Brief aan anoniem Possibly 1875

This is a letter in Dutch, penned in 1875 by Taco Mesdag. Its form, a handwritten script on paper, carries a significance beyond its literal content. Writing, like the spoken word, is itself a symbolic act. Consider the evolution of writing – from pictograms, each symbol representing an object, to alphabets, where symbols represent sounds. This transformation mirrors humanity's journey from concrete thought to abstract reasoning. The act of writing is a commitment of thought to a tangible form; it is the capture of fleeting ideas, a desire to preserve and communicate. The flow and pressure of Mesdag’s pen mirror the cadence of his thoughts. The choice to handwrite, rather than to print, is a potent gesture towards a personal connection, aiming to convey not only information but also a trace of the self. This letter is a relic, embodying the psychological drive to bridge the gap between individuals through time and space.