BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES

INCORPORATED

463 WEST STREET NEW YORK

CHELSEA 3-1000 May 23, 1932

IN REPLY REFER TO

KKD-LU

REPLYING TO

PROFESSOR LINUS PAULING

Massachusetts Institute of Technology-

Cambridge, Mass.

Dear Linus:

Concerning "stochastic hypotheses": from the 1909 edition of Alexander Smith's "Inorganic Chemistry", page 142, I extract the following:

"......When Mitscherlich discovered that Glauber's salt gave a definite pressure of water vapor, he at once formed the hypothesis, that is, supposition, that other hydrates would be found to do likewise. Experiments showed this supposition to be correct. The hypothesis was at once displaced by the fact. This sort of hypothesis predicts the probable existence of certain facts or connections of facts, hence, reviving a disused word, we call it a stochastic hypothesis, (Greek stochastikos, apt to divine the truth by conjecture). It differs from the other kind in that it professes to be composed entirely of verifiable facts and is subjected to verification as quickly as pos- sible. In the case of a formulative hypothesis we have no expectation, or at best a very remote one, of verifying the hypothesis, because many of its essential elements are contrary to experience .. "

Instead of going on to quote his involved definition of "the other kind" of hypothesis, I will merely mention that his instances thereof comprise the atomic theory of matter and the undulatory theory of light; also, the (in 1909 defunct) corpuscular theory of light.

I am not sure that the word "stochastic" was worth reviving; but this and the adjacent passages and many other passages of the book offer good examples of Smith's keen

Professor Linus Pauling: - 2 -

thinking. I suspect that in later editions of his book these passages, implying as they do a good deal of distrust of the atomic theory, may have been softened.

Sincerely yours,

Karl K. Darrow.

Monday at 10 AM

[May 23, 1932]

Dearest girly:

There wasn't any letter here for me last night; perhaps there is one at Tech. But one came this morning. I'm glad Liny and Petey haven't caught the whooping cough badly, and I hope you aren't working too hard. Will you be glad to have me with you? I'll be very good to you always, for you are such a sweet little wife.

I do hope things don't go too badly with Ransperger. I hope the boys don't kill each other off before I get back; but I don't know just what I can do about Wilson.

Linus'es [sic] comments seem to be very penetrating and clever. I'll be glad to see him and Peter too.

I hope you'll keep your little baby with you until I come home, for I'd like to see him again. I'll stir him up a bit too - with the practice he will have he should make a fine sorcerer's assistant, who gets in a basket through which swords are afterwards thrust. I love you, sweet little darling.

Last night the porter broke the handle on my bag. I'll have it repaired soon.

Tonight I am lecturing at Harvard, at 8 o'clock. I hope everyone likes the lecture. I'll be with you and you'll probably be being uzzed one week from now (or in a few hours anyway). I adore you, sweet Ava Helen. You are the cutest girl in the world, and the best little wife that there ever was.

Your own

Linus

Monday night at 12

[May 23, 1932]

Dearest little sweetheart:

I love you, little darling. Only three days from now I'll be on the way to you. You are my own sweet little wife. Do you like me? Today I prepared my Harvard lecture, had my bag repaired, mailed the mattress cover and Peter's rompers to you, and attended the Harvard physics colloquium, at which Kistiakowsky talked. Then I had dinner with Kohler, + gave my lecture. Everyone seemed interested, and there was considerable discussion. We went to Conant's house afterwards and talked till 11. Conant is a very interesting man. Mrs Conant is to come back from the hospital this week-end. Lamb asked if I would review Van Vleck's new book, he having requested that I do so. I bought today two second-hand books by Thomas Smith (One being "Turnabout") to read on the train. I have only two more lectures to give now. A letter came from Klug, at Carleton College, who didn't receive a N.R. Fellowship, but wants to come anyway to work with me. He is married. I wrote that he could come if he wanted to. We shall have a large group next year. I hope we get some good work done. I am anxious to get to Pasadena and begin work. Shall we go to the beach for a while later in the summer? I think it would be fun. Do you love your Paddy? Will you be glad to see me? Will you make love to me? Have you been happy, or are you thinking bad thoughts about me? I adore you.

Your Linus