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Burghölzli-Zürich, 21 August 1908
Dear Professor Freud,
I am eagerly looking forward to your visit, which you are going to extend by several days. We shall have plenty to talk about—you may be sure of that. I shall be at home again from September 8th to the 28th. Come any time you like during those 20 days. I shall banish all intrusions that might encroach upon our sessions, so we can count on being undisturbed. Prof. Bleuler has nothing against your visit, how
much he has for it no one knows, least of all himself. So there is no need for further worry. He is extremely well-behaved and obliging at all times and will put himself out to provide benevolent background. (The unmistakably venomous tone of these sentences refers to certain happenings of an internal nature which justify my feelings.)
You are quite right: on the whole I was unfair to Stekel's book. But only to you. The other side will emerge in my review. Just now I am treating a case of anxiety hysteria and see how far from simple the matter is and how many difficulties are glossed over by Stekel's optimism. Apart from that I am fully aware of the value of his book.
Recently I had a visit from Prof. Adolf Meyer1 of the State Pathological Institute in New York. He is very intelligent and clear-headed and entirely on our side in spite of the toxin problem in Dementia praecox. In addition he's an anatomist. A while ago I received some offprints from Sir Victor Horsley2 and from a third party the news that he is interested in our work.
My holiday starts tomorrow evening, thank God. I intend to make the best of it by fleeing into the inaccessible solitude of a little Alpine cabin on Mount Säntis.
I am very glad you are coming as there are all sorts of things to clear up.
Please give Ferenczi my very cordial regards. He is highly deserving of your goodwill.
If you should write again in the near future, please send the letter to the usual address; everything will be forwarded.