Letter from Irena Krońska written in 18.03.1947

Author Irena Krońska

Category incoming correspondence, Polish researchers in Roman Ingarden's correspondence

Archive Archive of Science PAN in Cracow

Date of creation 18.03.1947

Related places Paris

Reference code in archive K_III-26_D_38

Resource type letter

Subject matter personal issues, publication issues, scientific issues, translations

Field philosophy

Tags #Alexandre Koyré, #angoise, #Cartesians, #Casimir Krzemicki, #certificate, #college philosophique, #despair, #Deukalion, #Étienne Gilson, #existentialism, #financial issues, #Gabriel Marcel, #Irena Krońska, #Jean Wahl, #Jean-Paul Sartre, #lectures, #life in Paris, #materialists, #mysticism, #neo-romanticism, #Paris, #philosophical in Paris, #philosophical journals, #Polish Bookstore, #remuneration, #Revue Philosophique, #romanticism, #scientific articles, #scientific journals, #Sorbonne, #Tadeusz Kroński: #Hiob, #tomists, #translations, #Union Rationaliste, #Wahl’s followers

c c c Paris, 3/18/1947

Dear Professor!

c Thank you for your kind letter. I do not understand the issue with Rev. Philos. I enclose the letter and a copy of the invoice sent by the Polish Bookstore. It seems that postal services can be the reason that you have not yet received the journals.
c I am very touched by Professor’s concern for getting me the exam certificates. I think I will get them within this academic year, and everything will be all right.
c As for the translation of Professor’s book, Mr Koyré is of course right that one should translate into their native language, not the other way around. I was also intending to translate with the help of my brother, who has been in France for a long time, lives his life exclusively in French and knows the language just as well as his native language, and in any case not any worse, I think, than Mr. Koyré. Of course, I was only thinking of doing it as a favor for Professor, and financial considerations play no role here for me, and they should not play a role for Professor, you are completely free to decide what you would like to do. Anyway I am already writing a bit and I will manage (á pro pos; I have already sent in the article on the revolution in Athens, so I will be able to receive royalties, so I will no longer burden Professor with this problem). If you would like to publish an article in Deukalion, please send it to me and I will gladly translate it. I doubt it will be very long, so it should not take too much time.
c Wahl’s Collége Philosophique is developing by means of large and noisy propaganda and almost daily readings, on various topics in the same spirit. I only get information from my husband, who attends their events regularly – I only went there myself once and I will not be returning anytime soon. I regret that we cannot talk about it in XXX – it is difficult to describe it extensively in a letter. In any case, it is neo-romanticism with the entire background of the irritating antics of the original romanticism (angoise, mystery, fear, despair) – supposedly “rooted” in “the latest achievements of natural sciences”. All in the atmosphere of Orthodox mysticism, incidentally, represented by numerous guests in the audience. I would much rather listen to Sartre, who never speaks there, who at least is not sentimental and soft, has a large psychological imagination and a flexible style. – Mr. Koyré also spoke there on the attitude of science towards theology or vice versa – I did not hear it; when it comes to this topic I prefer Gilson lectures on XXX Scot. Against these Kierkegaardists, XXX, Anselmites, etc., stands Union Rationaliste which, in the current Treuga Dei, unifies materialists and Cartesians against a common enemy, and even has friendly relations with Thomists.
c My husband is currently writing a 50-page dissertation on existentialism that was ordered from him, and he will soon have a lecture on existentialism – so for now he has suspended the activities related to XXX.
c We are physically well, albeit still a little weak after this extremely hard and long winter, which was very tantalizing. In spring or early summer will be going to England to visit my sister. Otherwise, we do not make plans, relying on God’s protection, but not from Job’s God (“chevalier de la foi”) and of Gabriels Marcels, but God of honest Aristotelianists or honest atheists.
c Paris has grown pretty since it has become warm. So has our room. But Montarque near the Sorbonne no longer has the red lips – I am not sure if they were washed off by the rain or erased by the Wahl’s followers, so that Montarque would also lose his humor and gain some angoisse. And it looks sadder indeed.

c I am awaiting your book and the photocopies.

c c Deepest respect and friendly greetings from both of us

c c c c c c c c Irena Krońska