DOCS.
304,
305
NOVEMBER
1911 221
to
struggle
with
a
foreign
language, a thing
that
weighs very heavily
because
I
am
terribly
slow
to
learn
languages!
Think, further,
of
the
personal
scruples
which
we
discussed,
and
of which I
am
unable
to
rid
myself.[5]
Then
you
will
understand
my
decision and
not
take
offense.
But
be
assured that
despite
all
I
have
said,
I
found
it
quite
hard
to pass up
the
opportunity
to
enter
your
congenial
circle,
which
boasts
such
high
levels
of culture
and
especially physics.
I
wrote to
Debije
immediately upon
my
arrival and received
from
him
a
reply
to
the
effect
that he
would
welcome this
opportunity
to return to his native
country
under
such
good
conditions.[6]
You know
my high
opinion
of
him,
so
I
do not
need
to tell
you
that
his
appointment
would
please
me very
much.-
Give
some
thought to
the
letter
we
want
to
write
to Adams![7]
It
would be
so
interesting
if
we
could
learn
something
reliable about the
reason
for
the solar
shift.[8]
What
you
explained
to
me
about
your
theories
was extremely interesting.
I
am
convinced
that the
explanation
of
the
line
reversal
is correct.[9]
It
also
occurs
to
me
that
according
to
your
explanation
of the red
shift,
such
a
shift should
not
be
present
in
the
absorption
core
of
such
a
line,
but that
according
to
my conception,
it
should;
for
you
ascribe
the
shift to
the
asymmetry
of the
scattering.
With
cordial
greetings, yours
very truly
,
A.
Einstein
Is it
necessary
for
me
to
send
an
official
statement to
the
faculty?
305. To
Heinrich
Zangger
[Prague]
15
November
[1911][1]
Dear friend
Zangger,
Don't
be
so
enraged
and
temperamental! I
am
sorry
for
having
disturbed
your
peace,
which
you
never
have
anyhow, by
this
dreary
job-offer
business.[2]
I
simply
do
not
think
about
it
any longer.
I just
wrote
a
letter of refusal
to
Utrecht,[3]
and
the
dear
Zurich
folks, you
excepted,
can
kiss
my
...
I
ask
you only
one
thing:
don't
concern
yourself
any
more
with
the
whole
affair.[4]
The charm of
a
friendship
such
as ours
suffers
when
a
banal
business matter
of
sorts
gets dragged
into it. Leave
the
Polytechnic
to
God's inscrutable
ways.
It
is
a
disaster, and I
am
sincerely
sorry,
that the
University
must lose
Debije
again.[5]
It
will be difficult
to find
someone
to
replace
him. And
then there
is
always
the
fundamental
problem.
A
capable
fellow
is
sure
to
get
another
offer
soon,
and
is equally
sure
to leave
a
position
that
is
so modestly paid.
It
was
most
interesting
in
Brussels.[6]
In
addition
to
the
French Curie
Langevin
Perrin
Brill
oin
Poinkare
and
the Germans Nernst Rubens
Warburg
Sommerfeld,
also
Rutherford and Jeans
were
there.[7]
And of
course,
also H. A.
Lorentz and
Kamerlingh