| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 16 August 1893 |
ENGELS TO HERMANN ENGELS
IN THUSIS (GRAUBII NDEN)
6 Merkurstrasse, Hottingen-Zürich 16 August 1893
Dear Hermann,
I have been staying with Anna Beust since yesterday and am at last sufficiently far removed from the turmoil to be able to write to you. 189 I had quite a nice journey. There were some highly diverting dust storms to begin with, followed by just enough rain to make the dust stick to one's clothing. In Zürich they took me to the Hotel Baur en ville where I was very well accommodated but never felt at home. Then, finally on Saturday evening, with the most difficult part accomplished, a moderate carousal gradually got under way (I say moderate advisedly; only half litres were served) combined with excursions on the lake. Tell Elsbeth[1] that people here have already discovered how talented I am at growling. The other day Bebel remarked in a postcard that I had done nothing the whole evening but growl with contentment.
Zurich has come on a great deal and outdoes even Barmen. There every third house used to be an 'inn'; here, however, there are three inns to every two houses. The Beusts live in very pleasing style with a wonderful view from a gigantic balcony big enough to hold a ball on. Anna Beust is very well preserved and one of the most beautiful old women in existence, besides being witty and vivacious, clever, energetic and resolute; it is a pleasure to be with her. Her son Fritz is in charge of the school, while the other, Adolf, has a very good medical practice; both have nice wives and two noisy, lively boys apiece. Adolf lives at home and Fritz close by in a house he has built.
Next week I shall probably go into the mountains for a while with Bebel. However I shall be back in about a week or so, and round about the 3rd, 4th or 5th of September we are leaving for Munich and Vienna.
At the Congress 56 there were three or four Russian women with really lovely eyes, somewhat reminiscent of your sister-in-law Berta's[2] when I saw her in Altenahr years ago. But my real sweetheart was a truly delightful Viennese factory girl,[3] charming of countenance and engaging of manner, such as one rarely comes across. I shall never forgive Bismarck for having excluded Austria from Germany, if only because of the Viennese women.
From what they tell me here, the Hotel Bellevue is not one of the best. I hope it nevertheless suited you all right. Let me know sometime how you got on. With much love to Emma,[4] Elsbeth, Walter[5] and you yourself from your old 'weed that never dies'.
Friedrich
By the way, you might also pay a call on Anna Beust. She has not set eyes on or heard from you for ages.