DOCS. 303-305 FEBRUARY-MARCH
1917 291
Thus
I
raise
my
voice
with
the
force
of
a
bullock
just
come
of
age
and
cere-
moniously, fervently,
and
energetically
call
(bellow)
it
off
herewith.
(The
music
ceases,
a
pause
of two
beats, followed
by elegiac
piano.)
Reason
and
justification.
The inviolable human
rights
include:
a
person may
ride
a
respectable
number of
hobby-horses, as
meets
his
temperament.
But
also
included
among
these human
rights
is
the
right
to refuse
accompanying
our
dear
fellow-man
on
his
hobby-horse
ride.
Therefore, you
have
the
plain right
to
sow
a
lot of old
nonsense,
fertilize it with modern
hogwash,
and
sell
it
personally
on
the
market.
I
have
the
right
to
keep my
distance and to
devote
myself
entirely
to
my own
hobby-horses.
That
is
how it should and must remain.
In
requesting
that
you
bear this
constantly
and
consistently
in
mind,
best
regards, yours,
A.
Einstein.
304. To
Georg
Nicolai
[Berlin,
after
28 February
1917][1]
Dear
Nicolai,
On
rereading your
letter, I
regret
the
unappealing image
I
have evoked in
a
playfully
emotional
outburst about the
endeavor to
publish
the
venerable
au-
thors.[2]
You should
just
take
this
as a coarse
joke.
To
the
point,
I
add
that there
is
no
question
of
any
harm
coming
to
the
enterprise
through
me.
I
am
alienating
no one
from
the
venture
who would be involved in it
without
me.
I
just
hope
that
Mr. Moos does not
participate
solely
for
my
sake;[3]
such
a personal
sacrifice
on
the
part
of
a
relative and friend would be awkward
for
me.
Kind
regards
also
to
your
wife
from
your
old
A. Einstein.
305. To Walther Rathenau
[Berlin,]
8
March
1917
Highly
esteemed Dr.
Rathenau,[1]
I
gratefully accept your
invitation
for
Sunday evening
but
shall
only
appear
between
8
and
9
o’clock, owing
to
my
delicate constitution.[2]
I
was
delighted
with
your
book and have
already
read
through
it
carefully.[3]
What
pleased
me
most
was
the
mentality
of
representing
what
a
good person
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