BRACERS Record Detail for 58191
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BR introduces John Conrad to Berlin, to be stationed in Washington: "He could have been a philosopher but became instead a historian and a linguist...."
Berlin wrote about the visit elsewhere (Berlin, Letters 1: 560), in a letter to Christopher Cox, 14 May 1945. He recorded a visit from Sub-Lieutenant [John Conrad] Russell. "A few minutes later a dwarf walked in, smiled, and sat down on a chair, wordless. Upon further pressure he yielded up a note which said: 'This is to introduce my son, known to the law as Lord Amberley. Although he is my son, I think he is quite pleasant. Russell.'"
On p. 575 the recollected wording is slightly different: "I had a letter from him [BR] introducing him [JCR] thus, 'He is known to the law as Lord Amberley and, although he is my son, is, I believe, quite nice'."
BR TO ISAIAH BERLIN, 5 MAR. 1945
BRACERS 58191. ALS(X). Bodleian Library, I. Berlin papers
Proofread by K. Blackwell
Grosvenor Lodge, Babraham Road,
Cambridge.
5 March 1945
Dear Berlin
This is to introduce my son John (“commonly called Lord Amberley” as the law has it) who is going to be stationed in Washington. He could have been a philosopher but became instead a historian and a linguist, and the Navy has set him to learn Japanese. Although he is my son, I think he is quite pleasant.
Yours sincerely
Russell
