D O C U M E N T 1 0 6 A U G U S T 1 9 2 0 2 3 7
I hope that these elucidations will remove every obstacle in reading papers that
I had the honor of submitting to
you[6]
and will permit you to form a definite opin-
ion concerning their usefulness in elaborating your admirable theories.
I do not need to tell you how valuable it would be to me to have this opinion.
Please, Mr. Einstein, allow me to assure you of my utmost respect.
T. de Donder
P. S. If you wish, I [will send] you a proof [... of my] New Thesis of
[Gravitation][7]
in which I transcribe all my results in your notation, and in which I indicate explic-
itly the covariance of [diverse] physical quantities I had [encountered] there.
TDD
106. From Tullio Levi-Civita
Padua, 18 August 1920
Illustrious and dear Colleague,
Thank you very much for your extremely enjoyable letter of the 11th instant and
for having satisfied my wishes regarding the two offprints with such thoughtful
courtesy,[1]
adding a third equally appreciated.
I immediately communicated your cordial assent to the Italian translation to En-
gineer Calisse with instructions to contact Vieweg for the editorial
work.[2]
I join most fervidly in the wish that the true intellectuals very soon regain the
sense of international solidarity, scientific and human, so sadly lost, even perverted,
during the war.
It is true that in Italy the majority of colleagues have again become reasonable,
but, unfortunately, there is still a not negligible minority in the world that thinks and
works in a non-international way.
You warned me that the paper “Gravitationsfelder im Aufbau etc.” should be
considered only as a first
attempt.[3]
I understand, but meanwhile I have already
read the paper with the most intense interest and I intend to study it as required by
the exceptional importance of the topic, given that by now it is no longer acceptable
to doubt the existence and stability of the electron.
Permit me, finally, to justify my reference to
Newton,[4]
relying on the authority
of Lagrange for support. He wrote that Newton is unique, unique being the discov-
ery of the system of the world. Now, from a speculative point of view, relativity has
changed the scheme in such a profound way that we find ourselves unquestionably
at the forefront of a new discovery of the world system. It is not, therefore, because
of a proselyte’s enthusiasm that I, alluding to the Newton of our day, offend your
modesty.