| Author(s) | Karl Marx |
|---|---|
| Written | 10 November 1882 |
MARX TO ELEANOR MARX
IN LONDON
[Ventnor,] 10 November[1] 1882
1 St Boniface Gardens
My dear Tussychen,
On the whole, I cannot at all complain of Ventnor. The weather was unsettled, tempestuous, alternately rainy, dry, sunny, chilly, etc., but with all that very seldom foggy, a good deal of pure air and, except [for] a few days, generally always a few hours fit for longer promenades. Yesterday and today the air rather cold, but from 11 to 2 o'clock on the sea shore (where children are playing, and reminding me of poor Harry[2] ) and on our Undercliff walk, and up to the railway station, and even to the down, no want of sunshine!
You should not forget, dear child, that I was by no means quite ALL RIGHT when I arrived here. On the contrary: a spasmodic cough pretty well all the time, a great deal of sputum, increasingly unsatisfactory nights during the previous 2 weeks, no sense of well-being whatever. That couldn't change all in one day; rather a progressive change for the better.
Au fond I was in fact glad to have had recourse to Dr Williamson for my muscular rheumatism before Donkin's PRESCRIPTION arrived from London (today). The rheumatism is really very close to the former seat of my ITERATED PLEURISY, but Dr Williamson was able to convince me by percussion and auscultation that ALL WAS STILL RIGHT — and had been since Donkin's last examination. The cough has abated, but when he called today (his second visit) Williamson persuaded me to take yet another medicine; it would, he said, shorten the transitional period leading to the stage at which all I shall need to complete my recovery will be fresh air and plenty of outdoor exercise.
Under the circumstances I have not yet got down to any real work, though I have been occupying myself with one thing and another by way of preparation.
Do you have William Langland's Complaint of Piers the Ploughman?
If not, you may be able to borrow it from Furnivall for me, or alternatively, as it isn't dear, I could also buy it in the EARLY etc. series.
Also would you see if you could find among the (old-style) Egalités (I mean the old weekly Égalité) on the table by my bed an article, or rather a report, on the encomiums of official economists in Paris with regard to cheap Chinese labour in Europe? I don't know whether this same matter of the Chinese was discussed in the copy of Malon's former Revue (the copy is behind the sofa on one of the shelves of my book-case). If so you might send it to me if you cannot lay your hands on the Egalité.
How is my Johnny faring? Cough gone? My love to him and Lenchen. And how is your health?
Finally, I must write to poor Jennychen. It distresses me; I fear that this burden is more than she can bear.
Salut.
OLD NICK