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According to CNN, a treasure chest of hand-written letters has recently been found in the back of a Swiss laundry room. Amassed by a rich Austrian gent over a 30 year period, the 1,000 plus collection includes notes from Peter the Great, Churchill, Gandhi, Shakespeare, Pushkin, and tons more. In fact, much has been made of Napoleon’s romantic apology note to Josephine in which the diminuitive lover waxes sweet about sending three kisses to his dearest—“one on your heart, one on your mouth and one on your eyes.” You’d think a dictator would be able to rustle up a few more smooches so sweetie wouldn’t have to split half a kiss for each peeper, but I guess that’s just Napoleon being Napoleon. There’s also a great note from Hemingway to Ezra Pound berating critics, and labeling them inferior to bulls:
“Bulls don’t run reviews. Bulls of 25 don’t marry old women of 55 and expect to be invited to dinner. Bulls do not get you cited as co-respondent in Society divorce trials. Bulls don’t borrow money. Bulls are edible after they have been killed.”
The letters are slated to fetch over $4 million at auction, but you can read more about them at CNN. Thanks Adam!
Just think what it’ll be like years from now when they unearth Paris Hilton’s cell (!) phone.
OK L B Cing U L8R
Priceless.
posted by Tom on 6-4-2007 at 2:41 pm