on 26th he reads fairy-tales at the home of actor Lauritz Eckardt for an audience consisting of, amongst others, the Swedish actor and writer Frans Hedberg and the Danish-Norwegian writer Magdalene Thoresen.
Later on the same day he reads aloud at the home of the theatre steward Gottlob Berner, where there are theatre people and others present. One of the guests is the owner of Berner's house, Ernst Bilsted and his family (e.g. the daughter Anna Felicia, later married to Hillerup). Bilsted, master of the royal hunt at Høvdingsgaard Estate, is HCA's "friend" (as it says in the diary, 26th). [Ernst Bilsted is HCA's old friend from school days. They meet again in January 71].

28 January

Sees "Kejserens nye Klæder" (The Emperor's New Clothes) printed in a newspaper in Portuguese from Rio de Janeiro.

31 January

Departure from Copenhagen, after having on this and the previous day said good bye to both the king and queen, the crown prince (the later King Frederik VIII) and Princess Dagmar.
HCA expects the journey will cost 900 rdl.
Sails from Korsør to Nyborg, then by train to Strib, by coach to Middelfart, ferry to Kolding, coach to Haderslev and by train to Altona railway station/Hamburg. Then by bus to Haarburg and from there by train to Celle. On through Hannover, Rheine.

7 February

Crosses the border of Holland to Utrecht. Here he meets the Dutch priest and poet, Jan ten Kate, as well as the writer and HCA translator, J.I.D. Nepveu. The latter gives HCA his translation of HCA fairy-tales into Dutch. Continues to Amsterdam on 10th.

10th February - 14th March

In Amsterdam. Is welcomed by the Danish merchant brothers, Andreas Ludvig and Georg Brandt. Stays with Andreas Ludvig. Whilst here, HCA spends time with e.g. the composer and conductor J.J.H. Verhulst, who feels that the Danish Gade is one of Europe's greatest composers at the present time. During a concert, Verhulst includes a symphony by Gade, in honour of HCA's visit.
Disagrees somewhat with his host on matters concerning religion. HCA takes exception to the Dutch caste treatment of the Jews.

14th - 18th March

In Leiden. Stays with the writer Johannes Kneppelhout. Whilst here, HCA receives by mail a book by a young Dutch writer, which is about famous people. HCA is equalled in the book with Napoleon and Mozart. (In the diary (15th) he comments: "I am quite embarrassed to see it". All the same, he wastes no time in visiting her and giving her a copy of his portrait card).

18th - 23rd March

In the Haag.

1866: Guest at the O'Neills'


23rd - 29th March

In Belgium. In Antwerpen from 23rd - 26th (visits the painter Nicaise de Keyser at his atelier) on is in Bruxelles from 26th - 29th.

29th March - 13th April

In Paris. On 1st April, he accompanies Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (the later King Frederik VIII) to the races in Vincennes,

"where indeed I was seated on the imperial grandstand. It was also entertaining when we bolted through the boulevards in a carriage with the outriders at full speed, and saw the Parisians lined up to get a glimpse at the young Danish prince"
(unpublished letter to Mrs Scavenius at Basnæs, written 27th April).

On 2nd April, HCA visits the painter Lorenz Frølich, who has begun preliminary sketches for intended illustrations for HCA's fairy-tales. Visits Rossini (4th April). During his stay in Paris, HCA gets an idea which becomes the framework of the story "Dryaden" (The Wood Nymph), published in 1868.

10 April

HCA is advised that the emperor of Mexico has conferred upon him the title of Commander of the order of Notre Dame de Guadaloupe. When the emperor is executed in the following year, HCA is informed that if he shows himself in Mexico wearing this order he would be shot, but that it is safe to wear it in Austria.

13 April

Departure from Paris. Via Tours to Bordeaux.

14th - 24th April

In Bordeaux.

24 April

On to Bayonne, from there across the Spanish border to San Sebastián and on via Burgos to Madrid.

30th April - 3rd May

In Madrid.

2 May

Fifth edition of Billedbog uden Billeder (Picture-book without Pictures).

3 May

From Madrid via Mérida and Badajoz across the border ("it was like coming out of the Middle Ages into the present", diary, 5th May) to Lisbon.

6th May - 8th June

In Lisbon. Stays at Quinta do Pinheiro in Palhava with the merchant George (Jorge) O'Neill, who is the Danish consul-general in Lisbon. They have known each other about 40 years.
During his stay, HCA visits the poet Antonio Feliciano de Castilho, who has translated poems by the Danes Oehlenschläger and Boye. HCA helps George O'Neill to translate "Barnet i Graven" (The Child in the Grave).

14 May

Is invited to visit King Fernando, who is the brother of the Queen Dowager of Sweden.

8th June - 9th July

Stays with Carlos O'Neill at Quinta dos Bonecos in Setubal. The hosts would have him stay for the winter, but HCA declines. Through the newspapers, he keeps up with reports from the Prussian-Austrian war (soon after also with Italy against Austria). Goes on outings to Barreiro and Palmela.

9th - 26th July

Staying with George O'Neill once more. George encourages HCA to go to Lisbon to screw (this is the expression noted in the diary on 12th). HCA confides in George that he suffers from unsatisfied sexual desire and George tells him that he must "clean out his water-house" (diary, same). In the following period of time, HCA tormented by sexual frustrations.
Outing via Aveiro to Coimbra.

26th July - 8th August

Staying with José O'Neill in Cintra. Whilst here, HCA cuts and glues a "lamp-shade" for the host, as he had done at Holsteinborg.

