Love letters!
Sheets of paper, squiggles, black-and-white strings of pages collected in a little book. But if you open the book and read it carefully, the paper becomes hot from the blaze of passion, the black lines cast a scarlet glow, like flocks of fire-winged firebirds soaring into the sky ... As if a nun from Portugal wrote her crazy love messages with liquid fire. In the letters of Eloise, the blood of her heart is reddening. And the French king Henry III, while still heir to the throne, wrote love letters to the Duchess of Conde with real blood. He beat with the tips of his fingers on a small pillow studded with needles, and then moistened the pen with drops of blood. What the awakened imagination will not see in these messages! He will see the tears of Anne Boleyn, which almost washed away the trembling letters scrawled on the prison walls. He will see the face of another prisoner, Mirabeau, frozen over a piece of paper, distorted by voluptuousness. He will not only see, but also hear: in Napoleon’s short, wayward messages, he will hear the drum roll, the inviting voice of war horns ... Let’s not look for all this in Hungarian love letters, from the old days we have preserved for the most part only news to a husband or wife, bride or groom.
Let's start with the 16th century. This is what a husband writes to his wife. On the outside of the letter:
“For the transfer to my beloved wife, Mrs. Clara Shoos, in the own hands of my kind wife.
Errishten (Nitra county)”. Inside:
“My beloved Clara! Write to me about your health, how you are alive. Further, my dear wife, I sent you all kinds of birds, I sent a thrush, you can keep him alive; He also sent two wives. He also sent cucumbers, and sent daisies, and sent marigolds, in addition, he sent pink marshmallow, now pink marshmallow is enough for you. Write to me: if I type more, should I send it further? In addition, my beloved wife, I can tell you that I arrived here in Ugrots on Sunday afternoon, but have not yet met my stepmother. There are also your ducks, chickens, as well as geese, with them I will send my mother to you at once. I can't give you any news other than Mrs. Zai. In the morning the Turks seized Gergei, so Mrs. Zai - I know for sure - is terribly killed about him. Dearest wife, take my shoes, which you ordered from the shoemaker, from this man. Do not leave the hawks (birds of prey), but entrust them to Mihok so that he gives them food, I would deal with them if the female is quiet. Also, dear wife, I sent you nutmeg pears, pick ripe ones and dry them; take care of yourself, you won’t eat anything more than aspiration, otherwise you will fall ill.
On that, may the almighty Lord be with you, dear wife. Don't leave the hawks. Written in Ugrots, on the fifth day of the month of St. James. Anno 1575 (Anno - in a year, in summer (lat.)).
Your beloved husband Petrush Zai tr.” (M. R. (motu proprio) - hereinafter - in person (lat.))
Apparently, in the 16th century, the same unspoken agreement existed between spouses as now: the husband gives gifts, the wife accepts, and both of them rejoice. In the same way, all kinds of “commissions” to husbands were popular, as can be seen from Anna Bakic’s letter to her husband Mihai Revai:
“Having expressed my readiness to serve Your mercy in every possible way, my dear lord, it would be heartfelt for me to hear whether the Almighty Lord delivered your mercy safely to Pozhon, I, thank God, reached the house in one piece. Didn't send anything new to Your Grace, except that I sent two goose eggs to Your Grace. Also, my dear sir, I ask your grace to buy me thirty tiny buttons for my Spanish coat, black, otherwise I would be ready, but there is wire behind them. I beg your grace, my dearest husband, to send me pearls, but do not forget green silk. May the Lord keep your mercy in good health and may it send good luck to your mercy, my beloved husband. Written at Holich on Monday, anno 1556. Your Grace's daughter Anna Bakic
P.S. If it is written with errors, I beg your mercy's forgiveness, for I wrote in the evening in a fair hurry.
This letter contains everything that has long been called “eternally feminine”. Coquettish tenderness (Anna calls herself her husband's daughter), instructions about buttons, pearls, a date with a flaw - because without a month, hints of frugality and homeliness - goose eggs turned up very opportunely. Truly love letters were written by Kata Zrini to her absent husband Imre Forgach. It can be seen from them that the pen of a loving woman could hardly keep up with the feelings rushing out. Here is one of them:
“Until my death, I give myself to the service of your grace, just as I give my loving heart to my dear master; I ask our Father Almighty for your mercy an inexpressible multitude of blessings for our body and our soul, for they are one with us, my dear beloved master; may the Almighty grant your mercy many good years, let us pray to the Lord in the name of the purity of his holy name and our salvation.
I ask, my heart, my beloved lord, that your mercy hasten home; I expect your grace for tomorrow, if you cannot arrive, I will be in bitter anguish. Therefore, I place myself at the complete disposal of your mercy until my death, and my sincere love for your mercy, as well as my loving heart, I give to the beloved master of my soul. Give, Lord, your mercy, my beloved and dear master, to quickly get home in good health and give me, Lord, to see your mercy, beloved and dear master of my soul, in that good health and happiness in which we will live many prosperous years we are by the grace of the lord of heaven and earth. Written in Bih, Thursday evening at about 5 o'clock. 1572. Daughter and wife of Kata Zrini, obedient to your grace.” This letter contains almost no information, it is entirely a heap of tender and loving words. The month, of course, is not indicated here either ...
