ROME, June 22d, 1882
My Dear Jonas Lie:
I MUST not any longer put off writing to you; to my disgrace I have already put it off too long, but as for letter-writing I feel that I am, unfortunately, about incorrigible.
Let me then first and foremost from a full heart thank you for and congratulate you upon your new book. It is a new proof of the fact that among the writers of sea stories there is not in the present generation a single poet who can think of equalling you.
The pictures of the herring fishery are perfect masterpieces in every respect; they occupy all senses; I actually smelled herring when I read them, I saw herring scales glisten wherever I turned my eyes, and it seemed to me as if I stepped into the slippery herring entrails wherever I walked or stood. That is the way it should be done!
Well, of this book you have surely had much joy already. For opinions cannot well be divided; the twaddling critics of the newspapers will hardly find anything with which to pick a quarrel. So far as I have seen, their opinions have been unanimous.
Thank you also for the letter with which you delighted me when the war against “Ghosts” raged fiercest. It came to pass as you then wrote: the storm has subsided, and there are in many quarters signs of a more dispassionate consideration of the book. In Sweden it has occasioned a whole literature of pamphlets and periodical articles. Most cowardly, as usual, the Norwegians proved themselves to be; and the most cowardly of the cowardly ones, of course, were the so-called liberals. They were in downright bodily fear that they should not be able to clear themselves of the suspicion of being in any kind of agreement with me.
Day before yesterday I finished a new dramatic work in five acts. I am not yet sure whether I shall call it a comedy or a drama; it partakes of the nature of either, or lies half way between; it will be printed in the course of the summer, but will not appear until late fall.
Yesterday Sigurd took the second part of the law examination and passed with great credit in all subjects. In about fourteen days he will take the third and last part, the so-called laureat examination, and immediately afterward he is going to defend his thesis for the degree of doctor of law; the thesis has already been sanctioned and treats of “The Position of the Upper House in Representative Constitutions it amounts to over one hundred closely written quarto pages.
When these affairs are finished we leave Rome temporarily to spend the summer in the Tyrol. Next fall we come here again.
And what plans have you and yours for the summer? Is there perhaps a possibility that we might meet? It would be a very great joy to me. We had originally thought of going to Norway this year; but as the examination comes so late that the best part of the summer will be lost we have had to give up that plan or put it off until next year.
Perhaps this letter will not reach you in Hamburg, but I hope that it will reach you anyhow. Best regards to your excellent wife from us, and likewise to the children. I often speak of the pleasant times together in Berchtesgaden.
Your devoted friend,
HENRIK IBSEN