Letter to Friedrich Engels, August 26, 1854

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MARX TO ENGELS

IN MANCHESTER

[London,] 26 August 1854 28 Dean Street, Soho

Dear Engels,

My wife got back on Wednesday,[1] quite well. In the Fatherland, she tells me, everyone is down in the dumps on account of the 'uncertain conditions'.

I cannot imagine what has become of Cluss. The fellow hasn't written for months. Perhaps it's too hot over there.

It is a very good thing that you are rid of Heise. I don't see that a 'loafer' of this sort can be of any interest. I have not, of course, seen Imandt's correspondence with Dronke and Heise, but I do know that, if he takes part in their childish nonsense, he does so at most in a 'theoretical' sense. Down here, Imandt lives the life of a sober, hard-working citizen.

I have heard from Lassalle who announces triumphantly that the Hatzfeldt woman's 7, or rather 8, years' war is now over.[2]

Enfin![3] 'Victory' for the old woman, who would appear to have emerged from the campaign with her virtue and, what is more, her money bags, vierge.[4] Lassalle now intends to move his domicile to Berlin, but has already heard talk about difficulties with the police.

Meyer writes to tell me that the trial of the Berlin demagogues[5] (in which Gottfried's Gottfried played a part) has been quashed by the court in Berlin (which, he doesn't say), 'because Hentze, the principal witness for the prosecution, was "questionable" '. Qu'en dis-tu?[6]

I have also had a letter from Miquel in Paris. He intended to come here but first he had cholera and then a haemorrhage, whereupon his doctors suggested that he had better drop the idea of sea travel and make for home overland with all dispatch. Bad luck.

Cherval, who under the name of 'Cramer'—this time the real name was the pseudonym—had diverse experiences in Switzerland, inter alia engraving plates for Mr Vogt, who had taken him under his wing, is now living in Paris. I have his address.

Daniels has been seriously ill for months and it seems doubtful whether he'll pull through.

Reports, particularly in the Débats, suggest that there is a state of splendid anarchy in Spain. So far as I can gather from the papers, the Polish and Hungarian emigres in the Turkish Asiatic army do nothing but engage in mischief, place-seeking and petty intrigues. Toujours les mêmes[7]

Vale faveque.[8]

Totus tuus[9]

K. M.

  1. 23 August
  2. Engels used this information in the article for the New-York Daily Tribune 'The Real Issue in Turkey' (see present edition, Vol. 12)
  3. At last!
  4. intact
  5. See notes 380 and 139, 307
  6. What do you think of that?
  7. Always the same.
  8. Good bye and farewell.
  9. All yours