XVII CENTURY
Bride's letter to groom. Calm, restrained phrases. The appeal is no less characteristic: the groom is still only “dear sir”. On the outside of the letter:
"Written to the gracious Mr. Miklos Bethlen, my dear sovereign." Inside:
“Respecting you as my sovereign, I am ready to serve your mercy with humility, may the Lord bless your mercy with all spiritual and bodily well-being.
I can not miss the opportunity not to write to your mercy, I ask the Lord that my letter finds your mercy in the hour of good health, truly, I was very sad about the poor state of your mercy, we are now, thank God, in vigor, her mercy, dear empress mother is also cheerful, and, thank God, I am healthy, God forbid that your mercy be in good health. I sent your grace, dear sir, a good shirt, God grant that your grace wear it in good health.
I therefore commit myself to your mercy under the protection of God's providence. Written in Al Dede April 4, anno 1668. Your Grace's humble servant Ilona Kun tr.
P.S. The Empress Matushka is ready to serve your Grace with love.”
"For the transfer of my beloved betrothed, the noble Ilona Kuhn."
“My beloved heart. ... As long as I, my dear, still cannot appear before your eyes, and the day of our joy is approaching, I want to admonish you through a letter, believe me, my soul, under such circumstances, the intrigues of the devil, and human gossip, and sometimes the overtaking right hand of the almighty Lord, but the cure for all this is only a sincere and zealous prayer to the one God, and on our part - complete repose in each other and true love, and the sooner, my beloved, these feelings will grow in you, the sooner we will come fortunately. Prepare in advance also for the fact that you will appear before many eyes, several hundred people will marvel at the two of us, behave in such a way that even the most envious tongues can say the slightest bad thing, although, of course, it is impossible that people do not gossip about us at all, do not worry, my soul, do not be afraid of this. God did not leave you with many wonderful gifts, both bodily and spiritual, it will be enough if you show your piety, obedience to your parents and chaste and true love for me. Your hair, as I have said more than once to the venerable mother, if it is long, try to remove it, you must persuade the old gentleman to agree, in a hairstyle according to the current custom, so that they don’t say that we (or you) are what a bumpkin. Therefore, my beloved turtle dove, dear beauty, may the Lord accompany us to all good things and crown our nobility with all grace. This is what your sincerely loving, faithful betrothed desires. My precious. May 12, 1668, Saint Miklos. Miklós Bethlen tr.
So, the bride of the seventeenth century had to be persuaded to make a fashionable hairstyle for the wedding, moreover, she had to seek the consent of her father-in-law for this.
Another nice letter from that period has survived to this day - a message in verse from the captain of the haiduks in the army of Derdy Rakoczy II, Pal Frater, to his wife, Anna Barchai. It dates from around 1660.
Address: “For transfer to dear kind wife Anna Barchai”.
I was glad to receive a lemon with an orange,
And what about you - I will never forget,
That above all I will not tire of appreciating
And I will serve you as long as I live.
I also sent a present by courier
And I will shorten my longing for you.
She, like a sentinel, screams day and night
Ile trumpets like a doe, calling a heifer.
Please, my joy, do not forget me,
Do not blame me because of sorrows,
Cleanse the dregs from my soul of despondency,
Wrap me well in your heart.
A chain with a new facet
I sent to calm my heart in exile,
To be without from "I made an effort,
God forbid, show off in it for a walk.
Hide these verses on your sweetheart's chest
And remember that you are faithful to the grave,
Come soon, swift-winged day,
When I read them with my beloved.
Wild birds flock to the rocks;
In the morning, only the sun's ray sways,
Frightening the beast that approaches the tent,
I am writing, all chilled, but my heart is toiling.
God bless you, if the poems come to your heart, hide in a chest,
if not... throw it in a latrine.
(I cannot keep silent about the fact that this time the wife received a gold chain as a gift, and the husband an orange and a lemon.)
XVIII CENTURY
A strange feeling seizes a person when he reads the love letters of the nephew of Kurutz Antal Esterhazy, the French general and governor in Rocroix Balint Esterhazy, which he wrote to his wife (Lettres du Cte Valentin Esterhazy a sa femme. Paris, 1907). He wrote in French, and, perhaps, he knew only one Hungarian word, which he constantly calls his wife - “Chere Szivem” (Chere-dear ((pp.), szivem-my heart (Hung.)). The general avoided sentiment and outpourings. The depth of the feeling of a loving husband is rather evidenced by an incredible number of letters: wherever the whirlwind of history brought him, in the very first free minute he sat down at the desk to report in detail to his wife about all the events. From the multi-volume correspondence, the French bit by bit select valuable historical information about that era, we Hungarians are more interested in those few lines in which for twenty years Balint Esterházy repeated the same thought in different ways:
I love you! Here are a few examples from many thousands of letters:
1784. Versailles. “God bless you, Szivem, it hurts so much that I don’t see you, my grief is softened only by the pleasure of writing to you ...”
