Gustav von SCHMOLLER (1838–1917), German economist. L.A.S., - Lot 131

Gustav von SCHMOLLER (1838–1917), German economist. L.A.S., Berlin, December 22, 1915, to a “Geheim Rat” (Privy Councilor); 4 pages, in-8 format, on his letterhead (file holes, slight tears at the fold); in German. Regarding the young economist Friedrich Lenz (1885–1968), son of the historian Max Lenz (1850–1932). He notes that Lenz was never a “Privatdozent” (lecturer); he was appointed as a professor sporadically, here and there, notably in Dresden, where he was not retained, as that university had preferred a Privatdozent who had been there for ten years, recommended by officials in Leipzig… Schmoller knew little about Lenz’s teaching method, and he had advised his father—while Lenz was still a student—to have him take elocution lessons with a good actor in order to correct his irritating way of speaking (““I once said to his father, when he was still a student, that I would have him take speech lessons with a good actor so that he could break the habit of speaking in such a jarring manner”). But this is only a minor flaw compared to the content of his lectures, which are undoubtedly excellent… Lenz inherited from his father a certain kind of idealistic pathos, which suits a historian better than a political economist. This character trait also influenced the judgment passed on Lenz’s father, who did not receive, from certain members of the Academy and the Faculty, the very high esteem he deserved (“He has inherited a streak of idealistic pathos from his father. But it suits the historian better than the political economist. Incidentally, this trait also plays a certain role in the judgment passed on his father. Some members of the Academy and the Faculty therefore did not hold Father Lenz in as high esteem as he, in my opinion, deserved”)…