Berlin, February 27, 1926.

My dear Geheimrat Vaihinger:

I received, in due course, your very interesting letter[1] with regard to the Kant Society and thought at first that, instead of writing a reply, I might be able to call on you personally. I now find, however, that there is no prospect of carrying out this hope, which I mention only in order that you may understand the reason for my delay in writing you.

I congratulate you very cordially on the good work you have done in building up the Kant Gesellschaft. It has become such an important world-wide organization and is exercising such a marked philosophical influence that I trust even the depressed economic and financial conditions now prevailing in so many countries, including Germany, will not injure it seriously or permanently. Your own great generosity towards it in the past furnishes an inspiring example for others at the present time and cannot fail to have a beneficent effect.[a] |

Your personal[b] references in the last paragraph recall days when I had much more to do with philosophy than I had subsequently. I have spent over a quarter of a century as president of a great university[2] and while dealing with a faculty of hundreds and with thousands of students, the work of my office was nevertheless essentially that of an administrator and chief executive; not that of a teacher and investigator. I have also spent a number of years in the diplomatic service, both in Europe and Asia. Nevertheless, I have the liveliest recollection and appreciation of your early writings on Kant, which you have since so fruitfully continued.

I do not know whether you are aware that Professor Creighton, to whom you refer, who was one of my best students and dearest friends, died in the summer of 1924.[3]

May I express to you my sympathy with you in the loss of your property and the still greater affliction of failing eyesight[4], which has now ended in blindness. The vitality of your intellectual interests must be a great solace to you as it certainly evinces an heroic[c] courage which I profoundly admire.

With most cordial greetings, I remain Very sincerely yours,

Jacob Gould Schurman