Letter to Carl Siebel, April 2, 1861

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 2 April 1861


First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, First Russian Edition, Vol. XXV, Moscow, 1934
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 41


MARX TO CARL SIEBEL

IN BARMEN

[Berlin,] 2 April 1861

Dear Siebel,

A letter, which arrived from Amsterdam today, brought the pleasant tidings that I shall be able to SETTLE my chief financial difficulties (which run to hundreds of pounds), since my uncle[1] (who looks after my mother's affairs) has declared himself agreeable so far as the main issue is concerned. I am thus rid of my chief worry, but as regards the secondary matter I wrote to you about,[2] I shall have to rely on you.

I am bored stiff here. I am treated as a kind of LION and am forced to see a great many professional 'wits', both male and female. C'est affreux.[3] What is keeping me here (not for more than another week, I hope) is the circumstance that I refuse to leave until I have forced the Prussian government to recognise my REINIEGRA-TION. Prima facie[4] they are not making any difficulties about it, but are trying to shelve it.

I shall be spending only one day in Elberfeld. Kindly write and tell me by return, how quickly one can get from Elberfeld to Aachen where I have an appointment.

For Part II of my political economy,8 I have dismissed Duncker in favour of Brockhaus. (Not that the latter knows this yet, but I have a sure means of forcing his hand.)

Salut.

Your

K. M.

  1. ↑ Lion Philips—See previous letter.
  2. ↑ See this volume, pp. 252, 257, 261, 271-72.
  3. ↑ It's awful.
  4. ↑ On the face of it.