1, rue Pot Trinquat, Cahors
20 April [1920]
Dear Mr Russell
Here is the geometry of the ?sh, as you said you liked it. It will appear in
the autobiography of bertrand russell 382the Revue du Métaphysique, but I cannot refrain from sending it to you now as a
prolongation of our talk. I hope you will look through it, but please do not
feel bound to write to me about it. I know you are very busy.
It was so nice of you to stop. When I heard that you were to come, it
seemed like the realisation of a dream. This day with you has been a great
joy to me.
Yours very sincerely
Jean
I do not want the MS. back.
Campagne Saunex
Prégny, Genève
22 Sept. 1921
Dear Mr Russell
Do you know that your death was announced in a Japanese paper? I sent
a telegram to the University of Peking, who answered ‘Recovered’ – but we
were terribly anxious. We hope you are quite well again now.
I shall leave this o?ce in February or March, with some money, and do
nothing till next October at the very least. I do hope that I shall see you.
Yours a?ectionately
Jean Nicod
70, Overstrand Mansions
Prince of Wales Road
Battersea, S.W.11
2.10.21
Dear Nicod
I have sent your query to Whitehead, as I have forgotten his theory and
never knew it very thoroughly. I will let you know his answer as soon as
I get it. I am glad your book is so nearly done. Please let me see it when it is. –
I know about the announcement of my death – it was a fearful nuisance. It
was in the English and American papers too. I am practically well now but
I came as near dying as one can without going over the edge – Pneumonia it
was. I was delirious for three weeks, and I have no recollection of the time
whatever, except a few dreams of negroes singing in deserts, and of learned
bodies that I thought I had to address. The Doctor said to me afterwards:
‘When you were ill you behaved like a true philosopher; every time that
you came to yourself you made a joke.’ I never had a compliment that pleased
me more.
Dora and I are now married, but just as happy as we were before. We both
second marriage 383send our love to you both. It will be delightful to see you when you leave
Geneva. We shall be in London.
Yours a?.
Bertrand Russell
31 Sydney Street
London, S.W.3
13.9.23
Dear Nicod
I have been meaning to write to you for the last eight months, but have
somehow never done so. Did Keynes ever answer your letter? He is now so
busy with politics and money-making that I doubt if he ever thinks about
probability. He has become enormously rich, and has acquired The Nation. He
is Liberal, not Labour.
Principia Mathematica is being reprinted, and I am writing a new introduc-
tion, abolishing axiom of reducibility, and assuming that functions of props
are always truth-functions, and functions of functions only occur through
values of the functions and are always extensional. I don’t know if these
assumptions are true, but it seems worth while to work out their
consequences.
What do you think of the enclosed proposal? I have undertaken to try to
get articles. I asked if they would admit Frenchmen, and they say yes, if they
write in German or English. Will you send me an article for them? I want to
help them as much as I can. Do.
All goes well with us. Dora expects another child about Xmas time, and
unfortunately I have to go to America to lecture for three months at the
New Year.
The world gets more and more dreadful. What a misfortune not to have
lived ?fty years sooner. And now God has taken a hand at Tokyo. As yet, he
beats human war-mongers, but they will equal him before long.
Yours ever
Bertrand Russell
From Moritz Schlick, founder of the Vienna Circle
Philosophisches
Institut der Universit?t
in Wien
Vienna, Sep. 9th 1923
Dear Mr Russell
Thank you most heartily for your kind letter. I was overjoyed to receive
your a?rmative answer. I feel convinced that the future of the magazine is
the autobiography of bertrand russell 384safe since you have consented to lend your help by being one of the editors. It
is a pity, of course, that you cannot send an article of your own immediately
and that you have not much hope of getting contributions from your English
and American friends during the next months, but we must be patient and
shall be glad to wait till you have more time. I am sure that the scheme will
work very well later on. It already means a great deal to know that we have
your support, that your name will in some way be identi?ed with the spirit
of the magazine.
