380.1. Georg Friederich Ernst Hesse to Wilhelm Schlegel in Berlin: Weimar, 28 June 1803 [*]
[Weimar, 28 June 1803]
Well-born,
Estimable Herr Rath!
I am unable to explain your esteemed Sir’s silence regarding my letters of 17 and 26 May of this year, in which I related to you the favorable outcome of your divorce case, simultaneously sending along to you an authorized copy of the divorce decree, [1] except by assuming that these letters may not yet have been delivered to you because of who-knows-what accident.
Since I might in the meantime assume that Frau Räthin Schlegel [2] has similarly related the news to you that our illustrious duke has granted your divorce under the condition that 50 Rthl in convention monies be remitted, half by you yourself and half by Frau Räthin Schlegel, [3] and, moreover, that the local High Consistory then officially decreed such in the usual form on 17 May of this year [4] — and since the stipulated date for payment of that dispensation fee of 50 Rthl will expire on 1 July of this year, [5] allow me merely to issue herewith the sincere request that the 25 Rthl of your portion of the dispensation fee be remitted immediately either in convention monies or in Laubthaler at the exchange rate of 1 Rthl to 12 Rthl.
Frau Räthin Schlegel already paid her 25 Rthl dispensation money several weeks ago, and since any further delay on the part of the equal amount owed by you yourself would result in my being held responsible as your authorized representative, I would very much wish that you might accommodate my aforementioned request as soon as is possible.
With the utmost respect I remain
Your esteemed Sir’s
most devoted servant,
Georg Friedrich Ernst Hesse
Weimar
28 June 1803
Notes
[*] Source: Digitale Edition der Korrespondenz August Wilhelm Schlegels. Transcription by the translator and Hedwig T. Durnbaugh (line breaks as in original):
Wohlgeborner
Hochzuverehrender Herr Rath!Ich kann mir Ew. Wohlgeb. Stillschweigen
auf meine Briefe vom 17.ten und 26.ten
Mai dieses Jahres, worin ich Ihnen den
günstigen Ausgang Ihrer Ehescheidungssache
berichtete, indem ich das Ehescheidungdecret
in vidimirter Abschrift zugleich beilegte,
kaum anders erklären, als, daß diese Brie-
fe, wer weiß, durch welchen Zufall
Ihnen noch nicht mögen eingehendiget
worden sein.Da ich, inzwischen, voraussetzen durfte,
daß Frau Räthin Schlegel ebenfalls Ihnen
Nachricht darum wird gegeben haben,
daß Ihre Ehescheidung, gegen Erlegung
von 50 r[thl] in Conventiongelde,
halb von Ihnen, halb von Frau Rä-
thin Schlegel, zu bezahlen, von unserem
Durchlauchtigsten Herzog bewilliget,
und sodann, von dem hiesigen Her-
zogl. Oberconsistorium in gewöhn-
licher Form, am 17.ten Mai d[es] J[ahres]
decretiret worden ist, der zu Be-
zahlung der 50 r[thl] Dispensation-
gelder, festgesetzte Termin, aber
mit dem 1sten Julius dieses Jahres
abläuft; so will ich hiermit nur:
um schleunige Übersendung
von 25 r[thl] in Conventions-
gelde, oder in Laubthaler,
zu 1 r[thl]. 12 r[thl]: Ihres Antheils
Dispensationsumme,
ganz ergebenst bitten.Frau Räthin Schlegel hat Ihre 25 r[thl].
Dispensationgelder schon vor mehreren
Wochen bezahlt, und da man sich bei weiteren
Verzuge wegen der von Ihnen zu
entrichtenden gleichen Summe an mich,
als Ihren Bevollmächtigten halten
würde, so wünsche ich sehr, daß Sie
meiner obigen Bitte, sobald, als möglich
ist, willfahren mögen.Ich beharre in der vollkommensten
Hochachtung[flush right] Ew. Wohlgebornen
[flush left] Weimar
am 28.ten Junius,
1803.[flush right] ganz ergebenster Diener,
Georg Friedrich Ernst Hesse. Back.
[1] Hesse to Wilhelm on 17 May 1803 (letter 377f), and the delayed sending of the divorce decree itself (letter/document 377g) on 26 May 1803, a copy of which Hesse was yet unable to include with his letter of 17 May. Back.
[2] Wilhelm had received the title of Rath on 28 May 1796; see Mother (Johanna Christiane Erdmuthe) Schlegel’s letter to him in June 1796 (letter 163f), note 1. It was customary to address the spouse by the feminine form of the title held by her husband. Back.
[3] Johann Christoph Adelung The New and Complete Dictionary of the German and English Languages, composed chiefly after the German Dictionaries of Mr. Adelung and of Mr. Schwan, 3 vols. (Leipzig 1796–99; rev. 1805–13), vol. 1 (rev. 1805), 386, s.v., die Conventions-Münze, das Conventions-Geld:
Convention-money, i.e., money coined by the states of Germany according to the Convention of 1750. It is also called the Zwanzig-Gulden Fuß, because twenty florins must hold one mark of silver. Hence der Conventions-Thaler, a convention-dollar. Der Conventions-Gulden, convention-florin, i.e., dollars and florins coined according to the Convention of 1750. Back.
[4] Letter/document 377g. Back.
[5] The Saxon Grace Period mentioned in the divorce decree of 17 May 1803 (letter/document 377g; see note 5 there): from medieval Saxon law, a term of six weeks and three days granted by a creditor to a debtor. In this case, the grace period commenced on the date of issuance, namely, on Tuesday, 17 May 1803, and would expire precisely six weeks and three days afterward, namely, on Friday, 1 July 1803 — coincidentally what would have been Caroline and Wilhelm’s seventh wedding anniversary. Back.
Translation © 2017 Doug Stott