1O June 1919  69 Portland Court  London W1

Dear Professor:

«IP4,0»Your kind but sad letter 28/5 came this morning.  I am concerned first of all at the news of poor von Freund, of whom I heard such good things when in Switzerland, and whom I greatly want to meet.  You do not say that the tumour is malignant, so I trust there is still hope.

You are right, no doubt, in saying that in spite of my efforts to inform myself I am still out of contact with the conditions in Austria, and am extremely sad to think of dear Vienna suffering so.  I know that travelling is impossible in Germany, but hoped that your route to Switzerland was still open.  Things are not likely to be much better for a while.  I therefore suggest that we abandon the idea of a congress this year, and concentrate our efforts on getting together a committee meeting late in August or early in September at the point most accessible to you (? near Vienna or possibly in Switzerland).  I will surely visit you at all costs if it is at all possible, and we will see by then who else can come.  I will write to Brill to that effect, as I should like him to come if possible.

I trust that your wife has by now recovered her strength.  I can imagine how frightfully painful it must be to be unable to give a sick loved one the best conditions possible.  Please give her my kindest regards and best wishes.

For the future: having been well loved by mother and wife my confidence is hard to shake, in spite of any judgement, and I also know that you will retain your faith till your last breath.  The world is going through a period of bad regression, but our work will last, and will be ready for the world whenever it is ready for it.  In the meantime it interests us, and what more can one ask?  Science is the only rock that will withstand all these storms.  Russia is lost to |×/ for some years, but in England things go well for it.  As our poet Clough«FN1.××Hugh Arthur Clough (1819‑1861), British poet, whose work expressed the religious doubt of nineteenth century England.» says:

«IP9,0»And not by eastern windows only,

«IP9,0»When daylight comes, comes in the light;

«IP9,0»In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!

But westward, look, the land is bright!«FN1.××See F. L. Mulhauser, ed., «MDUL»The Poems of Arthur Hugh Clough«MDNM» (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974, p. 206).  The passage is also quoted in Jones (1957a, p. 11; 1957b, p. 11).»

«IP4,0»I hope next time, before long, to hear better news.

«IP4,0»With all my devotion  Yours affectionately  Ernest Jones.