Letter to Karl Marx, July 6, 1870

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 6 July 1870


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 4, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 4, Berlin, 1931
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 43


ENGELS TO MARX

IN LONDON

Manchester, 6 July 1870

Dear Moor,

Your instructions regarding Dupont[1] are so uncertain that I can do absolutely nothing. I should rent him a COTTAGE—but furnished or unfurnished? You say nothing on this point, but this is the main thing. In addition, a reliable housemaid is damned difficult to drum up in a hurry and, third, Lizzie cannot leave the house because of her knee which, as a result of her unrest and impatience, is not getting better as quickly as it should.

Under the circumstances, Dupont's plan to come here with one child right away appears to me completely impracticable. I should think that his brother-in-law or Serraillier would be able to accommodate the 3rd child, too, for 8-14 days; in this case it would be better for him to come here alone right away, then I could immediately go round with him and get a house and, in the meantime, we could make enquiries about a woman. Since he will have to bring the children here, or have them brought by somebody, it makes no difference if there are 2 or 3 of them.

If this is agreed, write to me immediately, so that I can get him quarters near his workshop, LODGINGS for a week with board if he wants it—I assume he will only want a BEDROOM without the expense of a SITTING ROOM?—and when he will be coming. On this I expect an immediate reply, so I know what I have to do. But, as I said, to bring the child with him right away would be absolute nonsense; it would cost him much more money, and would be in his way everywhere during the first few days. Where should a woman spring from all of a sudden, if he doesn't simply take the first one to offer?

Quoad[2] Karlsbad,[3] I am, as I said, in favour of you going there this summer. I can make £40 available to you for the journey. The cure is absolutely essential for you, even if you cannot completely avoid Kugelmann and his fervent fire thereby. C. Roesgen was also there, I saw him yesterday; he said it is not expensive there, particularly since 'there is no opportunity to spend money' during the cure; the cure did a lot of good to his liver (which is in a fine state compared to yours), and he looks rather thinner but much healthier. So make up your MIND; apart from Kugelmann you will certainly find other interesting liver patients there, and on your way back you will travel via Hamburg and put pressure on Meissner. So take a quick decision and leap with eyes closed into the hot springs of Karlsbad, and the equally warm admiration of Kugelmann. NB. Because of possible passport difficulties on the Austrian frontier, it might be a good thing if you were to travel in the company of your personal physician.

Lopatin's stories about the other pyccKLH 4Î>Aa[4] are very interesting and it is very useful to know them. That HeHaeB[5] should turn out to be just a common blackguard is quite desirable.

Jennychen does not need to name me as the author of the note[6] since Kugelmann knows my handwriting quite well; but she can deal with it as she will, and as far as alterations are concerned, do what you like with it. There will probably be no refuge from the Jewish wit to which she refers.

Apropos Dupont. Lizzie has her eyes on somebody quite suitable for him if only we can get hold of her, but I fear we shall have no information on this before Sunday or Monday. It is her cousin Anna Kane, a person who is not young, not pretty, but honest to the backbone. Tussy knows her; but we shall scarcely discover before Friday where she is at the moment, and will probably not be able to see her before the end of this week or the beginning of next.

I found and looked through the old Welsh laws[7] in the official RECORD COMMISSION edition. There are quite jolly things in it. If a man discovers, on his nuptial night, that his wife is not a virgin, but lies with her until the morning, then nothing of hers falls to him, sed si, postquam illam vitiatam deprehenderit, surrexerit ad pronubos, pene erecto, et testaretur eis se illam vitiatam invenisse, et non concubuerit cum ilia ad crastinum usque; ilia nihil ab eo in crastinum habebit. Si mammae et crines et menses apparuerint, tunc lex pronuntiat neminem posse certe scire num virgo sit necne[8] and thus she must produce 7 compurgators, including her parents and brothers and sisters. If she will not or cannot do this

LET HER SHIFT BE CUT OFF AS HIGH AS HER HIP, AND LET A YEARLING STEER BE PUT IN HER HAND, HAVING HIS TAIL GREASED WITH TALLOW, AND IF SHE CAN HOLD HIM BY HIS TAIL, LET HER TAKE HIM IN LIEU OF HER SHARE OF THE argyVTeU (PARAPHERNALIA), AND IF SHE CANNOT HOLD HIM, LET HER BE WITHOUT ANYTHING.

Now we have 'To BE LET' in the window. Haven't you found anything yet?

What is the catalogue of the London LIBRARY like? This is very important for me, so that I know what I can leave unread here.

Best greetings to you all.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ See this volume, p. 529.
  2. ↑ Regarding
  3. ↑ Karlovy Vary
  4. ↑ Russian affairs
  5. ↑ S. G. Nechayev
  6. ↑ F. Engels, Notes for the Preface to a Collection of Irish Songs.
  7. ↑ Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales, volumes I-II.
  8. ↑ but if, as soon as he discovers she is damaged, he goes to the marriage arrangers with erect penis, and it is testified by them that he found her damaged and did not lie with her until the morning, she will on the next day receive nothing from him. If breasts, hair and menstruation are present, the law proclaims that nobody can know with certainty whether she is a virgin.