DOCS. 436-438
APRIL
1913 333
The lecture
in
Paris
went
very well.[3]
I
was
showered
with
so
much
honor that
I
thought
I
would
die
of embarrassment.
Cordial
greetings to
all
of
you
from
your
Albert
437. To
Jean Perrin
Zurich, 4
April
[1913][1]
Dear
Mr.
Perrin:
One of the
most
precious
memories
I
brought
with
me
from
Paris
is
that of
my
visit
to
your
wonder kitchen
at
the
Sorbonne.[2] I
thank
you
with all
my
heart for the
time
you
devoted
to
me.
There
I
was,
again seeing
with
my
own
eyes
a
thing
that
looks like
a
miracle.
It
seems
to
me
that
Langevin
was
right
with his
idea that the
dissolved
molecules
produce
a
stepped
structure.
The
question
that
has
passed
dimly
through
my
mind
was
whether
we are
not
dealing
with
a
kind
of
gel
formation. If
Brownian motion
could be
observed
(under great magnification)
on
the
steps,
then
this would be
ruled
out.
Instead of Brownian
motion,
it should also be
possible
to
use
the motion of
small
particles
under the influence of
an
electrical
field.
(In
my
mind's
eye
I
see you laughing
amusedly
if this
is
nonsense.)
I
thank
you
and
your wife[3]
cordially
for the wonderful
evening you
arranged
for
us
on
Sunday.[4]
Even
though
my
deficient
knowledge
of
your language
inhibited
me
very
much,
I
found
your
conversation
a
delicious
pleasure.
How
marvelous
it must be to
move
in
your
circles
the
whole
year
round!
With
cordial
greetings,
yours,
Einstein
Give
my
kindest
regards
to Mrs. Perrin,
your
children,
and Miss
Faytis.[5]
My
wife also
sends her sincere
thanks
and
best
regards.
438. To
the Scientific Committee of the
Solvay
International Institute
of
Physics
Zurich,
29
April
[1913][1]
Esteemed
Gentlemen![2]
Thank
you
so
much for
the invitation
to
the
1913
Solvay
Congress,
which I
am
delighted
to
accept.
However,
since I
am
already
overburdened
with
extraprofessional
papers
for
this
year,
please
do not
assign me any
report
for
this
congress.