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From the Netherlands East Indies


A red leather album named "Precious Keepsake" contains copies of the letters written from the Dutch East Indies by Margot de Jonge van Zwijnsbergen (1819-1850) to her dear friend Marie Bichon Visch. Both Margot and Marie were of noble birth and usually conducted their correspondence in French. In 1847 Margot followed her husband, who was a member of the Governor's household, and settled in the Indies. She wrote about her daily affairs and excursions, complained about the behavior of her peers, and praised the landscape. She feared that her little daughter Augusta might be infected by the "bad examples" of sexual precociousness she was confronted with on a daily basis. This was the main reason why the daughter was sent back to the Netherlands. Margot died in 1850, one month after the death of her husband. Her friend Marie Bichon made the album for their orphaned daughter to commemorate her parents. It is now at the IISH.
 

Posted: 
1 June 2010