Letter from Charles S. Peirce to his father Benjamin Peirce
(London, 29.07.1876)



 
Spanish translation & annotations
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London, July 29, 1876

 

My dearest Father

As well as I can make out my account stands somewhat as follows:

1876 May 1, I owed Hein      $7.000
I have since drawn on him       1.000
And shall draw          300
Barings account is I suppose about       5.200
Total       13.500

This is the amount I have to pay immediately. To meet this,

Vouchers April to July 1st 1875       $3.100
"   July 1875 to June 31, 1876        8.500
"    July 1876          500
Salary Apr 1 to July 31, 1876           950
Voucher against Bache Fund           500
Total     $13.500

The Bache Fund voucher exceeds amount allowed by $100. The vouchers of 1875-6 exceed amount allowed by $1000, because it appears I have less by $2000 than I had supposed. The Baring’s account may be more than I think. But taking all together I do not think you need apprehend being compelled to advance anything.

 

I learn from Zina that you account for my bad spirits by the supposition that I drink to excess. This is not true. My bad spirits have been caused by several things.

1. Not being able to hear from the office till my accounts were all in confusion. Consequently not knowing how I stood.

2. Zina's telegraphing me that she would not sail till she saw me & writing me the same day that she had started.

3. Being entirely alone without any companionship.

4. Being harassed with too much work owing especially to my photometry book.

The ultimate result is a sort of affection of my nerves which I don't think serious but which is very trying. I can work perfectly well but I cannot write letters or bear what is exciting or irritating very well. I shall therefore on my return set up my pendulum at the Cambridge Observatory & find an

 
out of the way lodging up in that neighborhood. Whether I can get better or not will depend on circumstances.

I am sorry I could not enjoy hearing you & Sylvester together. It would have been the greatest pleasure to me. Here is a simple proposition: A double algebra not linear embraces every linear algebra.

My work is substantially done. I shall sail for Boston a week from Tuesday. Hurrying back at your urgent desire, I shall have to leave some rather important matters undone. Gen. Baeyer and others wanted me to see Stokes to see how he felt about sending the English pendulums to Berlin but I cannot. Neither can I see the Ordnance office, nor Maxwell again, nor some important instruments in the exhibition here, nor make some important comparisons of thermometers at Kew. I try to compress all I can into my time but none of these matters have any chance of getting done. Best love to all.

Your loving son,

C. S. Peirce



Transcription by Max Fisch, revised by Sara Barrena (2014)
Una de las ventajas de los textos en formato electrónico respecto de los textos impresos es que pueden corregirse con gran facilidad mediante la colaboración activa de los lectores que adviertan erratas, errores o simplemente mejores transcripciones. En este sentido agradeceríamos que se enviaran todas las sugerencias y correcciones a sbarrena@unav.es
Proyecto de investigación "Charles S. Peirce en Europa (1875-76): comunidad científica y correspondencia" (MCI: FFI2011-24340)

Fecha del documento: 14 de enero 2015
Última actualización: 11 de marzo 2015
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