Letter to Laura Lafargue, November 7, 1885

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 7 November 1885


First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 36, Moscow, 1964
Reproduced from the original
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE

IN PARIS

London, 7 November 1885

My dear Laura,

I have no objection whatever to write a short introduction to the Manifesto. But in order to enable me to do so, I ought to know what passages in the old preface[1] would appear objectionable to the delicate ears of your Parisian public. I confess I cannot find them out, unless it is one about the Commune which was put in by Mohr himself and on which he particularly insisted.[2] Although in my opinion our Paris friends give way by far too much to these susceptibilities, which ought to be put down as much as possible, I am quite willing um des lieben Friedens willen[3] to please them as much as I can, without thereby falsifying history or strengthening the belief that all light necessarily comes from Paris. It is in my opinion utterly impossible for the Manifesto to go out in any language without stating how it originated. The conclusion of II, and the whole of III and IV are utterly incomprehensible without that.

'Mr Broadhouse' has actually had the impudence of having Aveling asked — through Reeves, the publisher — whether I would not collaborate with him in the translation of the Capital.[4] I suppose you have received the last No. of the Commonweal? If you will let me know what Nos. you are short of, I'll see that you get them.

Nim is as jolly as ever, we have just had a bottle of Pilsener together. She was last night at the Lyceum with Pumps to see 'Olivia',[5] says it is a regular Rührstück,[6] Irving no great shakes, Ellen Terry very good.

Lavigne says he sent his translation of the 18 Brumaire to Paul but nothing came of it, what was the reason? I have the thing here, but as I am under an engagement with Fortin,[7] dare not look at it, otherwise I might be accused of having made undue use of it, so I cannot form a judgment as to its merits.[8]

Next week the grand political spree begins. On the 10th the French Chambers, on the 19th or thereabouts the German Reichstag, and a week later the elections here. Whatever they may turn out in the shape of a Parliament, two things are certain: the Irish will command the whole by their 80-90 votes, and the Great Liberal Party will come, at last, to an end by the separation of the Whigs from the Radicals and the preparation if not the completion, of the Union between Whigs and Tories.[9]

Kind regards to Paul (11,500 votes)[10] which I hope have not quite crushed him. He'll have better luck next year.

Yours affectionately,

F. Engels

  1. ↑ K. Marx and F. Engels, 'Preface to the 1872 German Edition of the Manifesto of the Communist Party
  2. ↑ See this volume, p. 362.
  3. ↑ for the sake of peace
  4. ↑ See this volume, p. 313.
  5. ↑ Olivia, written by the English playwright W. G. Wills, is an adaptation of Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield.
  6. ↑ melodrama
  7. ↑ See this volume, pp. 358-59.
  8. ↑ See this volume, p. 361.
  9. ↑ Ibid., p. 361.
  10. ↑ This is the number of votes Paul Lafargue received at the election to the French Chamber of Deputies in October 1885 (see Note 447).