WITTGENSTEIN (LUDWIG) Correspondence to his pupil, the eminent Cambridge philosopher Casimir Lew...

WITTGENSTEIN (LUDWIG) Series of correspondence to his pupil, the eminent Cambridge philosopher Casimir Lewy (1919-1991), comprising: i) Five autograph letters signed ('Ludwig Wittgenstein', 'L.Wittgenstein'), the first suggesting Professor Moore join a tutorial as he is '...liable to improve the discussion greatly... If you agree to invite Moore perhaps you might write to him... I hope the discussion will be good!...', the second asking if he would meet in his rooms ('...If you can't it's no disaster...'), the final three from Guy's Hospital ('...I am getting steadily stronger now... but I'm afraid I shan't be strong enough for a discussion for another 10 days...'), and another ('...my brains so far, quite useless, but perhaps they'll recover soon...'), the last confirming his visit on Saturday and asking him to '...round up who ever wants to come to an entirely improvised lecture?...', 6 pages, on cream and blue lined paper, one with filing holes, 286 x 224mm. and smaller, Trinity College and Guy's Hospital, '29.2', 'Friday', 'Wednesday' and 'Tuesday' [one undated]; with six autograph envelopes, dated 27 December 1939, 26 November 1941, 23 December 1941, 27 May 1942, 2 November 1942 where postmarked; ii) Four testimonials, three autograph, one typed, all signed ('L. Wittgenstein'), speaking of Casimir Lewy in glowing terms and recommending him for research scholarships, a lectureship, posts of reader in Logic and lecturer in Moral Philosophy ('...an uncommonly keen intellect & an excellent natural understanding for modern developments in philosophy...'), 5 pages, one on a bifolium, 285 x 210mm. and smaller, Trinity College, Cambridge, 10 May [19]39 to 24 May [19]45; iii) Telegram 'Certainly give my name as Reference = Wittgenstein', stamped Cambridge, 5 May 1944; an autograph postcard ('...By all means, give them my name. Sincerely L.Wittgenstein'), Swansea, 21 July [19]44; five Christmas, New Year and Easter cards, all signed ('Ludwig Wittgenstein' or 'L.Wittgenstein'), the Easter postcard with autograph message saying he is going to Newcastle (quantity) Footnotes: 'ROUND UP WHOEVER WANTS TO COME TO AN ENTIRELY IMPROVISED LECTURE': LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN SUPPORTS A YOUNG PHILOSOPHER. Casimir Lewy (1919-1991), a highly influential teacher and philosopher, is best known for his work on philosophical logic, leaving 'a deep imprint on the ways that subsequent generations of Cambridge philosophers... thought, wrote and thought... he lectured undergraduates... with a furious passion, an intimidating rigour and an unmatched body language... ' (Casimir Lewy Obituary, Ian Hacking, Proceedings of the British Academy, 138, pp.171-177 online). From Poland of Jewish descent, he came to Cambridge in 1936 and graduated in first-class honours in 1939. His PhD thesis Some philosophical considerations concerning the survival of death was overseen primarily by G.E. Moore but also Ludwig Wittgenstein. Unable to return to his native country after Hitler's invasion, he spent most of his career at Cambridge. Several of his students went on to become prominent philosophers and the library at the Philosophy Faculty at the University of Cambridge bears his name. These letters demonstrate Wittgenstein's keen interest in the career of the young Lewy: '...Wittgenstein was giving classes in Cambridge when Lewy arrived, and continued doing so—with breaks for example for his serving as a porter in Guy's Hospital during the war—until 1945. Lewy attended virtually all of these. The two men also went for walks together, as often as not discussing various nostrums for real or imaginary health problems, for both of them could be described as eccentric hypochondriacs. Unlike many other young men who attended those classes, Lewy never fell fully under the spell of Wittgenstein... Wittgenstein appears to have fully respected Lewy's later persistent gnawing at logical difficulties in a way that he had learned from Moore. Moore and Wittgenstein shared a complete contempt for sloppy work, and each respected the other enormously, even though the ways they did philosophy, and their conclusions, were so at variance. Lewy learned from both the importance of being a careful philosopher, an adjective which was the highest praise in those circles...' (Casimir Lewy Obituary, Hacking, p.174). Provenance: Casimir Lewy (1919-1991); by descent to the present owner. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing