The British aristocrat Denys Finch Hatton was Karen Blixen's long-lost love, who she met in 1918 when she was still married to Bror Blixen. In 1925, her and Bror seperated, but that didn't mean a happy ending for Blixen and Finch Hatton. The two had an unstable relationship throughout the years, however, Blixen loved him dearly until – and after – he died in 1931.

The letter from Finch Hatton to Karen Blixen (1926) is transcribed and published in: Marianne Juhl, Frans Lasson & Marianne W. Asmussen (eds.) (2013): Karen Blixen i Afrika. En brevsamling, 1914–31. Vol. IV (of 4). Pp. 1841–1842.

It is a very loving letter to Blixen regarding him being on a trip in Kenya and when he will return (to the farm?). He comments on Blixen's succes planting daffodils, and reaches out for her help on a matter between himself and Li-Lisa-Yeng (unidentified). Finch Hatton expresses great love for Ngong: “[...] for now Ngong has more of the feeling of home for me than England”, and reveals that he will bring a loud playing gramophone and a couple of records “[...] which I hope you will like.” (p. 2).

The gramophone became one of Blixen's most treasured pieces. In “Out of Africa”, Blixen describes it as “a delight to my heart”, which “brought a new life to the farm, it became the voice of the farm.”

The letter from Karen Blixen to Finch Hatton (1929) has presumably never been known in public before, i.e. it is not mentioned in: Marianne Juhl, Frans Lasson & Marianne W. Asmussen (eds.) (2013): Karen Blixen i Afrika. En brevsamling, 1914–31. Vol. I-IV. Therefore, it provides historic and yet unseen information by Blixen.

The letter reflects a conflict between Blixen and Finch Hatton and does indeed witness the unstable relation between the two. She prefaces the letter: “Dear Denys. I hope you will not mind me writing this letter; it may be a stupid thing to do but I want to write it.”

Provenance: Descendants of Viggo Kjær Petersen.