1784. Compiègne. “I have no other desire, chere Szivem, as soon as to be with you, I would not hesitate even a minute if I could rush to you ... Once again I embrace you from the bottom of my heart, I finish writing with pain, because at least this I abide in a way with the one who is dearer to me than all, whom I love to the point of madness ... ”
1785. Guiscard. “He was with Duke D" Aumont. He lives with one woman. All morning I thought about how different life is for a man who has a loving wife ... Always be with you, Szivem, the greatest happiness that a person can wish ... The first happy day in my life was that memorable Tuesday, the second - our wedding, the third will be the birthday of our long-awaited child ... Never before has a week lasted so endlessly, and it must always be so, while we are far from beings dear to our hearts; therefore, may the Lord bless the short days...”
1786. Lyon. “My dear, I think about you all the time and reproach myself for being involved in the pleasure that you cannot share with me ... Take care of yourself for the sake of the one who loves you more than anyone in the world and lives solely to make you happy...”
1791. Vienna. “Kiss our children for me and every minute remember what I think now about those I love ...”
1791. Saint Petervar. “God bless you, love me, think of me, kiss the children; I do not harbor sinful envy of your happiness for the fact that you can hug them, the only thing I would like is to share it and enclose their mother in my arms ... ”
To complete the picture, I cannot keep silent about the fact that at the end of a fair number of letters there is a phrase: “... mille choses tendres a maman” (“thousands of tender wishes to mother”). That is, a warrior in love for many years did not forget to convey tender greetings to his mother-in-law.
XIX CENTURY
A new type of literature appears - scribes. In the youth of the third and fourth estates, who raise their heads, their hearts beat in exactly the same way as in the gentlemen and ladies of the past, only the pen is not obedient to them. And then they turn to sample books for help, where they find ready-made forms that can only be filled with burning feelings. The pocket book “The Brilliant Interlocutor” (“Diszes Tarsalkodo”), published in 1871 in Pest in its fourth edition, is of this kind. In the chapter on love correspondence, the anonymous author advises first of all to pay special attention to the external and internal decency of letters. As for internal decency, it can only be approved, but what the author means by external decency is not entirely clear. Maybe he hints at pink, scented paper? Or, on the contrary, does he warn against it, fearing that the youth in love will manage to smear the entire envelope? Warnings and wishes are accompanied by practical parting words, such as the fact that the author of a love letter "must be true to his nature and write as his heart tells." Immediately, as an example to follow, an example of embodied sincerity and heartfelt inspiration is given:
“Dear lady N.1 My love for you is inextinguishable. From the time I got to know you closely, I lost my peace. Your charming image does not leave me, which hovers over me with a gentle smile. Since the time I met you, I have been walking more cheerfully through the whirlpools of life, and in my happy loneliness, tears come to my eyes, which I dedicate to you as a sacrifice. Oh, give love back to your faithful admirer N. N.”
Well, if such words do not touch the heart of a young lady, then nothing will touch him.
Naturally, love is competent only when it leads through the whirlpools of life to noble goals. Therefore, after the young people have found a common language, it's time to start talking about marriage. This should be done in the following way.
“Dear Minka!
This letter will fly to you on the pink wings of love to convey the feelings of my heart. Ah, if I could convince you that I love forever. Fulfill my desire, and if until now we have kept certain boundaries in our relationship, we will finally show openly that we truly love each other. Since your parents have known me for a long time, I think they will have no objections to our reunion, although they are richer than mine (!). And if you think that the favorable moment has already come, today, without waiting for tomorrow, I will gladly ask for your hand. Your admirer N. is waiting for your answer.”
It didn’t even occur to the brilliant interlocutor that a poor girl could be taken as a wife, so he didn’t bother to write a letter for this occasion. Or maybe he thought that the poor girl did not need to write letters: just tell her, she will immediately run. However, he foresaw those cases when the young have not yet brought complete clarity to the matter and love each other, so to speak, at a distance. In this situation, with a marriage proposal, you need to contact your father and through him convey a message to the young lady containing a declaration of love. The young lady does not answer the letter, for so respect for her parents dictates to her. The father writes:
“Dear friend! We are flattered by the proposal of marriage from a young man of such noble aspirations, for which we have the good fortune to know you. My daughter, with the trust that comes from respect for your personal qualities, is ready to share life's joys and concerns with you. We are waiting for you personally in order to express your consent. We will gladly welcome you at any time. N. N.”
It is difficult to turn the matchmaking in a more formal way. Troubles can arise only if the young lady's father has a different edition of the letter book and the answer does not match the question. Well, it doesn't matter - the form has no power over the essence: if once you have trusted the pink wings of love, you will have to share the joys of life with the better half.
XX CENTURY
Sunset of love letters. The telephone makes writing an unnecessary luxury. The generations that come after us will not be like us, drowning in the abundance of love messages of past centuries. But in return, we are provided with the richest material by newspaper headings called “Miscellaneous”. Although the announcements published in them cannot be called love letters in the full sense of the word, however, these are messages that appeal to love. Whoever has time to carefully study these headings, cut out characteristic ads, sort them and collect them, before there will be a charming picture of the intimate life of a modern big city. So, more than three and a half centuries separate us from the love letters of Peter Zai. The language of love letters has changed and improved.
