Letter to Jenny Longuet, August 14, 1874

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 14 August 1874


First published in Russian in: Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 33, Moscow, 1964
Published in English for the first time in: The Letters of Karl Marx, selected and translated with explanatory notes and an introduction by Saul K. Padover, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1979
Published according to Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 45


MARX TO JENNY LONGUET

IN RAMSGATE

[London,] 14 August 1874

My darling Child,

I think that you will have received at long last the letter[1] I addressed to Engels last Tuesday.[2] If not, enquiries should be made at the Post Office, since such irregularities should not be allowed to pass without comment.

It was very wrong of Longuet to alarm you with the story of my carbuncle. Yesterday morning the so-called core came out, putting an end to the discharge. I then immediately put a plaster on it, which likewise began to have its usual effect. So you can see, my dear child, that all is well in this respect.

As far as my naturalisation is concerned,[3] my SOLICITOR had not received any further NEWS from the HOME OFFICE by last night. I shall go and see him again today. Come what may I shall take my departure tomorrow evening.[4] At the worst I should find myself forced to retreat from Karlsbad to Hamburg, which would be vexing enough, if only on account of the expense. After a long period in which neither the 'International' nor myself had attracted any attention, it is very curious that my name should have figured again JUST NOW in trials in Petersburg and Vienna, and that ridiculous RIOTS in Italy[5] should be connected not only with the 'International' but (see the reports from Rome in today's Daily News[6] ) directly with me. The insinuation of the Rome correspondent that the INTERNATIONAL RIOTERS are acting on behalf of the Papists smells very much like a recipe provided by Bismarck.

Yesterday's Evening Standard contained a small LEADER which began with the words: 'THE INTERNATIONAL HAS BEEN SCOTCHED, BUT NOT KILLED.'[7] This was with reference to the arrest of 80 people in Marseilles,[8] something which is said to be secretly linked with the Italian farce, although the true connection was in fact very PALPABLE: Bazaine s'est échappé. Donc—as compensation MacMahoniste—80 Communards à Marseille sont arrêtés.[9] The Standard, which at the level of sheer police nastiness can vie with The Daily News, goes on to comment that these REVOLUTIONISTS become very conservative as soon as they can lay hands on the smallest bit of property, and that they are nothing but penniless rabble, etc. In the same issue there is a telegram from Marseilles according to which one of the men arrested is a millionaire. BRAVE FELLOWS, THOSE BRITISH GENTLEMEN OF THE FREEST PRESS IN THE WORLD! Moreover, it is a remarkable fact that various French (Parisian) papers which I have seen—including some very conservative ones—do not make any attempt to link the Italian farce with the 'International'.

Now to another topic. Frankel and Utin were here yesterday evening. The latter brought the news that Madame Tomanovsky has got married. (What he was uncertain about—quite between ourselves—was whether her imminent confinement had been prepared before or after the wedding. Nor did he have any details yet about the fortunate husband.[10] ) Frankel was very upset by this unexpected blow.

General Cecilia bored me for 3 to 4 hours the day before yesterday. Among other things, he told me that they (id est,[11] as we already knew, he and his party, C. Martin) were founding a school for the French refugee children. In it, he said, l'enseignement de l'hygiène[12] was to play a part, as well as économie sociale, and would I do him the favour of composing A PRIMER for this on the English pattern? He also told me with great indignation that in one of its latest issues Le Figaro had made the grotesque assertion that the Republic had ruined France by its appointment of 4 generals qui s'appellent: Crémieux, Glais-Bizoin, Cecilia—et Lissagaray! I whispered this flattering piece of news into the latter's ear that very evening.

I am just gossiping on because I scarcely dare mention the only subject which interests you. The house is as silent as the grave, now that our little angel[13] is not there to animate it. I miss him at every turn. My heart bleeds when I think of him, and how can one get such a sweet, lovable little chap out of one's mind! But I hope, my child, that you will be brave for your old man's sake.

Adieu, my darling Schwärzchen,[14]

Your loving,

OLD NICK[15]

  1. ↑ Marx's letter has not been found.
  2. ↑ 11 August
  3. ↑ Before leaving for Karlsbad for medical treatment in August 1874, Marx applied for British naturalisation to the Home Office as a precaution against possible reprisals by the Austrian authorities. The application was, however, turned down, ostensibly because Marx had failed to be 'loyal to his own King and Country' (see present edition, Vol. 24, p. 564).
  4. ↑ On 15 August 1874 Marx, accompanied by his daughter Eleanor, left for Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) on doctors' recommendations, where he stayed from 19 August to 21 September. On the way back to London, Marx stopped off in Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin and Hamburg. In Leipzig, where he stayed approximately from 25 to 28 September, he had talks about the state of the German working-class movement with Wilhelm Liebknecht and Wilhelm Bios, as well as with members of the Leipzig party branch. While in Hamburg on 29 September-1 October, Marx met Social-Democratic leaders.
  5. ↑ A reference to the abortive attempts by Italian anarchists to launch an uprising in Bologna and Apulia early in the morning of 8 August 1874.
  6. ↑ 'International Bands in the Romagna (From Our Own Correspondent), Rome, August 10', The Daily News, No. 8831, 14 August 1874.
  7. ↑ The Evening Standard, 13 August 1874 ('The Internationalist snake has been scotched, not killed...')
  8. ↑ The Evening Standard of 13 August 1874 also reported on the arrests in Marseilles, in an item entitled 'The Arrest of Communists at Marseilles'.
  9. ↑ Bazaine has escaped. Whereupon—as a MacMahonist retaliation—80 Communards were arrested in Marseilles.
  10. ↑ Ivan Davydovsky
  11. ↑ that is to say
  12. ↑ instruction in hygiene
  13. ↑ Charles, Jenny Longuet's son
  14. ↑ Marx's affectionate name for his daughter Jenny, alluding to her dusky appearance—schwarz means black.
  15. ↑ jocular name for Marx