15th February 1926  
Dear Friends,  

There has been a heated newspaper campaign against psycho-analysis  
in the last couple of months, but I am glad to say that it shows signs of  
dying down. The „Times“ and other papers have clamoured for an outside  
medical investigation of our work. At a meeting of the Royal College of  
Physicians a discussion took place about appointing a sub-committee for this  
purpose, but the proposal was negatived. The Commissioners in Lunacy, a  
Government body, also discussed the matter and decided in the negative. On  
the other hand, the International Council of Mental Hygiene have publicly  
announced that they have appointed a committee of inquiry, but they have not  
approached any analyst for evidence.  

This month’s „Psyche“ has a leading article entitled „The Conversion  
of Freud“ and also a second article on the subject containing the following  
passage: „A few years ago the analysis of dreams must have seemed to many  
adherents of the Viennese school to be developing into a not alto-  
gether inexact science … But today the wild men are once more not far from  
the fold – for if Telepathy be accepted the possibility of a definite oneiric  
aetiology recedes some decades, if not centuries, into the future“. Much  
wilder articles to the same effect have appeared in the popular Press. The  
so-called conversion has encouraged the mysticists, who also say that Freud’s  
life instinct no longer differs from the élan vital, and has been hailed by  
opponents who say that their opinion has always been that psycho-analysis is  
a branch of occultism. So once more my predictions have unfortunately been  
verified and we have added one more resistance to face.  

About twenty doctors are attending the course of lectures given by  
Flügel, Glover and myself. There has been great difficulty in securing  
accommodation for the new clinic, but this week the prospect is brighter. A  
suitable house has been found and if the necessary alterations and arrange-  
ments can be effected we may start work towards the end of next month. I  
gave an address last week before the Portsmouth branch of the British Medical  
Association and had a gratifying reception. As usual, the opposition is  
less among general practitioners than among specialists. Moll is arranging  
a discussion on psycho-analysis at the „Internationaler Congress für Sexual-  
forschung“ to be held in Berlin next September. He has invited Professor  
to open it and in the event of a refusal wishes me to do so. The date is an  
awkward one and I do not yet know if I can accept.  

With cordial greetings.

Your,

Ernest Jones