Letter to Friedrich Engels, July 20, 1867

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 20 July 1867


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 3, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 3, Berlin, 1930
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 42


MARX TO ENGELS

IN HANOVER[1]

[London,] 20 July 1867

Dear Engels,

I am writing these lines in haste, in the hope that they may still find you in Hanover. C'est une chose brûlante.[2] Old Lafargue[3] has invited my 3 daughters to Bordeaux (they depart tomorrow with the secrétaire[4] ), whence they will go with him and his wife to a seaside resort. It was all the harder for me to refuse as the state of health of all 3 girls made this invitation a real blessing. But propriety required that the secrétaire de l'Espagne should not be allowed to pay the expenses of the journey. The latter (return) approximately £30, which I thus had to disburse to him. Furthermore, their watches, dresses, etc., had to be reclaimed from the pawnshop. In this way, the £45 which I had in reserve for the rent on 3 August (bill drawn on myself) melted into thin air.

I can now think of no other recourse than writing to you. If the letter catches you, please write to me at once with enclosure to Borkheim asking him to advance me the money.

While you are in Germany you must read: 'Zwölf Streiter der Revolution von Gustav Struve und Gustav Rasch'. Under the heading of the 'fighting revolutionary' Freiligrath, you will find a fresh instance of this fine fellow's treachery towards us.[5]

Your

K. M.

  1. ↑ Between 5 July and early August 1867 Engels travelled in Sweden, Denmark and Germany and visited Ludwig Kugelmann in Hanover. His wife Lizzie Burns accompanied him during some part of the trip.
  2. ↑ It is a matter of urgency.
  3. ↑ François Lafargue
  4. ↑ Paul Lafargue (he was Corresponding Secretary for Spain on the General Council of the International Working Men's Association)
  5. ↑ See next letter.