Furthermore, Andersen talks about his health and problems he has with his eye as well as the weather and his impending travel plans. It is clear from the letter that he is very close to his young student friend Bøgh.

The letter is published in the Andersen letter database. The contents are as follows:

”De er altid saa opmærksom og god mod mig! det har De ogsaa viist ved at glæde mig med Brev og vedlagte Billede; jeg finder at dette er smukt stillet, Børnene nydelige, især den lille Pige paa Skammelen, min egen Person synes jeg mindst om. Fru Jerichau var saa venlig at love mig et Exemplar, jeg ønsker endogsaa at erholde to af hende, for at forære disse bort, det ene hjemme, det andet i Udlandet, kan De, senest naar hun kommer Hjem, skaffe mig to? Vi sees maaske naar jeg, rimeligviis den 16 Juli, kommer til Kjøbenhavn og bliver der til den 20de, i alle Tilfælde skal De erholde Brev fra mig paa Reisen og jeg glæder mig da til, engang imellem, medens jeg er ude, at høre fra Dem og Hjemmet. Jeg har, paa otte Dage nær, da jeg var paa Holsteinborg, tilbragt Dagene her paa Basnæs, hvor jeg har deilig Ro og derved seet mig istand tilat skrive en Mængde Breve der maatte skrives, dernæst har Hartmann leveret en Del nye Sang Nummere som skulle lægges ind i den omarbeidede Text til Operaen Ravnen, ja en heel ny Charakteer "Kløerspaerrude" har jeg givet ham; desuden har jeg læst Corectur og leveret en Deel Bemærkning[er], et halvt trykt Ark, til den nye Udgave af Eventyr og Historier, og endelig skrevet et nyt Eventyr: ["]Sommergjæk", der er bestemt for Lose og Delbancos Folkekalender.

I de sidste otte Dage har jeg været plaget med et daarligt Øie, jeg fik Træk i det, sad en heel Dag i en mørk Stue og havde varme Omslag, siden spansk Flue og er endnu ikke rask, det pirrer mig lidt i Øiet medens jeg skriver dette, men Brev maa De have, og skulde tidligere have faaet det, dersom mit Øie ikke havde lidt. Paa Søndag, om Gud vil, reiser jeg til Lerkenborg næste søndag vilde jeg være i Roeskilde og da Onsdag ellers Torsdag indtræffe i Kjøbenhavn, ordne mine Sager og da snarest med Jonas Collin flyve ned til Schweiz. Gid at nu Veiret der maa være bedre end vi have det her; jeg kan neppe komme i haven uden at Regnen strømmer ned, Vinden suser og jeg seer sjældent roligt Vande ud for mig, Søen vælter, især i Dag, tunge skumhvide Bølger; Maager og Terne[r] jage omkring, det Hele har Efteraars Udseende. Vil De hilse hos Pastor Blædels og seer De nogle af mine unge Venner da bring ogsaa min Hilsen; her har De en heel Bouquet af Hilsener, som jeg beder Dem at uddele!

Deres meget hengivne

H.C. Andersen

Til Hr. Frederik Bøgh!”

[The envelope stating:]

”Til Hr. Stud:jur. Frederik Bøgh.

Adresse: Hr Pastor N.G. Blædel, Sognepræst til Garnisonskriken, Ridder af Danebrogen (Garnisonspladsen) i Kjøbenhavn.”

Frederik Bøgh (1836-82) was born into a literary and artistic home North of Copenhagen. His uncle was a priest at Garnisonskirken in Copenhagen, and at the age of nine, Frederik was sent off to a good school in Copenhagen, where he could live with his family. It was here, in Copenhagen and at the vicarage where many famous people of the period often gathered, that he met Hans Christian Andersen, to whom he grew very close. Andersen recognized true potential in Bøgh, who sadly died at the age of 48, after almost a decade of being ill. His last ten years were not good and put a stop to his otherwise promising literary career.

Frederik had a keen interest in literature, which only grew stronger through his meetings with the literary nobility of Copenhagen. On his 25^th birthday, November 4^th 1861, he published a work called Valkyrien. The book was quite well received, but it was published anonymously, and the identity of the author was the object to many a speculation. In his diary, Andersen writes on November 10 1861: “I found out for sure that 'Valkyrien' was by the young Bøgh! It is a particularly promising work.” Andersen is very impressed with the young budding author, and Frederik, of course, is overwhelmed by the kindness of the greatest Danish writer, whom everyone had grown to admire. In a letter on November 18, Frederik writes to his parents: “On this occasion, H.C. Andersen has met me with overwhelming love. He had quite loosely heard that I was said to be the author, and when he had read the book, he immediately sat down to write to the author; but where was he to deliver it [i.e. the letter]? After that he had gone to Collins and said 'I know from a reliable source that it is him – ay, I will run there immediately'. 'You cannot do that', Collin had said, what if it is not true. Think of the uncomfortable position you will put the young man in!' After that, he had wandered back and forth in front of a certain vicarage in Bredgade, without the courage to enter. And yet – next morning he came, but he did not find me home, and I went to him. He received me with the extraordinary cordiality that is so peculiar to him: 'First I must tell you that I do not like these heroic women, who lack all femininity. So, I then began reading the book with great reluctance; but when I had read a bit, I said to myself: “But he is brilliant!”, and the more I read, the more I was overcome by joy. Your book is quite poetical. It is the most important that has appeared since it went quiet [i.e. since the great author Oehlenschläger died in 1850]. All the others have twittered as little birds; but you give more, you give something objectively. I am so very pleased about that; that is wonderful, and now, you will see, the sunshine will come, it will come!' and then he pressed both of my hands so warmly, looked me in the eyes so lovingly, got tears in the eye – and I too. We felt good about each other, and happy and pleased I left him.”

The warm bond between Frederik Bøgh and Andersen can be traced back to this moment. And from then on, a close friendship evolves, which is evident from their correspondence. And although the young author showed such great promise, he did not publish another book in his lifetime.