S.
l3 July 1911 4O7 Brunswick Avenue Toronto
Dear Professor Freud:
«IP4,0»In reponse to the solicitations of various friends I have acquired the art of type‑writing, which should make my letters easier to read. In the first place let me thank you warmly for so kindly sending me the new edition of the «MDUL»Traumdeutung«MDNM». It came only last evening and already I have seen so many new things in it that I had better not start commenting on it if I am to write the other things I want to, but I warn you that you are in danger of getting a long letter from me about it as soon as I shall have read it through carefully. I was very proud to find myself mentioned in it.«FN1××Third edition of the «MDUL»Traumdeutung«MDNM» appeared in 1911 and mentioned Jones in two footnotes, see Freud (1900a, pp. 266 n. 1, 270 n. 2).
» In a recent number of the «MDUL»Journal of the American Medical Association«MDNM» Dercum, of Philadelphia, has an absurd article on your theory of dreams, which he controverts by the penetrating observation that it is contrary to the universal experience of mankind.«FN1.×× Francis X. Dercum, "The Role of Dreams in Etiology," «MDUL»Journal of the American Medical Association«MDNM», 56(1911):1372‑1377.
» I wonder it didn't occur to him that aeroplanes are also. In the same number Lloyd has an extremely vulgar attack on my Hamlet article, which he says could only have been written by a sexual pervert;«FN1.××J. H. Lloyd, "The So‑called Oedipus‑complex in Hamlet," «MDUL»Journal of the American Medical Association«MDNM», 56(1911):1377‑1379.
» the only argument he brings is to the effect that Hamlet knew who was his mother, while Oedipus did not, therefore the two plays can have nothing in common. To such shifts are our opponents reduced in their search for disproofs! On the other hand you will be glad to learn that two very excellent reviews have appeared. One, in the «MDSU»«MDUL»British Medical Journal«MDNM», is an exceedingly fair‑minded and sympathetic review of the translated «MDUL»Drei Abhandlungen«MDNM». «FN1.××[Unsigned]. "Puberty and the Neuropsychic System," «MDUL»British Medical Journal«MDNM», 1(1911):1337‑1338.
» The other is a thirty six page review in the «MDSU»«MDUL»American Journal of Psychology«MDNM», by Rud. Ascher, of your recent work and also of some other writings of the school. No doubt Stanley Hall will send you a copy of it, but in the meantime I might quote a typical sentence.«FN1.××R. Acher, "Recent Freudian Literature," «MDUL»American«MDNM»«MDUL» Journal of Psychology«MDNM», 22(1911):408‑443. The quotation is on p. 423.
» "So little is known about [Leonardo] da Vinci's early life that it seems a pity that some other more familiar character was not chosen in preference to him; and yet when one reads this classic analysis by that prince of psycho‑analysists [psychoanalysts], one almost feels that, if more facts had been at hand, his almost magical sublety [magic subtlety] of analysis would have had less opportunity to reveal its power and penetration." He writes very clearly on the importance of the unconscious, and the evolution of racial instincts, being evidently very hopeful of the possibility of harmonising psycho‑analysis with widened principles of psychology.
It is very distressing that you should be bothered by the internal dissensions caused by Adler. It is annoying that he has a following, but he has probably no influence outside Vienna, with the sole exception of Putnam, who thinks very highly of his ideas; perhaps they are similarly constellated, but Putnamn's paranoic tendencies take a different direction, as you will see from his remarks in the current number of the «MDUL»Journal of Abnormal Psychology«MDNM», a copy of which I will send you in a few days as soon as it comes out.«FN1.××Putnam (1911).
»
With regard to the editorship of the «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» couldn't you broaden the basis of it by securing Jung? I hear there is some talk of amalgamating the «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» with the «MDUL»Correspondenzblatt«MDNM». Would it be possible to make it international to the extent of publishing in English or French the occasional communications in those languages, just as was done with the abstract by Assagioli in the last number?«FN1«MDSU»«MDNM».××Roberto Assagioli, "Transformation et sublimation des énergies sexuelles," [Author's abstract in French] «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM», 1(1911):353‑354.
» It seems to me that this would increase its sale and influence in other countries, and would promote the international aspects of the movement. The main advantage, however, would be the saving of the labour of translating foreign contributions, which must already have been considerable. I know that the thought of burdening Rank has prevented me from sending in more little contributions than I have, and the same must apply to the others.
