DOCS.
597,
598
AUGUST
1918 623
physical
laws
that
I
have
long
been familiar with.
So
in this
case
there
is
absolutely
no goal,
only
an
opportunity
to
indulge
oneself
in
the
pleasant activity
of thought.
That’s the
nice
thing
about
my
current
existence,
that
I
can
occupy my-
self
unperturbedly
with
thinking,
without
any
worries
about
professional
duties,
whereas
during my
time
as
professor,
giving courses was a
greater
burden
to
me
than the Patent
Office
had
been
earlier,
because
the
knowledge
of
having
a
lecture
ahead
of
one
keeps
the
mind in
an
uneasy
state
detrimental
to
quiet
reflection.
This
is admittedly
only
the
case
with those
who,
like
I,
have
the
finished
lecture
neither
in
their
heads
nor
in
their
notebooks.[8]
Warm
regards, yours,
Einstein.
598. From
Heinrich
Zangger
Zurich, [before 11 August]
1918[1]
Dear friend
Einstein,
What
makes
you,
at 40
years
of
age,
call
yourself
a
wreck,
an egg
after the
hatching?[2]
You have
an
instinctive need for
breathing
space-want to
come
this
fall.
Well:
Off[icial]
Adviser
Mousson
spoke
with
“His
Excellency
Naumann”
and
wants
to
speak
with
the
President of
the Education
Council,
and
I
am going
to
go
to
the
Federal
Councillor.[3]
(I
am
given
much
credibility even,
because
I
ad-
vocated, apart
from
Einstein,
also
Meyer
and
Debye,[4]
and
I
am on
the
outside.)
Thus
you
are
faced
on
your
own
with
a
clear situation:
either
refreshing,
healthy
air
and
some
lectures-when
you
are
healthy-jointly for
the
Poly[technic]
and
the
University-and
are
welcomed with
joy, or
the
unhealthy
and
more
comfort-
able
option
with the
decrepit feeling.-
As
a
modern
person you
choose-unlike
everybody
else-what
is
more com-
fortable. Take time in deciding-a collision
of
values exists
that
is not
immedi-
ately
apparent.
Consider
many
a
dixi et
salutavi, etc.[5]
Your
boys
are
doing
well.
The
younger
one
is
a
fine
little
fellow,
with
shy,
bashful
movements,
not at all Einsteinian.
Albert
reportedly
likes
to write to
you.
Their mother
had
a
serious
throat
and
jaw
infection. Besso is
looking
forward
to
Rome.[6]
What
a
half
year
that
was
for
me; well,
dear
Einstein,
the
loss
of
children
gives
one a
hollowed out
feeling[7]-one’s
eyes are
constantly
heavy
and
changed
for
life-so
much
is
different.
Now I
have lost
4
pupils
to
influenza.[8]