| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 17 June 1881 |
ENGELS TO JENNY LONGUET
IN ARGENTEUIL
London, 17 June 1881
122 Regent's Park Road, N. W.
My dear Jenny,
I hasten to reply to your letter of the 15th received this morning only. When I wrote to you last,[1] the doctor[2] insisted upon your Mama going to Paris and it was herself who resisted, saying she did not feel strong enough for the journey. A few days later the doctor found that she had indeed become so much weaker that he could no longer ad- vise her to go to Paris. She is indeed getting extremely thin and ema- ciated and complained to me today a great deal about increasing weakness, especially when dressing, she has begun to stay the greater part of the day in bed and the doctor made her get up and go out for a walk while I was there. He has now told Mohr that the best thing to do is for both of them to go to Eastbourne, and that at once. We tried to persuade her, but of course she offered all kinds of resistance: now she ought to go to Paris if anywhere, and so forth, so we told her that a fortnight's stay at Eastbourne would perhaps restore her forces suffi- ciently to enable her to go to Paris afterwards, etc., etc. I left them at it, and you will probably hear the result in a day or two from Tussy who said she would write to you soon.
Whatever the nature of the complaint may be, this constant and increasing loss of flesh and strength seems a very serious feature, espe- cially as it does not seem to come to a stop — most of the doctors said that this was not in itself a dangerous symptom unless it went beyond a certain point; that they had known cases where the weakening all of a sudden had been arrested and strength recovered. I hope the sea- side will have that effect, if we only had her there already.
To Mohr the change will be equally favourable, he wants a bit of bracing up too, his cough is not so bad at nights and he sleeps better, that is one thing.
A very great piece of good luck has been the arrival of Lina Schoe- ler who is now staying at your house, as lively and good-natured as ever, and a good deal more deaf. Her presence cheers your Mama up a good deal, I hope she will stay for some time.
Sam Moore has passed his final examination as Barrister success- fully last week.
I hear from Tussy that you have got a fresh servant and that she seems to suit you, so your household troubles bid fair to diminish too.
I close this letter so as to send it by early mail in the morning, hop- ing thus it may reach you to-morrow night. Miss Parnell's letter I shall return in a few days. Kind regards to Longuet and Johnny from yours affectionately
F. Engels