Letter to Karl Marx, June 24, 1863

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 24 June 1863


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 3, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 3, Berlin, 1930
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 41


ENGELS TO MARX

IN LONDON

Manchester, 24 June 1863

Dear Moor,

I have absolutely no idea what the little BUSYBODY[1] wants. Why doesn't he write and tell me that he wants the matter settled now? He wrote and told me that, if I didn't reply, he would draw on me as arranged. So far as I'm concerned, if a matter is settled, it's settled and I therefore thought it totally unnecessary to send him another written assurance a fortnight before the date stating that I would do what I had already undertaken to do, both verbally and in writing. Basing myself on your letter, which casts quite a different light on his motives, I have now written to him as requested.[2] My acceptance will be for £250. Make sure he sends you the whole amount, since he has undertaken to pay the expenses and interest himself.

Have finished Kinglake.[3] Never before has there been anything as superficial (though some of the material is very good, if scrappy), stupid and ignorant as his Battle of the Alma. Only la part des français[4] is well and accurately depicted—in general, at least. Otherwise, much that is highly amusing to the military reader.[5]

Things are going rottenly in Poland. The Polish government's grand effect, the mass uprising in June, has obviously come to grief[6] owing to a shortage of weapons and, failing any external imbroglios, a gradual decline is now inevitable.

Your policy in regard to Izzy is quite right. Besides, what's the use of all this camaraderie towards a chap who either finds himself compelled by circumstances to go along with us at a crucial moment, or else openly becomes our enemy. To allow the fool to steal one's ideas for years on end and be rewarded for it by having to answer for all his stupidities—that's a bit too much.

Someone has sent for me.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ Ernst Dronke
  2. ↑ This letter by Engels has not been found.
  3. ↑ A. W. Kinglake, The Invasion of the Crimea.
  4. ↑ the part played by the French
  5. ↑ Engels discussed the book in 'Kinglake on the Battle of the Alma' (see present edition, Vol. 19).
  6. ↑ Widespread discontent with the policy of the bourgeois and landowner party of the 'Whites', who usurped the leadership of the uprising (see Note 499) In April-May 1863, prompted the revolutionary elements within the insurgents' organisation in Warsaw to take over power at the end of May. One of the slogans of the new National Government, composed of moderate 'Reds' (see Note 516), was the formation of a universal militia with a view to enrolling the peasant masses in the guerrilla struggle. However, within ten days the 'Whites' reasserted themselves in the National Government. Reluctant openly to reject the popular slogan of a universal militia they 'postponed' its implementation indefinitely. As a result, the insurrection remained fragmented and failed to assume nationwide proportions.