D O C U M E N T 2 6 5 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 2 8 2 6 3 265. To Heinrich Zangger Scharbeutz bei Lübeck, 18 September [1928][1] Dear Professor Zangger, Without any sort of ill intention, we haven’t written to you from here. Let’s say, out of carelessness.— Albert has made a good recovery. Pulse and blood pressure were more or less normal. Until last week. Then the good fellow sinned again, went on a sailing party, sit- ting for hours in a rocking boat in a strong wind. A long walk back from the jetty—and he arrived here totally exhausted. I hadn’t gone with him I would have slammed on the brakes! Then his pulse was less good for a couple of days, his sleep was somewhat disturbed, and he looked worn out. Fortunately, after three days of bed rest and a proper diet these symptoms disappeared and today he looks well again. But you see from this episode that he still is greatly in need of rest. We had a very enjoyable summer. Since 4 July we have been living in the middle of a splen- did beech forest on the sea, in a light, beautiful house that we are occupying alone.[2] It’s a paradise. Unfortunately, this idyll comes to an end on 2 October. The doctor in charge here was Dr. Lichtwitz from Hamburg, the director of the Altona Hospital.[3] An extremely astute looking physician. He frequently comes to check on him. Next week he is coming with Professor Minkowski from Breslau.[4] In addition, Prof. Libman from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York[5] was frequently here. They all constantly come of their own volition. When will we see you in Berlin? Many warm wishes, your Elsa Einstein Dear Zangger, I haven’t written in such a long time, although I’ve had lots of leisure, and a life that could be described as preparation for paradise, if I no longer had the prospect of hell. (Because if I had an opportunity for vice, virtue would be of little avail in my case.) Thus a humble existence in nature combined with comfortable activity is really the acme, if one is not burdened with serious responsibility. The most wonderful thing about science is that it keeps the feeling of the mys- tery of everything alive and prevents us from falling victim to bourgeois deadening. It is the positive side of the resignation that springs from the experience of the im- potence of enlightened understanding. In the hope of seeing you again, kind regards, your A. Einstein
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