Letter to Eleanor Marx, April 26, 1869

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 26 April 1869


First published in Russian in Voin-stvuyuzhchy materialist, Book 4, Moscow, 1925. Reproduced from the original. Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 43


MARX TO ELEANOR MARX

[London,] 26 April 1869

ever, when I commence whistling, Dicky treats me as Luther treated the devil—he turns his... upon me. Jocko has come out again, but its temper is as bad as possible. Having ascertained that you are absent, it gave vent to every sort of spleen and baffled all Helen's attempts at coaxing. Another source of annoyance for Jocko, was the arrangement of the little garden—a world Jocko considered justly as its own station and domain—by the gardener. Jocko misses its little hills, caves, rents, and all that lively disorder it delighted in.

As to the other 'animals'—as they belong not to the dumb sort, but are rather of a most talkative kind, and perfectly able to account for their own doings—I shall just now not lose one syllable upon them.

On Friday evening,[1] I was at dinner at Beesley's. Besides myself, there was Crompton, a barrister, and Jung and Dupont. Jung related his own doings. He told them what happy (literal!) speeches he made here, and what 'cutting hits' he made there. In this world of ' Weltschmerz,[2] discontent, and restlessness, it gladdens your heart to be acquainted with an individual that is 'happy' and, moreover, possesses not only one shirt, but Sarah and other good things into the bargain.

The Irishman I send you tomorrow. Many thanks to Cacadou[3] for her letter. Many kisses to Fouschtra.[4]

And compliments to the African.[5] It will give him great pleasure to hear—if he has not already seen from the French papers, that the first 'black' ambassador of the United States has been appointed by Grant.[6] Adio my little Quoquo.

Your

Old Nick

  1. ↑ 23 April
  2. ↑ weariness of life
  3. ↑ Laura Lafargue
  4. ↑ Charles Etienne Lafargue
  5. ↑ An allusion to the origin of Paul Lafargue, who was born in Santiago de Cuba. His mother's father was a mulatto, and her mother was an American Indian.
  6. ↑ Marx's source of information was probably The Times of 24 April 1869, which featured a report 'New York, April 13' in the Telegraphic Despatches column stating that 'Mr. Clay (to Liberia) and Mr. Bassett (to Hayti) are the first two coloured diplomatists appointed'.