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Vienna, January 1, 1917
IX., Berggasse 19
Dear friend,
Martin's communications1 didn't add anything significant to your letter. In the meantime, Director Szanto from Harmonia was with me, pressed me hard, and conquered my resistance by informing me that the “honorary fee” for the lecture amounts to 1,000 crowns. But I still owe him an answer
and ask you to send back the letter on account of the address. I will accept for February 2 (Friday).
Nothing can be done with my practice. Your efforts to send me Budapesters can't have much success. I can find no other relationship to Vienna anymore, nor Vienna to me. So one just has to wait for a basic change in conditions.
I am pleased to see that you are coming back to yourself from your depths. The first dove that you sent out was very pretty. Today I am enclosing a sketch of the Lamarck work, since I gather from your letter that you are keeping to the intention that you expressed back then. (No return!) I will then begin to read the “Zoological Philosophy”2 today. In addition, I am preparing a third essay on love life: The Taboo of Virginity.3 You did receive the Lectures?4
Frau G., who continues to receive my sympathy and esteem, whether she approaches me now as your wife or not, was so kind as to send me a coronation card. I can't thank her directly, since I don't have her address and must ask you to give it to me or to do it for me.
The first impression of the new year was the excerpt from the Entente's response.5 Difficult to take a position on that. If they are capable of holding fast to these lies for two and a half years, then it's not so bad; then the refusal can also be a fabrication. It is a different story if they are correct with their accusations and, on top of that, we are being lied to by our governments to the extent that we can't make a judgment about it. In any case, Kaiser Wilhelm's last boast about the army was downright superfluous.
I greet you cordially at the beginning of this decisive year and look forwa