Letter to Friedrich Engels, July 17, 1869

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TO ENGELS IN MANCHESTER

[London,] 17 JULY 1869

DEAR FRED,

The heat here is killing. With you too?

Enclosed a mass of stuff from Eichhoff, Wilhelm, Fritzsche. Dear old Wilhelm—as always happily disposing of what is not his—naturally refers Fritzsche to me, in order to touch the TRADES UNIONS here for £300, and he guarantees repayment! And quite pointlessly puts me in the embarrassing position of having to turn down Fritzsche!

In addition, he doesn’t even seem to read properly the letters sent him. I sent him 900 cards and told him the annual subscription was Id. per card. Of these 900, I placed 500 gratis at his DISPOSITION, so the fellows would at least be eligible for representation at the congress. And now he asks me whether fixed annual dues must be paid.

The tough conditions under which Schweitzer returned to the bosom of Hatzfeldt are shown very vividly by the fact that he has been forced to allow Mende to start a row with the International in the Social-Demokrat. He himself knows best how dangerous this operation is for him!

Incidentally, that old jackass Becker had no need to involve the International officially in this dissolution process of the Lassallean church, instead of maintaining objective reserve. The old brute does a lot of damage with his longing for action.

Freiligrath, the family poet, gave me much amusement with his ‘robber’ and ‘corsair’—Viennese mannikin.

Best greetings to all.

Your

Moor