Hugo Schuchardt Archiv

Dear D^r. Schuchardt,

I found on my return to Bilbao last evening from some villages in the valley of Arratia, where a very peculiar Basque is spoken, your postcard and your book on Georgian. I thank you heartily for both. I found at the same time a lawyers letter from London saying that my father, aged about 84, died almost suddenly on the 11^th of October, & that I shall be a little richer from the beginning of the new year. It is a great grief to me, as you may suppose. I have tried my best to bring about a reconciliation. I believe I remain the poorest of all my brothers. But being richer I shall be able henceforth to do more for my favourite Basque studies. I have been introduced for a month as an honorary member to the Sociedad Bilbaina which has a very good library. I have just read un gant, a French translation (Paris 1894) of Bjornsons play. The gutun, as they call it in Biscaya, is worn, like a bag of relics, on the breast. You will have seen that it contains a bit of each of the four gospels. You know what Inchauspe has said about guthun meaning a book of devotions. The Portuguese call such books relicuarios. It is probable that I shall travel in Germany & Switzerland & Austria next year, to visit the Leiçarragas there. I hope I may reach Graz and be graciously received. I had a mental intuition of your meeting M^r. Linschmann during the summer. He & Van Eys have ceased to write to me & I have not received Euskara 17. I will try to send you very soon some new Basque booklets & a longer letter.

Yours
E. S. Dodgson.
Hotel Goldona, 4 Banco de España, Bilbao

¹ 10 November 1895. They unveiled a statue of Trueba² here today.