Letter 348
Euler to Teplov
Berlin, July 15/26 1763
Synopsis: Euler plots his course for St. Petersburg. Is irked by the thought of the secretary' s position on his return. His daughter's nuptials and his disdain for a university professorship in Holland
I am infinitely sensitive to the advantageous offers you have made by order of Her Imperial Majesty and I would be particularly happy if I were in a position to profit from it immediately, since you are able to assure me of even more favorable conditions. If it were possible that the worst possible case were to already exist and that Mr. D'Alembert or another Frenchman had accepted the President's position at the Academy, nothing could have stopped me from my immediate resignation and I could not have been refused under any pretext. It is understood that everyone would have blamed me for submitting to such a President. Now that Mr. D'Alembert is here I wish very strongly that he accepts the position, because in those circumstances, I will infallibly proffer my resignation and would undertake the trip as soon as possible which would place me in the advantageous situation that you wish to offer me. However, not only did Mr. D'Alembert refuse this offer, but he subsequently did the wrong thing by highly recommending me to the King, that if I wished to give my resignation I would be met with the most obstinate refusal. This would place me in a decidedly difficult, if not, impossible situation for any subsequent steps. Due to this situation I find myself obligated to wait for a time more favorable to undertake this step which I believe to be forthcoming since I am assured that the President's office is to be filled by Mr. Le Chevalier de Jaucourt who is expected to arrive here in a few months. It will be then that I can succeed most assuredly, for if I presented my request now, I would be granted some salary increase that I could not refuse which would have the unfortunate consequences of tying me up forever.
While awaiting please accept, Monsieur, my very humble admiration for the brilliant propositions which you made, of which my heart is entirely caught up with the excitement and thoughts of how I will enjoy my family in St. Petersburg.
/10/ However, I ask you Sir, for permission to represent in advance that the most honorable situation of Secretary of the Academy currently occupied by Mr. Mueller would not be convenient for me as it requires an extensive correspondence to which I am poorly prepared and on which would distract me from my works which I offer to the Academy. I do not have any idea as to the functions of a director. The administration of the academy is divided among the various directors and I would sense a sudden release from its burdens if I were allowed to occupy my time uniquely in my studies. However I have no doubt that when the times comes to give me another title I will not be able to refuse it. In the meanwhile I am working unceasingly to complete my treatise on integral calculus so that I may present it to the academy as soon as it is finished. I flatter myself that this work will meet with a general approval due to the novelty and importance of the material. My oldest son continues to remember you with fond memories, I also take the liberty to write to you about my youngest son, who is a lieutenant in the artillery here, for whom I am finding it more difficult to secure his demission than for myself and my eldest when the academy changes hands.
/10r/ Within the last few weeks a wealthy Dutch baron has asked for my youngest daughter's hand in marriage. He has just returned from a trip to Holland to settle his affairs and will return in October to celebrate the marriage. He was accompanied by my second son Charles, who is a Doctor in medicine. As he is issued from a good family, having ties to the most powerful families in Holland, he has tried to interest me into accepting a professorship with a pension of 5000 florins where colleges still offer as much. He has entirely won over my wife since it is her country and does not wish to be separated from her children.
I have am enormous distaste for university life and I will do everything within my power to steer her away from her plans. I trust that I will succeed So here I am in the great unknown concerning my fate which will be decided within a few months.
However, it is to your great goodness, Sire, that I recommend myself and my entire family with the greatest confidence, having the honor of being with the fondest attachment[...]
Translated from the French
by J.S.D.Glaus
