The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Point of View, by Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

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Title: The Point of View

Author: Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

Release Date: October 5, 2007 [EBook #22895]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _A Martian Odyssey and Others_
published in 1949. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence
that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor
spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.

THE POINT OF VIEW

"I am too modest!" snapped the great Haskel van Manderpootz, pacing
irritably about the limited area of his private laboratory, glaring at
me the while. "That is the trouble. I undervalue my own achievements,
and thereby permit petty imitators like Corveille to influence the
committee and win the Morell prize."

"But," I said soothingly, "you've won the Morell physics award half a
dozen times, professor. They can't very well give it to you every year."

"Why not, since it is plain that I deserve it?" bristled the professor.
"Understand, Dixon, that I do not regret my modesty, even though it
permits conceited fools like Corveille, who have infinitely less reason
than I for conceit, to win awards that mean nothing save prizes for
successful bragging. Bah! To grant an award for research along such
obvious lines that I neglected to mention them, thinking that even a
Morell judge would appreciate their obviousness! Research on the
psychon, eh! Who discovered the psychon? Who but van Manderpootz?"

"Wasn't that what you got last year's award for?" I asked consolingly.
"And after all, isn't this modesty, this lack of jealousy on your part,
a symbol of greatness of character?"

"True--true!" said the great van Manderpootz, mollified. "Had such an
affront been committed against a lesser man than myself, he would
doubtless have entered a bitter complaint against the judges. But not I.
Anyway, I know from experience that