Basel, 6. I. 16.
Dear Friend,
The days spent in the Ticino have had a double effect on me; they clarified my views on the relation between the two types and were confusing with regard to the solution of my own core problems. I no longer find this confusion bothersome as I used to, however, but stimulating, and I hope that we will more and more succeed in having a sort of contact, which confuses only inasmuch as it is beneficial.
I am still occupied with the problem of matter and form, and I cannot settle for the formulation we found.269 Referring to the circles made by the waves in the lake, I said: I can find the form only in and by myself, and nobody must disturb my circles in the process; but the form I find only through the intersection between my circles and those of others. You replied that things were the other way around for you, that for you the form came from within, while others provided the matter for it. That’s what I still remember.
I would like to develop that thought further: The introvert, too, provides the matter, namely, his thoughts, but as thoughts they are formless. Once you told me that it repeatedly struck you how your secretary Moltzer270 rendered thoughts that you had told her in a more acceptable and lively form. So perhaps the extravert has the capability of clearly formulating thoughts, and the introvert provides the matter in the form of his thoughts. Vice versa, the extravert provides matter in the form of his feelings, while they are given form by the introvert. The extravert finds the form only through the intersection with other circles.
The extravert projects his incapability of finding a form for his feelings into the introvert, and that is why he always wants to correct the introvert’s feelings. Perhaps the introvert, too, inasmuch as he wants to correct at all, has the analogous tendency to correct the form of the thoughts of the extravert.
Insofar as everybody possesses both tendencies, in my case only those of my feelings have a form, which have been formed by the thinking process, and only those thoughts appear formed to me, which have been approved by my feeling.
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts about this.
Marthe271 and I are in a salutary state of war.
With best regards,
Hans Schmid
269 No sources for such a discussion could be found.
270 On Moltzer, see note 87. She “worked closely with Jung as his assistant” (Shamdasani, 1998a, p. 57). In 1915 Jung confirmed to Jelliffe that he “trusted … cases entirely to her with the only condition, that in cases of difficulties she would consult me.… Later on Miss M. worked quite independently” (ibid.). As to her role as Jung’s “secretary,” she occasionally attended to his correspondence while he was away (letter from Moltzer to Freud, 24 April 1912; Freud Archives, University of Essex).
271 His wife, Marthe Schmid-Guisan.