5 8 D O C U M E N T 7 0 F E B R U A R Y 1 9 2 1
If one is as famous a man as you are, one can safely ignore elegance, which is
the business of cobblers and
tailors;[5]
we other poor mortals, however, cannot
afford to belittle the achievements of those trusty people. Without sacrificing even
an iota of the content of your little book, I always tried to make the style as elegant
as possible. In the land of Lagrange and Laplace, expectations in this regard are
very high and the least infraction is regarded as an unforgivable offense.
I impatiently await your talk about “experience and
geometry,”[6]
which I would
likewise like to translate into French.—The contractual certificate will be sent to
you tomorrow or the day after from Messrs. Gauthier-Villars.
As Besso has written
me[7]
that you are going to America soon, please do tell me
when you are leaving and how long you intend to stay. Oh! You lucky guy, for years
I’ve been making superhuman efforts to go to San Francisco to see my poor
mother,[8]
unfortunately, in vain.–
My friends here, who are, of course, knowledgeable, are very astonished that
you wrote such a nice foreword for the superficial book by Lucien Fabre, who is a
reactionary and a
Jew-baiter.[9]
He is known here as an empty-headed phrasemon-
ger. Last September he published an article in the local paper that proclaimed to the
world that rays called “dia” had been discovered with which it was possible to see
steel, iron, and gold through the thickest
walls.[10]
Upon closer inquiry I found out
to my not slight amazement that the stupid dolt had taken the entire story from an
April-fool’s issue. With your foreword in hand he is now parading as the best cer-
tified Einstein expert.
In expectation of your dear reply, I send you most hearty greetings in old friend-
ship, yours,
M. Solovine
My best regards to your nice secretary, Miss Else Einstein, who appears to be part
of the
family.[11]
I just received the draft of the contractual certificate. I enclose it herewith and
ask you please to return it to me by return post. You will subsequently receive the
same in the mail in legal form for your
signature.[12]
70. From Chaim Weizmann
London, W.C.1., 77 Great Russell Street, 28 February 1921
Highly esteemed Professor,
I hope that in view of the urgency of the matter you do not hold it against me that
I have been corresponding with you by telegram until
now.[1]
It is a special pleasure
for me to reiterate my warmest thanks to you by letter for having accepted my invi-