D O C . 2 1 4 D E C E M B E R 1 9 1 9 1 8 3 I actually wanted to write you all this after the new invitation by the government had gone off to you [7] I wanted to run out all the guns at once. But the following request is motivating me to write the above now. The second request, you see, is the following. I have at last succeeded in getting the faculty to work on filling the professorship for theoret. physics. We have now had the first committee meeting and the committee has charged me with inquiring of you whether you would not like to come permanently to Zurich after all.[8] I do remember all the reasons that you put before me [here] in Zurich at the time against doing so.[9] But we would definitely nevertheless like to ask one more time. Per- haps—we cannot judge this from here, of course—conditions in Berlin have changed so much that the reasons for your staying there have become obsolete.[10] And under no circumstances do I want to neglect anything that might move you to possibly come to Zurich after all. As a new inducement, I could offer you the fol- lowing. Debye has received the call to the Fed. Polytechnic,[11] of course, and it seems very certain to me that he will accept. There are still only minor differences with regard to his personal salary I am convinced that they will surely be resolved shortly.[12] And with Debye here as well, professional life in physics will certainly be very animated here, and even if we still cannot compare ourselves with Berlin, obviously, it’s not all that bad over here, either. Even the salary issue would certainly be solved to your satisfaction. I do not have any expertise in that, I admit, but according to my estimate, you could surely count on a salary of 20–30 000 francs.[13] Please be so good, dear Mr. Einstein, and con- sider the matter in our favor, and then please send me word. And a third request is of a personal nature. A position in physical chemistry is now supposed to be set up here as well. Our dean has been commissioned by the relevant committee to make inquiries of you about Bernoulli in Basle. My personal request, now, is that you do not think that I may also have advocated his candidacy. I do not want you to think I could not assess Bernoulli’s research according to your values.[14] Please forgive this last request, which arises from my vanity. We were all delighted with your relativistic observations in the Times[15] and we follow all your triumphs throughout the world now with pride and anxiety: pride, because we can always say that Einstein is indeed connected to our university too anxiety, because we are uncertain about your coming this semester. Dear Mr. Ein- stein, as a compassionate person, take this terrible anxiety away from us and let us enjoy 4 wonderful weeks with you in January or February. I would be very grateful if you would soon send me a note. I wish you very well, dear Mr. Einstein. Give my best regards to your dear wife, and accept my warmest greetings, yours, Edgar Meyer.