The Letters of William James, Vol. 1James, William
General
The Letters of William James, Vol. 1
James, William
Intellectuals -- United States; James, William, 1842-1910; Philosophers -- United States; Psychologists -- United States
MY DEAR MYERS,--Your letter of the 12th came duly, but not till now have
I had leisure to write you a line of reply. Verily you are the stuff of
which world-changers are made! What a despot for Psychical Research! I
always feel guilty in your presence, and am, on the whole, glad that the
broad blue ocean rolls between us for most of the days of the year;
although I should be glad to have it intermit occasionally, on days when
I feel particularly larky and indifferent, when I might meet you without
being bowed down with shame.
To speak seriously, however, I agree in what you say, that the position
I am now in (Professorship, book published and all) does give me a very
good pedestal for carrying on psychical research effectively, or rather
for disseminating its results effectively. I find however that
_narratives_ are a weariness, and I must confess that the reading of
narratives for which I have no personal responsibility is almost
intolerable to me. Those that come to me at first-hand, incidentally to
the Census, I get interested in. Others much less so; and I imagine my
case is a very common case. One page of experimental thought-transference
work will "carry" more than a hundred of "Phantasms of the Living." I
shall stick to my share of the latter, however; and expect in the summer
recess to work up the results already gained in an article[97] for
"Scribner's Magazine," which will be the basis for more publicity and
advertising and bring in another bundle of Schedules to report on at the
Congress. Of course I wholly agree with you in regard to the _ultimate_
future of the business, and fame will be the portion of him who may
succeed in naturalizing it as a branch of legitimate science. I think it
quite on the cards that you, with your singular tenacity of purpose, and
wide look at all the intellectual relations of the thing, may live to be
the ultra-Darwin yourself. Only the facts are _so_ discontinuous so far
that possibly all our generation can do may be to get 'em called facts.
I'm a bad fellow to investigate on account of my bad memory for
anecdotes and other disjointed details. Teaching of students will have
to fill most of my time, I foresee; but of course my weather eye will
remain open upon the occult world.
Our "Branch," you see, has tided over its difficulties temporarily; and
by raising its fee will enter upon the new year with a certain momentum.
You'll have to bleed, though, ere the end, devoted creatures that you
are, over there!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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