Letter from Jacques Lipchitz to Pierre Dubaut

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Full text (in translation):
'Dear Friend,
I was a little worried about your lack of news, but I didn't want to interrogate you for the fear of hearing about some terrible illness. Your letter arrives at the right time to calm my mind. I can also see that we will struggle to make you a perfect farmer. I can also see that your comments about the place and its climate ('cold' and 'humid' two words that we can see repetitively in your letter) isn't enticing enough to take pleasure there. Perhaps St.Paul Venee Caignes would suit you better but as you are already living in that area of France you might want to work on the issues regarding the place. Long walks, these exercises not very violent, won't replace the sunshine of the south but will still bring a lot of variety for your tastes and will help the stable recovery of your health. In your place I would have given a chance to the experience, what a pity that we cannot try together, I would have made you run like a rabbit. Anyway, I don't see the point the to reason with you as you have already made the arrangements to come back to Paris. Wait a little bit more, unfortunately, we are at the bottom of the ladder, suspended by the wills of the abject.
In fact, 'Paris' is a myth, so even with it, as you put it, 'in my hands', well I can't really grab it.
Spending my days at work, daily walks in the beautiful wood and reading in the evenings. In this moment I'm reading the Delacroix Journal, from time to time I can see some of our drawings style and so it makes me feel as if I'm sharing with you my impressions. Indeed remarkable, what a beautiful intellect, but the nature of it seems a bit thin, far from the fiery of a Gericault.
My long walk to the 'Marche aux Puces' (flea market) the other day got me a horrible cold that isn't encouraging for future visits and for the Rue de Seine and the others I've not been for ages.
What will I do if an occasion, a real one, arises? You know if it does it has to be taken while one can.
We are paid enough to know it; I haven't forgotten our failures. Even if reluctant, I will attempt to go out this weekend.
What you are telling me about your copy doesn't worry me, with a little bit of work everything is repairable, be happy to be far away and with our paintings safe or with you and don't blame me. What else could I have done? Glad to have acted the way I did and come what may!
I know as little as you do about what is happening in our industry, I know that there is a lot of misery and that the artists are starting to get agitated. Do you remember the request I had for the object in front of 'Le Café des Deux Magots'? For this, I offered a large sculpture in Bronze that cost me around 3,000 Francs. Thanks, and congratulations etc. when it was sent for the exhibition, perfect. After a while, a phone call - we must give back all the money, the artists were all very generous but the [illegible word] is against it. Even though we had contacted Matisse, Picasso, Braque and Roman Rouault etc. What could we have taken to make money in America, except for the things that sell in America, well I'm asking you. Tragic the stupidity and deceptiveness of the human nature! What's clear is that the artists will have nothing, they can die if the honor is safe. My only outing since you've left has been with the doctor. I've talked to him about your 'protégée' but unfortunately, having much work himself and not coming often to Paris, he won't be able to help him. He is opening a hospital under the Chateau des Bois [probably in Boulogne]. He is doing a wonderful work there. He invited me to spend some days with him, probably towards the end of May. I'm going there next week for 3 days.
Me too I'm feeling cold, your stove who is a darling, does everything it can to warm me up, but I work in my studio where there is no fire, I suffer enormously and my fingers are painfully numb.
I'm terrified on this long letter full of mistakes, too bad for you, you've asked for it. Anyway, you can see that it doesn't take me long to respond.
Sending good wishes to your family and my wife joins me in sending you our best regards.
Lipchitz

PS: How do you want me to move?'

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