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Vienna IX, Berggasse 19
November 15, 1899
Dear Mr. Gomperz
I have only one objection to accepting your proposal, and it is for you to overrule it. If interpreting your dreams you meet with such difficulties, in other words if you have built up in yourself such strong resistance to a number of psychic impulses, then instructing you in the interpretation of your dreams would amount to embarking on a self-analysis. Once this has begun it is not so easy to bring it to an end, and perhaps you are in the midst of work which should not be disturbed or interrupted. If you can disregard this obstacle and forgive me for the indiscretion with which I should have to explore you and for the unpleasant effects which I shall probably have to arouse in you-in short, if you are willing to apply the philosopher's unrelenting love of truth also to your inner life, then I would be very pleased to play the role of the “other” in this venture. Your opinion that several chapters would have to be added to psychology if our conception of dreams is correct tallies completely with mine. I, needless to say, have already accepted the additional proviso. The prospect of convincing you to any extent of the correctness of my findings is very tempting to me, and your hint that you may perhaps approach the subject scientifically sounds to me almost like a wish fulfillment. For this reason I can easily resist the other temptation, that of using your dreams as material for a complete interpretation. I don't think it would be possible to conceal from the public the material, the thoughts and memories, contained in your dreams. Moreover, I consider you a