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6 November 1921
Vienna, IX. Berggasse 19
Dear Jones,
I felt highly gratified by your letter of Oct. 11th as I had taken matters rather seriously and saw the future dark. It may have been the pessimism of old age, which is growing upon me. Now you will be fairly established in your new house and may accept my best wishes for happiness and
success while you live therein. What is your new address? You have not changed your medical office?
My wife's cousin Mrs. Philipp is a true epileptic as you will have found out by now. I dont see Frink's case so bad as you do.
The famous husband of Mrs. B. has renounced official persecution which would have shown him in a bad light and the private gossip is likely to fade out shortly, when the parties will have gone to Paris or elsewhere on the continent to go through the formalities of the divorce.1 I cannot argue with Mrs. B. for her misunderstanding my share in the affair, as in fact I had to assure her of the intensity and genuineness of his affection and to convince him of the presence of those feelings in himself, which he did not dare to confess to himself. To a non-analytical mind this attitude had to appear as an “advise”. The case is not bad in a moral sense, as both were unhappy in marriage and had a right to be fond of each other. As usual society does not object to the fact of “adultery” but to the intention to make it good by a permanent union.
I am glad you like Rickman and intend to make him the helpmate you need so much. He is a nice, strong fellow, his narcissism, I expect, a phase on the track of libido from mother-wife to some new, sublimated object. His analysis is just now rather sterile. I make excellent progress with Alix Strachey and expect to succeed with James Str[achey], both of whom may become highly valuable members of your staff.
As I confessed to you some time ago I have become convinced of the importance of bringing out my minor writings (Sammlung) in English and gather from your remarks in the Rundbri