1.
To his father, on his name-day. [In verse]
When the world declares the festivity of your name-day,
my Papa, it brings joy to me also, with these wishes;
that you may live happily, may not know grievous cares,
that God may always favour you with the fate you desire,
these wishes I express for your sake.
F. CHOPIN
6 December 1816.
2.
To his mother, on her name-day. [In verse]
I congratulate you, Mummy, on your name-day!
May the heavens fulfil what I feel in my heart:
That you should always be well and happy, and
have the longest and most satisfactory life.
F. CHOPIN
16 June 1817.
3.
To his father, on his name-day. [In verse]
How great a joy I feel in my heart.
That a day so pleasant, so dear and glorious
Begins, a day that I greet with the wish
That long years may pass in happiness,
In health and vigour, peacefully, successfully.
May the gifts of heaven fall richly upon you.
F. CHOPIN
6 December 1817.
4.
To his father on his name-day.
DEAR PAPA!
I could express my feelings more easily if they could be put into notes of music, but as the very best concert would not cover my affection for you, dear Daddy, I must use the simple words of my heart, to lay before you my utmost gratitude and filial affection.
F. CHOPIN
6 December 1818.
5.
TO EUSTACHY MARYLSKI IN PECICE.
[Warsaw, September 1823.]
DEAR MARYLSKI!
I went myself to Pan Zubelewicz to find out when the lectures for beginners, not the examinations, begin; he told me that they begin either the 16th or the 17th of this month, the Commission not having yet decided whether the public session of the Academy shall be the 15th or the 16th. He also told me that the lectures are to be in the morning and the examinations in the afternoon, and that after the 15th he will not put anyone down. Excuse my writing so badly, I am in a hurry. Please tell Weltz what I have told you, and remember me kindly to him and Tytus. BiaĆobĆocki came to Warsaw on Saturday; he will enter his name on Tuesday, leave on Wednesday and return for the term. Mamma and Papa send greetings to your parents and Ludwika to your sister; and I embrace you and your brothers heartily.
F. CHOPIN
Messrs. Kulikowski, Karwowski [Karnowski?], WilczyĆski, and Krzywicki are retired, and that professor from Kalisz has got Kulikowskiâs place. Pan Dobronoki [?] sends you greetings. Goodbye. Donât show this letter to anyone, because everybody would say that I canât write and donât know anything about politics.
6.
TO WILHELM KOLBERG.
Szafarnia, 19 August 1824.
DEAR WILUSâ!
Thanks for remembering me; but on the other hand I am annoyed with you, that you are such a mean and horrid etcetera and only write such a scrap to me. Were you short of paper or pens, or did you grudge the ink? Perhaps you had no time to do more than put in a scrawl? Eh, eh, thatâs it; you go horseback riding, enjoying yourself, and forget about me â Well, well; give me a kiss and Iâll forgive you.
Iâm glad youâre well and jolly, because thatâs what is wanted in the country. Iâm so glad I can write to you. I also am enjoying myself; and youâre not the only one that rides, for I can stick on too. Donât ask how well; but I can, enough for the horse to go slowly wherever he prefers, while I sit fearfully on his back; like a monkey on a bear. Till now I havenât had any falls because the horse hasnât thrown me off; but â if ever he should want me to tumble off, I may do it some day.
I wonât bother you with my affairs, because I know they wonât interest you. The flies often alight on my lofty nose, but thatâs unimportant, because itâs rather a custom of these importunate beasties. The gnats bite me; but that doesnât matter, because itâs not on the nose. I run about the garden, and sometimes walk. I walk in the woods, and sometimes ride, not on horseback but in a carriage, or trap, or coach; but with such honour that I always sit at the back, never in front. Perhaps Iâve bored you already, but what can I do? If not, then write by the first post, and I will continue my epistles at once.
I end my letter therefore without compliments, but amicably. Keep well, dear Wilusâ, and please do write to me. We shall meet in 4 weeks. I embrace you heartily. Your sincere friend.
