The Letters of William James, Vol. 2James, William
Philosophy
The Letters of William James, Vol. 2
James, William
Intellectuals -- United States; James, William, 1842-1910; Philosophers -- United States; Psychologists -- United States
Bill has had a perfectly splendid winter in Geneva, thanks almost
entirely to your introductions, and to the generous manner in which you
took him into your own family. I wish we could ever requite you by
similar treatment of Henri, or of _ces demoiselles_. He seems to labor
under an apprehension of not being able to make you all believe how
appreciative and grateful he is, and he urges me to "Make you understand
it" when I write. I imagine that you understand it anyhow, so far as he
is concerned, so I simply assure you that _our_ gratitude here is of the
strongest and sincerest kind. I imagine that this has been by far the
most profitable and educative winter of his life, and I rejoice
exceedingly that he has obtained in so short a time so complete a sense
of being at home in, and so lively an affection for, the Swiss people
and country. (As for _your_ family he has written more than once that
the Flournoy family seems to be "the finest family" he has ever seen in
his life.)
His experience is a good measure of the improvement in the world's
conditions. Thirty years ago _I_ spent nine months in Geneva--but in how
inferior an "Academy," and with what inferior privileges and
experiences! Never inside a private house, and only after three months
or more familiar enough with other students to be admitted to
Zofingue.[50] Ignorant of 1000 things which have come to my son and
yours in the course of education. It _is_ a more evolved world, and no
mistake.
I find myself very tired and unable to work this spring, but I think it
will depart when I get to the country, as we soon shall. I am neither
writing nor lecturing, and reading nothing heavy, only Emerson's works
again (divine things, some of them!) in order to make a fifteen-minute
address about him on his centennial birthday. What I want to get at, and
let no interruptions interfere, is (at last) my _system of tychistic and
pluralistic philosophy of pure experience_.
I wish, and even more ardently does Alice wish, that you and Mrs.
Flournoy, and all the children, or any of them, might pay us a visit. I
don't _urge_ you, for there is so little in America that pays one to
come, except sociological observation. But in the big slow steamers, the
voyage is always interesting--and once here, how happy we should be to
harbor you. In any case, perhaps Henri and one of his sisters will come
and spend a year. From the point of view of education, Cambridge is
first-rate. Love to you all from us both.
Wm. James.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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