Letter to Karl Marx, July 25, 1869

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 25 July 1869


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 4, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 4, Berlin, 1931
Published in English in full for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 43


ENGELS TO MARX[1]

IN LONDON

Manchester, 25 July 1869

Dear Moor,

Don't go grey-haired over the £75[2] ; as soon as Gottfried[3] pays me my next INSTALMENT, i.e., as soon as the accounts are balanced and the contracts signed, I shall send you the sum. Just make sure that nothing like this happens again; you know our calculations are very tight, and allow absolutely no MARGIN for extravagances. Thus, since 1 July, I have been noting all expenditures in order to see what all the stuff costs, and in order to find out where something can be cut if necessary.

The new carbuncle proves you must immediately swill arsenic again. Do not delay for a day longer. You should have taken the case under your arm here as warning, and started. Drinking arsenic doesn't hinder you in your ordinary way of life in any manner, so just go on taking it for 3-4 months in order to get rid of the business finally.

As regards your journey, if I were you I would pack my things as soon as Jenny is ready and your carbuncle has healed. You can then adjust your plans for the journey as you like, and also visit worthy Kugelmann. If this way—by ensuring that the period of your journey and his cure do not coincide, or only partly—you will best avoid the Karlsbad[4] business. Amicus Kugelmann is, with regard to his health, certainly a considerable hypochondriac, and would certainly be a rather doleful cure-companion in Karlsbad. Since I shall not be free before 15-20 August in any case, it would be madness for us to consider anything combined. If I should be free earlier, we can still see what can be done.

I should certainly come to serious grips with Mrs Monroe. Jenny should go to her and tell her frankly that she needs the CASH. Perhaps Mrs Monroe is waiting to receive a formal bill: MRS MONROE TO MISS MARX. TO ONE HALFYEARS TUITION, etc. And if Jenny's visit does not help, I would, in your place, write a polite but firm letter. You have to show these Scots that you know what BUSINESS is, and they then respect you all the more.

The impudence of old Wilhelm exceeds the possible.[5] Trying to convince you that, with his lying, he had remained 'within the bounds of your letter'! Just how lazy his conscience is in this connection is shown by the fact that he uses the phrase 'take into consideration' which he otherwise abhors, and by his closing, touching appeal to your good heart. The simpleton demands that we and the whole International should undergo all his metamorphoses in re Schweitzer, concluding peace when he concludes peace, thrashing Schweitzer when he thrashes him, and allowing him to lie to his heart's content in the name of the International whenever he thinks it 'necessary'. And he wants to prescribe to the Congress[6] who should be admitted and who not.

Also rather strong that, in the Vogt business[7] he has left the defence 'up to you!' and this 'for the sake of the Party'. He really takes himself what might be called seriously.

And how lame is the business with the factory inspectors! The government has flatly decided to introduce them, but Liebknecht has prevented this, naturally in the interests of the workers, so that they shall not be bribed by them. Bismarck prevented by Liebknecht! Quite something! Not to mention the craftiness of such a policy.

The 18th Brumaire received yesterday with thanks. The book reads much better in a decent binding and without the misprints. The introduction is very good. This, and the book itself, will bring Wilhelm no pleasure. The manner in which democracy, and even more Social-Democracy, is treated is by no means grist to his mill, but rather on his head. Incidentally, he can no longer say he has no agitational material: we shall see what he does with it.

I am now on the Journals, Conversations and Essays on Ireland by Mr Senior (1843-58). Some FACTS and a few nice admissions, but generally only of special interest because they are stated by such a 'respectable' man. Therefore valuable for me, 2 volumes, 1868. I don't think there will be anything new in it for you.[8]

If Schweitzer had not got such a bad conscience, and if he had not committed the stupidity recently of threatening the International, then he would certainly have responded to Liebknecht's bull of excommunication[9] ; he would have challenged the General Council on the question and then you would have had to disavow Monsieur Wilhelm. Instead of excommunicating Schweitzer in the name of the IWA, why does Wilhelm not grab Schweitzer because of this threat, and with this help put the General Council in a position in which it must say something in response to Schweitzer's threat? The fellow really is too clumsy.

The business with Bracke is also good.[10] These Lassallean menials are always shouting for money, just money. In my opinion, it would be very ill-advised of the IWA to send the Germans even one pfennig before they have paid regular dues for a period. The demoralisation that has prevailed since Lassalle and through him must be firmly removed.

Enclosed Kugelmann and Wilhelm returned. You will certainly be writing to Kugelmann yourself about your journey. Send me back Kugelmann's letter so that I can reply to him; without a bit of medical chat he won't release me.

Tussy is reading Götz von Berlichingen,[11] and afterwards I'll give her Egmont. Walks have almost ceased in this heat; today it will be somewhat cooler.

Best greetings from all to all.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ Excerpts from this letter were first published in English in: The Letters of Karl Marx, Selected and translated ... by Saul K. Padover, New Jersey, USA, 1979; Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Selected Letters. The Personal Correspondence. 1844-1877. Edited by Fritz J. Raddatz. Boston, Toronto, 1981.
  2. ↑ See this volume, p. 327.
  3. ↑ Gottfried Ermen
  4. ↑ Karlovy Vary
  5. ↑ See the previous letter.
  6. ↑ The reference is to the Basle Congress of the International Working Men's Association.
  7. ↑ In connection with the intention of Karl Vogt, the German natural scientist, to go on a lecture tour of Germany in 1869, Engels suggested that, with help from Kugelmann, Marx's book Herr Vogt should be circulated in Berlin (see present edition, Vol. 17). Wilhelm Liebknecht possessed a number of copies. (See also this volume, Engels' letter to Marx of 29 January 1869 and Marx's letter to Engels of 29 March 1869.)
  8. ↑ Marx used the book by Nassau William Senior mentioned here while preparing the second German edition of Volume One of Capital, which appeared in 1872 (see present edition, Vol. 35).
  9. ↑ The reference is to an item published in the Demokratisches Wochenblatt, No. 29, 17 July 1869, which stated: 'We can assure you further that the General Council of the International Working Men's Association shares our opinion of Herr von Schweitzer but at present considers it inexpedient to interfere, so as to fully preserve the independence of the German workers' movement. But if Herr von Schweitzer proves stupid enough to turn up at the forthcoming congress of the International, as he has stated he will do, he will simply be ordered to leave.'
  10. ↑ As Kugelmann's letter to Marx of 17 July 1869 makes clear, the reference is to Bracke's intention to appeal to the General Council of the International for financing the propaganda campaign against Schweitzer in Germany.
  11. ↑ Goethe's works