Letter to Friedrich Engels, March 3, 1855

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 3 March 1855


First published in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 2, Stuttgart, 1913
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 39


MARX TO ENGELS

IN MANCHESTER

[London,] 3 March 1855 28 Dean Street, Soho Dear Frederic,

On Tuesday[1] you will be hearing from me at some length. Today no more than these few lines to explain the reasons for my silence:

1. Musch[2] has had a dangerous gastric fever which he has still not shaken off (this is the worst of all).

2. The BABY[3] GREW EVERY DAY WORSE and was disturbing the whole household so that a few days ago a change of wet nurse became necessary.

3. My wife, although splendidly recovered from her confinement, has had a so-called whitlow on the index finger of her right hand. Though a minor affliction, it is extremely painful and irritating. The thing was operated upon yesterday.

4. First I had my eye trouble, now more or less over; then such a frightful cough that I had to swallow several bottles of medicine and even keep to my bed for a few days.

So you see the whole house was and, to some extent still is, a hospital.

I shall get you Herzen's stuff[4] ; likewise yesterday's People's Paper, in which you can read about Jones' and Herzen's COMMON PROCEEDINGS[5] Should I throw Jones out if he comes again, or should I proceed 'diplomatically'?

The doctor says I need a change of air, not having left the PRECINCTS OF SOHO SQUARE for 2 years. So I should like to visit Manchester before my wife goes to Trier again. Should you, in view of your old man's impending arrival or for any other reason, find it awkward to put me up, I could take a room in Manchester. I must at any rate—but not, of course, until everything's all right here—get away from this place for a while, since the physical staleness also stultifies my brain.

Que dites-vous de la mort de Nicholas?[6] I like the way The Times insinuates that his death was partly due to fright because HIS WORST ENEMY—Palmerston—has become Premier of England.[7]

Vale faveque.[8]

Totus tuus,[9]

K. M.

Have heard nothing from Cluss for months.

  1. ↑ 6 March
  2. ↑ Edgar
  3. ↑ Eleanor
  4. ↑ This may be a reference to Herzen's reply to Ivan Golovin's slanderous article (see this volume, pp. 523-24): 'Reply to Mr. Golovin. To the Editor of The Morning Advertiser', published in The Morning Advertiser on 15 February 1855
  5. ↑ 'Immense Demonstration in St. Martin's Hall', The People's Paper, No. 148, 3 March 1855.
  6. ↑ What do you say to the death of Nicholas?
  7. ↑ The Times, No. 21992, 3 March 1855, leader.
  8. ↑ Good-bye and farewell.
  9. ↑ All yours