8th - 14th August

Back in Lisbon with George O'Neill.

14 August

Takes the steam-ship Navarro from Lisbon to Bordeaux. From here via Blois to Paris.

1866: First contact with Horace Scudder


30th - 31st August

In Paris, where HCA visits a brothel:

"During this entire trip I have been urged to seek out a prostitute. However tired I was, I did, all the same, decide to see one of these creatures. I approached a house; there appeared a woman in the business of selling human flesh, and four prostitutes paraded for me. The youngest was 18, or so they said. I asked her to stay. She wore almost nothing but a shift, I felt so sorry for her. I paid 5 francs to the madam, gave her, when she asked me for it, 5 francs, but did nothing; merely looked at the poor child, who undressed completely and seemed surprised that I merely looked at her"
(the diary, 30th).

Notes on the next day:

"Many Parisian thoughts, it is good that I am leaving soon. The flesh is vulnerable".

31 August

About to depart from Paris, HCA meets Alexandre Dumas at the railway station. The journey home is via Cologne, Hannover, Hamburg and Kolding to Odense.

6 September

Arrival in Odense. Accompanied by Bishop Engelstoft, HCA goes to see the place where his parents had lived. On the following day, the Bishop is host to gathering in honour of HCA. Amongst the guests is the poet Julius Gerson (author of the well-known poem for children called "En lille Nisse reiste" (A Small Pixie Left).

During the dinner held by the bishop, a merchant by the name of Petersen proposes a toast for HCA, saying:

"that I had come from the common classes, was the most famous man in Denmark and the pride of Odense. He requested that I not just pass through the town, as so many here wish to meet with me"
(the diary, 7th).

Leaves Odense on 7th, bound for Sorø (Mrs Ingemann has had an eye operation and is weak, so HCA stays at Hotel Sorø by the railway station instead). He then continues to Roskilde (where he visits Hartmann and Ortwed, the rural dean) and on to Copenhagen.
Expenses incurred during the trip: HCA has withdrawn 800 rdl. of his funds administered by Edvard Collin (of course he had stayed with the O'Neills at no cost).

9 September

Is back in Copenhagen. The Melchior family collect him and have him lodged at Gammel Rolighed at Kalkbrænderiet (the lime kiln).
There is an outing to the Collins' in Hellebæk on 18th. Associates with the painter Carl Bloch and visits his atelier.

19 September

Release of 2nd edition of De to Baronesser (The Two Baronesses) and 3rd edition of Improvisatoren (The Improvisatore).

22 September

HCA is guest of honour at the Workers' Association.

29 September

Travels to Holsteinborg.

5 October

Due to the indisposition of Countess Holstein, HCA moves to Basnæs Estate. From here there is an outing to Borreby.

20 October

Returns to Holsteinborg.

25 October

Horace Scudder, the American writer of children's books, also publisher/editor, sends an initial request to HCA for 12 fairy-tales, which Scudder would like to publish. This initial request does not result in an agreement.

26th - 28th October

Is in Sorø with Mrs Ingemann. Also staying there is Kirstine Jensen, a female poet from Langeland. HCA mentions her in his diary on 26th:

"a plain and poor woman, with strong feeling and enthusiasm".

28 October

Back in Copenhagen, where Melchior meets him and helps him move in to his new rooms on Kongens Nytorv: 1 Lille Kongensgade, 1st floor, the home of Thora Hallager, a female photographer. HCA describes the interior here in an unprinted letter addressed to Mrs Scavenius at Basnæs:

"Thank you for the lovely vases and for the picture, they are most decorative in my lounge, which is very cosy and neat with rugs, pictures, ornaments and flowers from Mrs Jerichau. I also received a very nice Brysseler rug. The view is marvellous and each window is fitted with just one large pane of glass. The stairwell is fine and moreover, I have a well-lit antechamber [...] Countess Holstein was in town for a couple of days and brought with her a large wreath which can keep all winter, also some swaying Panama-grass. It drapes down almost like a banner over the bust of Jenny Lind, which I have placed in a corner between flowers. Unfortunately, I only get the morning sun and the tiled stove is not very big; winter will probably be hard and long".

16 November

Reads aloud at the Workers' Association.

25 November

"Et Blad fra et Besøg i Portugal 1866" (Page from a Visit to Portugal 1866) is printed in Figaro, edited by Robert Watt. Other snippets from the journey are published in the second half of the year, also in Figaro, as well as in Dagbladet.

December

Release of Fotograferede Børnegrupper by Harald Paetz, including rhymes by Professor H.C. Andersen (6 small rhymes).
This collaboration is one of many indications that HCA was very interested in photography. He let himself be photographed on innumerable occasions, thus obtaining portrait cards which he passed out liberally. Since the beginning of this decade he had also been very keen on stereoscope pictures, which he bought a great number of whilst travelling. He also had stereoscope pictures made with himself as motif.

3 December

Reads aloud for the Students' Association.

11 December

Release of Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Række. Fjerde Samling (New Tales and Stories. Second Series. Fourth Installment) ("Gjemt er ikke glemt" (Kept Secret but not Forgotten), "Portnerens Søn" (The Porter's Son), "Flyttedagen" (Moving Day), "Sommergjækken" (The Snowdrop), "Moster" (Aunty), "Skrubtudsen" (The Toad).

24 December

To Basnæs Estate.

31 December

At the turn of the year, HCA's assets amount to 13,472 rdl., including a special interest account.

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