Millet to Stoddard: December 2, 1875

Letter 14: Letters of Frank Millet to Charles Warren Stoddard: May 10, 1875 - January 3, 1900

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E. Bridgewater Dec 2nd [1875]

My dear Chummeke: --

A sigh from Capri reached me a few days ago and made more intense, if possible, my desire to be on the same continent with you. Since my last brief note great changes have taken place. I have been at work decorating the interior of a new church here which is more like an old Romanesque Catholic church than an Episcopal “tabernacle”. The romantic and picturesque details of this enterprise I shall take keen delight in elaborating to you when we meet. I say “when we meet.” Do you understand what that means? I am all packed up to go to Europe and am daily expecting to take passage, only awaiting for three reasons. 1st the completion of the church which is to be dedicated on Xmas day; 2d, a commission from the city of Boston to copy a portrait which must be done at the same time; 3d the arrival of our teacher for the new [page 2] drawing school. (He sailed yesterday from Liverpool).

[Space added to facilitate reading.]

The party is all made up to go and the others are waiting for me so there will probably be no reasonable doubt that we shall be in Paris by the middle of January. It is uncertain of course if we may stay there but our plan is now to take a flat there and keep house. Come up and gaum and work and know some of the most charming people you ever met! We changed our plan of going to Milan on account of some letters we received from there and are going to by Paris first. Do come up to Paris, chummake! Now if you pass a winter in Italy dreaming or go into that hideous monastery I’ll never forgive you so help me Moses! If you don’t come wherever I am you will not show yourself either faithful, wise or at all devoted to your interests. Come and work! I am going to work! You idiot of Castello! Don’t you know you will never write half as good as [page 3] you can unless you knuckle down to do it? You don’t use half your powers. Now I am in real earnest! Come up, Charlie, do! Come and spoon and gaum and produce something. We will live again the old Bohemian in a different way; we will travel over Spain together, visit Brittany and Normandy and live as artists should in Paris. Do come!

Mark Twain came into the church the other day and we had a good talk about you and it was his idea that you intended to stay a year or more yet in Europe. This is what induces me to urge you to come to Paris and pitch in. He told me about your intention of publishing your travels and of the difficulty of making it go. You know you work better when you are with me. You know I must be as economical as yourself and that after we united together in Venice we could endure any hardship together, so I repeat for the twentieth time: Do come and meet me!

I haven’t anything to tell you except this. I am filled with it and [page 4] running over. The church occupies all my time day and evening and my constant attention. Therefore I must not attempt to write you of a hundred things I want to talk to you about but continue I hope to meet you in six short weeks in the city of Paris. I shall write once more before we sail giving if possible my Paris address and shall expect you to come there. You will of course send me no more letters to America but reserving all to tell me in the long winter evenings when we hug once more our own stove and live again the days of our old Venetian existence – the little house in Castello. I haven’t given up the idea of buying that nest yet. Mr. Howells sent you his compliments likewise Clemens [Twain] who has asked me to come to Hartford and paint his portrait. I was obliged to decline because I am going away.

Yours always with very much love

Frank

If you love me come and meet me!

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