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325F
Vienna IX, Berggasse 19
11 November 1917
Dear Friend,
I have today been able to overcome a certain reluctance to answering your letter because we have just had the first news of Martin since the beginning of the offensive (23 October),1 and he is well. Ernst is still with us, and Oli is building on a bridge across the Dnjester.
I have a great deal to do, with 8-9 analyses a day and some in reserve, and am very pleased at being able to avoid brooding and worrying in this way. It is still very interesting. But I am ageing rapidly all the same, and occasionally feel doubtful whether I shall live to see the end of the war, whether I shall ever see you again, etc. During the war travelling to Germany is practically out of the question. The next blow that I expect is the stoppage of our journals; Heller is not threatening this, but with the continuation of the war it will become inevitable. At any rate I behave as if we were faced with the end of all things, and in the last few days I have got ready for publication in the two papers of the “metapsychological” series (Mψ [metapsychological] Supplement to the Theory of Dreams, Mourning and Melancholia).2 I originally intended to use these and other papers, with those already printed (Instincts and their vicissitudes, Repression, The Unconscious3), for a book. But this is not the time for it. It will also be a good thing for your promised review of the Lectures to see the light of day before the end of the world that is to be expected. With the cessation of the journals our role will for the time being have been played out.
As you see, I do not believe that the events in Russia4 and Italy will bring us peace. I think one should take the British assurances about their intentions seriously and also admit that the U-boat war5 has not achieved its object. In that case our future is pretty dim.
What you say about Bleuler's statement again shows how difficult it is to please people. I hope you have not received the impre