Letter to Hermann Schluter, January 1, 1885

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 1 January 1885


First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, First Russian Edition, Vol. XXVII, Moscow, 1935
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO HERMANN SCHLÜTER

IN HOTTINGEN-ZURICH

London, 1 January 1885

Dear Mr Schlüter,

I have received your esteemed note of the 10th as well as Mrs Kelley-Wischnewetzky's ms.349 I have advised her of its receipt and told her I hope to be able to revise it next week.

The Condition of the Working-Class has not as yet been entirely prised out of Wigand's hands. From what Freytag the lawyer said, the old contract, which envisaged a second edition, was still in force about 10 years ago.40 Since then I have on several occasions tried to find out from Freytag how I stood with Wigand under Saxon law but have never received an answer. So long as I remain in doubt on this point I shan't know what steps I can take. I have also told Dietz as much39 but heard nothing further after that; he spoke of bringing out a new edition but I was not told anything definite.

However a new edition would not be possible without various notes by me, which in turn would involve consulting sundry works of reference and, in places, call for study and this I cannot take on at the moment as I have more than enough to do. I might consider it towards the middle of the year. So I think the best thing would be simply to let the matter rest till then.

Now, however, Ede tells me that my Anti-Dühring ought to be reprinted.208 After considerable thought I have decided that it should be brought out unaltered. I owe this to my opponent and shall simply provide a new preface,a also appendices to some of the chapters, which can go together at the end. Then a new preface. This, too, I shall find time for. So if you want work for the press, I would suggest you start with that. Besides, the thing is not particularly urgent and can therefore be printed at your convenience.

I hope to finish Marx's Capital, Book II, in January and then proceed at once to rewrite the Peasant War.213 That will take a good 6 weeks. But I must be quit of it so as to get on with Capital, Book III. To begin with, this will be a purely daytime occupation, leaving my evenings to some extent free, when I can attend to the Condition of the Working-Class — if, that is, the revision of sundry translations, attending to proofs, etc., leaves me time for it.

So think the matter over and let me know what you have decided. I shall gladly do all I can to help you.

Kindest regards and a Happy New Year to the colony at large.

Yours,

F. Engels