Where exactly did Freud say mental health is the ability to love and
to work?
This is a really hard challenge.  Maybe Scriptor knows.  I need exact
reference so I can find page numbers.  Thank you, Sylvia Karasu, M.D. 
Time is of essence--I have deadline!  Note:  Freud must use love and
work in same sentence--please do not give me an approximate reference
--I already have that.

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Request for Question Clarification by larre-ga on 22 Aug 2002 13:03 PDT

Dr. Karasu,

To clarify, according to Freud.org.uk, this quote is popularly
attributed to Freud, but not to be found in Freud's works.

"Where did Freud say that mental health meant the ability "to love and
to work"? This formula was cited by Erik Erikson but it is not to be
found in Freud's works, although the sentiment is sometimes implied.
During his long engagement Freud stated that his own ambition in life
was to have Martha as his wife and to be able to work (e.g. "Couldn't
I for once have you and the work at the same time?" Freud-Martha
Bernays 21 Oct. 1885)."

Freud.org FAQ
http://www.freud.org.uk/fmfaq.htm

Are you seeking the source for the Erikson comment,  or the source of
the original, paraphrased question by Freud to his wife? Or do you
have reason to believe that the Erikson attribution is incorrect?

larre-ga

I think that larre is on the right track, and that the Erikson comment
is what you're looking for.  Other authors have paraphrased the
supposed quote by Freud, but the Erikson comment seems to be the
original.

I'd be happy to post the source of Erikson's comment, but I think that
larre will be able to find it -- and after all, larre got here first 
;-)

However, there is another possibility.  Various web pages attribute to
Freud the following quotation: "Love and work are the cornerstones of
our humanness."  None of the web pages I have seen indicate where this
alleged quotation comes from.  I suspect that it is not a real
quotation by Freud, and that it too derives from the Erikson comment. 
But I'm not certain of that.

Hi!
   That is exactly what I meant.  I knew about the Erikson source and
I also had the web pages from the Freud Museum which says this quote
is not exactly from Freud.  I was thinking maybe that was wrong and
that there really was a quote from Freud.  Perhaps I should withraw my
request from you.  It may be a pointless search.  If you have any
other suggestions, let me know.  If not, let me withdraw from this
request.