Appendices
Your favourite virtue
in man quality in man in woman Chief characteristic Idea of happiness
" misery The vice you excuse
" detest Your aversion The characters you most dislike Favourite occupation
— Hero — Heroine — Poet
— Prose writer — Flower — Colour — Dish — Maxim — Motto
Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 32, Moscow, 1964
jollity to mind his own business not to mislay things knowing everything by halves Château Margaux 1848 to go to a dentist excess of any sort Cant affected stuck up woman Spurgeon chaffing and being chaffed none too many to name one Reineke de Vos,670 Shakespeare, Ariosto, etc. Goethe, Lessing, Dr Samelson Blue Bell any one not Aniline Cold: Salad, hot: Irish Stew not to have any take it aisy
F. Engels
2. Arnold Ruge to Steinthal. 25 January 1869
IN MANCHESTER
Brighton, 25 January 1869 7 Park Crescent Dear Mr Steinthal,
At the same time as this letter, I am sending you Marx on capital by book-post.
Many thanks! This book has given me constant food for thought, though I had to work on all sorts of other things at the same time.
It is an epoch-making work and throws a shining and often scorching light on the development of the social periods, with the declines, the birth-pains, and the frightful days of agony.
The proofs of surplus value through unpaid labour, of the expropriation of the workers who had worked for themselves, and of the coming expropriation of the expropriators, are classical.
On the latter, p. 745a: 'The capitalist mode of production and appropriation, hence capitalist property, is the first negation of individual private property, as founded on the labour of the proprietor. The negation of this negation therefore again gives the producer individual property, but based on the acquisitions of the capitalist era: i.e., on the co-operation of free labourers and their possession in common of the land and of the means of production produced by labour itself
Marx is a man of broad erudition and with a brilliant dialectical talent. His book is above the level of many people and newspaper writers; but it will quite certainly make its way, and exercise a powerful influence, despite its broad scope; yes, precisely because of this.
With regard to religion, the author states very accurately: 608: 'As, in religion, man is governed by the products of his own brain, so in capitalistic production, he is governed by the products of his own hand.'
And to liberate him, it by no means suffices to shine a light in the owl's eye; in fact, whenever he loses his master, like the Frenchman or the Spaniard, then he himself installs one over himself again.
But still all the best for 1869! May it stand the test like its predecessor! My best greetings to Mrs Steinthal and Mr Heydemann.
Yours sincerely
Dr A. Ruge
3. Jenny Marx to Ludwig Kugelmann. 15 September 1869
Dear Mr Kugelmann,
I would have replied long since to your friendly lines from Karlsbad ,b had I not been hoping day by day for more definite news from our dear travellers. Since their first and last letter from Liège, we have completely lost track of them. But I expect they will move in on you this week, probably after a bit of tacking hither and thither,672 so I am sending for your joint reading today's Times and an older number of The Pall Mall Gazette. There is a deathly silence in the press here about the Congress,0 apart from the quite confused twaddly article in Pall Mall, which I enclose. Today The Times has broken the ice for the first time with a very favourable factual and concise article,*1 which will arouse great interest here, and particularly in France, because of the speech by the American delegate." I believe I can smell out our 'George', in various turns of phrase, expressions and 'Eccariads', if it is possible to ascribe so much tact to him.673
A real arsenal of newspapers and letters has accumulated here in the meantime; and I really don't know whether they are worth the trouble and cost of sending overseas; their contents are mostly now so antiquated. Lessner wrote 3 very pleasant detailed letters about the Congress and Liebknecht 2 wishy-washy ones that would be better left unread.674 Eccarius conveys the curious fact that an American told him that he had heard from Mr Slack, the correspondent of the New-York Tribune in London, that 'Bright had written to all London newspaper offices and requested them to publish no reports on our deliberations'. This would provide some explanation for the silence of the press.
