BRACERS Record Detail for 17934
To access the original letter, email the Russell Archives.
"Thursday aft." "I had an awful time with Wittgenstein yesterday between tea and dinner. He came analysing all that goes wrong between him and me, and I told him I thought it was only nerves on both sides and everything was all right at bottom. Then he said he never knew whether I was speaking the truth or being polite, so I got vexed and refused to say another word. He went on and on and on. I sat down at my table and took up my pen and began to look through a book, but still he went on. At last I said sharply "All you want is a little self-control". Then at last he went away with an air of high tragedy. He had asked me to a concert in the evening, but he didn't come, so I began to fear suicide. However, I found him in his room late (I left the concert, but didn't find him at first), told him I was sorry I had been cross, and then talked quietly about how he could improve. His faults are exactly mine—always analysing, pulling feelings up by the roots, trying to get the exact truth of what one feels towards him. I see it is very tiring and very deadening to one's affections. I think it must be characteristic of logicians—he is the only other one I have known intimately."
"Controlling the direction of one's attention is the secret of everything—but it is hard to do even when one knows it ought to be done."
"—All but finished 'Self-Evidence'*—then I go on to 'Degrees of Certainty' and that ends Part II of Book I. I shall have to do Part III in a very sketchy way, because I haven't yet thought much about the questions involved."
16 and 17th to Whiteheads.
18th Frau Wittgenstein.
*Ch. VI of Pt. II—i.e., through page 323.
BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [5 JUNE 1913]
BRACERS 17934. ALS. Morrell papers #798, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.
<letterhead>
Trinity College,
Cambridge.1, 2
Thursday aftn.
My Darling Love
Your letter this morning is very interesting about Vittoz — if he can cure your headaches, it will really be marvellous. Yes I should like to see his book when you come home. I quite think he is right from all you say. Controlling the direction of one’s attention is the secret of everything — but it is hard to do even when one knows it ought to be done. — I quite understand about Paris, and am really not hurt. — I will try to find out about Bergson’s lecture. I have not seen it anywhere.
I had an awful time with Wittgenstein yesterday between tea and dinner. He came analysing all that goes wrong between him and me, and I told him I thought it was only nerves on both sides and everything was all right at bottom. Then he said he never knew whether I was speaking the truth or being polite, so I got vexed and refused to say another word. He went on and on and on. I sat down at my table and took up my pen and began to look through a book, but still he went on. At last I said sharply “All you want is a little self-control”. Then at last he went away with an air of high tragedy. He had asked me to a concert in the evening, but he didn’t come, so I began to fear suicide. However, I found him in his room late (I left the concert, but didn’t find him at first), told him I was sorry I had been cross, and then talked quietly about how he could improve. His faults are exactly mine — always analysing, pulling feelings up by the roots, trying to get the exact truth of what one feels towards him. I see it is very tiring and very deadening to one’s affections. I think it must be characteristic of logicians — he is the only other one I have ever known intimately.
My work-fit is coming to an end. I shall finish the analytic half of the book before you get home, if all goes well. It no longer absorbs my thoughts, and other interests are reviving. What I am writing is not so good as what I wrote at first. I have all but finished “self-evidence” — then I go on to “degrees of certainty” and that ends Part II of Book I. I shall have to do Part III in a very sketchy way, because I haven’t yet thought much about the questions involved. Sat. Sund. and Mon. I can do no work, Wed. I go to the Phillimores for the night (but don’t send a letter there). Mon. I shall see Miss Stawell. 16th and 17th I go to the Whiteheads. 18th Frau Wittgenstein (the mother) comes here and I give her lunch and tea. So my time for work will be rather interrupted till your return. But I don’t think I could go on at such high pressure as this last month.
Darling what would you like for your birthday? I can’t think what would be good. Do let me know — a book for choice. Owing to staying here so quietly, I have grown as rich as Croesus. So let me know of something substantial.
Now this must be posted and I must go back to self-evidence. Goodbye my Darling. Much love and many kisses.
Your
B
