| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 7 June 1887 |
ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE
IN PARIS
London, 7 June 1887
My dear Laura,
Here is a heap of gossip for you—while the movement is still in the sectarian stage it resolves itself all into gossip—and such is the case in England.
Last Sunday was the Delegate Conference of the League.[1] Morris and the Anarchists carried a resolution that the League was to hold to an anti-parliamentary policy—vote 17 to ll.[2] Amongst the 17 one bogus Anarchist section and 3 who voted against their instructions. The real reason was Morris' money which is to continue to pay the £4. weekly deficit of the Commonweal; if the resolution fell through, Morris would have resigned.
Our friends are now going to try to organise their sections better in the provinces and to call an extraordinary conference to upset this. I don't believe in it, neither does Tussy, but the attempt is unavoidable on account of the feeling among the working-class element.
One of the prominent (in a small way) members of the above bogus Anarchist section was Mother Schack (who by the bye is exactly your age!) who has lately patronized the Anarchists considerably, this appear- ing to her the most likely means to jouer un rôle quelconque ici[3] As by this she placed herself in a position where she must either discontinue her visits at my house or expect an unpleasant explication, she took the initiative in breaking off. On 29th the Conference. On 30th she writes me a letter: she cannot continue visiting me because she cannot meet Aveling as he has committed discreditable acts and also is slandering whom?—Tussy! I replied asking for particulars and proofs, and stating that unless I received them, I should communicate her letter to Edward.[4] Reply: she could state no particulars but invited me to inquire into Edward's character and antecedents generally, in which case she would assist me. This I naturally declined and again summoned her to particularise and prove, or take the consequences. Again she declines, warns me that 'the credit of my house' must suffer if I take the responsibility for Edward, etc. Nothing but gossip, insinuations, infamies. The charge of Edward's slandering Tussy reduces itself to an insinuation that he spreads the idea that Tussy is extremely jealous!—Well, I told her in my reply that the credit of my house requiring from the people that met there the courage to stand by what they said about one another, I could only be extremely grateful to her for the resolution she had come to, to break off her visits. Of course I read the whole of the letters to Tussy and Edward who intend calling on her to-morrow and try to force her to some definite statement in the pres- ence of the Kautskys. I don't think it will lead to much but let them try.
I am glad we are happily rid of this madam who has a foot in every camp, religious cranks, Anarchists, etc., and is a thorough Klatschschwester.[5] She first got the myths about Edward from her reli- gious friends and had them confirmed by Mother Besant who has every reason to hold her noise but reckons on Edward's melodramatic generosity. And it is merely because he insisted on doing the virtuous hero of melodrama who is slandered right and left and rather glories in it because it belongs to the part and the eternal justice will end in bring- ing out the truth and show him resplendent in all the glory of his virtue, that all this slander has spread. But we shall stir him up a bit, and I think experience has told on him a little too, so that as soon as we get hold of something tangible, we shall soon put an end to it all.
Yesterday Sam Moore left here, and to-day we find a post-card announcing Schorlemmer for to-night. Pumps and her children are here, the boy is really a splendid fellow, with more irony in him than both his parents together can boast of.
At last I can sit by an open window! That is something. Sam Moore wishes to know whether Paul has received the Beckmann, History of Inventions, he sent him.
Yours affectionately
F. E.
Nim sends her love, she is rather asthmatical after the winter.