Letter to Eleanor Marx, September 5, 1866

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 5 September 1866


First published in Russian in Voinstvuyushchy materialist, Book 4, 1925 and in English in The Socialist Review (London), No. 44, September 1929
Reproduced from the original
Published in English in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 42


MARX TO ELEANOR MARX

IN HASTINGS

[London,] 5 September 1866

My beloved master ±oo+.

I bow to the earth before your immensity, whatever part you may condescend to act, that of the infinitely small or the infinitely grand.

Your letters have enchanted us, and we were really bursting out with laughter on reading that fine passage in which you describe the spontaneous explosion produced by the exhibition spinster.

I am belaboured by a gorilla offspring[1] who can hardly spend the separation from a velvet mouse he has put his mind upon.[2] If he knew her, as well as I do, he would, of course, be still more Calypso, qui ne pouvait se consoler du départ d'Ulysse?[3] She may be a Calypso, but he is not an Ulysses, with all that. A spoonzy fellow rather. However, he deserves some praise at my hands. He has worked hard (from 1 o'clock p.m. to 9) in translating the instructions[4] I had to draw up for the Geneva Congress delegates. He has worked not less hard as a tailor at certain gymnastic apparatus you are to use. Last, not least, he affects great attention to the scientific gabble I affect to treat him with, although he and myself are far away from the scene of the mental entertainment.

The day before yesterday the Lormiers were here and the Negrillo, too. Old Lormier, on the pretext of having to communicate him some gymnastic trick, told him secretly and discreetly, of course, he must stop that fountain of saliva which, while smoking, he is in the habit of inundating the chimney with. When both returned from the kitchen, where the secret communication was taking place, our poor Negrillo looked rather downcast, and behaved like a 'good boy'.

In fact, I liked the boy, at the same time, I think, rather jealous of his encroachments upon my old 'geheimsecretar'.[5]

Don't forget to write me immediately what you have to pay per week.

The damned weather! I hope it will still mend. Address of Memeliten[6] : 'Mrs Goodbun, Rose and Crown, Dover.' Adio, my dear child. Many kisses to you and to the immortal Cacadou,[7]

Yours

00

You don't want to write to Mama, as she probably leaves Dover on Friday for another watering-place.

  1. ↑ Paul Lafargue
  2. ↑ Laura Marx
  3. ↑ who could not be consoled after Ulysses' departure
  4. ↑ K. Marx, 'Instructions for the Delegates of the Provisional General Council. The Different Questions'.
  5. ↑ 'secret secretary', i.e., Laura Marx
  6. ↑ Marx's wife
  7. ↑ Jenny, Marx's daughter