Letter to Friedrich Engels, January 11, 1868

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To Engels in Manchester

[London,] 11 January 1868

Dear Fred,

The ‘Fop’ [Amand Goegg] was bustling around for a long time in London. He also visited Borkheim, where he produced just the same phrases as he did to you, only with better success, for he knew how to tickle the vanity, of our Borkheim. But after he had squeezed out of the latter money for 10 shares, ditto assimilated various of his wines, he was not seen there again. For the understanding of his further activity in London, the following preliminary report. Cremer, as you know, was removed a long time since from his post as Secretary of the International Council, and in his anger at this he long ago resigned as member of the Council, and was not re-elected as such by the last congress either. Mr Odger was re-elected. On my proposal, however, the post of president (the annual one) was abolished, and replaced by a Chairman, to be elected at each sitting. Odger, annoyed by this, stays away from us on principle. Well! Mr ‘Fop’ insinuates himself via Le Lubez to Odger (who introduced him to the London Trades Council ) and to Cremer. They appointed a London committee, Beales as President, etc. In short, an affair against the International Workingmen’s Association. (At the founding meeting Fop also introduced the noble Blind.) The fellows had the impudence to invite me to their 2nd meeting last week. Eccarius (in a very badly written article in the Bee-Hive last Saturday) denounced Fop and his consorts.

I am writing to you naked and with alcohol compresses. I went out again for the first time the day before yesterday, to the British Museum, of course, because I cannot write yet. Then yesterday there was a new outbreak under my left breast. The alcohol treatment, which Nélaton used in Paris for even the largest carbuncles, is, from my personal experience, by far the speediest and pleasantest for the patient (apart from cutting or lancing, depending on the case). The misfortune is only the constant activity, necessitated by the rapid evaporation of the alcohol.

At the museum, where I did nothing but leaf through catalogues, I also noted that Dühring is a great philosopher. For he has written a Natürliche Dialektik against Hegel’s ‘un-natural’ one. Hinc inae lacrimae. [Hence these tears!] The gentlemen in Germany (with the exception of theological reactionaries) believe Hegel’s dialectic to be a ‘dead dog’. Feuerbach has much on his conscience in this respect.

The French government has started a prosecution against the Paris Committee of the International Workingmen’s Association (as société inicite [illegal society]). This is very agreeable for me, since it means that the jackasses have been hindered and interrupted in their discussion of the programme they had already drawn up for the congress of 1868. Dupont has apparently written something incautious about the Fenians to his Paris correspondents that Bonaparte, who is now creeping dolefully up the arse of the British government, forwarded to Downing Street.

It is characteristic that the disclosures of Prokesch-Osten, Gentz and Count Munster are being printed one after the other — with the direct or indirect collaboration of the Austrian government. Urquhart, with his ignorance now becoming permanent, knows only the first one. It is also very indicative of his ‘totality’, that he does not know Moltke’s Turkish War of 1828, etc., which would have provided him with excellent material. Incidentally, at the time when I was in Berlin (at Lassalle’s) Moltke was regarded as a declared Russophobe, inside the Royal Prussian frontiers, naturally.

If you should be writing to Borkheim some time, request him to let you have a look at the two small Russian pamphlets about which I had told you. I would particularly like you to look at the one about the emancipation of the serfs, so that you can let me know the quintessence.

From the enclosed Courrier français you will see that the French government is entering into a direct polemic with General Cluseret.

If you could send little Tussy cotton-yarn ball on the 16th of this month I should be very pleased. It is her birthday and that little humbug loves all Chinese formalities.

It gives me much pleasure that the English government is persecuting The Irishman. This paper is in reality not Fenian, but simply wants repeal. What blockheads these John Bulls are!

My compliments to Mrs Lizzy.

Salut.

Your
Moor

Enclosed a portion of ‘new philology’ from the Hermann.