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I was so glad to hear from you, and to know that you are comfortably situated
and think well of the climate. Remember, that you can not trifle with mathematics. The old proverb
was, "In mathematics as in war, leave nothing unconquered behind." If you do
not understand a point, hire a coach and peg away with him until you get it.
You are not naturally mathematical any more than I am. You will have to get
it by dogged hard work. But it is necessary in the career you want to
follow, and you will have to put in the time on it. Even I, who was so dumb
in mathematics, was passed and I shall always remember what the fat and very
jolly (rather young) professor wrote on my final examination paper: "You are
faithful and persevering even in those studies which are very difficult for
you. Sucess to you.
Mathematics are serious business with you now, Charles. When you do not understand a point perfectly, you must find a good coach who will pound it into you. If you slide over a single point, it will trip you up in the end. God won't be good to you and give you a moment of inspiration, but a faithful coach can make it clear to you if you give him enough time and money, and you must not be stingy of either.
You can't make many members of our family understand this, because