| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 25 September 1892 |
ENGELS TO VICTOR ADLER
IN VIENNA
London, 25 September 1892
Dear Victor,
Your business with Stepnyak 572 has been settled, as indeed it had been before your telegram and two letters got here. For Stepnyak[1] sent me your letter of the 15th with the comment that he had now obtained Sonnenschein's formal consent and would be coming tomorrow (i. e. last Thursday, the 22nd) to exchange this document for the £15 sterling credited to me. Although not previously advised by you, I am far too good a business man not to honour the signature of so reputable a firm as V. Adler, even if not as yet actually in receipt of a formal advice. For you had held a pistol, not only to Stepnyak's head, but also in some measure to my own; otherwise had there been any other way out, I should for your sake have tried to avoid making any payment just now. And this merely on the grounds that you have now paid Stepnyak all that he is entitled to; but, as it is, his interest in seeing your translation published will no longer be of a pecuniary but merely of a literary nature and, if I know my Russians, that is not, I should say, the right way to get the stuff for the second volume out of him. However, there was nothing further I could do. I might have asked him to give me a written undertaking to the effect that he would deliver the goods within a given period, but it would have been worse than useless since you already have enough from him in writing in any case, and another scrap of paper would not have induced him to work any faster.
So I must content myself with his promise, made in Louise's presence, to let you have the goods in question within 2 weeks at the outside (va-t-en voir s'ils viennent, Jean)[2] and with having paid him, against the enclosed note and Sonnenschein's perfectly adequate declaration, the £15 sterling you had promised him and told him to claim from me. You wrote:
'YOU CAN ALSO HAND THE FORMAL PAPER TO MR ENGELS, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE IMMEDIATELY FROM HIM THE SUM OF 15 POUNDS.'
So you see, the categorical wording left me no other alternative.* I also took occasion to explain to Stepnyak that, by dawdling as he has done, he had cheated himself and that, had he behaved rationally, S. Sonnenschein & Co. might well have been content with £ 5 STERLING if not less, which would have meant more for him, Stepnyak, to pocket. (Aveling maintains that S. Sonnenschein & Co. would in fact have given their permission gratis, the translation being in any case a good advertisement for the book.) None of this had occurred to him and he will no doubt take note of it. But it's you who have come off worst.
Summa summarum: should such a case arise in future, you would do well to inform me beforehand, in which case I could either give you my humble opinion or else I could at once enter into negotiations over here on your behalf, whether direct or through Louise or the Avelings. In the literary business 'local knowledge' is absolutely essential if you don't want to get stung.
We are glad to hear how much better your wife[3] is and hope the improvement will continue. Our thoughts are always with you.
We have seen nothing of Andreas Scheu for years, heard nothing of him for months and had no converse about him here for ages and ages. We know absolutely nothing about him. There's no need for you to worry about Uncle Julius and Aunt[4] —now that they systematically cut themselves off from us we scarcely ever see them, let alone tell them anything.
The story about Hyndman ought not to have been printed.[5] It was uncorroborated, confidential information and may, formally speaking, contain inaccuracies. In essence it is correct; Hyndman has been deposed, though in as considerate a fashion as possible. The mere threat of such a motion supported by a majority of the delegates may have sufficed. The worst of it is that we can't reply to the dementi without placing him in a more favourable position. Indeed there's something of his in Justice expressing the expectation that the Vorwärts won't publish his letter.[6] Now he has made an ass of himself.
You will be getting two copies of Soziales aus Rußland[7] Of The Bakuninists at Work I have so far been able to find only one copy (bound up with other stuff), namely my handwritten one. I have perforce had to desist from lending things for propaganda purposes, and would advise you to do the same. Never again shall I allow the tools of my trade to leave the house.
My health 'continues slowly to improve'. Louise says you had asked how long this business had been going on — it manifested itself some ten years ago as a result of over-indulgence. The trouble originated some 25 years since when I came down with my horse while riding to hounds. For your further information only a few years after the thing had declared itself, I was forced by disagreeable sensations in the inguinal canal to wear a bandage with hernial pads and there would also seem to be a slight varice[8] in that region, on the left hand side. During the past few days I believe I have taken a distinct turn for the better although there is still some sensitivity to pressure, particularly after any time spent standing or walking; at all events I shall have to be patient and go on resting for a while longer. Louise said you were going to do me the kindness of inquiring about a specialist over here; I should be most grateful, the more so since every...[9]