Letter to Pasquale Martignetti, July 9, 1889

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 9 July 1889


First published, in Italian, in La corrispondenza di Marx e Engels con italiani. 1848-1895, Milan, 1964
Printed according to the original
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 48


ENGELS TO PASQUALE MARTIGNETTI

IN BENEVENTO

London, 9 July 1889

Dear Friend,

When I read your letter of 7 June I could only conclude that you might, perhaps, no longer be at liberty by the time my answer arrived. Rather than allow my letter to fall into the wrong hands and in the end cause you further harm, I preferred not to write at all. Your letter of the 6th inst.[1] has reassured me on that score.

The harsh blow that fate has, I'm sure, quite undeservedly dealt you has aroused my most heartfelt sympathy. You must allow me, at this moment when the whole of your life lies in ruins, to send you a further small loan in the shape of the enclosed money order for five pounds sterling.

As things are now, I certainly believe that your family is right about Buenos Aires and that you ought to put this plan into operation at once.

But circumstances being what they are at present, the slightest, albeit involuntary, indiscretion on my part might prove harmful to you. The post is not to be relied on anywhere, so I would prefer to say nothing more until we can again correspond in complete safety.

With my sincere sympathy

Yours ever,
RE.

  1. ↑ In these letters P. Martignetti told F. Engels about the outcome of the court trial and about the persecutions he had been subjected to from 1885 for the translation and circulation of F. Engels' works in Italy. Martignetti said he would leave for Buenos Aires if the sentence was endorsed (see note 230).