D O C . 2 3 0 D E C E M B E R 1 9 1 9 1 9 5 me exceedingly with a positive reply it would be the finest thing I could imagine for physics in this country. With cordial greetings, devotedly yours, H. A. Lorentz. 230. From Carl Seelig[1] Zurich, 18 Sternen Street, 21 December 1919 My esteemed Professor, From the papers I learned with deep pleasure that you are closely aligned with the “Clarté” movement, and since I myself, as a friend of Barbusse’s, am one of this association’s earliest members and, in particular, am actively involved with it in Switzerland, I take the liberty of imposing on you with a big request:[2] I am editor of an initially limited edition of a collection, “The Twelve Books,” which, with the collaboration of most of the prominent international minds, pro- poses to unite spiritually all people of noble thinking. Thus the following unpub- lished works, among others, are appearing: Romain Rolland: “The Time Will Come” (play) Hermann Hesse: Novellas and essays Stefan Zweig: Voyages Barbusse: First novellas Duhamel: “The Light” Tagore: Unpublished works Hauptmann: “The Renegade Czar” Max Picard: “The Life of van Googh” van Eeden: “The Town of Light”[3] “The Twelve Books” do not intend to be exclusively literary. On the contrary, they should be a rich picture of modern intellectual work: a retrospective on the past, a mirror of the present, and a bright glimpse into the future. That is why it would thoroughly please not only me but also my friends Bar- busse, Rolland, etc.,[4] in whose names I approach you, if you, as one of the finest men of our time, would contribute a work of your own free choice to our collection. The same should have an approximate length of 6–9 printers sheets. (15 pages = 1 sheet 480 syllables = 1 page.) I offer you for these 1000 copies the highest honorarium: 2000 marks subse- quent editions (as with the works by Rolland, Barbusse, etc.) will appear as an in- expensive “popular edition,” for each new edition of which you would receive a considerable honorarium.