Letter to Karl Marx, August 20, 1879

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 20 August 1879


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 45


ENGELS TO MARX

IN ST HÉLIER

Eastbourne,[1] 20 August 1879
53 Grand Parade

Dear Moor,[2]

I return herewith the letters from Hirsch,[3] ditto one from Liebknecht which I have just answered.[4] I've drawn his attention to his strange contradictions, viz.:'you wrote to Hirsch saying that the paper was backed by "the party+Höchberg", which must surely mean, if Höchberg is in any way a plus, his purse, for in other respects he's a negative quantity. You now write and tell me that Höchberg hasn't contributed a penny. Maybe somebody can make sense of that, I GIVE IT UP.' Also that it was absurd to say that Hirsch had 'misinterpreted' Bernstein's letter[5] 'in an even sillier way', since that letter admitted of no misinterpretation at all, Bernstein having plainly made himself out therein to be the effective head of the editorial board. Naturally, I went on, Liebknecht believed that he had arranged everything for the best, but Hirsch was entitled to see for himself and Liebknecht was preventing him from doing so by withholding the relevant material; so if Hirsch were to refuse, it would be Liebknecht's fault. 'As for ourselves, this much is certain: If Hirsch does not accept, we shall have to consider very carefully what we should do; we certainly shan't take the bait without knowing who in fact "The Party" is that is backing the paper.'[6] For it was precisely now, I told him, when all the rotten and conceited elements were able to push themselves to the fore without let or hindrance, that the time had at last come to abandon a policy of dissimulation and conciliation and even, if necessary, to be undeterred by a few rows and rumpuses. A party that would sooner let itself be hoodwinked by any and every blockhead, rather than summon up the courage to disavow him in public, might as well pack up. E.g. Kayser.

The Lafargues have been here since Monday and are staying until the day after tomorrow; we shall see if we can keep Laura here a few days longer. She brought us news that Jenny's catastrophe had gone off all right in Ramsgate,[7] as probably everyone, apart from herself and Longuet, had predicted. Otherwise everything there seems to be going on as well as can be expected.

Since yesterday the weather has been very uncertain, which isn't particularly good for Jollymeier; he had pretty well recovered, fever gone, appetite restored, little pain, but there's now been some kind of check and his improvement is no longer so rapid, though so far he's not actually any worse. Today we had the regatta, on which occasion some rain is de rigueur.[8] As you are further to the south-west and nearer the Atlantic, I'm afraid you are getting it worse and more at first hand.

Also enclosed an embarrassed letter from Bernstein which I have not yet answered. It would be best if you kept everything until further notice; there's no hurry about Bernstein and the noble Jahrbuch can remain quietly in London until I arrive.[9]

From Schorlemmer's point of view, it's a good thing that we stayed here and, indeed, shall be staying here at any rate until the 28th; what happens then will depend on his condition and, of course, the weather. If possible, a few days in the Isle of Wight and places nearby.

Old Ruge, in the youthful guise of a NIGGER SERENADER, has been trotting round the pier today selling programmes for a fireworks' display.

Lafargue and Laura send their love and join us in hoping that you are all still keeping well. Best wishes from Pumps and me to Tussy and you.

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ Between 5 and 7 August 1879, Engels, accompanied by Carl Schorlemmer, left for a holiday in Eastbourne. He returned to London on 28 August.
  2. ↑ a jocular name for Marx
  3. ↑ Enclosed in Carl Hirsch's letter TO MARX of 7 August 1879 was a copy of Engels' letter to August Bebel of 4 August (see this volume, pp. 366-68). Hirsch quoted the letter he had received from Liebknecht that day concerning the planned illegal party printed organ (see Note 490). Marx and Engels used this information for their Circular Letter to August Bebel, Wilhelm Liebknecht, Wilhelm Bracke and Others (see this volume, p. 395).
  4. ↑ Marx and Engels included a concise exposition of Liebknecht's letter to Engels of 14 August 1879 in the Circular Letter (see this volume, p. 396). Engels' reply is not extant.
  5. ↑ Bernstein's letter to Hirsch of 24 July 1879 is also quoted and mentioned by Marx and Engels in the Circular Letter (see this volume, p. 395).
  6. ↑ This refers to the preparations for the publication of the illegal newspaper Der Sozialdemokrat in Zurich, the new central printed organ ot the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany. The need for such a newspaper emerged after a ban on the entire party press, above all the Vorwärts, following the introduction of the Anti-Socialist Law in October 1878 (see Note 462). In July-September 1879, extensive correspondence on the political line of the new paper and its editors was maintained between August Bebel, Wilhelm Liebknecht, Louis Viereck (in Leipzig), Carl Hirsch (in Paris), Eduard Bernstein, Karl Höchberg, Carl August Schramm (in Zurich), and Marx and Engels (in London).
    The campaign Marx and Engels conducted for a sound political line of the party's future central printed organ is fully expounded in their Circular Letter to August Bebel, Wilhelm Liebknecht, Wilhelm Bracke and Others of 17-18 September 1879 (see this volume, pp. 394-408).
  7. ↑ On 18 August 1879, Marx's daughter Jenny Longuet gave birth to a son, Edgar, in Ramsgate.
  8. ↑ inevitable
  9. ↑ The first volume of the Jahrbuch für Sozialwissenschaft und Sozialpolitik edited by Karl Höchberg under the assumed name of Dr Ludwig Richter, appeared in Zurich in August 1879; Engels received this issue on 28 August, immediately after his return from Eastbourne.