Letter to Eleanor Marx, January 8, 1883

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 8 January 1883


First published, in the languages of the original (German and English), in Annali, an. I, Milano, 1958
Printed according to the original
Published in English in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 46


MARX TO ELEANOR MARX

IN LONDON

Ventnor, 8 January 1883
1 St Boniface Gardens

Dear Tussychen,

I received a short note on Saturday from Dr Williamson enclosing a letter to Williamson from Dr F. Bayshawe dated 4 January '83, 5 Warrior Square, St Leonards on Sea, in which he says amongst other things:

  • 'We had a week of almost continuous rain or moist air, which gave place on the 2nd to dry weather, of varying direction. Since that we have had sunshine each after- noon, tho' not much of it. I will endeavour to send you some further statistics tomor- row. I believe we may say generally that the climate of Hastings is dryer than much of the South Coast, tho' this may be at the expense of some warmth etc' *

On Saturday (6 January) the weather here was fine round about midday; yesterday, too, it was dry, but colder; it is always sunniest on the esplanade. I went for a stroll yesterday and the day before, and today it promises to remain fine. It is generally coolish unless one is actually in the sun. At all events, a steady rise in temperature has now been predicted.

There's always Hastings to move to if prospects here prove decep- tive; besides which, there comes a moment when a change of place is of itself beneficial. This much at least we know — there is SOME SENSE in exchanging Ventnor for Hastings, but not for places on the South Coast that are closer to Ventnor and in which conditions are almost exactly the same as in the ISLE OF Wight.

Every now and again I still have to tussle furiously with the accu- mulation of MUCUS; after getting up on Saturday morning I EVEN had a spasmodic attack [of coughing] so that for several seconds I vainly struggled for breath. I believe it was due to nervous irritation — my anxiety over Jennychen! Upon that I need not enlarge. I would have hastened to Argenteuil at once, but for the possibility of saddling the child with the extra burden of a sick visitor! For no one can guarantee

that the journey WOULD [not] HAVE PUNISHED ME WITH A RELAPSE such as I have so far fortunately escaped. All the same, it's hard not being able to go and see her.

Love from

O L D
N I C K