Thank you for your further suggestions. In my opinion contributions
by M. Nicod would be most welcome, and I have no doubt that none of
the editors would object to French articles, but unfortunately the publisher
(who of course takes the business standpoint) has declared that at present
he cannot possibly print anything in French, but I hope he will have
nothing against publishing articles by French authors in the German or
English language.
I have written to Reichenbach about your suggestion concerning the
Polish logicians at Warsaw; I do not think there will be any political di?cul-
ties in approaching them. I believe we must be careful not to have too many
articles dealing with mathematical logic or written in symbolic form in the
?rst issues, as they might frighten away many readers, they must get used to
the new forms gradually.
I have asked Reichenbach to send you some o?prints of his chief papers;
I hope you have received them by the time these lines reach you.
I should like to ask you some philosophical questions, but I am extremely
busy just now. Our ‘Internationale Hochschulkurse’ are beginning this week,
with lecturers and students from many countries. It would be splendid if you
would be willing to come to Vienna on a similar occasion next year.
Thanking you again I remain
yours very sincerely
M. Schlick
From Jean Nicod
Chemin des Coudriers
Petit Saconnex, Genève
17 September, 1923
Dear Mr Russell
I should like very much to dedicate my book La Géométrie dans le Monde sensible
to you. It is not very good; but I still hope that bits of it may be worth
something. Will you accept it, such as it is? I have thought of the following
inscription:
second marriage 385A mon ma?tre
L’Honorable Bertrand Russell
Membre de la Société Royale d’Angleterre
en témoignage de reconnaissante a?ection
Can I let it go like that? The book is the chief one of my theses. The other
one is Le Problème logique de l’Induction, which is a criticism of Keynes. I think
I prove there that two instances di?ering only numerically (or in respects
assumed to be immaterial) do count for more than one only; also, that Keynes’
Limitation of Variety does not do what he thinks it does. Both books will be
printed in three weeks or so (although they cannot be published till after
their discussion en Sorbonne some time next winter).
I’ve sent my ms. to Keynes, o?ering to print his answer along with it. But
he says he is too absorbed by other things; and altogether, I fear that he does
not take me seriously – which is sad, because I am sure my objections well
deserve to be considered.
Physically, I am settling down to a state which is not health, but which
allows some measure of life, and may improve with time.
We hope you three are ?ourishing, and send you our love.
Jean Nicod
Chemin des Coudriers
Petit Saconnex, Genève
19 Sept. 1923
Dear Mr Russell
I got your letter the very morning I had posted mine to you.
I should love to write an article for this new review. But I have just sent
one to the Revue de Métaphysique (on relations of values (i.e. truth values) and
relations of meanings in Logic) and have nothing even half ready. I have been
thinking of a sequel to my book, dealing with a universe of perspectives
where objects are in motion (uniform) and Restricted Relativity applies,
everything being as simple as possible. I would set forth what the observer
(more like an angel than a man) would observe, and the order of his sensible
world. What attracts me to that sort of thing is its quality of freshness of
vision – to take stock of a world as of something entirely new. But it may well
be rather childish, and I don’t propose to go on with it until you have seen
the book itself and tell me it is worth while.
Since you are re-publishing Principia, I may remind you that I have proved
both Permutation and Association by help of the other three primitive props
(Tautology, Addition, and the syllogistic prop.), where I only changed the
order of some letters. It is in a Memoir I wrote for the ?? degree. I have
entirely forgotten how it is done, but I daresay I could ?nd it again for you, if
the autobiography of bertrand russell 386you wished to reduce your 5 prim. props to those three (observe there is one
with one letter, one with two letters, and one with three letters).
Keynes did answer the letter I sent you. His answer convinced me I was
right on both points; so I went on with my small book. It is a pity he will
not do anything more for the theory of Induction.
Your son does look pleased with the stones he holds. His appearance is
splendid.
