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
DEAR PAULINE,--Alice went off this morning to Cambridge, to get the
house ready for the advent of the rest of us a week hence--viz.,
Wednesday the 28th. Having breakfasted at 6:30 to bid her God speed, the
weather was so lordly fine (after a heavy rain in the night) that I
trudged across lots to our hill-top, which you never saw, and now lie
there with my back against a stone, scribbling you these lines at
half-past nine. The vacation has run down with an appalling rapidity,
but all has gone well with us, and I have been extraordinarily well and
happy, and mean to be a good boy all next winter, to say nothing of
remoter futures. My brother Henry stayed a delightful fortnight, and
seemed to enjoy nature here intensely--found so much _sentiment_ and
feminine delicacy in it all. It is a pleasure to be with anyone who
takes in things through the eyes. Most people don't. The two "savans"
who were here noticed _absolutely nothing_, though they had never been
in America before.
Naturally I have wondered what things your eyes have been falling on.
Many views from hill-tops? Many magic dells and brooks? I hope so, and
that it has all done you endless good. Such a green and gold and scarlet
morn as this would raise the dead. I hope that your sister Susan has
also got great good from the summer, and that the fair Josephine is glad
to be at home again, and your mother reconciled to losing you. Perhaps
even now you are preparing to go down. I have only written as a
_Lebenszeichen_ and to tell you of our dates. I expect no reply, till
you write a word to say when you are to come to Boston. Unhappily we
can't ask you to Irving St, being mortgaged three deep to foreigners.
Ever yours,
W. J.
It will be recalled that the St. Louis Exposition had occurred shortly
before the date of the last letter and had led a number of learned and
scientific associations to hold international congresses in America.
James kept away from St. Louis, but asked several foreign colleagues to
visit him at Chocorua or in Cambridge before their return to Europe.
Among them were Dr. Pierre Janet of Paris and his wife, Professor C.
Lloyd Morgan of Bristol, and Professor Harold Höffding of Copenhagen.
_To F. C. S. Schiller._
Cambridge, _Oct. 26, 1904_.
DEAR SCHILLER,-- ...Last night the Janets left us--a few days previous,
Lloyd Morgan. I am glad to possess my soul for a while alone. Make much
of dear old Höffding, who is a good pluralist and irrationalist. I took
to him immensely and so did everybody. Lecturing to my class, he told
against the Absolutists an anecdote of an "American" child who asked his
mother if God made the world in six days. "Yes."--"The whole of
it?"--"Yes."--"Then it is finished, all done?"--"Yes."--"Then in what
business now is God?" If he tells it in Oxford you must reply: "Sitting
for his portrait to Royce, Bradley, and Taylor."
Don't return the "McGill Quarterly"!--I have another copy. Good-bye!
W. J.
_To F. J. E. Woodbridge._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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