Letter from Lou Andreas-Salomé to Freud, August 4, 1916

Göttingen, 4 August 1916

Dear Professor,

No, do not misinterpret Rainer's attitude. It was not due to any estrangement on his part, but only to his shattered state of mind. I know quite well what he really feels about you.

I heard of Stärcke's book from someone in Holland. He seems to

have included some of his own analyses. I have been thinking a lot about what you said in your last letter concerning ‘the interruptions in your productive mood’ and your uncertainty with regard to it. Although you so definitely disclaim the possession of an ‘artistic’ temperament, to which such interruptions might more readily be supposed to occur, it nevertheless seems doubtful whether an achievement such as yours would have been at all possible if that factor had been so entirely lacking. And in any case your keen enjoyment of works of plastic art77 shows that you do in fact possess it to a large degree.

But quite apart from this it is a matter for consideration how far the investigation into the object of your research, the Ucs, perhaps inevitably entails such interruptions. For however scientific the method of investigation is, the Ucs will always tend to elude it, just as dreams elude us on waking. It will always require an almost unnatural exertion to dedicate oneself to this subject; perhaps in theory it can only be achieved by keeping up the habit of self-analysis and especially of the analysis of one's patients. One might put it this way: the subject matter of psycho-analysis avenges itself from time to time by interrupting the even tenor of the productive mood. Or better still: this is precisely the hallmark with which it stamps its product—and this is what makes it worth while putting up with!

I like to think that the Salzburg which you love so much (you once said you would like to live there always) will now be the setting for happy days of reunion with your son.

Yours,
Lou Andreas