We send our love.
Yours ever
Jean Nicod
From and to Thérèse Nicod
le 18 février [1924]
Dear Mr Russell
Jean has died on Saturday last after a short illness.
Je veux vous l’écrire pendant qu’il repose encore près de moi dans cette maison où il a tant
travaillé, tant espéré guérir – et où nous avons été si heureux.
Vous savez combien il vous aimait – quelle lumière vous avez été pour lui – vous savez aussi
l’être délicieux et noble qu’il était. C’est absolument déchirant.
Je voudrais avoir des nouvelles de Dora.
A?ectueusement à vous deux.
Thérèse Nicod
Genève 22 Juillet 1924
Dear Mr Russell
Please pardon me for not having thanked you sooner for the Preface
(or introduction, we shall call it what you think best). I do not tell you how
grateful I am to you because I know you did it for Jean.
I shall translate it as soon as I get some free time. We are absolutely loaded
with things to do.
Of course your preface is everything and more that we could want it to be.
I mean to say that it is very beautiful – How could I suggest a single alteration
to it.
I remember that last winter I wrote to Jean that he was the most beautiful
type of humanity I knew. (I do not recollect what about – We had outbreaks
like that from time to time) and he answered immediately: ‘Moi le plus beau type
d’humanity que je connais c’est Russell.’
Thank you again most deeply.
Yours very sincerely
Thérèse Nicod
second marriage 38712 Chemin Thury
Genève
le 19 octobre 1960
Cher Lord Russell
Permettez-moi de m’adresser à vous à travers toutes ces années. J’ai toujours eu l’intention de
faire une réédition des thèses de Jean Nicod et je sais qu’aujourd’hui encore, sa pensée n’est pas
oubliée. J’ai eu l’occasion de rencontrer dernièrement M. Jean Hyppolite, Directeur de l’Ecole
normale supérieure qui m’a vivement conseillée de rééditer en premier Le problème logique
de l’induction dont il avait gardé un souvenir tout à fait précis et qu’il recommande aux jeunes
philosophes.
Parmi ceux qui m’ont donné le même conseil je citerai le Professeur Gonseth de Zurich,
M. Gaston Bachelard, Jean Lacroix, etc. J’ai même trouvé, l’autre jour, par hasard, dans un manuel
paru en 1959 un passage intitulé: ‘Axiome de Nicod.’
L’ouvrage réédité paraitrait à Paris, aux Presses universitaires de France, qui en assureront la
di?usion.
Je viens vous demander, si vous jugez cette réédition opportune, de bien vouloir accepter d’écrire
quelques lignes qui s’ajouteraient à la première préface de M. Lalande. Qui mieux que vous pourrait
donner à ce tardif hommage le poids et l’envol?
Veuillez, cher Lord Russell, recevoir l’assurance de ma profonde admiration et de mes sentiments
respectueux.
Thérèse Nicod
Je vous écris à une adresse qu j’ai trouvée par hasard dans un magazine et dont je suis si peu s?re
que je me permets de recommander le pli.
Plas Penrhyn
1 November, 1960
Dear Thérèse Nicod
Thank you for your letter of October 19. I was very glad to have news of
you. I entirely agree with you that it is very desirable to bring out a new
edition of Nicod’s work on induction which I think is very important and
which has not received adequate recognition. I am quite willing to make a
short addition to the preface by Monsieur Lalande. I suppose that you are in
communication with Sir Roy Harrod (Christ Church, Oxford) who has been
for some time concerned in obtaining a better English translation of Nicod’s
work than the one made long ago.
I was very sorry to hear of the death of your son.
If ever you are in England it would be a very great pleasure to see you.
Yours very sincerely
Bertrand Russell
the autobiography of bertrand russell 388From G. B. Shaw2
Hotel Metropole
Minehead, Somerset
11 April 1923
My dear Russell
The other day I read your laudably unapologetic Apologia from cover
to cover with un?agging interest. I gather from your Au Revoir that it is to be
continued in your next.
