Source:
Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, page 276, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751
Above: King Kristina of Sweden, painted after David Beck.
Above: Daniel Heinsius, artist unknown.
The letter:
Jam aliquod tempus effluxit, clarissime Heinsi, ex quo silius tuus epistolam mihi a te scriptam tradidit, quæ me summo gaudio affecit, quoniam ex illa & te valere & mihi benevelle intellexi. Respondissem statim, nisi infinitis negotiis occupata fuissem, quæ mihi non satis ad scribendum temporis reliquerunt. Nunc cum tantum otii mihi ipsa paraverim, ut sufficere existimem, nolui diutius responsum differre. Gratia mihi agis pro filio bene excepto: illum una cum negotio, quod ad te attinet, commendas. Vellem meruisse a filio tuo, ut haberet quod sibi de humanitate mea gratulari posset. Dignus est enim ut illi omnia ex voto accidant. Ego quidem multa tibi debeo, quod ipsum permiseris huc proficisci. Plus autem me debere profitebor, si concesseris ut apud me maneat. Scio me forsan a te plus petere, quam a paterno animo impetrare possim. Sed tamen ne abnue implere desiderium illius, cui filius tuus propter elegantiam ingenii & eruditionem gratus & acceptus est plus quam credere possis. Licebit illi quoque subinde ad te excurrere, ea tamen lege, ut i teterum revertatur: & nunc quoque iter ad te parat, me non recusante. Ipse testabitur, quo literati omnes, qui mei sunt juris, apud me fruuntur favore. De filio igitur tuo ne sis sollicitus: apud me enim erit, si id per te liceat: & non erit tantum, sed & bene erit ut spero. Quod ad negotium ipsi commissum, ita habeas velim, mihi non minus quam tibi curæ fore, ut tuo fruaris. Nihil tamen promitto. Scias enim moris non esse mei multa promittere. Hoc tamen tibi spondeo, cur aturam me ut & hac occasione & multis aliis innotescat tibi, me mores illorum odisse, qui spe tantum homines lactare solent, & ut scias contrarium mihi ab his esse animum, iterum adfirmo malle me plura præstare quam promittere. Vale Holmiæ d. XIX. Jan: MDCL.
English translation (my own):
Your son has already given me the letter that you wrote to me, which gave me much pleasure. It showed me that your health is perfect and that you are still ardently attached to me. I would have answered you immediately, but my great occupations growing every day have not allowed me to do that yet, and I hurry in this pleasant moment to answer you. You thank me for the good welcome I gave to your son and recommend him to me with the matter that concerns you. I would already like to have given your son reason to praise me for my kindness because he deserves a lot. I am very much obliged that you allowed him to come here; but I will make it known that I have still more obligations for you, if you engage him to stay with me. I know that I ask you perhaps more than I can get from a tender father; but do not refuse it at the wish of the one who tastes her spirit and her erudition more than you could believe. He will have the freedom to run from time to time some race towards you, but on condition of returning; he is currently preparing to leave. He himself will tell you what favour the scholars who are at my court enjoy. So do not be upset about your son: he will be with me, if you find it good. As for the commission you gave him, know that I will take as much care as you, so that you can get what you want. I promise you nothing, however. You will know that I have not much gotten used to making promises. However, I give you my word that on this occasion and several others, I will let you know that I hate the characters of great promisers, and small teneurs, and that mine is quite the opposite. I tell you once again, that I do my best to do more than promise. Farewell.
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