Letter to Laura Lafargue, August 1, 1884

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 1 August 1884


First published in Économie et politique, No. 11, Paris, 1955
Published in English in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE

IN PARIS

London, 1 August 1884

My dear Laura,

Leroy-Beaulieu duly arrived.[1] Thanks. Have not had much time yet to look at it, but shall do now,[2] Schorlemmer has gone to Germany yesterday.

We shall probably start on Monday[3] for Worthing near Brighton— it's Percy's choice, and from all other people's reports a horridly dull place.[4] All the same to me, but if Pumps does not like it, she will have to settle that with the husband of her bosom. Shall let you have exact address as soon as possible.

Have had a bad cold in consequence of the heat and exposure to drafts — have not smoked or tasted beer for nearly a week, but am on the right side of both again since yesterday.

As Paul's article on the blé[5] is not complete yet and they are almost sure to have a month between that and the attack on Leroy-Beaulieu, so that this latter article will only appear in the October No., there will be a bit of breathing time — at least I hope so. I do want a bit of rest, and shall have, besides this affair, plenty of translations to revise while at the seaside. The great thing for Paul will have to be — conciseness, limitation of the question strictly to Leroy-Beaulieu's criticisms on Mohr, leaving entirely out Lassalle, etc.— except perhaps when Leroy-Beaulieu gives occasion to show his glaring ignorance. However as soon as I have looked the book over I shall be able to judge better. Anyhow as the book is big and the place for reply small, the limitation to what is strictly necessary will be unavoidable.

Now I must conclude — it's blazing hot, I have written already five letters and have still to write to Mrs Aveling and to Zurich.

Nim too has a bit of the cough and what I almost feel inclined to call a whooping-cough sometimes — but it is not bad. You know that Tussy caught a regular whooping-cough from little Lilian Rosher! It's positively true.

Tell Paul to give you a kiss each for Nim and me.

Very affectionately yours,

F. E.

  1. ↑ P. Leroy-Beaulieu, Le Collectivisme. Examen critique du nouveau socialisme.
  2. ↑ See this volume, pp. 179-83.
  3. ↑ 4 August
  4. ↑ Engels vacationed in Worthing on the South coast of England from about 5 August to 1 September 1884.
  5. ↑ wheat; Engels is referring to Paul Lafargue's article 'Le blé en Amérique; production et commerce'.