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Freud has preserved for us Charcot's magistral words, spoken by the latter in reply to the reproach that his clinical findings could not be right, because they were in contradiction with a theory current at that time. Charcot answered: "La théorie, c'est bon, mais ça n'empêche pas d'exister." I was reminded of these words of Charcot's and of the impression they made upon Freud, when I became absorbed in the papers of Hartmann and Hoffer. I found a great deal in both papers, with which I could wholeheartedly agree, I am indebted to both of them for new insight, but yet I cannot deny that I remain somewhat unsatisfied by both of them as regards the theme under discussion.
Lack of sufficient empirical material, as pointed out by both speakers, caused them to keep their treating of the problem to a great extent at least, at a theoretical-speculative level, deducing as they were from psychoanalytical theory.
When reading Hartmann's and Hoffer's contributions, I become aware of the fact that I am viewing the significance of psychoanalytic theory in a light that seems to be slightly different from their way of thinking. I am by no means inclined to deny the value of psychoanalytic theory in its principal traits, but nevertheless I feel often bound to point out that psychoanalysis as an empirical method is richer and provides us with a deeper insight into human reality than the psychoanalytic theory sometimes would let us suspect. Briefly, it is my contention that we should always keep in mind the relative value of many of our concepts. It seems possible that I should give a small contribution toward this discussion, when I am illustrating this conviction referring to objections raised in me by today's topic of discussion.
Distinguishing between the three provinces in the psychic personality appears to be a clear and uncomplicated matter, which is undoubtedly of advantage in the description of numerous psychic phenomena. However, it ceases to be so clear and uncomplica