The apotheosis of development is the announcement below, which I will not comment on, I will only say that the newspaper forwarded all the myriad of answers received to the publisher. "Looking for a woman. They are not interested in hysterics, grandmothers, professional women, dyed women, franks, football fans, avid bridge girls, admirers of film actors. I only marry a rich woman (50,000). I won't be particularly vigilant. So, it is required: pretty, with a good figure, young (20-24). WITHOUT PREJUDICES, with refined manners, personable (self-critical). Answer NON-STANDARDS to the branch of the publisher. Yes, I am 30 years old, height 165 cm, I have a higher education, brown hair. There are 5 sealed teeth and a boat. I don't like writing letters, noodles and shaving. I love sincerity, emmental cheese and nature. 9527".
Beloved wife - dear sir - dear wife - chere Szivem: time passed, centuries stepped on each other's heels, the last one was so crushed by his legs that he became clubfoot.
Language, I recalled one case, in all other respects, absolutely unremarkable.
Being, in my distant youth, invited to a birthday party with a friend, for some reason I was forced to look for a gift along the way. Having popped into the first bookstore I came across, I think it was "Bookinist" on Morskoy, I began to leaf through all the books in a row, hoping to find something suitable for a gift.
I did not have enough capital for expensive academic publications, and all the other books were empty, meaningless, and in no way suitable not only as a gift, but in general for anything in the world. Being late, I leafed through them faster and faster, one by one, and after sorting through three or four dozen of them, I was already inclined to think about buying a cookbook, when in a dusty, unvisited corner I found an unprepossessing book.
These were letters from some Russian traveler of either the 18th or 19th century, whose name had disappeared from my memory over the years, addressed to his relatives. The letters began with approximately the following words: "My dear mother and father, as well as sisters Nadenka and Olenka", and in those few pages that I looked through, absolutely no remarkable events took place. A man was driving somewhere, eating something, describing the customs of the inhabitants of some Astrakhan province, through which he was being transported at that moment, shaking and dropping cakes in the dust, his meek horse, and nothing else seemed to be. So I muttered apologetically, handing the book to the birthday boy - but the language in it is somehow strange. Nice.
I meant Russian.
A couple of years later, at a chance meeting, that acquaintance himself reminded me of the book, and said that he was using it as a model for writing letters. She has a very pleasant language.
Perhaps in ancient letters one can find that uncorrupted language, and use it not as a model for direct imitation (a lot of time has passed since those horses), but as a basis, a basis on which one can rely in a sense of language.
It may be objected to me that that language was the language of a small enlightened stratum, the cultural elite of that time, and the peasants spoke much more simply, and we, the current ones, in terms of social status, rather correspond to the peasants of that time. So the pollution of our language is excusable. But why should we look for excuses for ourselves if no one accuses us?
Moreover, the current "cultural elite" just produces all this mutilated language for us.
I've been looking on the Internet for old letters, but I found real tears. And even then, through one Masons, foreigners or completely incomprehensible personalities. I'm posting a couple anyway.
Therefore, I would like to ask those who have books with old letters, as well as the time and desire, if necessary, to rewrite one or two of the most liked ones and post them here.
It's very interesting.
M. V. Lomonosov - I. I. Shuvalov
Gracious Sovereign Ivan Ivanovich!No one in my life has ever beaten me like Your Excellency. called
you take me to your place today. I thought maybe some kind of joy would come my way
fair requests. You called me back and beckoned me. Suddenly I hear: make peace with
Sumarokov! that is, make laughter and shame. Connect with the kind of person everyone is running from and
you yourself are not for. Contact that person who says nothing else, as soon as everyone
scolds, praises himself and puts his poor rhyme above all human knowledge.
Taubert and Miller are only scolded for not publishing his works; not for the common
benefit. I forget all his bitterness, and I don’t want to take revenge in any way, and God didn’t give me
evil heart. I just can’t make friends and deal with him in any way, having experienced through
many cases, but knowing what it's like to be in nettles...
Not wanting to offend you by being refused in front of many gentlemen, I showed you obedience;
I can only assure you that this is the last time. And if, in spite of my zeal, you will be angry;
I rely on the help of the Almighty, Who was my protector in my life, and never left,
when I shed tears before Him in my righteousness...Mr. Sumarokov, attached to me for an hour, so much nonsense
he said that he would be for my whole life, and I am glad that God took him away from me. According to different sciences
I have so much business that I refused all companies; my wife and daughter are used to staying at home,
and do not want to deal with comedians. I don't like to hear empty talk and boasting.
And to this day we got along in unanimity. Now, according to your peacemaking, we must enter
into a new bad atmosphere. If you kindly spread the sciences in Russia; if mine to
your zeal has not disappeared from your memory; try for the speedy execution of my fair for
petitions for the benefit of the Fatherland, but about reconciliation between me and Sumarokov, as about a petty matter,
forget it. Expecting a fair answer from you, with ancient high reverence, I remainYour Excellency, humble and obedient servant
Mikhail Lomonosov.
1761
January 19th.
M. I. Kovalensky - G. Skovoroda
My dear Meinhard! *I received your letter from Taganrog. As a memory, so are your letters in me
produce heartfelt consolation. In the crowd of secular gatherings, the most pleasant feeling
there are truths and innocence. And in these names you always introduce yourself to me! Where are you now
get?
I am healthy, by the grace of my God, with my dear family. I set off into the local sea, yes
more convenient to reach the pier of solitude. Will everything get bored: the great, the glorious, and the wondrous? essence
nothing for the human spirit.Adio, mio caro Mangard! Your friend Mikhail Kovalensky.
