At Princeton

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Dinesh ^club

The stars had aligned to create for Einstein a sense of inertia, or at least a weariness of further wandering. In addition, Princeton, which he called a “pipe as yet unsmoked” on his first visit in 1921, captured him with its leafy charm and its neo-
Gothic echoes of a European university town. “A quaint and ceremonious village of puny demigods strutting on stiff legs,” he called it in a letter to Elizabeth, the queen mother of Belgium since the death of the king. “By ignoring certain social conventions, I have been able to create for myself an atmosphere conducive to study and free from distraction.”

Einstein particularly liked the fact that America, despite its inequalities of wealth and racial injustices, was more of a meritocracy than Europe. “What makes the new arrival devoted to this country is the democratic trait among the people,” he marveled. “No one humbles himself before another person or class.”

This is the function of the right of individuals to say and think what they pleased, a trait that had always been important to Einstein. In addition, he lack of stifling traditions encouraged more creativity of the sort he had relished as a student. “American youth has the good fortune not to have its outlook troubled by outworn traditions,” he noted.

Elsa likewise loved Princeton, which was important to Einstein. She had taken such good care of him for so long that he had become more solicitous of her desires, particularly her nesting instinct. “The whole of Princeton is one great park with wonderful trees,” she wrote to a friend. “We might almost believe that we are in Oxford.” The architecture and countryside reminded her of England, and she felt somewhat guilty that she was so comfortable while others back in Europe were suffering. “We are very happy here, perhaps too happy. Sometimes one has a bad conscience.”

So in April 1934, just six months after his arrival, Einstein announced that he was staying in Princeton indefinitely and assuming full time status at the Institute. As it turned out, he would never live anywhere else for the remaining twenty one years of his life. Nevertheless, he made appearances at the “farewell” parties that had been scheduled that month as fund-raisers for various of his favorite charities. These causes had become almost as important to him as his science. As he declared at one of the events, “Striving for social justice is the most valuable thing to do in life.” ~ Pages 432-433

10 years ago. Edited 16 months ago.

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