I was brought up – or left to bring myself up – on your father’s plan all
through. I can imagine nothing more damnable than the position of a boy
started that way, and then, when he had acquired an adult free-thinking habit
of mind and character, being thrust back into the P.L. sort of tutelage. You say
you had a bad temper; but the fact that you neither burnt the lodge nor
murdered Uncle Rollo is your eternal testimonial to the contrary.
No doubt Winchester saved Rollo and his shrine. Your description of the
school is the only really descriptive description of one of the great boys farms
I have ever read.
ever
G. Bernard Shaw
Extract from Unity, Chicago 19 Jun. 1924
Bertrand Russell has returned to England, and one of the most impressive
tours ever made in this country by a distinguished foreigner has thus come to
an end. Everywhere Professor Russell spoke, he was greeted by great audi-
ences with rapturous enthusiasm, and listened to with a touching interest
and reverence. At most of his meetings, admission was charged, frequently at
regular theater rates, but this seemed to make no di?erence in the attendance.
Throngs of eager men and women crowded the auditoriums where he
appeared, and vied with one another in paying homage to the distinguished
man whom they so honored. From this point of view, Bertrand Russell’s visit
was a triumph. From another and quite di?erent point of view, it was a
failure and disgrace! What was the great public at large allowed to know
about this famous Englishman and the message which he brought across the
seas to us Americans? Nothing! The silence of our newspapers was wellnigh
complete. Only when Mr Russell got into a controversy with President
Lowell, of Harvard, which gave opportunity to make the eagle scream, did his
name or words appear in any conspicuous fashion in our public prints. The
same journals which publish columns of stu? about millionaires, actors,
singers, prize?ghters and soldiers from abroad, and blazen forth their most
casual comments about anything from women to the weather, reported
almost nothing about this one of the most eminent Europeans of the day.
But this is not the worst. Turn from the newspapers to the colleges and
second marriage 389universities! Here is Mr Russell, the ablest and most famous mathematical
philosopher of modern times – for long an honored Fellow of Cambridge,
England – author of learned essays and treatises which are the standard
authorities in their ?eld – at the least, a great scholar, at the most, one of the
greatest of scholars! But how many colleges in America o?cially invited him
to their halls? How many gave him degrees of honor? So far as we know, Smith
College was the only institution which o?cially received him as a lecturer,
though we understand that he appeared also at the Harvard Union. Practically
speaking, Professor Russell was ignored. A better measure of the ignorance,
cowardice and Pharisaism of American academic life we have never seen!
From T. S. Eliot
9, Clarence Gate Gardens
N.W.1
15.X.23
Dear Bertie
I was delighted to get your letter. It gives me very great pleasure to know
that you like the Waste Land, and especially Part V which in my opinion is not
only the best part, but the only part that justi?es the whole, at all. It means a
great deal to me that you like it.
I must tell you that 18 months ago, before it was published anywhere,
Vivien wanted me to send you the MS. to read, because she was sure that you
were one of the very few persons who might possibly see anything in it. But
we felt that you might prefer to have nothing to do with us: It is absurd to say
that we wished to drop you.
Vivien has had a frightful illness, and nearly died, in the spring – as
Ottoline has probably told you. And that she has been in the country ever
since. She has not yet come back.
Dinner is rather di?cult for me at present. But might I come to tea with
you on Saturday? I should like to see you very much – there have been many
times when I have thought that.
Yours ever
T.S.E.
9, Clarence Gate Gardens
N.W.1
21 April. [1925]
Dear Bertie
If you are still in London I should very much like to see you.
My times and places are very restricted, but it is unnecessary to mention
them unless I hear from you.
I want words from you which only you can give. But if you have now
the autobiography of bertrand russell 390ceased to care at all about either of us, just write on a slip ‘I do not care to see
you’ or ‘I do not care to see either of you’ – and I will understand.
