Letter to Friedrich Engels, November 18, 1864

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To Engels in Manchester

[London,] 18 November [1864]

Dear Fred,

1. I am sending the stuff for the Solicitor. You will have to copy the enclosed inventory and put it into whatever shape you think fit.

2. Ad vocem Solingen. I had put the letter out ready when I sent you the last but one letter-package, and it hasn’t been ‘seen any more since then’. I suspect it has ensconced itself in a notebook and will turn up one fine morning.

3. Ad vocem Schweitzer.

Is a Dr of Law, formerly of Frankfurt am Main. Published a confused pamphlet against Vogt in 1859. Subsequently, a social novel I have not read. Declared his vigorous support for Lassalle. Later, during Lassalle’s lifetime, he got to know sundry writings of ours at Liebknecht’s house while staying in Berlin and, even at that time, sent me a message through Liebknecht saying how amazed he was at finding that everything about Lassalle that he liked had been plagiarised.

I have written, like you, concerning the prospectus of contributors. Have sent Liebknecht German translation of the address of the International Committee at the same time, with a view to eventual publication in the paper. (The stuff will appear today or tomorrow and will be sent to you.)

As far as Lassalle’s apotheosis is concerned, the Hamburg Nordstern, edited by that jackass Bruhn (who at the same time continues to print Heinzen’s elucubrations, as though nothing had happened), is exclusively dedicated to this matter just as before, and the Social-Demokrat can scarcely compete with it in that respect.

Old Hatzfeldt seems to be most disappointed by the letter I sent in reply to her ‘ploy’, although it was most delicate and considerate in tone. Since that time, she has — kept silence.

Social-Demokrat is a bad title. But there is no need to throw away the best titles immediately on things that may prove to be failures.

Wilhelm Liebknecht is an unquestionably big man among the Berlin workers, as you can see from the Berlin correspondence of The Morning Star. I am only afraid he will soon be sent packing.

4. Ad vocem Péritonitis, it says in Andral: ‘Clinique Médicale’: ‘La Peritonite aiguë ... in some cases just a few hours elapse between the onset of the disease and death, whereas on other occasions peritonitis, which is always acute in its symptoms, does not cause death for from 30 to 40 days.'

And under the rubric:

‘Péritonite par violence exterieure’ he describes the case of a Parisian worker who was kicked in the stomach by a horse, in the region of his navel. Was only taken to the Charité le surlendemain, ‘exhibits all the symptoms of acute phlegmasia of the peritoneum’ (later confirmed by autopsy). Died on the 5th or 6th day, and amongst the general observations concerning this case, it says: ‘Until the very last, no disturbance of the mind or senses is observed’.

5. Take care to keep the enclosed memorandum for student Blind published in a rag in which he has puffed himself up with surpassing zeal since 1859. This ‘Beobachter est le ‘grand’ organe de la démocratie Suabaise [the grand organ of Swabian democracy]!

6. Prof. Huber has held his ‘labour convention’ with about 100 workers’ associations. He is conservative in politics but a cooperator as far as political economy is concerned. His Leipzig Convention nearly ended in a real ‘thrashing’ for Huber and his comrades, with the great majority declaring themselves to be ‘radical’ in politics.

7. I gather all kinds of things have been published by the Committee in Manchester about the cotton-famine — I mean in regard to the workingmen. Can you get hold of it for me?

8. My chest still hurts me when I write and lean forward. Hence this ‘itemised’ letter.

Regards to Gumpert.

Ditto to Madame Lizzy.

Your
K. M.

[Enclosure: List relating to W. Wolff’s Legacy]

I have put a much higher valuation on the stuff than it would fetch if sold, what with the selling-price of secondhand books in England. On the other hand, all kinds of things are missing that I have not been able to remember. There is thus compensation. If you want to add anything regarding the other goods and chattels, please do so.