Letter to Friedrich Adolph Sorge, September 4, 1878

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 4 September 1878


First published in Briefe und Auszüge aus Briefen von Joh. Phil. Becker, Jos. Dietzgen, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx u. A. an F. A. Sorge und Andere, Stuttgart, 1906
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 45


MARX TO FRIEDRICH ADOLPH SORGE

IN HOBOKEN

[London,] 4 September 1878

Dear Sorge,

With a view to restoring my HEALTH I am leaving today for Malvern where I shall spend three weeks.[1] (Address: Dr K. Marx, Malvernbury, Great Malvern, Worcester.) My wife has already been there some weeks and is seriously unwell; my little grandson[2] has been through a bad illness—and all this TROUBLE is the explanation for my not having written before.

As TO Douai, I am entirely of your opinion; do not give him Capital.

My best thanks for your efforts over the Philadelphia PAPERS[3] and Weydemeyer's Extract[4]

The copies have safely reached Engels and myself; it's no go so far as England is concerned, if only on account of the host of printer's errors; also, the translation has certain shortcomings which render it unsuitable for this country. However, I intend (on my return) to arrange for a somewhat AMENDED EDITION of it for London, but in such a way that I shall write a short foreword while the book itself will appear under Weydemeyer's name. I.e. if that meets with your approval.

Mr Bismarck is working nicely on our behalf. Salut.

Your faithful friend,

Karl Marx

I hope I shall soon hear better news of your health. My wife asks me to send you her warm regards.

  1. ↑ Between 4 and 14 September 1878 Marx stayed with his wife, his daughter Jenny and his grandson Jean in Malvern.
  2. ↑ Jean Longuet
  3. ↑ After a long search, Sorge sent Marx an 'Annual Report of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for 1876-1877', Part III. Industrial Statistics, Vol. V, Harrisburg, 1878, containing information he needed on the situation in the mining industry of Pennsylvania.
  4. ↑ See this volume, pp. 276 77.