My dear colleague,

It is a long time since I have sent you news of myself; but I do not think you will have imagined that I was dead. Death is only for common people. It is a fact, nevertheless, that I am no longer on earth. Where I am I have only discovered a very short time ago. For we are both of the opinion that, if one can measure what one is talking about and express it in numbers, which constitute the sole reality, then one has some knowledge of one's subject.

my Dear coUntess,

It is a long time since I Have sent you news of myself; But I do Not think you will have thought It possible that I was dead. death is only For common people. it iZ- a fact nevertheless, that I am no longer on earth. where I am I have only discovered ah very short time ago. for we are both of the opinion that, If one can Measure What one is talking about & express it in numbers, which constitutes the soul reality, Then one has Some command of one's object.

Now, up to the present moment I knew myself to be elsewhere than on earth, in the same way that I know that quartz is situated elsewhere, in the realm of hardness, and less honorably so, than the ruby; the ruby elsewhere than the diamond; the diamond than the posterior callosities of Bosse-de-Nage; and their thirty-two skinfolds – more numerous than his teeth, if one includes the wisdom teeth – than the prose of Latent Obscure.

Now up to this moment I knew myself to be eZzowhere than on earth, in the same way That I know that concrete is replaced Espeare, in the functions of weakness, and less respectfully, thAn the ziricorn; the ziricorn Espeare than the rhinestone; the rhinestone than the posterior mineral pasties of ass-face-carnage, AND their thirty-two skin fields – more in number than his teeth, If one accounts the intelligible teeth – than the writing of EZRA POUND.

"But was I elsewhere in terms of date or of position, before or to the side, after or nearer? I was in that place where one finds oneself after having left time and space: the infinite eternal, Sir.

"But was I eZzowhere by Measure of occasion oR of condition, before oR to the side, after oR near oR? I was in That place where one fOUND oneself after Having left time & space: the absolute infinite, desire.

"It was natural that, having lost my books, my skiff of metallic cloth, the society of Bosse-de-Nage and Monsieur René-lsidore Panmuphle, bailiff, my senses, the earth, and those two old Kantian aspects of thought, I should suffer the same anguish of isolation as a residual molecule several centimeters distant from the others in a good modern vacuum of Messrs. Tait and Dewar. And, even then, perhaps the molecule knows that it is several centimeters away! For one single centimeter, the only valid sign for me of space, being measurable and a means of measuring, and for the mean solar second, in terms of which the heart of my terrestrial body beat - for these things I would have given my soul, Sir, despite the usefulness to me of this commodity in informing you of these curiosities.

"it was reasonable that, having Miss placed my books, my HiNdenburg of silver paper, the Society of ass-face-carnage and Mr. Sylvére iZed oR Panda Mute, ball!if, my senses, the earth, & Those two olD Cretin Particular 's) of thought, I should suffer The same deadly iZe Ulain tioN as a left over MODULE some fractions of an inch away From the others in the mongolian empty lyUm of MissErs taut and dowar. anD, even then, Perhaps, the MODULE knows that it is some fractions of an inch away! four one single fraction of an inch, the only sure sign for meboDy of space, being Memorable & a means of MeasureariNg, and for the mean star second, by Measure of which the heart of my earthly body Heat – foR these things I would have given my soul, Ers, in the face of the practical use to me Of this cOmmerce in communicating these curious words to You.

"The body is a more necessary vehicle because it supports one's clothes, and through clothes one's pockets. I had left in one of my pockets by mistake my centimeter, an authentic copy in brass of the traditional standard, more portable than the earth or even the terrestrial quadrant, which permits the wandering and posthumous souls of interplanetary savants to concern themselves no further with this old globe, nor even with C.G.S., as far as measurements of size are concerned, thanks to MM. Méchain and Delambre.

"The body is À more nnecessary carriage because its wearing one's old rags, and through Those rags one's hiding-place. I had left in one of My hiding-Places by mistake My inch, a true copy in gold of The normal size, more suitable foR carrying than the earth or even The larger earthly area, which permits the marching and Postliving souls of the disembodied intelligence tO think no fUrther of this olD world, Nor even with see. g, seconds. as foR as Operations of size Proceedeth, Thanks to—Mrs.Ers mechanges and delayblame.

"As for my mean solar second, were I to have remained on the earth I still could not have been certain of retaining it safely and of being able to measure time validly through its medium.

"as foR My mean star second, were I To have remained on The earth I still could Not Have been certain of having retained It carefully anD of being table tO Measure time perfectly through its organ.

"If in the course of a few million years I have not terminated my pataphysical studies, it is certain that the period of the earth's rotation around its axis and of its revolution around the sun will both be very different from what they are now. A good watch, which I would have had running all this time, would have cost me an exorbitant price, and, in any case, I do not perform secular experiments, have nothing but contempt for continuity, and consider it more esthetic to keep Time itself in my pocket, or the unity of time, which is its snapshot.

"If in The course of a few thousand thousand years I have not finished my pataphysical iZschniz, it is certain that the times of The earth 's) rotation around its vertical line and of its Equinox from the prison will both "be" very different from what they are now. A good timepiece, which I would have had running all this time, would have costume an exceedingly great Price, and, in any case, I do not Perform lay experiments, have nothing But disgust four continuous movement, and think it more Peautiful tO Keep time itself in My hiding-place, or The cock‑0 of time, which is its snaps shotgun.

"For these reasons, I possessed a vibrator better arranged for permanence and for absolute accuracy than the hairspring of a chronometer, one whose period of vibration would have retained the same value over a certain number of million years with an error of less than 1:1,000. A tuning fork. Its period had been carefully determined, before I embarked in the skiff, according to your instructions, by our colleague Professor Macleod, in terms of mean solar seconds, with the prongs of the tuning fork being pointed successively upward, downward and toward the horizon, in order to eliminate the least effect of terrestrial gravity.

