Department of the History of Science

 

Harvard University
Science Center 235, Cambridge, Mass. 02138
617-495-3741

23 March 1982

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
President
The Rockefeller University
66th and York Ave.

New York, NY 10081

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

It is always nice to hear from you, as I now do every several
years, if only this time with a request for information.

The question you raise is an interesting one. I have some notes
on the subject stored away somewhere, and I will send them to you as
they are uncovered. The first reference I have ever found to someone
making the statement about the stages in the reception of one's dis-
covery being denial followed by plagiarism and worthlessness is that
of a letter written by Benjamin Franklin to Dr. Lining from
Philadelphia on the eighteenth of March 1755. I am enclosing a xerox
copy of the title page of my very first book, published (I can hardly
believe it) a little more than forty years ago, in which you will see
how Benjamin Franklin put forth this point of view clearly and forcibly.

I certainly hope there will be the opportunity to have a real
talk with you about matters that we both have a strong interest in--
some day.

Sincerely yours,

J (. dtd Ch

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