| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 6 July 1888 |
ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE
AT LE PERREUX
London, 6 July[1] 1888
My dear Laura,
Today I write on business and therefore short and, I hope, sweet. Jollymeier[2] came last night and leaves next week, probably Wednesday, for Germany. He will not have time to return by way of Paris, but the present plan is that Nim[3] is going with him as far as Coblenz, and then to St Wendel to see her friends, and she does intend to come back by way of Paris provided you and the children[4] are there. Will you therefore be good enough to let us know if possible by a letter written on Sunday, but on Monday at latest, whether 1) you will be at home and 2) whether the children will be in Asnières, about the 26th or 28th July?
It is almost certain that you would have had a visit from Pumps at the same time, as she hoped to go with Jollymeier too, but last Sunday she came with the news that her boy has got the measles and that will keep her here.
Tussy and Edward are still at their 'Castle'd and expect to sail sometime in August to America where Edward is to superintend the mise en-scène of three of his pieces, to be played simultaneously in New York, Chicago and God knows where besides. I don't think they will be away more than 8-10 weeks altogether. If his dramatic success goes on at this rate, maybe he will have to go next year to Australia, at the expense of some theatrical impresario.
Our Zurich friends[5] are not settled yet—but on the way towards it. It is most astonishing, the bother, delay and kicking about of heels that is caused by the London system of monopolist landlords who prescribe their own terms to their leaseholders so that when you want to take a business-place from one of these latter—and that you have to do—you have to wait the great landlord's pleasure in giving you leave to set up the necessary machinery. French or Prussian bureaucratic interference are nothing compared to it. And the Londoners have stood this for centuries, and even now scarcely dare rebel against it! Kind regards to Paul.
Yours affectionately,
F. Engels