526
DOCS.
503,
504
APRIL
1918
one
thing
I must
note,
without
wanting
to
beautify
my
skewed holinesses in
any
way.
It
is not
a
matter of
making do[9]
with
an
energy
law
of
the
form
E
=
0.
dxu
For
it
can
never
be
concluded from
it,
for
ex.,
that
the
mechanical
energy
of
the
planetary
system (e.g.,
also
the
average
kinetic
energy)
cannot
extend
into
infinity.[10]
But this
is
one
of
our
most certain
general observations,
and
it
is
clear
that
this
must be
expressed.
H.
Weyl
submitted
through
me a
highly
interesting
paper
to
the
Academy
here,
in which he
seeks to
comprehend
gravitation
and
electromagnetism
as a
unifying geometrical system
of
concepts.[11]
Mathematically,
the
thing is
wonder-
ful.
But
physically
it
does not
seem acceptable
to
me.[12]
I
am
curious
what
you
will
say
to
it.
With
cordial
regards,
I
am
yours very truly,
A.
Einstein.
504.
From Wilhelm
Schweydar
Targsorul
vechi
[Romania]
14
April
1918
Dear
Colleague,
Your amicable letter of
6 April delighted
me;
here in
surroundings foreign
to
me[1]
I
very
particularly appreciate any
cause
for
joy.
Thank
you
for
the
fine
idea
of
sending me
to Odessa
to
retrieve
the
instruments.[2]
I
shall be
glad
to do
it,
if
Odessa
is
accessible to
me
and
I
am
not forced to
exchange correspondence
with
military
authorities about
it
(they
grate
on my
nerves
here,
there
is nothing
worse).
I
could
possibly get
there
by ship
from
Constanta.[3]
In
mid-June
I
intend
to
interrupt
my
research
here,[4]
because
the
temperature
conditions will
have become too
unfavorable,
so
I
could travel to Odessa in
the
second
half
of
June,
if
the
Academy approves.
I
imagine
the
trip
there
to be
very
beautiful and
interesting.
Your
report
that
Wiechert
will
be
the
director
of
our
institute
pleased
me
as
well.[5]
I
also consider
it the best
solution and believe
that
Helmert would
certainly
have
approved
of
this
solution
as well,
if
he
could have been
asked;[6]
he
thought
very highly
of Wiechert.
Thank
you
for
the
information
that
Eötvös
had written
so
appreciatively
of
me
and
had
suggested me
for such
an
honorable
post;[7]
but
I
do
feel
a
bit
dispirited by it,
because
I
fear
that the
gentlemen
are
overrating me.