You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
Budapest, October 29, 1910
VII., Erzsébet-körút 54
Dear Professor,
In your letter of October 17 there was another retort directed at my last remarks about our trip to Italy. But for the time being I think it would be better to let this subject mature in me and become clarified. If I come to Vienna sometime, then “everything, everything will turn out all right.”1
I pity you about your difficult correspondence with Bleuler, even though I see that one should not give up on such a personality so soon. I mean this in particular regard to his reputation as a full professor, for otherwise I find him petty and vain.
The difficulties with the Viennese are also regrettable. How rare objectivity is in the world! One could speak with more justification about the maliciousness of the subject than about that of the object.
I wish you much humor in all of these difficulties. After all, you invented the theory of humor yourself; you should also be able to apply it.
As you see, I am still living half in the memory of my study of your joke book. My announced lecture about jokes took place the day before yesterday in the Sociological Society. I was very successful, and I think I have gained a few adherents (nonphysicians). The lecture will be published in a Hungarian review. Should I translate it for the Zentralblatt?2
I am happy about the noble contest between Vienna and Zurich. The Korrespondenzblatt is courageous and pugnacious. I haven't seen the Zentralblatt yet—only your contribution,3 and I thank you kindly for sending it to me.
I will write a little paper on the psychology of the obscene as soon as I have time.4 Do you want to read it before I send it to the Zentralblatt?
I fear that I have disturbed you unnecessarily about the “sleep and dream letter.” The things that occurred to me in connection with it are not of the first quality, and I am beginning to see that my request was a symptomatic action. In Italy I silenced, along with many other things, the wish to talk this matter out wi