Letter to Karl Marx, November 2, 1846

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 2 November 1846


Source: Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 38 p. 88;
First published: in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, 1913.

To Marx in Brussels

This is a postscript by Engels to the letter Bernays wrote to Marx on 2 November 1846 (see text of the letter in MEGA2, Abt. III, Bd. 2, S. 62-63).

Paris, 2 November 1846 23, rue de Lille

Where is the long letter you promised so long ago? Make sure you send Bernays the manuscript, he only needs what you have[1] since he still has the printed stuff. He has sent nothing to America; whatever may have appeared there was printed without his knowledge or consent. [K. L. Bernays, Das entschleierte Geheimniss der Criminal-Justiz. Eine kommunistische Anschauungsweise, Der Volks-Tribun, 27 June and 4 July 1846] However a lot of copies were printed, and some may have gone as presents from Leske to all points of the compass. We shall investigate the matter. Perhaps through Grün or Börnstein. I have written to Switzerland about the manuscripts, [reference to The German Ideology] but it would seem that the cur [J. M. Schläpter] has no intention of replying.[2] Apart from him, there's no one but Jenni; I've played a prank on him and would rather not write, enclose a short note for the fellow in your next. I shall send it on, but it's only for form's sake, the fellow's almost certain to refuse. The first man wrote to published a short pamphlet by Bernays [Rothschild. Ein Urtheilsspruch vom menschlichen Standpunkte aus], but even if he does take the thing, it would appear, à ce qu'écrit Püttmann, that he is bankrupt. Voilà. I despair of Switzerland. Good advice costs money. Things being what they are, we shall certainly not get rid of 2 volumes together. At most 2 volumes to 2 different publishers. Write about this as well.

Your
E.

I have only just read what the little man [Karl Ludwig Bernays] has written above about his flight from solitude. It's a good thing we've got him here. He is gradually cheering up again. Greetings to the whole boutique.

  1. ↑ A reference to Bernays' article on crimes and criminal law (*). When speaking about printed stuff, Engels seems to have in mind proofs of Bernays' work on the above subject, which the latter demanded back front the publisher Leske.
    (*) A reference to the fee due to Bernays for an article which seems to have been an extract from his manuscript on crimes and criminal law, then being prepared for printing by the publisher Leske but was demanded back by the author because of careless typesetting. Marx wanted to include this article in the quarterly journal the planned publication of which was discussed with Westphalian publishers in 1845 and 1846. Thanks to Marx's mediation, Bernays, who was in need of money, received two advances on his article. But as the planned publication of the quarterly did not take place, Bernays' work, in the form he had conceived it, was not published.
  2. ↑ Engels' letter to the Swiss publisher J. M. Schläpfer who printed works by opposition writers (F. Freiligrath, K. Heinzen and others), written prior to 2 November 1846, has not been found.