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
I got a letter from Mother the day after I wrote last week to Harry,
without date, but written after the Tweedies' visit. I got this morning
a "Nation" and the "advertisement" to Father's Essay on Swedenborg. In
the latter the old lyre is twanged with a greater freshness and force
than ever, so that even T. S. Perry was made to vibrate in unison with
it. I wrote to Father three weeks ago respecting his former article. I
hope the letter is by this time in his hands. I am very sorry the fat
one went astray. It contained, _inter alia_, an account of my
expenditure up to its time of writing. I would give a good deal to be
able to enjoy as you are all doing the society of Venerable Brother
Robertson. It is a great pity that we should get so estranged by
separation from each other. I wish, now he's at home, he would once
write to me. I have got tolerably well to work, and enjoy my lectures at
the University intensely. Are the "Rainbows for Children" I see noticed
in the "Nation" that old book by Mrs. Tappan? I hope Harry is not the
person therein mentioned as having palmed off on Godkin a translation
from the German as an original article on Thorwaldsen. You have not told
me a word about the Tappans since I quit. I am very glad to hear of Aunt
Kate's leg being so much better and staying so. Tell her I hope it has
not been improving at the expense of her heart, as her long silence
sometimes makes me shudderingly fear.
Adieu. 1000 kisses to all, not forgetting Ellen.[42]
Ever your Bruder, W. J.
_To Thomas W. Ward._
[Fragment of a letter from Berlin,
_circa Nov. 1867?_]
...I have begun going to the physiological lectures at the University.
There are in all seven courses and four lectures. I take five courses
and three lectures. There is a bully physiological laboratory, the sight
of which, inaccessible as it is to me in my present condition, gave me a
sharp pang. I have blocked out some reading in physiology and psychology
which I hope to execute this winter--though reading German is still
disgustingly slow.... It seems to me that perhaps the time has come for
psychology to begin to be a science--some measurements have already been
made in the region lying between the physical changes in the nerves and
the appearance of consciousness-at (in the shape of sense perceptions),
and more may come of it. I am going on to study what is already known,
and perhaps may be able to do some work at it. Helmholtz and a man named
Wundt at Heidelberg are working at it, and I hope I live through this
winter to go to them in the summer. From all this talk you probably
think I am working straight ahead--towards a definite aim. Alas, no! I
finger book-covers as ineffectually as ever. The fact is, this sickness
takes all the spring, physical and mental, out of a man....
_To Thomas W. Ward._
BERLIN, _Nov. 7, 1867_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account