Letter to Karl Marx, March 19, 1836

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Dear Karl,

I have just received your letter, and I must confess that I am somewhat surprised at it. As regards your letter containing the accounts, I already told you at the time that I could not make head or tail of them. This much I did see, that you need money, and therefore I sent yell 50 talers. With what you took with you, that makes 160 talers. You have been away five months in all, and now you do not even say what you need. That, at all events, is strange. Dear Karl, I repeat that I do everything very willingly, but that as the father of many children -- and you know quite well I am not rich -- I am not willing to do more than is necessary for your well-being and progress.

If therefore you have somewhat overstepped the bounds, let it be glossed over, since it must. But I assure you, what the "nec plus ultra" stands for is money thrown away. I am convinced that it is possible to manage with less, and Herr Muller, the notary here, gives less and can perhaps do better. But no more under any condition; I should have to have some special stroke of good fortune, but there is nothing of the kind at the present time; on the contrary, my income has decreased. I don't by any means say that to distress you, far from it, but to make my firm decision clear to you once and for all.

I enclose a draft on Herr Kaufmann, who, as Herr Hofmann tells me, is the keeper of the lottery office in the university building; you will get money there, as m[uch as] you need.

Well, may God take care of you, and come soon. We are all longing to see you.

Your faithful father,

Marx