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15 June 1911, Vienna, IX. Berggasse 19
Dear friend,
I cannot like you report interesting work and startling findings; I am tired and count the days. That is why I have not taken the trouble to write letters and have made no claims on you.
I shall first answer the easier points in your letter and dispose of the rubbish before going into the mysterious matters you mention.
The enclosure1 will give you an idea of the style and content of “Viennese criticism.” Without wishing to put myself forward, I believe the remarks on Leonardo da Vinci are the most striking. No need to return this material.
I have finally2 got rid of Adler. After I had pressed Bergmann to dismiss him from the Zentralblatt, he twisted and turned and finally came up with a strangely worded statement which can only be taken as his resignation. At least, this interpretation is supported by his announcement that he is leaving the ΨA Society. And then he came out with what he had been holding back: “Despite its unprecedented resolution at one time to that effect, the Society has not had sufficient moral influence on you to make you desist from your old personal fight (!!) against me. Since I have no desire to carry on such a personal fight with my former teacher, I hereby announce my resignation.” The damage is not very great. Paranoid intelligences are not rare and are more dangerous than useful. As a paranoiac of course he is right about many things, though wrong about everything. A few rather useless members will probably follow his example.3