BRACERS Record Detail for 17920
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"Afternoon" "I embarked on judgment, and got a new way of dividing the subject—quite new, and much more searching than the traditional divisions. I made an abstract of the second part, and then began writing—any number of really important new ideas came to me."*
Will come to 500 pages of ms—300-400 pages of ordinary 8vo. print. "When I go over it again, I shall have to put in more erudition and controversy. At present, there are very few allusions to other people.... Another thing I shall have to do in re-writing is to see whether I can weaken any of my conclusions. In philosophy one is apt to think things prove more than they do, and skill consists in seeing how little they prove, while still realizing what they really do prove."
*Referring to "The Understanding of Propositions", Ch. I of Pt. II.
BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, 24 MAY 1913
BRACERS 17920. ALS. Morrell papers #785, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.
<letterhead>
Trinity College,
Cambridge.1, 2
24 May ’13. Aftn.
My Darling Love
Your letter written in the train came by 2nd post, as your letters always do now. Thank you for telling me all that Combe said about you and P. and about the place for J., which sounds as if it might do her much good. Combe is a wonderful man, he sees so much. I am glad he still says you will get much better. It will be interesting to hear of your interview with the nerve man — what he says, what he does to you, and what you think of him.
I have got Nostromo from the Union, and am looking forward to reading it again. A long book one knows already is ideal for my purposes.
I have done nothing but work since I wrote last — I embarked on judgment, and got a new way of dividing the subject — quite new, and much more searching than the traditional divisions. I made an abstract of the 2nd Part, and then began writing — any number of really important new ideas came to me.
No, it won’t be a great big book like Principia Matha. I can’t tell how big it will be — it may increase very much when I re-write it. The present draft, I fancy, will come to about 500 pages of MS, which would be between 300 and 400 pages of ordinary 8vo. When I go over it again, I shall have to put in more erudition and controversy. At present, there are very few allusions to other people — I have looked up various books, but their point of view is remote from mine, and they don’t discuss the same problems. Another thing I shall have to do in re-writing is to see whether I can weaken any of my conclusions. In philosophy one is apt to think things prove more than they do, and skill consists in seeing how little they prove, while still realizing what they really do prove. — The stuff is mostly quite easy — you could read it if your head happened to be fairly well — but I don’t think it would interest you. I wish I could think it would, but I don’t think you would be sufficiently conscious of the muddles avoided.
The weather is hot and delicious — it makes my brain work even better. This morning its power of dissection quite amazed me — I got a sudden fruitful insight, which re-sorts hosts of things, and gives me ever so much to write before I really need a new fundamental idea. — I am afraid I write too much boasting — forgive me — but it is so exciting I can’t help it.
Goodbye Darling. Don’t imagine you are ever out of my thoughts — in all my work I am always thinking of you with love and joy.
Your
B
