Letter to Karl Marx, September 18, 1878

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ENGELS TO MARX

IN LONDON

Littlehampton, 4 1 9
18 September 1878
Selborne Cottage

Dear Moor,

As usual I did not express myself clearly. Since I couldn't expect you to go over daily and forward me my letters, I sent the people at home a few addressed envelopes so that they might forward me the letters every two or three days. What I had meant to ask you to do was to make sure, during the first few days, that the letter concerning money I was expecting wasn't left lying around for a number of days, and that the general business of sending stuff became a regular routine; also to take an occasional look at the newspapers and other papers that had arrived (and were, according to my instructions, to remain there) in case they should include anything that called for attention. I hope we now understand one another.

This morning's Standard contains a good article full of well-merited contempt on the subject of the law and the debate.

I am sending it to Leipzig. The debate is deplorable enough as far as the law-and-order men are concerned. Bismarck, totally incapable of refuting the facts adduced against him by Bebel,

has recourse to the pitiful subterfuge of saying that he sympathised with the Social-Democrats until they began extolling the Commune—he, who himself patted the Commune on the back for copying Prussia's municipal statutes! And then he reviles as a band of robbers a party represented in the Reichstag, and the call to order is rejected!

I am sending you a Kölnische Zeitung. First there is a demand for Russian laws for the Germans, and then the Petersburg correspondent says that since in Russia those same Russian laws have proved ineffective, the only remedy lies in a constitution, popular representation, freedom of the press, etc.! The stupid paper failed to notice this, as no doubt did our people too, alas. The last part of the piece from Moscow is also interesting. Mark the things and send them to Leipzig (Ramm—Hermann—Färberstraße 12^IIb); they might notice it after all and make use of it.

Russia's numerous and forceful moves in Turkey, Persia, Afghanistan, etc., would seem to be intended on the one hand TO FISH IN TROUBLED WATERS, WHERE SOMETHING MAY BE EXPECTED TO TURN UP AT ANY MOMENT and, on the other, to deceive public opinion at home. But who knows what may yet come of it? Bismarck may soon be so placed that his only recourse will be to seek another war with France, thus sparking off a European war of East versus West, in the course of which no one is more likely to go under than he. At all events, the Turkish war has shown how rotten the whole of Europe is, and that the eruption is closer than we might have expected. No matter what happens, it will turn out to our advantage.

I was delighted to hear that the little boy is better, which means that with any luck the perpetual alarms are now a thing of the past.

Here it has been raining incessantly since yesterday evening. This little place consists of two parts—the VILLAGE and harbour on the River Arne, and the BEACH 500 paces to the south-east, some 150 houses on a dune, where one might well imagine oneself in Holland. SANDS as lovely and firm as at Ostend.

I may spend a couple of hours in London at the end of this week; IF SO I shall, if possible, let you know.

Your

F. E.