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15 March 1935
Vienna, IX. Berggasse 19
Dear Jones,
Gladly prepared to answer!
Nothing else is meant than the union of living masses to form greater units. That life began with a disintegration is only a deduction, just based on the general nature of a drive. Since one observes that Eros wants to establish larger living units, one concludes that such a state existed at the beginning and was destroyed with the start of life. In no way do I overestimate the conclusiveness of this construction. Another way out is welcome.
All your conceptions are correct. The chronological question seems to me irrelevant and cannot be answered with certainty. The train of thought would be something like this: It would be in the nature of Eros to turn outwards, as it seeks union with something else. Such a tendency would not be in the nature of the Todestrieb, since it would only be intent on destroying its own living mass. It is therefore assumed that the direction outwards originates from Eros. The Todestrieb which is also taken along outwards would thus become the Destruktionstrieb. Result: through this change the living organism protects itself against self-destruction. Of course, all this is tentative speculation—until one has something better.
Cordially yours,
Freud