Letter from Sigmund Freud to Sándor Ferenczi, February 6, 1921

Vienna, February 6, 1921
IX., Berggasse 19

Dear friend, While Elma takes tea with the ladies, I want to write a cordial greeting to you and Frau Gizella. I don't have anything to give with it, for you receive

my books through the Verlag, and I don't have anything else; I also never go shopping.

A few days ago I received a telegram from Philadelphia from a certain Harris, [asking] whether I can't send over an English-speaking analyst from somewhere or other under the guarantee of $5,000 for the first year of the practice (exact words in the next Rundbrief).1 Martha doesn't give me any peace; that would also be an opportunity for you that one oughtn't to miss. But I am against it for many reasons:

1. I think that you don't know enough English to analyze in the language, which, from my experiences this year, is beastly difficult;

2. you can, if you want, also go to New York in your own name, without support;

3. you evidently face a great improvement in Budapest;

4. you would feel bad in America without pupils and friends, in an extremely unfree society, which really knows only the hunt for the dollar;

5. we can't do without you here, without losing Hungary and all that is being accomplished there;

6. I would never see you again and learn nothing from you, etc., etc.