Lith March 1955.

Professor John R. Raper,
The Biological Laboratories,
Harvard University,

16 Divinity Avenue,
Cambridge 38, Mass.,

U.S.A

Dear Professor Raper,

I shall be very happy if I can be of any assistance
to you and your Conmittee concerning Jim Watson, I should
first tell you that Watson is a close personal friend of mine,
We shared a room at the laboratory here, and we had lunch
together almost every day for a year and a half or so,’

We have written four papers together, and are at present -
engaged on a fifth, Last August I spent three weeks with
him at Woods Hole and Cold Spring Harbour, and we hope to
see him over here in July, to take some X-ray pictures on

- our rotating anode tube. I feel that I can give you a close
view of Watson, both as a scientist and as a person, though
not perhaps an entirely detached one,

To take your questions in turn: as you say, Watson's
achievements are impressive, I would, however, like to make
two points about them. The first is that Watson has shown
great powers of scientific discrimination in choosing his
fields of work. Thus, in spite of Max Delortick's (past)
opinion to the contrary ~- and Watson is in many ways a disciple
of Delbriick - he saw the importance of molecular structure for
biological problems, and took steps to apply himself in that
direction.

This ability to choose significant problems springs
from the astonishing maturity and breadth of his scientific —
judgement, which is not perhaps always obvious because of a
certain immaturity of manner,

ly second point is that Watson has shown a quite
unusual ability to master disciplinesof which he has had no.
previous experience, During his stay here, for example, he
assimulated easily and quickly the Bessel function formulation
Professor John Re Raper ~ Re Dr. J. D. Watson

of the X-ray diffraction from helical structuges (which was at
that time very new) and applied it successful iy in an unexpected
contest - the structure of Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

As to Watson's future interests I can, I think speak
with some confidence, as they coincide with my own, They lie
‘in the following wide class of problems: the molecular basis
of gene replication, of gene action, and in particular its
relation to protein synthesis. This whole field, as you know,
is in a state of rapid, confused, development. Watson’ 3
ability to survey this field as a whole, to learn new techniques
and to apply himself to crucial problems, make us all believe
that he will continue to: produce important work,

I should make one reservation to the above opinion.
“Watson is somewhat sensitive to the general atmosphere in which
he finds himself, His friends feel that at this stage in his
career he would do well to seek some assured position ina
stimulating scientific atmosphere. As, however, a place on
your staff would be admirable for him, you obviously need have
no fears an this account,

As to the quality of Watson's teaching, I can be
of rather less help to yOu. It is, I think, a general finding
that seicntists of Watson's type of personality do not always
lecture well initially, but that they improve strikingly with
a little regular practise. I have another close friend -

a@ pure mathematician - of whom this has certainly been true.
I feel confident that a position on your staff will develop
in Watson an ease of manner (and an increase of audibility!)
which at the moment he occasionally lacks. He has in him
the makings of a first-class lecturer, and I have heard him
give lectures which for clarity and incisiveness would be
hard to equal.

As to the probable future prospects and importance
of Watson's field of interest, it is perhaps hardly fair to
ask me, as I am naturally a rabid enthusiast for if! I feel
certain that there will be further interesting and exciting

developments during the next ten years, which will be of
the first importance for biology. Watson, being trained as
a biologist, is very well suited to integrate this° Know ledge
into the contert of biology in general.

Regarding Watson's personality, he suffers, I
think from a certain degree of emotional immaturity, and he
is occasionally moody. Portunately, this is offset by his
other personal assets, and it has not interfered with his
productivity. People get on well with hin, and he has a
~3~

Professor John Re Raper =~ re Dr, Jo D. Watson.

very wide circle of scientific friends both in the States and
in Europe. His awkwardness of manner will, I believe, disappear
as he gets older, a

In brief, ‘therefore, though Watson is in some ways
a rather strange young man, I think he would make an admirable

member of your staff, and that you need have no hesitation in
appointing him, .

I hope these opinions may be of some help to you. |
in your deliberations, If I can be of any further. assistance
_ Please do not hesitate to write to ME

Yours sincerely,

F.H.C. Crick.