But if The Times publishes a few more reports, the other bell-wethers will follow, and then the success of the Congress will be assured. In any case, it will have more success than that of the Eisenachers,373 the only effect of which seems to be to have helped 'our great master Ferdinand'3 to obtain, in addition to his official ' moniteur',b the Social-Demokrat, a semi-official one in the form of Liebknecht's sheet.c Even in Basle they tried to push the wretched Schweitzer scandal into the foreground, so that one might have thought that the 'Internationals' had no other mission but to internationalise the principles of the 'Man of Iron'd without the strict organisation?76
I shall send some private letters of interest to Hanover immediately, as soon as I hear that our dear 'wanderers' have reached you. Laura, with her husband and their delightful little chap,e have been with us here just 4 weeks to the day; now they are beginning to prepare for their return to Paris. Unfortunately, mother and son are not as well as I might wish. The sweet little lad is suffering from the break-through of his first teeth, with all the usual symptoms. His friendly face has grown so narrow and small, and his shining little eyes stare out of his pale face twice as large and rich as usual. He is a cheerful, gentle lad, and we shall sorely miss the little monkey.
Please give my heartiest respects to your dear wife/ give Fränzcheng a kiss, and accept friendliest greetings from
Yours
Jenny Marx
4. Jenny Marx ( daughter) to Ludwig Kugelmann. 30 October 1869
My dear Doctor!!!
Thank you very much for your letter and the copy of the portrait of your dear mother. It is a wonderfully good one— better than the original painting. I was very glad to have it.— It gave me much pleasure to hear that you feel better — may time gradually reconcile you to the great loss you have sustained. Think—
'after life's fitful fever, she sleeps well — nothing can hurt her further'.3
Is there no consolation in that thought? I have written a note to Mrs Menke. I am much obliged to you for the timely remembrancer, though to my credit be it said, that previous to the arrival of your note, I had thought of writing to
'Mariechen'—... but somehow or other — well — the way to hell, they say, is paved with good intentions. Moor also has written her a few lines. He is much better and has almost managed to get rid of the troublesome cough which so much tormented him at Hanover. He sends you his kind regards, and hopes you will excuse his [not] writing to you, as at the present moment he is very busy reading a book (which has just appeared in the Russian language, and the reading of which gives him no small amount of trouble) on the condition of the Russian peasantry,0 which it appears is exactly the reverse of what the imaginative Careyc
represents it to be — anything but enviable. 'Happiness doesn't grow in Russia.' This book has just appeared in the nick of time, it is very important. Moor should in his second volume41 make known the facts contained in it. Meanwhile the French translation of the first volume is steadily progressing.441 In a month the third chapter676 will be ready for correction, at least so writes Paul (Lafargue) who visited the translator a few days ago.
a Shakespeare, Macbeth,* Act III, Scene 2 (paraphrased). - b H. OAepoBcraft, Tlono^cenie paöonazo KJiacca er> Pocciu. - c H. Ch. Carey, Principles of Social Science.
'Dans une pauvre maison, dans une chambre plus pauvre encore, où ne se trouvent que deux chaises, une table, un lit et quelques planches pour des livres,'3
Paul writes us, he found Mr Keller (the translator) busy at his work. He is young, intelligent, enthusiastic. Paul is delighted with him, and particularly admires his 'grand pouvoir travailleur et énergie'b — and indeed who could help doing so? For the sake of pursuing his studies (he occupies himself with several sciences, but principally with the social science), this young man lives in a state of comparative misery. His father is a wealthy manufacturer, whose factory he superintended during seven years, but feeling disgusted with his 'métier de gardechiourme,c Mr Keller gave up his position. Paul met two more socialists at Mr Keller's house.
'Le parti socialiste,' il nous écrit, 'se constitue à Paris et commence à tenir le haut du pavé, quoiqu'il n'ait pas de journal, il a les réunions publiques et l'agitation personnelle.'d
No doubt the socialist party has risen on the ruins of the Simons, Pelletans, Bancels, Gambettas. The French people have discovered that the emptiest vessels make the greatest noise — have watched those big-mouthed ranters turning tail and won't give them credit for their good intentions, their hopes, 'that they who run away, may live to fight another day'.