February 18, 1782* "The friendly nickname of Skovoroda is Daniil Meyngard, after the name of one Swiss
friend M. I. Kovalensky "- approx. source
N.M. Karamzin
Letter to P. A. Vyazemsky
St. Petersburg, January 11, 1826Dear Prince! I am writing to you, with Mr. Pogodin, and I can sincerely say how much
we rejoiced that the stormy cloud did not touch you either by edge or by the slightest movement
air. Only for the sake of God and friendship do not intervene in conversations for the unfortunate
criminals, although not equally guilty, but guilty by universal and eternal justice.
The main ones, as you can hear, do not dare to justify themselves. Letters from Nikita Muravyov to
his wife and mother are touching: he blames his blind pride condemning himself to death
legal in the throes of conscience. I do not want to mention murderers, robbers, vile villains;
but are not all the others criminals, mad or reckless, like evil children? Is it possible
be here different opinions about which you speak in your last letter from some
significance special? If my wife and I made a mistake in the meaning and application, then everything
what I have said is destroyed by itself; there will be only a feeling of tenderest friendship for you,
belonging to our heart life!
Alexander is gone: connection and charm have disappeared for me; I see without glasses, I judge without buying and
I humble myself in spirit more than ever. I repeat from the depths of my soul: do not rejoice
izvetnikov nor the most innocent indiscretion! You have a wife and children, neighbors, friends, mind,
talent, fortune, good name: there is something to cherish. I don't need an answer. Notify only about health
children are cute and their own. I kiss the hand of the most gracious princess, hugging you all tenderly. YourN. Karamzin.
V. A. Zhukovsky - S. L. Pushkin
March 13, 1837 [Petersburg].Thank you for your letter, venerable Sergei Lvovich. Don't blame me for not
handed over your letter to the Sovereign; much more decent if it is sent from you
in the usual way: I did not reject this matter from myself so that I did not want to
fulfill your desire, I hope you are sure of this. Taking advantage of the departure of Mr. Bartenev,
I am sending you a box with three masks, one for you, another for Nashchokin, a third for
Baratynsky, whom you hug for me. A package with letters from I. I. Dmitriev, I ask you
hand it over to him. We are now engaged in the publication of Sovremennik; but we are seven nannies,
and that's why nothing moves forward.
I'm sorry, I hug you. May God give you the strength to endure your unbearable misfortune.Zhukovsky.
March 13, 1837
Enclosing packets with letters from Nashchokin and Baratynsky, I ask you to hand them over to them.
I will forward the package with I. I. Dmitriev's letters later.
P.S. True, there are certain conditions: these must be precisely letters from the pre-revolutionary period addressed to friends, relatives, etc., that is, purely everyday and obviously not intended for prying eyes.
Letters specially written with an eye on publication (“in the epistolary genre”), or even with an eye to the possibility of publication (a frequent case with celebrities), since they have too deliberately artistic language, with prettiness and pathos, are not suitable for these purposes.
Gracious Empress …………!
Retreating from
common practice is to say compliments in such letters, although you
and well-deserved, I allow myself to follow the dictates of my heart and I hasten to congratulate
Happy birthday to you, wishing you many, many years and a serene
happiness.
I do not dare to think that you doubt my boundless devotion to you and that
the deepest respect with which I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant ………….
*****
____________________________________________________________________________________
The author is not me.
If this is your girl, then you can partially use the love letters of the great classics. For example, A.S. Pushkin - Bride N.N. Goncharova:
Moscow, March 1830* (city and date to be changed)
Today is the anniversary of the day I first saw you; this day... in my life...
The more I think, the more I become convinced that my existence cannot be separated from yours: I was created to love you and follow you; all my other concerns are one delusion and madness. Far from you, I am relentlessly haunted by regrets about the happiness that I did not have time to enjoy. Sooner or later, however, I will have to drop everything and fall at your feet. The thought of the day when I will be able to have a piece of land in ... only smiles at me and enlivens me in the midst of heavy anguish. There I can wander around your house, meet you, follow you...
8 chose
"Letter is such a noun, without which postal officials would sit behind the staff, and postage stamps would not be sold."
A.P. Chekhov
The art of writing letters is almost forgotten today. No, we do not consider official, business correspondence, which is sent in tons from end to end of our country. By the way, mountains of instructions and dozens of reference books have been written about it. Let's talk about the personal correspondence that e-mail and mobile communications have supplanted. And congratulations? They have become virtual postcards with " congratulations"and a fan mailing of SMS with the same text composed by someone else. It's sad if real letters and sincere personal congratulations leave our lives forever.
In those days, when long-distance letters were delivered on postal troikas, and in the cities they were carried by postmen and postmasters (respected, by the way, people) kept order, and the letters themselves sometimes took months and the same answer to them the epistolary genre was at a premium. Writing letters was taught by special manuals - letter writers, the author of the letter worked very carefully on each line, rewriting it cleanly, trying to prevent not only mistakes, but also inaccuracies and omissions, observing all decorum. The content of the letters was extensive, they set out the rules for writing various kinds of letters in separate punctati, such as: "Letters of notice", "Letters giving advice". "Letters of recommendation", "Letters of apology", "Letters containing the search for friendship or affection", "Letters containing simple courtesy", "Letters of thanks", "Letters of love and (which is so relevant) "Letters of congratulations" as well as many other befitting letters.