In case of that, I will tell you now that everything has turned out as you
predicted 10 years ago. You are a great psychologist.
Yours
T.S.E.
The Criterion
17, Thavies Inn
London, E.C.1
7 May [1925]
My dear Bertie
Thank you very much indeed for your letter. As you say, it is very di?cult
for you to make suggestions until I can see you. For instance, I don’t know to
what extent the changes which have taken place, since we were in touch with
you, would seem to you material. What you suggest seems to me of course
what should have been done years ago. Since then her
3
health is a thousand
times worse. Her only alternative would be to live quite alone – if she could.
And the fact that living with me has done her so much damage does not help
me to come to any decision. I need the help of someone who understands her
– I ?nd her still perpetually ba?ing and deceptive. She seems to me like a
child of 6 with an immensely clever and precocious mind. She writes extremely
well (stories, etc.) and great originality. And I can never escape from the spell
of her persuasive (even coercive) gift of argument.
Well, thank you very much, Bertie – I feel quite desperate. I hope to see
you in the Autumn.
Yours ever
T.S.E.
From my brother Frank
50 Cleveland Square
London, W.2
8 June, 1925
Dear Bertie
I lunched with the Aunt Agatha on Friday, and she was even more tedious
than usual. In fact, she gave me the treatment that I think she generally
reserves for you. She began by being very sighful and P.L.y about Alys, and
said how she still loved you and how determined you had been to marry her.
She infuriated me so that I reminded her at last that at the time the P.L. view,
which she had fully shared, was that you were an innocent young man
pursued by a designing woman, and that the one view was not any truer than
the other. Then she went on to Birth Control, with a sni? at Dora, and
second marriage 391aggravated me to such an extent that I was bound to tell her that I did not
think old women of seventy-three were entitled to legislate for young ones of
twenty-?ve. Thereupon she assured me that she had been twenty-?ve herself
once, but I unfortunately lacked the courage to say Never! You can gather
how provoking she must have been from the fact that I was driven to reply,
which I don’t generally do. She then went on to try and make mischief about
you and Elizabeth, by telling me how much you were in love with Elizabeth
and how regularly you saw her.
4
She really is a villainous old cat.
In order to take the taste of her out of my mouth when I got home I read,
or at any rate looked through, three books I had not seen before: Daedalus, Icarus
and Hypatia. Haldane’s ‘Test Tube Mothers’ gave me the shivers: I prefer the
way of the music-hall song! I liked what I read of Dora’s book, and intend to
read it more carefully.
Will you tell Dora that I am not the least anxious to go to the Fabian
people, as it would bore me to tears, and would only have done it to back her
up, so I hope she won’t put anyone else on to me. Dora says you are fat, and
something that at ?rst I thought was ‘beneath consideration’, which gave
me a faint hope that you had ceased to be a philosopher, but on looking at it
again I see that it is ‘writing about education’.
Dorothy Wrinch said that she was coming down to see you early in
August, and I suggested driving her down, but I suppose that means taking
old Heavyweight too. The time she suggested, shortly after the August Bank
Holiday, would suit me if you could have me then. You will no doubt be
surprised to hear that I am going to the British Ass. this year, as it is held at
Southampton, quite convenient.
Damn that acid old spinster.
Yours a?ectionately
Russell
50 Cleveland Square
London, W.2
15 June, 1925
Dear Bertie
Thanks for your amusing letter. I was going to write to you anyhow,
because I have been reading your delightful What I believe. My word! You have
compressed it, and succeeded in saying a good many things calculated to be
thoroughly annoying and disconcerting to the virtuous in the space. I am so
delighted with it that I am going to get half-a-dozen copies and give them
away where I think they will be appreciated. I like your conclusive proof that
bishops are much more brutal than Aztecs who go in for human sacri?ces.
