INTERNATIONAL PSYCHO‑ANALYTICAL ASSOCIATION

«FR»13 December 1937  London W1

«FL»Dear Professor,

«IP4,0»I have been reading with the utmost pleasure your second Moses essay.  Your writings have always been one of my chief enjoyments in life, but I have never been more delighted than over this one.  It combines the delicacy of the «MDUL»Gradiva«MDNM», the charm of the Kästchenwahl,«FN1.××Freud (1913f).

» and the grandeur of «MDUL»Totem und Tabu«MDNM».

My wife is also greatly taken with the two Essays and has claimed the honour of translating them.«FN1.××Katherine Jones (1939).»

It is a far cry from the famous little Moritz ("«MDUL»sagt sie«MDNM»" [she says]) to the fundamental question of the genesis of religions!  I have the impression that Moses himself must have belonged to the «MDUL»Gottmensch«MDNM» type, which would go some way to excusing the mistake over the "chosen people".  You do not say anything about the ten plagues.  I wonder if this is an «MDUL»Umkehrung«MDNM» [reversal] of the tortures the orthodox Egyptian priests inflicted on Amenhotep's followers, including the Jews.

There is a wonderful picture of Moses' psychology in the wilderness, particularly in regard to the ingratitude of his followers, in Stanzas IX, X and XI of Browning's poem called "One Word More".«FN1.××Browning (1895, p. 362).»  I rather think I once presented you with a copy of Browning many years ago, but if you have not one I should be pleased to send you a copy of the poem.

Yours in admiration and affection  Ernest Jones