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Sunday, December 13, 53

Dear Dr. Federn:

I liked to have again a letter from you and read the familiar handwriting. How many letters in the past I have received from you! Now you write that I am the only correspondent you have; then, certainly, I should write you from time to time. - You are invited to come here in order to become again healthier; but you are not invited to come here in order to pass away; for that here are not the conveniences, and it would be too inconsiderate for all concerned. Therefore strengthen yourself, and my wife will do her best if you like to spend some time with us; but not when you cannot walk anymore and are confined to bed. Then you will need a hospital.

I shall send you the book of Menninger, and you will find immediately the chapters that concern you most. The book is written for you; and if you have not read it, then it was an oversight by your father, and by me, too. After reading, you will return the book; but probably you will like to read it twice, or three times.

I did not know that your father spoke to Einstein about my paper on Gravitation, and reading your letter, I have first misunderstood the sentence, but my wife read it correctly. I am interested also to know what at various occasions your father told you of my work as psychoanalyst; his opinion of me as a historian was an echo, probably of your opinion.

Again, don’t burn your candle so inconsiderately—you have still things to do; and the greatest thanks you can say to your late parents, is in bringing to some achievement your knowledge in Egyptology, that they helped you to acquire.

At present I regret that I have not published both volumes of Ages simultaneously. I do not see how this can be for the better, though I always have in me the philosophy: “This too for the better” (Gam zu l’tova).

When you feel like writing, write me again. Cordial regards from my wife, and from me,

Yours,

Immanuel Velikovsky


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