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25 November 1910, Vienna, IX. Berggasse 19
Dear friend,
Bleuler's letter1 enclosed. He starts by confirming the failure of all attempts at a rational solution, but seems to be assuring us of something else, to wit, that he does not want to forsake us and the cause. We can only rejoice at the prospect of holding him. But you must have studied him enough at your last meetings to be able to decide what is to be done. Would this be possible: purge the Zürich Society, throw the others out mercilessly, create a special place for him as an elder statesman, and invite him to the scientific sessions, though not to all of them. But we should have to get along without him at the Congress. Then he would soon feel isolated in Burghölzli and advise the others to join the Society. Would that be feasible?
As for my trip, I am now being punished for my disingenuousness. Naturally I wanted to reap my private profit from the diplomatic undertaking, to spend a day with you and get to know your house and your children. Now he insists on my staying with him. If I do that, I won't see your family at all; my time is very much restricted by the costliness of my working day and my compelling need to earn money every day for all sorts of necessities and obligations. But I don't dare to decline to stay at his house;2 that would probably cancel out the entire effect of the trip; his whole performance looks to me like revenge for the situation when I was staying with you, above him, and neglected to call on him. That was really a mistake, I shouldn't have given in to you. Now it serves me right.
If I take up his first suggestion and meet him somewhere half-way, I won't see any more of you. Besides, a whole day alone with him would be very trying; he probably won't hit on the idea of taking you along with him. If he did, I should prefer Munich to Innsbruck, which holds hideous memories3 for me. Maybe consideration for Kraepelin will keep him away from Munich.
In short, I am still quite undecided.