In London the event of the week has been a Fenian demonstration, got up for the purpose of praying the government for the release of the Irish prisoners.452 As Tussy has returned from Ireland677 a stauncher Irishman than ever, she did not rest until she had persuaded Moor, Mama and me to go with her to Hyde Park, the place appointed for the meeting. This Park, the largest one in London, was one mass of men, women and children, even the trees up to their highest branches had their inhabitants. The number of persons present were by the papers estimated at somewhere about 70 thousand, but as these papers are English, this figure is no doubt too low. There were processionists carrying red, green and white banners, with all sorts of devices, such as 'Keep your powder dry!', 'Disobedience to tyrants is a duty to God'. And hoisted higher than the flags were a profusion of red Jacobin caps, the bearers of which sang the Marseillaise—sights and sounds that must have greatly interfered
" Ina poor house, in a room still poorer, where there are only two chairs, a table, a bed and a few bookshelves - b great working capacity and energy - c profession as a warder - d The socialist party, he writes, is constituting itself in Paris and beginning to come to the fore; although it has no press organ it holds public meetings and carries on agitation among individuals.
with the enjoyment of the portwine at the clubs.—On the following day, Monday, all the papers made a furious onslaught on those confounded 'foreigners', and cursed the day they had landed in England to demoralize sober John Bull by means of their bloodred flags, noisy choruses and other enormities....
It is tea-time — and I have promised to roast some chestnuts for Tussy, so thank your good stars or rather the chestnuts that this scrawl doesn't run on for ever.— (I am sure you have been thinking I was never going to stop.) With kindest remembrances from all at home.
Believe me dear 'Doctor'
Very faithfully yours
Jenny Marx
You seem surprised at my bestowing upon you your sonorous title. Believe me I do not grudge it to you. In 'our new society' there will be litde need for priests of the body; they will go to the wall along with their brethren physicians of the soul — meanwhile I wish you joy — make the most of your dignities — while they last! I enclose Weerth's photographic*
5. Jenny Marx ( daughter) to Ludwig Kugelmann. 27 December 1869
My dear Doctor,
I hope you do not fancy that true to the code of certain forefathers of mine, I am indulging in a spirit of revenge. The only reason why I have so long left unanswered your very kind letter is, that I haven't been able to call one hour my own. Until two o'clock you know I am every day engaged371 — then, as our poor Helenb has been very unwell, my afternoons were often spent in housework, besides which I have looked through several hundred newspapers, in order to make extracts from them to Moor of the financial swindling concerns etc.— (By the bye Overend and Gurney have just been acquitted.227 The bourgeoisie throughout the length and breadth of the land rejoice at the liberation of these 'martyrs', whom they declare to have been more sinned against than sinning. I shouldn't be at all surprised if these thieves in broadcloth were one of these days returned to Parliament to legislate for their countrymen. The partiality of the Judge for the defendants was so glaring, that it struck even the obtuse jury, and on one occasion elicited a protest from them.)—You see I have excuses to offer for my silence. But nevertheless, I will admit, that though you were right in supposing that I do not bow down before a God of vengeance, I am just as little inclined to worship ein sanftes Lämmerschwänzchen .a To prove to you that I am not in the habit of returning 'good for evil', I have condemned you as a punishment to eat a most indigestible compound — a truly English plum-pudding, for the performance of which feat, remission for all your sins shall be granted you.
All at home send you their best wishes for the New Year, in which I most heartily join. We were so sorry to hear of your illness, and trust that by this time you have quite recovered from the effects of it. Moor is in pretty good health at this moment, that is to say, comparatively speaking.—A few days ago Engels paid us a visit of a few hours. He was on his way to Barmen where he intends spending the Christmas days with his mother.513 He looked particularly well, and very happy at having effected his escape from the counting-house, in which he felt like a fish out of water. He works hard at his book on Ireland.b Your questions concerning that book, I am unable to answer, being altogether ignorant as to its contents. I suppose it will be something of a pendant to The Condition of the Working-Class in Englands It gave us much pleasure to see that you sympathize with us as regards the Irish question. We are all of us downright Fenians. On the day we received the news of Donovan'sd election we all danced with joy — Tussy was quite wild.466
You can imagine what consternation the intelligence of the election of a Fenian produced in England. At first the Press, with the exception of Reynolds's and The National Reformer, could only shriek in chorus 'A felon convicted has been elected — horror of horrors!' Then having in concert rung the changes on those to them magical words, the hireling crew fell foul of each other — the Tory papers abused Gladstone, declaring this election to be the fruit of his policy — the Whig organs ranted on the subject of ingratitude and lamented the fate of a country in which messages of peace and good will were thus answered, in which treason flaunts itself in the daylight and the praises of murder are sung. The British government at once despatched thousands of soldiers to the Sister Isle. It must be admitted that as the Tories say, Gladstone's measure of Church disestablishment678 has already borne fruit. Religious fanaticism is dying a natural death, the hostility of Catholics and Protestants is at an end, there is a split in the Orange camp679 and Orangemen, Ribbonmen436 and Fenians are uniting against their common enemy the British Government. Consequently the influence of the priests is vanishing, the Irish movement is no longer in their hands, in fact the election of Donovan Rossa was in direct opposition to the clerical party. For instance, these gentlemen being opposed to the release of the political prisoners, convoked meetings for the tinkering of some sort of land bill, which meetings were forcibly broken up by the people, who declared that they would come to no terms with the British Government, until the prisoners had been released. As the Government turned a deaf ear to amnesty meetings etc. the people elected Donovan Rossa, the Fenian, in defiance of the British Government and of the Irish professional agitators, lay and clerical, whose insincerity they had at last discovered.
