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“Farewell, and tell me something again soon, so that such long pauses don't occur. Otherwise, at one time or another one will inadvertently pause into eternal life” (Goethe to Zelter, June 19, 1805).1
Pápa, April 4, 1915
Dear Professor,
The above quotation, which (in my mind) I had you say to me, is current for more than one reason. First, my conscience has been pressing me for a long time for not yet having answered your very kind letter.2 Of course, I can excuse myself by the fact that I wanted to wait until I am again forced to write letters, so that you will again get out of this the impression of certainty, of being “out-of-one-gush,” as was the case with the last letter. The second motive is my having fallen ill with fever and stomach and intestinal ailments, which made me think about abdominalis3 for several days, but which finally turned out to be a severe stomach upset. The third reason for the quotation is that in the last few weeks—especially for the last three days, since I have been bedridden—I have been reading a collection of Goethe's letters and have found a correspondence, up to the smallest details, between Goethe's and your way of thinking and working, interests, worldview, type of disposition, so that I often wanted to cry out loud and call your name. Of all great men he is, incidentally, the only one who I assume would also not have been closed to Ψα. insights.
During my last trip to Budapest I experienced a small disappointment. My friend Ignotus, on whom, as a very astute person, I like to test my “discoveries,” gave the theory of coitus (which I promised to bring to Vienna for you) a very cool reception. Since then I haven't been able to occupy myself with the thing; I don't yet know whether this is a result of justified self-criticism or overly strong sensitivity.—
I am pleased about the news of your sons. The latest catchword about the “retreat to tire the enemy” is precious. The last prospect of my returning to Budapest recently went by the boa