And the King also . . . yes, the King above all!
My book must go out into the world. There is nothing else for it! No matter whether Busselinck & Waterman should also read it . . . envy is not my business. At the same time, however, I say that they are schemers and scabs! Only to-day I said so to young Stern, when I proposed him in Artis. I don’t mind in the least if he writes and tells his father.
So then only a few days ago I was quite worried about my book, and now Frits has helped me out. I didn’t tell him so, for I don’t approve of letting people know that one is under any obligation to them—this is one of my principles—but it is true all the same. He said Stern was such a smart youth, and that he made such progress in our language, and that he had translated German verses of Shawlman’s into Dutch. You see, the world was upside down in my house; the Dutchman had written in German and now the German translated it into Dutch. If each had kept to his own language, it would have saved trouble. But, I thought, suppose I got this Stern to write my book! If I should have anything to add, I can now and then write a chapter myself. Frits also can assist. He has a list of words written with ie, and Mary can make a neat copy of everything. This will at the same time give the reader a guarantee against any immorality. For it must be obvious to you that no respectable broker would put anything into the hands of his daughter that was not wholly in keeping with all the rules of morality and respectability.
I, therefore, spoke to both youths about my project, and they thought it a good one. Only it seemed that Stern, who has a touch of literary knowledge—as so many Germans—wanted to have a voice in the manner of the execution of the work. This, to be candid, did not please me altogether, but as the Springsale is at hand, and I haven’t yet any orders from Ludwig Stern, I didn’t want to go against him too much. He said that when his breast glowed with enthusiasm for truth and beauty, no power in the world could restrain him from striking the notes which harmonized—Frits writes harmonised, but I don’t. I pronounce it z, and I write it z
