1. At the end of the month (Theo was not to write again until then) Van Gogh says that the letter was written on 12 May (letter 233, l. 5).

2. An answer to what was said in letter 225.

a. Expression meaning that the validity, tenor or effect of something may be limited (WNT).

3. Biblical; see e.g. Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:19 and 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; and Jas. 2:8.

4. Van Gogh often writes ‘Xtien’ or ‘Xn’ for ‘Christien’ (this spelling no doubt derives from the convention of using ‘X’ for ‘Christ’).

5. The porter Pieter Hoornik, Sien’s father, died in The Hague on 7 June 1875. At the age of 24, on 3 July 1874, Sien had had a daughter, Maria Clasina, who lived for only eight days. Her daughter Maria Wilhelmina was born on 7 May 1877. In 1879 she had a son, Wilhelmus, who lived for six months. Her fourth child, Willem, was born on 2 July 1882. It is not known who the father of these children was. See Zemel 1987, p. 353.

6. Based on ‘Elle, et non une autre’ (She and no other) from Jules Michelet’s L’amour: see letter 180, n. 5.

7. A reference to the disappointing visit to Amsterdam, when Van Gogh made a last attempt to win over Kee Vos, described in letter 193.

8. Biblical; cf. Isa. 8:14; Rom. 9:32-33 and 1 Pet. 2:7 (in KJ 2:8).

9. On the ‘Geel affair’, see letter 185. For the connection with being made a ward of court, cf. letters 234, 237 and 244.

10. In May 1877 Theo, then just aged 20, had fallen in love. The class difference was a crucial obstacle in his father’s eyes, and he called his son to order. See letter 117, n. 1.