Marx/Engels Correspondence 1854

Engels To Marx
In London


Source: MECW, Volume 39, p. 436;
First published: abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, 1913 and in full in: Marx and Engels, Works, 1929.


[Manchester, 21 April 1854]

Dear Marx,

I have just bought Monsieur Schimmelpfennig’s pamphlets here. If you would like me to review them for the Tribune, let me know soon. You shall have the article on the Danube crossing on Monday, unless something of greater importance crops up.

Do you think Blind capable of playing a trick on me with The Daily News? The fellow has his contacts with the paper, if I'm not mistaken. Monsieur Herzen’s nonsense in today’s issue of the same paper proves that he, too, has connections. Is there any other German officer in London who might be in collusion with the paper?

Before approaching another newspaper I shall get some more material together, which will mean a delay of perhaps 3 weeks. N'importe, the better the stuff I have, the better my chances and, after all, the material will still be there for the Tribune.

If I weren’t so damnably stuck for cash, I'd invite you up here. But just now it’s not possible and I must first move into private lodgings again. Had there been a prospect of clinching matters with The Daily News, I had intended to come to London for Whitsuntide but now the journey would have little point. N'importe, perhaps I shall come all the same.

What with the war, innumerable military works to be studied, sundry drinking bouts, etc., etc., I have of late fallen very much behind with my work at the office and, precisely because my mind was full of other things, have perpetrated a mass of blunders, all of which end up in goods being refused and other disasters. I shall now have to make up for this, for the very good reason that my old man is coming over in 3 months time; moreover I have been very remiss about corresponding with him; he’s still waiting for things he should have had six months ago. I am now having to make up for all this, which means a great deal of effort. However I believe that a fortnight’s hard-labour in the office will see me through.

Let me have the newspaper cuttings; without them, Cluss’ letter is incomprehensible.

Bangya will be sending the Russians some fine reports from Erzerum. I wish the Prussians would finally go ahead and declare war on England, in which case the farce would be in full swing and my old man would not come over. I have neglected him horribly and in any case the financial aspect has all the makings of a row.

Enclosed the proof of the Daily News article. Let me have it back soon. I'm very glad I've got the thing; the fellows won’t be able to make a splash with it now.

Apropos. Is ‘Bericht über die Kriegs-Operationen der Russischen Truppen gegen die Ungarischen Rebellen im jahre 1849’ (published 1851) available in London? And if so, who has it? I have ordered the book but won’t get it in under three weeks. If I had it I could at once enter into relations with The Times. It costs 1 1/2 talers, so nothing would really be lost by buying two.

Your
F. E.