Letter from Karl Abraham to Sigmund Freud, January 2, 1917

1917

306A

Allenstein
2 January 1917

Dear Professor,

I received your letter and the 2nd volume of the Lectures over a week ago and today want to thank you sincerely for both since I have just finished reading the book. I think it will be very useful for our interests, partly because it is so elementary and yet contains everything essential, and partly because, as all historical and theoretical material has been left out, it makes far fewer demands on the reader than the earlier book on the dream. Furthermore, the perfect depiction and the certainty and serenity of the work are sure to make an impression—as soon as general interest turns back to science again. I spent a number of pleasant hours with this book, and my wife is reading it now. Otherwise, there is little stimulation in this small town. That is why I have used the holidays for avid reading, and the only dissatisfaction is that the 3rd volume is not yet out. Meanwhile, the new issue of the has arrived, and I see myself in print again after more than two years. Incidentally, what is to happen to the other paper?1 If only one knew that there would be peace soon and that we could publish our Jahrbuch again, I should like to reserve it for that. But since the future is so uncertain, it would be best if I asked you to publish it sometime when the is short of contributions.

I should be glad to hear that you have good news of all your combatants, and that all of you at home are well too. I can say the same of us.

Not much new to report scientifically. Among my patients I have had two obsessional neuroses; without thorough analysis, both strikingly confirmed your views and those of Jones. They may be useful material later on.

Yesterday I chanced to come across a dream in Till Eulenspiegel2 that is told by the three-year-old Till and has, as far as I know, not yet been mentioned in our literature. You might publish it under the brief communications in the with reference to undisguised wis