“In letters, one courtesy of the conclusion, dryness and barrenness of matter, is allowed to be rewarded with a choice of smooth, entertaining, not too extensive greetings. Brevity gives clarity, and therefore pleasantness. Grace should be noticeable everywhere, luring to reading. words and phrases are rough and incoherent ... "
The syllable of the letter should have been not too tall, but not clownish either, but was supposed to resemble an ordinary conversation, set out on paper. It must be taken into account that they were expressed then quite differently than they are now! One can imagine the text of the current communication on the street set out on paper ... . A lot of exclamations, which are now so common in electronic communication, were not welcomed, but it was required to write simply and freely, without being carried upwards by verbal confusion.
Particular attention was paid to the clarity, cleanliness, decency and literacy of the letters. Maybe those who lived in those days guessed that their letters could eventually become a literary heritage and be available for reading?
Among others were the following rules: what is decent to write to an equal, what is beautiful in a letter from an old man and an important person, and what is ridiculous in a letter from a young person and low family and rank. Letters were written on good paper, without blots, in clear, legible handwriting (one of the subjects in the gymnasium was calligraphy), which attracted attention.
A separate topic is congratulations on the holidays. Although in those days there were not as many holidays as today, there were many occasions: Christmas and New Year, Easter, Angel Day, christenings, weddings, birthdays and even promotions. Most of all, the New Year and Christmas greetings, written on wonderful postcards, each of which was a gift in itself, brought the mail the most trouble! Sometimes congratulations were attributed to the text of the letter, and sometimes they were the reason for the beginning of the letter.
Dear Ivan Maksimovich!
Kindly make an order to send me a fee * to the address: the editors of "Russian Thought" for transfer to me.
I congratulate you on the New Year, with new happiness.
sincerely respect you
A. Chekhov. Art. Lopasnya.
"... At the end of my letter, I accept the honor of congratulating you, dear sir, on the New Year, I wish your Excellency all the well-being during it, as well as in all your subsequent lives, I am sure that your well-being is the well-being of honest people, and I sincerely call myself with the deepest respect and obsequious devotion, gracious sovereign, your excellency, the most humble and most humble servant, Ippolit Bogdanovich.
Greeting cards and letters were usually written to relatives or close friends living in the distance. Those who lived nearby, in the same city, were usually congratulated by "making a visit" or sending a business card. Before the advent of postcards, they used the last or first letter of the year for congratulations, expressing wishes at the end or beginning of the letter.
"If it is necessary to write a letter solely about the New Year, then its content should include memories of the past year, about health, about events that have happened pleasant to the recipient and various incidents; one should wish to have a good coming year."
"To my dearest sisters, if they have not completely forgotten me, my sincere respect, equally to Mikhail Nikolaevich, and, congratulating you and them on the upcoming New Year, with a sincere desire for all the best, I will remain forever with spiritual respect and devotion, gracious Empress aunt, your submissive nephewF. Tyutchev"
"Dear sir, Alexander Sergeevich, I have the honor to congratulate you on the past New Year and new happiness, and I wish you, my dear benefactor, health and well-being."
Arina Rodionovna - A.S. Pushkin
"... I congratulate your radiant person and your children on the New Year, on new happiness. I wish you to win 200 thousand and become a real state councilor, and above all, to be healthy and have our daily bread in sufficient quantity for such a glutton as you."
A.P. Chekhov - Al. P. Chekhov
How interesting it is to read these messages from the past on preserved postcards from the 19th century! The postcards themselves, the syllable with which congratulations are written, work like a time machine, taking us decades back, and it’s a little pity that they don’t write these now ....
Would you like to bring back the tradition of handwritten letters and greetings? Maybe you should start right now and, having chosen the most beautiful New Year's cards, send them to your closest people?
Lesson Objectives:
“Letters, in the exact sense of the word, are conversations or conversations with those who are absent. They take the place of oral conversation, but contain the speeches of only one person. This is how the concept of writing was defined in the ancient rhetoric of Grech (1819). Letters, as a series of prose works, were placed in it as the first of seven classes of works in prose, and the following features were attributed to them: “oral conversation has the properties of an unprepared, unconstrained, artless composition, and these same qualities make it necessary to belong to any good letter. When composing letters, one should follow the rule: I write as I would speak in this case, but speak correctly, coherently and pleasantly.
More than 100 years ago, these provisions determined the high importance of letters - indicators of the time and the persons who wrote them.
The topic of our lesson is “Letters from the first half of the 19th century”, or rather letters from A.S. Pushkin, his contemporaries and his heroes. And we will start with the famous letter of Tatyana Larina to Onegin. This letter is a declaration of love. Listen to him. (Reading aloud by the teacher of the letter of Tatyana Larina).
Tell me what is strange in this letter, in your opinion? What do you not understand about it?
