RAINER MARIA RILKE

   

man, and a gratitude that persists through the years. Will you
please tell him of this sentiment of mine ; it is very good of him
still to remember me, and I know how to appreciate it.

The verses which you kindly entrusted to me I am returning
at the same time as this. And I thank you again for the magnitude
and cordiality of your trust; in this answer, given with sincerity
and to the best of my knowledge, I have sought to make myself a
little worthier of it than, as a stranger, I actually am.

With every respect and sympathy :
RAINER MARIA RILKE.

II

VIAREGGIO * near Pi1sa (ITAry), April sth 1903.

You must forgive me, my dear and honoured Sir, for not
gratefully remembering your letter of February 24th before
today: I was suffering the whole time, not exactly from an
illness, but oppressed by an influenza-like exhaustion which
made me incapable of anything. And finally, when it would
not improve, I came to this southerly sea, whose benefit has
helped me before now. But I am not yet well, I find writing
difficult, and so you must take these few lines in lieu of more.

You must of course know that you will always give me
pleasure with every letter, and be only indulgent towards the
answer, which will often perhaps leave you empty handed ; for
fundamentally, and precisely in the deepest and most important
things, we are unspeakably alone, and a great deal must happen
in order that one man may be able to advise or even help
another—a great deal must succeed, a whole constellation of
{ things must be realized for it once to prosper.

I wanted to say two further things to you today: irony :

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