13 November 1956
Dear Peter:
I am writing to ask if you could accept an appointment with us for one month, beginning 1 December or as soon thereafter as possible. Professor Corey and I would like to have some advice about apparatus for obtaining the collection of intensities from protein crystals. We hope to have crystals in a few months, and to set out on the job of collecting the intensities. We are not interested in doing it in an ideal way - that is, we need to have advice about how to use our present apparatus, and what we should do to amplify our methods.
Also, I should like to discuss with you the work that you began on solid solutions some time ago, and find out what your ideas are about the structure of metals and alloys.
We propose to give you appointment for the month as Research Assistant, with salary $350. Also, we can, from one of our funds, reimburse you for your own traveling expenses to Pasadena and return to London.
I hope that you can accept this appointment. I know that the holidays come during the proposed time, but I am planning to talk with you enough during the holidays to make up for this fact.
Mama and I have just returned from an eleven-day trip to the northwest, the five northwest sections of the American Chemical Society have formed a region, with the idea of inviting speakers to address the five sections, and I have served as the first of these regional speakers. We saw Aunt Elizabeth in Spokane. Also we saw Crellin in Portland, as well as Richard Morgan, who is the elder son of my cousin Richard Morgan. We drove to Spokane along route 395, through Burns, Oregon, also Condon, Oregon. We returned by way of Salem, Albany, Bend, and then down to route 395.
We are having the ceremonies of dedicating the new laboratory this week. Mama and I have picked out some new furniture - Henry Miller, which is being put in my office this afternoon. I caught a cold in Seattle, which, although it has not been bad, has caused me to decide to stay in bed today.
Much Love from
[Linus Pauling]
November
13, 1956
