DOCS.
177,
178
JANUARY
1916 171
{ }
terms, I
could not
obtain
an
overview and
prove
the
conservation
laws.[5]
I
was
equally
unable to
recognize
that
Newton’s
theory
was
contained in it in
first-order
approximation;
I
even
believed
to
have
understood the
contrary.
That
is
how
I
got caught
in
the
jungle!
Now I
am more
pleased
than
ever
about
the
arduously
won
lucidity
and
about the
agreement
with
Mercury’s perihelion
motion.
I
am
conducting
a
discussion with Ehrenfest
at present
essentially
on
whether
the
theory
really
does
fulfill
the
general
covariance
requirement.[6]
He
also
indicated
to
me
that
you
had encountered
problems
or
objections
to
it
as
well; you
would do
me a
great
favor
if
you
were
to
inform
me
of
them
briefly.
I
have broken in
my hobbyhorse so thoroughly
that
with
a
short
hint
I certainly
also would notice where
the
crux
of
the
problem
lies.
I
wish
you
and
yours
a
happy
New
Year,
and
Europe
fair and
permanent
peace.
With
affectionate
greetings, yours,
A.
Einstein.
178. To
Michele
Besso
Berlin,
3 January 1916
Dear
Michele,
I
was
delighted
with
your
little letter
and find
your
idea of
corresponding
with
Albert
very
good.[1]
I
also
tried
to do
so
often and believe
that
it
will
yet
become
very
beneficial. At
the
moment the
boy
is
still not skilled
enough
to
inject
the
necessary
animation into
the
written
word;
I
can
remember
only too
well
the
time when
I
also
was
like
that.
Nevertheless,
I’m
going
to continue to
try
it from
time
to
time. Once he has
acquired
a
taste
for
it,
much
will
have been
gained.
In
any case,
I
am coming
to Switzerland at
Easter
and
am
staying
there
for
a
few
weeks, even
if
I
have
to
wait
long
at
the
border.[2] I
am
very
much
looking
forward
to
seeing
my
boys
and
you. Going now
would have been
nonsense.
I
am
tired
out
from
a
lot
of
work,
had to reckon with
an
unavoidably long
wait
at
the
border,
had little
time,
and
was
also
hesitant about the
quite
considerable cost.
Personally
I
am
fine.
My
relatives
especially
continue to welcome
me
with
open
arms, despite my having
stated
in
no
uncertain
terms
that
I will
not
enter
into
the
projected
marriage.[3]
The
great
success
in
gravitation pleases
me
immensely.
I
am
seriously
con-
templating
writing
a
book in the
near
future
on special
and
general
relativity
theory, although, as
with all
things
that
are
not supported
by
a
fervent
wish,
I
am having
difficulty
getting
started.[4]
But
if I
do not do
so,
the
theory will
not
be
understood,
as
simple
though
it
basically
is.[5]
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