I have always communicated with Adler on matters of abstracting, so that if he is resigning I shall have to bother you a little about them. You know that Brill and I divided up the English journals between us for abstracting purposes, each doing certain ones. I sent Adler early last October a batch of eleven reviews, none of which has yet been printed, and in the present number of the «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» one of these already reviewed articles is reviewed by Maeder (from an English journal).«FN1.××The 1911 issues of the «MDSU»«MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» (vols. 1 and 2) contain numerous reviews of the psychoanalytic and psychiatric literature by Maeder.
» Surely this sort of thing will lead to much confusion and waste of labour. I presume Adler has not been able to get anyone to translate my abstracts, which is quite understandable with such a thankless task, but it is another argument for making the «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» international if this is financially possible.
Many thanks for sending to Stekel my other contributions. I hope that you included the confirming postscript to the analysis of the name‑forgetting, which was enclosed in my second letter.«FN1«MDNM».××Jones(1912e).
»
By now you must be tired of my annoying you with so many little details, and indeed it is a shame to do so on a holiday that is so much needed, and when it must be a relief to get away from things. I am afraid, however, that I must inflict on you a few personal matters, about which I had hoped to be able to write before.
The situation here has remained the same, a mixture of good and bad. My enemies in the Government circles took advantage of Dr. Clarke's resignation from the asylum to dismiss me without the shadow of an explanation. That was a blow both financially and in professional standing.«FN1.××C. K. Clarke had just taken up an appointment as Superintendent of the Toronto General Hospital. Jones's anguish is slightly exaggerated as his positon at the Toronto Asylum was that of a part‑time pathologist.» The promised Psychiatric Clinic has also been definitely abandoned. Further, the professorship which the President of the University had promised me was not awarded, owing to strenuous opposition from various people who thought that my views were "dangerous". On the other hand the General Hospital decided to open a neurological department for my benefit, so that I have no doubt it would be possible to make something out of the situation in time.«FN1.××Jones's predicament is further clarified in his next letter.»
But as you know the whole question has been greatly complicated by my wife's feelings. She is a chronic invalide, from calculous pyelo‑nephritis and other complications, and suffers from severe and almost constant pain for which she has had to take huge doses of morphia, which has considerably affected her both bodily and mentally. Her life here is miserable and apart from me very lonely, for she is away from her friends and relatives, and cordially detests the Canadian people, as I do myself. She has made big sacrifices for me in the past in many ways, although she does not believe in my work and is very fearful about the dangers of it to my reputation. She has done her utmost to stand the strain here and was willing to try to stand another year of it for the sake of my getting the professor's title. As it is, however, it would be inhuman of me to ask her to stay longer, and, I expect, fruitless. My only option, therefore, is to return with her to London or to separate, which is unthinkable.
I have thus decided to leave here for good in the middle of next September. The future is of course uncertain. I have very little chance of getting much of a position in London, but I believe that there should be enough demand for my services to keep me busy in Psycho‑analytic work. It is bound to get known in time even in England, though I think it will be a long while before it wins much recognition. At all events I should be able to do something for the movement there. I will try to do as much for it in America as before, for I hope to be able to cross every year and attend all the annual meetings in May as I do at present.
The work is going on well. I sent Jung last month a long paper and took the opportunity in it of gently differing from Adler's views.«FN1.××Jones (1912‑13).
» The problem of the nightmare book is satisfactorily solved by dividing it into two, dealing with its relation to history and mythology respectively. The former I shall certainly be able to let you have in September. I have just finished an interesting chapter on the devil, treated as an incest myth. It was a great pleasure to be able to take up this work again after more than six month's labour at other subjects.«FN1.××See Jones (1912j, 1931b).
» This week I corrected the proofs of an everyday life paper for Hall's journal and one on dreams for the «MDUL»American Journal of Insanity«MDNM»; both are to appear in October.«FN1.××Jones (1911g, 1911f).
» The next non‑clinical work must of course be the Macbeth. I wonder also if I might ask you to reserve for me the subject of Napoleon, that is, provided no one else is thinking of working at it. It has occurred to me to take it up from the point of view of his Oriental complex. I have always been interested in his charcter, and have read the literature in question fairly widely.«FN1.××The Macbeth and Napoleon studies were not
completed.
»
Well, this is certainly a big enough dose of me for one time, so I will bring my epistle to a close.
I warmly hope that you will have an equally enjoyable and beneficial holiday.
With my very kindest regards, yours always cordially Ernest Jones.