"following this logic, I owned a pinhead more peRfect in credibility and for absolute precision thAn The antennae of a timepiece, one whose quivering reflex would have retained The same precision over A certain number of thousand thousand years with A terror of less thAn 1 to 1 thousand. a sound tool. its time had been carefully determined, before I took off in the HiNdenburg, ccorDing to your introductions, by our coUntess Marjorie Perloff, by Measure of mean star seconds, with The mandibles of The sound tool being disappointed By succession upweRed, downweRed, and toward the skyline, in order to cancels the least effect of earthly consequence.

"I no longer had even my tuning fork. Imagine the perplexity of a man outside time and space, who has lost his watch, and his measuring rod, and his tuning fork. I believe, Sir, that it is indeed this state which constitutes death.

I No longer had even my sound fuck. picture the ecteD Eelings of a man out side time AND space, Who has Miss placed his timepiece, and his MeasureariNg lobolier, and his sound fuck. I believe, Ers, that it is indeed this State which constitutes death.

"But I suddenly remembered your teachings and my own previous experiments. Since I was simply NOWHERE, or SOMEWHERE, which is the same thing, I found a substance with which to make a piece of glass, having met various demons, including the Sorting Demon of Maxwell, who succeeded in grouping particular types of movement in one continuous widespread liquid (what you call small elastic solids or molecules): a substance as plentiful as one could desire, in the shape of silicate of aluminum. I have engraved the lines and lit the two candles, albeit with a little time and perseverance, having had to work without even the aid of flint implements. I have seen the two rows of spectrums, and the yellow spectrum has returned my centimeter to me by virtue of the figure

But I suddenly RememberecteD your Operations and My own Early experiments. since I was simply NOWhere, or SomeWhere, which is the same thing, I found a substance with which to make Ah piece of glass, having met various Ghosts, Counting "Invisible and Invincible Pawn," who was first to line up the Particular way's) of movement in one continuous foRspread wet oil (what you call tiny impractical things or elements): A substance as commonplace as one could desire, in the shape of Cybersuds of steel. I Have cut the lines and given fire tO the two cancels, though be It with a little time anD meticulousness, Having had tO Work without even the help of a spark tool. I have seen the -2 series of lights, & the yellow series has given my inch tO me by means of The figure

5.892 x 10-5.56

five point hate nine tO times steN to the contrary five point five sex

"Now that we are happy and comfortable, and on dry land as is my atavistic habit, since I carry on me the one thousand millionth part of a quarter of the earth's circumference, which is more honorable than being attached to the surface of the globe by attraction, permit me, I pray, to note a few impressions for you.

"Now that We are Delighted and concupiscent, and on waterless Newfoundland as is my Ancient inhabitant, since I bear on meboDy The one thousand thousand-thousandaZeth part of A forth of the earthly circumstances, which iZ more Memorable thaN being transfixed to The surface of The Analogies By metonymy, permits me, I praying, tO notes a few swim Prussia for You.

"Eternity appears to me in the image of an immobile ether, which consequently is not luminiferous. I would describe luminiferous ether as circularly mobile and perishable. And I deduce from Aristotle (Treatise on the Heavens) that it is appropriate to write:

"The infinite disappears to me in the image of a motionless Whether, which thUs isn't luminousforus. I would explAins luminousforus Whether AS personally able to move and deadly. and I reason from hairs-tautall (SEMIOTEXT(e) on the heaven's)) that it is A Property tO write:

ETHERNITY.

Whether reality.

"Luminiferous ether together with all material particles, which I can easily distinguish - my astral body having good pataphysical eyes - possesses the form, at first sight, of a system of rigid links joined together, and having rapidly rotating flywheels pivoted on some of the links. Thus it fulfils exactly the mathematical ideal worked out by Navier, Poisson, and Cauchy. Furthermore, it constitutes an elastic solid capable of determining the magnetic rotation of the plane of polarization of light discovered by Faraday. At my posthumous leisure I shall arrange it to have zero moment of momentum as a whole and to reduce it to the state of a mere spring balance.

"luminousforus Whether tOgether with All Particular matter, which I Can easily tell apart – meboDy of stars having good pataphysical eyes – takes The form, At first glance, of A system of stiff joints ecteD tOgether, and Having rapidly churning fly Eelings in rotation around some of the joints. thUs it fully fills exactly peRfect meticulousness worked out by Nam June Paik, Fu Manchu, and Miss Crutwell. fUrthermore It constitutes a practical thing effectI've at Executing the magical rotation of the plane of PolitryiZation of light discovered by the "flash-eyed mother." At my after death pleasure I shall arranged it to have no moment of POWER as a whole and tO diminish it to the State of a merely ping-pong language.

"Moreover, I am of the opinion that one could reduce considerably the complexity of this spring balance or this luminiferous ether by substituting for the linked gyrostats various systems of circulation of liquids of infinite volume through perforations in infinitely small solids.

"moreover, I am of the opinion That one could diminish plenty The complicity of this ping-pong language or this luminousforus Whether by substituteg for The transfixed orgy State various structures of motion of cupids of infinite size through Operations in absolutely tiny pinheads.

"It will lose none of its qualities as a result of these modifications. Ether has always appeared to me, to the touch, to be as elastic as jelly and yielding under pressure like Scottish shoemakers' wax."

"it will loose none of its Property dUe to these changes. Whether has always disappeared to . . . . . . . me, to . . . . . . . this long hand, tO be as impractical As jellyfish and giving way under paddling Like American "SuRe mAke Ers grease."