Teacher's word:
The most interesting thing in this letter is the so-called “Pushkin paradox”. It consists in the fact that brilliant Russian poems turn out to be just a “pale list” from the French message of a young lady in love. Pushkin divided Tatyana's own process of expression in her proposed text into the poetic expression of this expression in the text of the novel (Pushkin's "translation"). According to Vyazemsky, “the author said that for a long time he could not decide how to make Tatyana write without violating the female personality and plausibility in style: for fear of straying into academic prose, he thought to write a letter in prose, even thought to write it in French. But, finally, “happy inspiration came at the right time and the woman’s heart easily and freely spoke Russian: it left Tatishchev’s dictionary and Memorsky’s grammar aside.” V. Vinogradov remarked about this mystification of Pushkin: “After all, the language of Tatiana's writing, contrary to the author's preliminary apologies, is Russian, untranslatable. It does not imply a French text behind it.” Therefore, that letter of Tatiana is called “a lyrical translation from the “wonderful original” – Tatiana's heart.
But the choice of language (French) is also remarkable for the era of the first half of the 19th century. Let us give an example from another work - “Anna Karenina” by L. N. Tolstoy. At the moment when the feelings of the heroes had already cleared up for them, but the relationship had not yet fully developed, it became impossible for Anna and Vronsky to speak Russian among themselves: the Russian “you” was too cold, and “you” meant dangerous closeness. The French language gave the conversation a neutral small talk, it could be interpreted in different ways, depending on the gesture, smile or intonation.
Another feature characteristic of the French letters of Russian nobles is the extensive use of quotations. The quotation made it possible to impart semantic uncertainty to the text. Pushkin makes extensive use of the stylistic possibilities of writing.
- Find literary quotations in the text of Tatyana's letter.
- But why: "I'm writing to you - what more?". What is disturbing in such a phrase?
Teacher's word:
To explain what is the matter, I will read an excerpt from the book "Life in the Light, at Home and at Court", published in 1890, from the chapter "Rules for Writing a Letter". This chapter deals with some details of correspondence, namely, the timing of answers, the feelings that are allowed to be expressed in letters, and the decorum that should be observed in them. The chapter reads: “A young girl never writes to a man, even on behalf of her parents, best of all, not a line written by her in the hands of a man who is not related to her or who is not yet a perfect old man.” That is why a letter to Onegin for Tatyana meant “I freeze with shame and fear”, even if some unreprehensible trifles were written there, the very fact of the correspondence - “what more?” - could become dear to the honor and good name of Tatyana.
So, having learned about everything related to Tatyana's letter to Onegin, what new can you say about the heroes of the novel by A.S. Pushkin? What complements this in their character? How can you look at their actions in a new way?
Teacher's word:
Tatyana’s letter is permeated with a tremendous feeling, despite this it is expressed in book quotations: “an unfortunate lot”, “an inexperienced soul is agitated”, “it is destined for advice in the highest”, “until the grave you are my keeper”, “you appeared to me in dreams”, “ who are you, my guardian angel, or an insidious tempter. Moreover, there are places in the letter that are directly borrowed from Tatyana's favorite books. No wonder she wanders through the forests, “imagining the heroine of her beloved creators”, and “in oblivion” whispered “by heart a letter for a dear hero”. But the fact of the matter is that Pushkin was able to show how real feeling lives behind book words. Tatyana perfectly understands that her act is indecent from the point of view of the usual morality of the people around her: “Now, I know, it is in your will to punish me with contempt.” Any young man Tatyana knew would despise her for being the first to write him a letter. Anyone but Onegin! The inexperienced Tatyana understands people better with feelings than with her mind, she knows: Onegin is not like everyone else, the laws of the world do not matter to him, he will not condemn, will not despise her "- after all, this very singularity of Onegin attracted her to him. Letter Tatyana - impulse, confusion, passion, longing, dream.But at the same time it is all "authentic, it was written by a Russian girl, well-read and inexperienced, tender and lonely, sensitive and shy."
The book “Life in the Light, at Home and at Court” says: “The handwriting, the folding of the letter, the shape, quality and type of paper - all these little things determine the age, position and character of the writer. The syllable testifies to his tact and secularity.”
In the key of this provision, read aloud Onegin's letter to Tatyana.
- What can you say about the character, "tact and secularity" of Eugene Onegin, judging by his letter?
Now read the letters of A. Pushkin himself and the heroes of other works. (Group work)
We continue the conversation about the style of letters. What can you say, based on this rule, about Pushkin and his heroes, judging by their letters.
The following rule for writing letters reads: “In correspondence, witticisms and ambiguities should be avoided, expressions should be very softened. Written transmission of thoughts has a great disadvantage, not having the property of transmitting the tone of voice and facial expression of the writer. Why is there harshness in Dubrovsky's letter to Troekurov, while in Pushkin's letter to Bestuzhev the author is not afraid of witticisms?
When setting off on a journey, the one who left writes first, the one who remains answers without postponing it for a long time. Regarding close friends, higher in social position and older in age, the same rules are followed in correspondence as for visits, that is, the letter is sent at the same time as the visit was to be made. It is indecent in a letter to express intimacy that does not exist in personal relationships. The letter begins with a reply to the letter received, and if there was none, then a few words relating to the subsequent meeting of the corresponding persons. You should write about the person to whom the letter is intended, and about subjects that may interest him. Then you can already tell about yourself, describe your situation and pastime, in conclusion, turn again to the personality of the correspondent, ask about various circumstances related to him, and then express a desire to see you soon, guided by the desire to talk as little as possible about yourself, one should not, however, go to extremes, and, as many do, fill the letter with mere repetitions of the letter of his correspondent. There are letters of the highest degree worthy of people containing approximately the following: “In your last letter you announce your departure to N..., where, apparently, you spent a very pleasant time. You enjoyed such and such pleasures there, and say that you are leaving this place with regret, because you are afraid of feeling too alone on sea baths in N .... and so on ”In a word, this is an exact copy of the letter received, warns book "Life in the light, at home and at court"
Let us turn to Sasha's letter from A.S. Pushkin.