F. CHOPIN
My respects to your Mamma and Papa, and I embrace your brothers.
7.
TO JAN BIAĆOBĆOCKI IN SOKOĆOWO.
[SokoĆowo, end of summer 1824 or 1825.]
DEAR, BELOVED JALEK!
We start very early tomorrow. I promised to come to you yesterday, but I couldnât get to SokoĆowo1 till today. Iâm very sorry that I shanât see you again on these holidays; I must just say goodbye to you on this bit of paper and give you a letter for Panna Kostancja,2 which Ludwika3 has sent by post, in a letter to me. I wish you the best of health, and that your leg should get quite well. Kiss your Papa for me and thank him for the decoction, to which I am much indebted. Tell him that I will never forget about it. So, dear Jasia, we have to part without any real goodbye. I kiss you heartily. Remember me, as I remember you.
F. F. CHOPIN
Greetings to Panna Florentina. I should like to follow you to Radomin, but I canât. I should like to wait; I canât; for Panna Ludwika4 â oh that Panna Ludwika! â is waiting for me. I shall come back quickly, because I want to pack my things at once. Give me a kiss! You would not believe how sorry I am! â I donât want to go away. Why have I jolted all this way in a carriage to find nobody at home! But at least you will know that I did come. I came to say an affectionate goodbye to you and your Papa.
I donât myself know what Iâve written; I have never before been in such a situation.
8.
To the Same.
[Warsaw] Friday, 8 July 1825.
DEAR JASIA!
Itâs lucky that there is such a good opportunity to write to you. I have to report to you that we are all pretty well; secondly, that the examination is close upon us, just under my nose (in old Poland they used to say: âin my beltâ; but as I donât wear a belt, only a big nose, you have an excellent reason why I should tell you it is under my nose). Donât expect me to write much to you; I am very busy, and the gentleman who brought the note from Panna Kostancja came this evening and leaves tomorrow. Kresner and Signora Bianchi1 give a concert on Monday, not in the theatre, but in Elertâs Hall in the German hotel. Itâs a concert Ă la KrogĂłlski2 by private subscription; Kresner gave me 12 tickets, but I sold only 3, as the price is 6 zĆotys.3
Iâm sorry you are not here; I have had some very good times with Your Benevolence, gossiping, joking, singing, crying, laughing, fisticuffing, and so on.
In my next letter I will let you know rather more fully, by post, when we shall meet, for we hear that the examination is to be on the 26th of this month. Iâm writing after dark; tomorrow I have to get up early, and tonight to sit up and sit up, sit up, still sit up, and perhaps even sit up all night.
Amice, vale! I canât tell you anything, except that I havenât yet had a letter from you from Sochaczew. If you havenât written, a bad wigging awaits you in my next letter.
I must add one thing more to this; that is: that you are to tell me whether your leg is better, and whether you arrived all right.
This letter is like a field where peas and cabbages are mixed up together. Thereâs no logic, je sais quâil manque logique; mais que faire, on se hĂąte, car on nâa pas le temps pour Ă©crire honnĂȘtement. Si câest comme ca,4 forgive me; Iâll send a longer and better letter by post; now I just embrace you heartily.
F. F. CHOPIN
Ć»ywny5 and Pani Dekert are well; they donât know I am writing to you, or would cend messages. My respects to your Papa.
9.
To the Same.
[Warsaw, 27 November 1825.]
MON CHER!
La lettre que vous mâavez Ă©crite, rejoiced me, although, comme je vois, it contains sad news. Votre jambe vous fait mal; I grieve for that; not que vous ĂȘtes assez gai, as I see from the letter, ça mâa donnĂ© de la sauce,1 and leaves me in the best of humours.
Demain nous finissons notre examination. Je ne prendrai pas de prix, car les lavements le prennent â When I come to you, I will explain this ri...