Letter to Friedrich Engels, January 27, 1851

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 27 January 1851


First published in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 1, 1929
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 38, p. 268

[London,] 27 January 1851

Dear Engels,

Enclosed you will find the statement for signature.[1] There can be no question of sending it to Dulon, for Ruge has made himself co-proprietor of the Bremer Chronik.[2] It must be sent to the conservative paper, the Weser-Zeitung in Bremen.[3] Write to its editors when you send the statement; tell them to send us two copies to London, to my address, 28 Dean Street, at the same time informing us what the announcement will cost and how it is to be paid for. Don't forget, however, to prepay the letter.

Now, as it's nearly time for the post, no more than the following:

1. Did you forward to Weerth the letter[4] which my wife sent with a few lines for you?

2. Did you get my letter in which I sent you Dr Magnus Gross' scrawl, etc., and to which I wanted to know your answer? If you haven't received it, I beg you to complain to the Post Office at once. I sent you this letter the day after I had received yours—about a fortnight ago, that is.

Write soon and tell me whether you approve of the statement.

Your
K. M.


I think it would be superfluous to add any special notes to the statement.


P.S.
You mustn't forget, either, to tell the Bremen editors, i.e. the editors of the Weser-Zeitung, to make sure they observe the right sequence, putting Schramm's statement after, and not before ours.

Apropos! If you have really not received the 2 letters, write to me in English, after you yourself have made inquiries in Manchester, telling me how I should write to the Post-Master General. In my letter of a fortnight ago I apprised you of a new viewpoint about land rent on which I must have your opinion.

Your
K. M.


[From Wilhelm Pieper]
Dear Engels, I must inform you in haste that Marx is highly indignant at your complete silence on the subject of his new theory of land rent about which he recently wrote to you. Marx leads a very retired life, his only friends being John Stuart Mill and Loyd, and whenever one goes to see him one is welcomed with economic categories in lieu of greetings.

On ne peut pas vivre qu'avec toi, après tout[5] , and if one wishes to live uneconomically, as I love doing, I have to indulge my extravagance quietly, there being no longer anyone here for me to consort with. In between times I try to do some copying, and even sometimes do exercises in composition on my own account, but I still very much doubt whether I shall achieve anything worthwhile. I am glad to hear that you are in good spirits and shall before long find the time to write you something rather more coherent.

Cordial greetings,

W. Pieper

  1. ↑ K. Marx and F. Engels, 'Statement. 27 January 1851'.
  2. ↑ Bremer Tages-Chronik
  3. ↑ Marx's and Engels' statement on Ruge's article in the Bremer Tages-Chronik was not published either in the Weser-Zeitung or in the New-Yorker Staatszeitung.
  4. ↑ Marx's letter to Georg Weerth, sent through Engels, has not been found.
  5. ↑ After all, one cannot live with you alone