Letter to Karl Kautsky, February 4, 1884

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 4 February 1884


First published, in Russian, in Marx-Engels Archives, Vol. I (VI), Moscow, 1932
Printed according to the original
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO KARL KAUTSKY

IN ZURICH

London, 4 February 1884

Dear Kautsky,

A quick line before the post goes. Please write and tell me by return what sort of version you propose to do of Deville[1] —word for word, including all the titles, or abridged, as I suggested?[2] As soon as I know this, I can put the matter to Meissner; I must have something definite to tell him. A copy has been ordered for Meissner in Paris; by the time it arrives, your answer may have got here as well.

I shall be glad to look over the theoretical part, although I can hardly suppose it is necessary. There's no point in my looking over the descriptive part, as you won't have any difficulty in avoiding Deville's mistakes. Of these the chief is his presenting as absolute, Marxian propositions which, in Marx, hold good only with qualifications (omitted by Deville) and which therefore appear false.

All other matters in a day or two.

Yours,

F.E.

  1. ↑ of the third German edition of Volume I of Capital
  2. ↑ See this volume, pp. 76-77.