Now let's talk about official letters. An official document must necessarily be a “clean and clear text”, without spelling errors, where no postscripts were allowed. Which of the following letters can be classified as official - business?
Let's pay attention to the appeals and signatures in the letters. How do they differ from those that we use now in letters? (In the first half of the 19th century, appeals and signatures were frozen formulas transferred from one letter to another: “Dear Sir”, “Dear Friend”, “Your Most Obedient Servant”, “Highest Servant”).
Teacher's word:
As for official letters (especially among military people), the forms of letters here clearly differ from “junior” to “senior” in rank and from “senior” to “junior”: rank and surname, he signs with his own hand only his surname; when the younger one writes to the elder, he himself signs the rank, rank and surname. So, if in a letter from a junior rank to a senior with his own hand, and not by the hand of a clerk, only the surname turns out to be signed, then this is a gross violation of the rules, this is an insult., Which can end in a scandal. In the same way, the place where the date of the letter should be put was significant: the boss put the number on top, the subordinate on the bottom, and if the subordinate violated this rule, he was in trouble. Also in official letters it was necessary to strictly observe the form of addressing persons of different ranks in accordance with their class.
Game task:
Before you are cards, on one side of which is the name of the rank or rank, and on the other side - appeals. Choose the appropriate address for each rank.
| - His Imperial Majesty the Sovereign | - king to emperor |
| - Your Excellency | - commander-in-chief of the army |
| - Your Excellency | - top military officials |
| Your honor | - university rector - foreman class |
| - Your Highness | - staff officers |
| - your honor | - any noble |
| - Your Eminence, His Eminence Vladyka |
- Metropolitan and Archbishop |
| - Your Eminence, His Grace Vladyka |
- bishop |
| - Your Reverence | - archimandrite and abbot |
| - Your Reverence | - Priest |
Teacher's word:
In general, etiquette in letters had to be observed with great accuracy. There is a known case when a senator, who came with an audit, in an address to the governor (and the governor was from the Mamonov counts and was famous for his pride) instead of the usual: “Gracious sovereign” used: “My gracious sovereign!”, Angrily emphasizing the inappropriateness of the possessive “mine” in the official conversion, was stripped of his rank.
So, you got acquainted with the rules for writing letters that existed in the first half of the 19th century. In order to check how much you have mastered the material of this lesson, I will ask you to write letters yourself in the style of the era we are interested in, while observing all the rules of writing.
(Having completed the task, the students draw up a newspaper, which includes letters from Pushkin, his heroes and their own letters)
Letters used in class:
Tatyana's letter to Onegin.
I am writing to you - what more?
What else can I say?
Now I know in your will
Punish me with contempt.
but you, to my unfortunate share
Though a drop of pity keeping,
You won't leave me
At first I wanted to be silent;
Believe me: my shame
You would never know
When I had hope
Rarely, at least once a week
To see you in our village
Just to hear your words
You say a word, and then
All think, think of one
And day and night until a new meeting.
But, they say, you are unsociable;
In the wilderness, in the village, everything is boring for you,
And we ... we do not shine with anything.
Even though you are welcome.Why did you visit us?
In the wilderness of a forgotten village
I would never know you
I would not know the bitter torment
Souls of inexperienced excitement
Reconciled with time (who knows?),
By heart I would find a friend,
Would be a faithful wife
And a good mother.Another!... No, no one in the world
I wouldn't give my heart!
It is in the council that is ordained from above,
That is the will of heaven: I am yours;
My whole life has been a pledge
Faithful goodbye to you;
I know you were sent to me by God
Until the grave you are my keeper ...
You appeared to me in dreams
Invisible, you were already sweet to me,
Your wonderful look tormented me,
Your voice resounded in my soul
For a long time ... no, it was not a dream!
You just entered, I instantly found out
All numb, blazed
And in her thoughts she said: here he is!
Isn't it true, is it? I heard you
You spoke to me in silence
When I helped the poor
Or comforted by prayer
The anguish of an agitated soul?
And at this very moment
Aren't you, sweet vision,
Flickered in the transparent darkness,
Crouched quietly to the headboard?
Is it not you, with joy and love,
Words of hope whispered to me?
Who are you, my guardian angel
Or an insidious tempter:
Resolve my doubts.
Maybe it's all empty
Deception of an inexperienced soul!
And something completely different is destined ...
But so be it! my fate
From now on, I give you
I shed tears in front of you.
I beg your protection...
Imagine I'm here alone
Nobody understands me,
My mind is failing
And I must die silently
I'm waiting for you: with a single look
Revive the hopes of the heart
Or break a heavy dream,
Alas, a well-deserved reproach!
I'm cumming! Scary to read...
With shame, I freeze with fear ...
But your honor is my guarantee,
And I boldly entrust myself to her ...
