DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48092#0072
52
durer’s literary remains.
[chap.
Tell my mother to speak to Wolgemut about my brother and to ask
him whether he can make use of him and give him work till I come, or
whether he can put him with some one else. I should gladly have
brought him with me to Venice, and that would have been useful both
to me and him, and he would have learnt the language, but my mother
was afraid that the sky would fall on him. Pray keep an eye on him
yourself, the women are no use for that. Tell the lad, as you so well
can, to be studious and honest till I come, and not to be a trouble to his
mother; if I cannot arrange everything I will at all events do all that I
can. Alone I certainly should not starve, but to support many is too
hard for me, for no one throws his gold away.
Now I commend myself to you. Tell my mother to be ready to
sell at the Crown-fair {Heiligthumsfesty I am arranging for my wife
to have come home by then; I have written to her too about every-
thing. I will not take any steps about buying the diamond ornament
till I get your next letter.
I don’t think I shall be able to come home before next autumn,
when what I earned for the picture, which was to have been ready by
Whitsuntide, will be quite used up in living expenses, purchases, and
payments; what however I gain afterwards I hope to save. If you see
fit don’t speak of this further and I will keep putting off my leaving
from day to day and writing as though I was just coming. I am
indeed very uncertain what to do next. Write to me again soon.
Given on Thursday before Palm Sunday in the year 1506.
Albrecht Durer
Your Servant.
Venice, 25 April, 1506.
First my willing service to you dear Sir. I wonder why you do not
write to tell me how you like the sapphire ring, which Hans Imhof has
sent you from Augsburg by the messenger Schon. I don’t even know
whether you have got it or not. I have been and enquired of Hans
Imhof and he says he knows no reason why it should not have reached
you. I wrote you a letter with it, and did the stone up in a sealed
packet. The ring is of the size here drawn. I only managed to get it
after hard begging; for the stone is neat and clear, and my friends say
it is very good for the money I gave for it. It weighs about 5 florins
Rhenish, and I paid 18 ducats 4 marzelle for it. If it were lost I should
be half wild, for it has been valued at quite twice what I gave for it.
There were some who would have given me more for it than I paid, the
moment after I had bought it.
So, dear Herr Pirkheimer tell Hans Imhof to enquire of the mes-
senger what he has done with the letter and packet. The messenger
was sent off by young Hans Imhof on the nth of March.
Now may God preserve you, and let me commend my mother to you.
Tell her to take my brother to Wolgemut, that he may work instead of
being idle. Ever your servant. Read by the sense. I am in a hurry,
durer’s literary remains.
[chap.
Tell my mother to speak to Wolgemut about my brother and to ask
him whether he can make use of him and give him work till I come, or
whether he can put him with some one else. I should gladly have
brought him with me to Venice, and that would have been useful both
to me and him, and he would have learnt the language, but my mother
was afraid that the sky would fall on him. Pray keep an eye on him
yourself, the women are no use for that. Tell the lad, as you so well
can, to be studious and honest till I come, and not to be a trouble to his
mother; if I cannot arrange everything I will at all events do all that I
can. Alone I certainly should not starve, but to support many is too
hard for me, for no one throws his gold away.
Now I commend myself to you. Tell my mother to be ready to
sell at the Crown-fair {Heiligthumsfesty I am arranging for my wife
to have come home by then; I have written to her too about every-
thing. I will not take any steps about buying the diamond ornament
till I get your next letter.
I don’t think I shall be able to come home before next autumn,
when what I earned for the picture, which was to have been ready by
Whitsuntide, will be quite used up in living expenses, purchases, and
payments; what however I gain afterwards I hope to save. If you see
fit don’t speak of this further and I will keep putting off my leaving
from day to day and writing as though I was just coming. I am
indeed very uncertain what to do next. Write to me again soon.
Given on Thursday before Palm Sunday in the year 1506.
Albrecht Durer
Your Servant.
Venice, 25 April, 1506.
First my willing service to you dear Sir. I wonder why you do not
write to tell me how you like the sapphire ring, which Hans Imhof has
sent you from Augsburg by the messenger Schon. I don’t even know
whether you have got it or not. I have been and enquired of Hans
Imhof and he says he knows no reason why it should not have reached
you. I wrote you a letter with it, and did the stone up in a sealed
packet. The ring is of the size here drawn. I only managed to get it
after hard begging; for the stone is neat and clear, and my friends say
it is very good for the money I gave for it. It weighs about 5 florins
Rhenish, and I paid 18 ducats 4 marzelle for it. If it were lost I should
be half wild, for it has been valued at quite twice what I gave for it.
There were some who would have given me more for it than I paid, the
moment after I had bought it.
So, dear Herr Pirkheimer tell Hans Imhof to enquire of the mes-
senger what he has done with the letter and packet. The messenger
was sent off by young Hans Imhof on the nth of March.
Now may God preserve you, and let me commend my mother to you.
Tell her to take my brother to Wolgemut, that he may work instead of
being idle. Ever your servant. Read by the sense. I am in a hurry,