Letter to Karl Marx, July 29, 1881

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 29 July 1881


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. Printed according to the original. Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 46


ENGELS TO MARX

IN ARGENTEUIL

Bridlington Quay, Yorkshire
29 July 1881
1 Sea View

Dear Moor,

I got your letter[1] yesterday morning before we left ' 6 ' and was very glad to hear that you did, after all, have a reasonably good journey. But you are right in proposing to break the return journey; it's far too risky, letting such an invalid remain on the go for 12 hours.

I only hope that the change of air and scene doesn't fail to produce the desired effect.

We left at 10.30 and arrived here at 5.5, minus my trunk, which had gone astray, but turned up before evening. After perhaps a quarter of an hour's search we found lodgings that were first-rate and not too dear (2 doors away from last year's, but a great improvement in every way). We had some rain yesterday, but today it seems to be slowly clearing up. The day before yesterday, by way of insuring myself against rainy weather such as we have again become familiar with lately in London, I went to fetch the Skaldin and the first two volumes of Maurer's Fronhöfe[2] from Tussy.

Our present plan is to remain here for 3 weeks or, perhaps, 4, depending on the weather and other circumstances. I have got some CHEQUES with me, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know roughly how much you want. Your wife must not and shall not want for anything; if there's something she would like to have or something you know would give her pleasure, then have it she must.

Tussy dropped in to see us the day before yesterday, so I accompanied her home to fetch the books and drink the inevitable glass of Pilsener with her. Here one can pretty well do without German beer, for the BITTER ALE in the little café on the pier is excellent, and has a head on it like German beer.

Write again soon and tell me how things are. Warm regards from all of us to your wife and Jenny. Pumps sends her special love to Johnny, as do I. Our regards, too, to Longuet.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ See previous letter.
  2. ↑ [Skaldin] CKaA^nm,, Bh laxonycmbu u eh cmomujb, CaHKT IIeTepôyprb, 1870 and G. L. Maurer, Geschichte der Fronhöfe, der Bauernhöfe und der Hofverfassung in Deutschland, vols I II, Erlangen, 1862.