you that I didn't believe in marriage (certificate etc.) I simply meant
that there must be no legal binding for an emotional union, that indeed
the very binding is dangerous as every chain is dangerous. I have no
intention of getting married on their terms; any marriage for me will
be on my own terms, and I can use the word in my own way while they
can use it in their certificated way. But again to the point ... to publish
MY version of marriage to all and sundry would mean the end of my
work. If you say: To hell with your work; it is more important to be a
martyr for the cause of free marriage, then we differ much. But I don't
think you do. What you don't know is life in England. Last generation
two able politicians had to give up their parliamentary careers because
of their sex life... Sir Charles Dilke and Parnell, both brilliant men.
It is the same today. A banker here sees his wife go off with another
man. He says he dare not divorce his wife, and I ask him why? "Because
I shall lose my job," he says. "What!" I cry, "but you are the innocent
party." "Makes no difference," he says. "To the bank I am mixed up in
a divorce and that is enough to get me fired out." That is in Scotland.
We are ruled by the I Ith Commandment ... Thou shalt not be found
out, and a man can remain a great public figure if he ha s a dozen
concubines ... and keeps the fact dark. So that when I shall introduce
a lady as my wife I shall be o.k. because the outer forms are satisfied,
whereas if I boldly introduce a lady as "my lover" I am in danger of
disaster. But enough of this.
You are a big puzzle, Mister Reich. You complain because I want
scientists here to be interested in your work, but why the hell did you
let Wolfe send all the literature? Dozens of journals and books. What
did you expect me to do with them? Sell or give them to shopkeepers or
to educated men? You suggest I give them to biologists because of my
own lack of faith. Aber, Mensch [But, man], it isn't so easy as that.
Some of it is just infantilism. ". "Here, you guys, look what a friend of
mine has discovered! Clever of me to have such a friend, eh what?" I
hope you aren't going to get solemn in your old age, Reich. You won't
be successful until someone has made a joke about Orgones: then you
will know that they have arrived for good.
Letter writing is so unsatisfactory. Let us wait to talk it all over
later. All good things this year including peace.
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