D O C U M E N T 6 3 J U N E 1 9 2 0 1 9 9
My address: Moscow, Pretschistenka 27, apt. 7 (via Berlin, Ministry of War U. 5),
for Prof. W. Arkad’ev, Secretary of the 1st conven. of Russ. Phys.
Association.[4]
63. From Hendrik A. Lorentz
Haarlem, 23 June 1920
Dear Colleague,
I think I must tell you once again how things stand with your nomination, or,
more accurately put, with the obligatory royal approval. In the final days of your
sojourn in Holland, I could still inform you that no more obstacles remained and
that there was a real hope of seeing this affair dealt with roughly on the 12th of this
mo.[1]
Unfortunately, the matter has dragged on again, so it was good that you were
not waiting for the results. Meanwhile, we have now come close to the goal. The
State Council has handed down its decision (obviously, in the favorable sense) and
thus the last formality is
met.[2]
Prof. Oppenheim, a member of this council (as well
as of the curators of the University of Leyden), told me he heard from the Minister’s
general secretary that the royal decree could be expected very definitely at the be-
ginning of July at the
latest.[3]
Since vacation starts on July 10, you may perhaps
still be able to hold your inaugural speech during the last week of the semester.
There is absolutely no doubt that, in any event, you will be able to do so directly
after the vacation, end of September.
As concerns the question of whether you would like to deliver your speech be-
fore or after the vacation (given that the former is also possible), you should do en-
tirely as you see fit. I can only say that the sooner you come, the more we, all your
friends in this country, will like it.
Howsoever, as soon as the royal decree is published, Ehrenfest or I will telegraph
you “properly”; we shall include on which day you can give your speech, if you so
desire. The decision is then still left entirely to you.
—————
I was very pleased to hear from you that we are going to see (and listen to) you
at the physics conference in
Brussels.[4]
I gathered from your letter that you accept-
ed the invitation to
Christiania.[5]
I hope very much that you will find the time to
see something of that beautiful countryside; you have worked so intensely for years
that you can allow yourself some relaxation.
Yesterday, I received the fine and stimulating book by Eddington: Space, Time,
and Gravitation: An Outline of the General Relativity
Theory.[6]
There is much in
it I would like to discuss with you; I would be delighted if that could happen soon.–
With cordial regards, yours faithfully,
H. A. Lorentz