Meanwhile the noblest Irish are pining in British dungeons. It is impossible to describe the sufferings of these men. Donovan Rossa had been at one time for 35 days kept in a dark cell with his hands manacled behind his back, night and day, and was not loosed even to take food — thin porridge — which was left for him on the floor of the cell. Altogether, my dear Doctor, England is at this moment a country of horrors. In the East End of London famine fever has broken out — in the workhouses the paupers are murdered wholesale. The doctors no longer satisfied with the corpses of the paupers are making their experiments on the living, and yet the time is still fresh in my memory when the English Press expressed the greatest indignation at the Practice of the vivisection of animals in France.
Last week a case happened in Wales, which makes one's hair stand on end. A Welsh farmer had spread the report that his daughter, a girl of 12 years, had lived without food for two years.
6. Jenny Marx to Engels. About 17 January 1870
Now though this poor Welshman received money for exhibiting his child, it is possible (in Wales the belief in witches etc. still exists) that he is half a lunatic and believed his tale. But that doctors of the first London hospitals should have done so, seems incredible. Be that as it may, they formed a commission and appointed nurses from Guy's Hospital to go to Wales in order to watch this so-called fasting girl during a fortnight. Daily these same physicians issued bulletins to the public as to the girl's state. For six days they kept her without food, and on the seventh the miserable child died. On the night before the child's death, Doctor Davies told the father of the girl that there was no danger, and on being examined that gentleman declares, that he did not suggest food because he did not like to 'offend' the father. How very polite and considerate to be sure!
I will try jo procure the whole case for you. It certainly does not give one a high opinion of the medical profession in England. I do believe that if a person were to declare that he can walk over red-hot iron-bars unhurt or jump out of a window, doctors would be found to investigate the matter. We shall return to the trials by ordeal one of these days!680
With best wishes for the new year
Believe me, very sincerely yours
Jenny Marx
JENNY MARX TO ENGELS
IN MANCHESTER
[London, about 17 January 1870]
Dear Mr Engels,
Seldom can a HAMPER have arrived so à propos as that of yesterday. The crate had just been unpacked, and the 50 slim fellows were standing in rank and file in the kitchen when Dr Allen and his PARTNER, a young Scots doctor, arrived to operate on poor Moor, so that, immediately after the operation, Moor, and his two Aesculapii could refresh themselves with the delicious Braunenberger. The business was very bad this time. For 8 days we had applied all the remedies, compresses, basilicum etc., etc., that have so often been of help: but all in vain. The abscess steadily grew, the pain became unbearable, and no opening or discharge could be induced. It had to be lanced, so Moor finally decided to take the unavoidable step of calling in a doctor. Immediately after the very deep incision he felt great relief, and although he was not yet free of pain this morning, he is on the whole much much better, and will, we hope, have recovered in a few days. But now I must go into action against him with a whole register of sins. Since returning from Germany, and particularly since the Hanoverian campaign,349 he has been unwell, coughed continually, and instead of looking after himself, began to study Russian hammer and tongs, went out seldom, ate infrequently, and only showed the CARBUNCLE under his arm when it was already very swollen and had hardened. Dear Mr Engels, how often in the past years have I wished that you had been here!! Some things would have been different. