1. In saying this Van Gogh was indicating that he did not doubt the truth of Michelet’s book. Thus the word ‘gospel’ does not refer to the bible.

2. ‘Il n’y a point de vieille femme’ is the title of a chapter in Jules Michelet’s L’amour (part 5, chapter 4); the phrase also occurs in the text itself (see Michelet, L’amour, pp. 381-386 (quotation on p. 386)).

3. For ‘Les aspirations de l’automne’ (The longing for autumn), see letter 14, n. 19.

4. Cf. Matt. 6:22 and Luke 11:34.

5. Cf. Matt. 7:3-5 and Luke 6:41-42.

6. Mr van Gogh had been suffering for several weeks from a persistent cough (FR b2710 and b2711).

7. Cf. Mr van Gogh’s letter to Theo in response to a letter from Anna and Vincent: ‘they haven’t yet succeeded in finding a position and say that we must simply let them muddle along on their own and that we mustn’t worry’ (FR b2713, 4 August 1874).

8. Van Gogh’s grandfather on his father’s side, the Rev. Vincent van Gogh.

9. The sisters Elisabeth Petronella van der Burg and Louisa Christina van der Burg (Aunts Betje and Louise). They were not, strictly speaking, aunts, but rather the unmarried daughters of Rev. Abraham van der Burg at Zundert, who was the minister there before Theodorus van Gogh, Vincent’s father (FR b2714).

10. The phrase ‘zei Jochem’ (‘Jochem said’) or ‘Meester Jochem’ (‘Master Jochem’) occurs often in Dutch proverbial sayings. Cf. also letter 826.

11. It is not known to which work by Matthijs Maris this refers.

12. It is not known to which painting this refers.

13. During his stay in Helvoirt, Van Gogh had done a lot of drawing. On 10 July 1874, Mrs van Gogh wrote to Theo: ‘Vincent did a fair amount of drawing, for Lies, the bedroom window and a piece of the front door, thus that part of the house, he was standing to the side of Jans’s little house, it turned out charming, for us he made a large drawing of the houses they see from their window in London, we are all very happy with them, it’s a wonderful gift, that he can profit from greatly’ (FR b2710). On 18 July 1874 she wrote to Theo: ‘Vincent made many beautiful little drawings, including one for us that he’s taken with him to frame and will then return to us through you’ (FR b2711).

14. During a Bank Holiday, Vincent and Anna went together to Dulwich, where the famous Picture Gallery is located. Vincent had been there exactly one year earlier (see letter 12).

15. Four works found in the ledgers of Goupil’s Hague branch were sent to London on 21 July 1874: H. ten Kate, Force passe droit (Might overcomes right), purchased on 13 May 1873; Ph. Sadée, Femme à la bêche (Woman at work with a spade), purchased on 17 April 1874; B.J. Blommers, La petite fileuse (Little spinner), purchased on 17 April 1874; and J. Maris, Paysage. Environs de La Haye (Landscape. Vicinity of The Hague), purchased on 8 June 1874 (RKD, Goupil Ledgers).