142a. Sophie von La Roche to Luise Michaelis in Göttingen: Offenbach, 25 February 1794 [*]
Offenbach, 25 February 1794
Luise Michaelis — is not unknown to me at all — but perhaps you did not know that everyone named Michaelis — has acquired the considerable rights to my friendship and high esteem — I am enormously grateful to our lost, dear Charlotte [1] — and my dear friend Philipp — that you, too, have now developed a kind of trust in me — I would like to be able to prove such to you — gladly — did I take the place of my daughter in securing the beautiful embroidery — and am now expecting my rich Dutch lady friend von Geelvink that I might surprise her with this pleasant purchase, for what else do rich people want to do with their money other than enjoy beautiful things — She is coming at the beginning of March — and I ask that you entrust this excellent piece to me for just that long — —
Your good, dear brother wrote me about his employment; [2] may God guide and protect him — along this path of danger and fame — I take a warm interest in him, indeed as if he were my own son, and value him also as the friend of my Frantz — and brother of dear Charlotte — kiss your child in my name, [3] may heaven grant it the spirit and heart of its mother — but happy days — Please write me more about the premature death of the woman who was so dear to me, everything of hers is precious to me — and please do allow me to call you my friend Luise! — and also please see — whether you might have found among the letters of the good woman an essay she once meant for me, when she described for me the first — and so interesting half of her life — so also would the 2nd be enormously important and sacred to me. [4] Please extend my highest regards to your worthy mother, I would like to see your brother-in-law, Dieterich — and thank him for the happiness my beloved Lotte found in his love —
But now I must close — please give my regards to Caroline! [5] I do not know where she is — but I do hope she is happy according to the wishes of your devoted
La Roche
Is Madam Rhode Schlözer well? — I have not received any answer from her. [6]
Notes
[*] Source: Luise Wiedemann, née Michaelis, Erinnerungen, 103–4.
Offenbach is located just outside Frankfurt am Main (Georges-Louis Le Rouge, L’Electorat de Mayence, partie de la Hesse et du Palatinat du Rhin [Paris 1742]; illustration by Johann Kaspar Zehender, from his Ansichten von Frankfurt am Main zur Zeit des jungen Goethe [Frankfurt am Main 1903–4]):
[1] Lotte Michaelis had died on 2 April 1793 (concerning the circumstances, see Georg Ernst Tatter’s letter to Luise Michaelis on 27 April 1792 [letter 123a], note 1); she had made Sophe von La Roche’s acquaintance through the latter’s daughter, Luise Möhn, then spent several weeks with Madam La Roche apparently in Frankfurt. See Luise Wiedemann, Erinnerungen, p. 89. Back.
[2] As a field surgeon with the Hannoverian troops. Back.
[3] That is, Lotte Michaelis’s child with Heinrich Dieterich, namely, Charlotte Dieterich, who was cared for by Madam Michaelis until Dieterich remarried. Back.
[4] Apparently a reference to a diary Lotte had shared with Sophie von La Roche (Luise Wiedemann, Erinnerungen, p. 89). Back.
[5] Caroline had been acquainted with Sophie von La Roche during her stay in Marburg; see her Marburg letters passim. Back.
[6] See Caroline’s imitation of Sophie von La Roche’s conversational style in Caroline’s undated letter to Lotte Michaelis in 1789.
Sophie von La Roche seems in any case to have no knowledge of Caroline’s situation and recent past. Back.
Translation © 2011 Doug Stott