Rosenberger to Peano
Idiom Neutral
28 novembr/11 desembr 1907
A s. prof. G. Peano in Turin
Sinior multe estimed!
Mi mersi multe pro kart afabl datu 5 desembr. Mi es multe kontent, ke vo no refus akseptar selektasion eventual kuale direktor de Akademi Int. de L. U., ma ke vo dik sole, ke kualiteti de direktor mank e ke vo no av temp fasiar labor de kompletar diksionar eks sirkulari.
Relativu argument prim, mi truv, ke it es sole fras monstrant votr modestitet, — et mi no pensav, ke mi potes esar direktor, kuande on selektav mi, ma mi av efektued mie problem,[1] e relativu argument sekund, vo es in eror: labor leplu grand de kompletifikasion de diksionar esav fasied ya, kekos vo potes visar in Supplement a diksionar, kel mi avav honor mitar a vo ante du diurni. Rest minim de parol potes esar fasied et no per direktor aut: vo avero un visedirektor e 2 sekretari.
Talmaniere mi esper, ke vo akseptero, kekos mi preg afirmar mediu letr u kart pobreve.
Ko saluti respektos mi rest votr serv leplu devot
Rosenberger
Mi skrib a vo e no a s. prof. M, kause mi persone prefer vo. R.
Lingu anglik
28 November/11 December 1907
To Prof. G. Peano in Turin
Esteemed sir!
I thank you greatly for your kind postcard dated 5 December. I am very happy that you are not refusing to accept a possible selection as director of the International Academy of the Universal Language, but that you say only that the qualities of a director are lacking and that you don't have time to do the work of completing the dictionary from the circulars.
Regarding the first argument, I find that it is only a sentence showing your modesty, — I also did not think that I could be director when they selected me, but I performed my duties, and regarding the second argument, you are in error: the biggest work of completing the dictionary was done already, which you can see in the supplement to the dictionary, which I had the honour of sending you two days ago. The small remainder of words can also be done not by the director himself: you will have one vicedirector and two secretaries.
In this way I hope that you will accept, which I request confirmation of by letter or a postcart shortly.
With respectful salutations I remain your most devoted servant
Rosenberger
I am writing to you and not to Prof. M. because I personally prefer you. R.
NOTES:
[1] The phrase efektuar problem seems to derive from the German Aufgabe erfüllen (to complete a task, do one's duty). Here “problem” is understood in the sense of “task, assignment”.