To Daniel MacGhie Cory
Grand Hotel
Rome. May 13, 1941
I have now almost finished Russell’s book. The position he arrives at, considering his starting-point, seems sensible; but I can’t help thinking his starting-point artificial, and also his method and play with algebraic symbols. Is this more than a pedantic affectation proving nothing that could not be stated in simple English and judged by common sense? R’s illustrations are always witty; but they become a bit monotonous in their intentional every-day realism. If he had more variety of tone, when it came to analysing the implications of “You are hot” his argument would gain in force and pungency. On the whole, I am a little disappointed not in R’s position but in his work. It is not first class philosophic writing, but only interesting current controversy; a contribution rather than a conclusion; and he is now old enough to settle his accounts and give us his testament.
From The Letters of George Santayana: Book Seven, 1941-1947. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2006.
Location of manuscript: Butler Library, Columbia University, New York NY