30 September 1967

Dear Mamma

Thank you for your letter, which I was more than usually pleased to receive. Please write again; I need to hear from you. Actually I shall see you in a fortnight, which I look forward to, and also to coming to Montpelier and staying with you for a few days.

While in some ways I should like very much to come to California, it is a bit starry-eyed and I think I would prefer to come sometime when I am feeling good and can enjoy it to the utmost, rather than now when I am feeling rather bad.

I am living in a St. John's Wood slum with a painter. I was not really cut out for sharing; I have had no experience. It is good in a way: I am not left on my own too much. I am forced to take an interest in what is going on. I guess it will not be too bad. Actually I am most worried about my work suffering. I do not wish to fail when for the first time in my life I have become really interested in a research project and have found $50,000 to support it.

[...]

Excuse my typing. It is easier for me and my big typewriter is one of my few belongings I have with me. It allows me to do some work at least.

I would like very much to get a flat that is suitable for me and not too expensive. I would like to get a washing machine and dryer and a fridge and deep freeze that would allow me to cope with the actual necessities of life without too much trouble. I would then not mind so much not having my house. I hate carrying clothes out to the launderette and waiting for them, and I do not really like shopping much. I like the things that I like to eat though it does not really give me much pleasure but I do not like going shopping all the time. There is not enough space here where I am now for all these aids; perhaps I shall get a clothes tumbler dryer which will help. I foolishly did not take a flat of a friend of mine which I thought too expensive. It is very nice and big enough and would allow me these extra consumer goods which would make a real difference. It is now let on a six months lease until mid-February and I shall probably spend a rather depressing winter. I would like a College flat but there is very little chance of getting one for some time. I do not know how long but probably a long time. It was foolish of me to agree to Julia living in the house. It is very much the product of my own hard labour.

I shall be pleased to see you on the 15th. I shall meet you as early as possible. I have a Ford van which I thought worth purchasing in the uncertain and mobile situation and shall come in that. It is not very comfortable. I shall try to arrange to pick up the children. They are great loves.

Much love,

Peter

30 September 1967

Professor Linus Pauling

8454 El Paseo Grande

La Jolla, California 92037 USA

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for your letter. I look forward to seeing you. I shall meet you about 0700 am at the airport. I shall not hire a car but bring the van which I have bought for a bit of mobility in these difficult times.

Julia would prefer not to see you and we cannot meet at Lansdowne Road. I shall try to arrange, however, to pick up the children for the morning.

I would like very much to visit you in Montpelier. I have wished that you were here during the last few weeks to give me advice. [...]

My diffractometer has not come. The computer and the interface I have made work well, however. I am anxious for the diffractometer to come and to go ahead on the project to convert nervous transmission to three dimensions.

Bernal retires next year. I think I shall apply for the job, though I doubt I shall get it. That social climber Nyholm told me I should not be optimistic about the probability of promotion. He certainly is not in the class of the people I really admire. He is very powerful though.

I have discovered that the crystal structure I have been working on is not the first example of diamagnetic six coordinate octahedral nickel II. It is five coordinate. I have, by some mischance, picked an odd crystal of an impurity of a crystal to solve. It is too bad. The structure I have basically solved was a lot of work and is hot the important, interesting stuff. I am about willing to believe that the stuff they made is the stuff they say it is. We just got something else during the recrystallization procedure. Perhaps I should emigrate to the states. I would rather go to Denmark but they probably cannot support me. If this cholinergic stuff works out, I shall be the worlds expert on the structure of drugs which ought to be worth something.

By the way, Nyholm is not knighted. Soon he will be the Earl of Broken Hill. If he were not so pathetic and so powerful he would be terribly funny. Poor man; he will never reach inner satisfaction.

Nyholm seems to want to be the director of a large empire. He is almost never here but rather away visiting. Ingold has had the time to come by and see how my new project is coming along but Nyholm has not. I would like to get into Biophysics (we have the first department in the country) but there is no room.

I look forward to seeing you on the 15th. I shall meet you about 0700 am. I shall bring my van. I plan and look forward to seeing you in Montpellier for several days. It is during term and I shall have to obtain permission.

Much love,

Peter