Letter to Paul Lafargue, November 23, 1887

Author(s)	Friedrich Engels
Written	23 November 1887

First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 36, Moscow, 1964
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 48

ENGELS TO PAUL LAFARGUE

IN PARIS

London, 23 November 1887

My dear Lafargue,

I haven't a bean and shall have to sell some shares, which I cannot do for another two or three days. As soon as the money comes in I will send you a cheque. Meanwhile, here is Sonnenschein's statement in respect of the English edition of Capital—it amounts to very little—only £39.12— From that I shall deduct £20 in order to recoup some of the £80 advanced for the translation and paid to the translators. The balance of £19.12—I shall divide into 5 equal parts, 3 for the heirs and 2 for the translators (as was agreed with Laura and Tussy), which results in the following statement:

For the Longuet children³ £ 3.18.4 " Laura £ 3.18.4 " Tussy £ 3.18.4 £11.15.-

For Sam^b 3/5 £4.14.2 " Edward^c 2/5 £3.12.6 £ 7.17.- £19.12.-

Cheque for Laura enclosed herewith. Sonnenschein says he has printed 1,000 copies, of which 480 are in stock and 78 have been given gratis either to us or to the press.

224 copies sold in England £336. - 10% £33.12 200 America £120.- 5% £ 6.- £39.12.-

18 thirteenth gratis^[1]

442 558 1,000

As to the American 5%, I shall compare this statement with the contract. But I do not believe we can do anything about it. The fellow has clearly sold far more, but is concealing the fact from us in order to have a year in hand.

The Parisian devil-may-care attitude, cited by you as a symptom of demoralisation, is proudly acclaimed by Camille Pelletan in La Justice. My £20 were immediately swallowed up by urgent payments and, indeed, I am completely cleaned out just now. Otherwise I should be sending you a cheque today.

Yours ever

F. E.

↑ It was common practice in the book trade for a publishing house to grant a discount to bookstores on wholesale purchases depending on the quantity ordered; for example it might offer about 12 copies, a thirteenth part of the total print, free of charge. Referring to '78 copies - a thirteenth part - free of charge', Engels meant 224 copies of the book sold in Britain.

[1] It was common practice in the book trade for a publishing house to grant a discount to bookstores on wholesale purchases depending on the quantity ordered; for example it might offer about 12 copies, a thirteenth part of the total print, free of charge. Referring to '78 copies - a thirteenth part - free of charge', Engels meant 224 copies of the book sold in Britain.

[1]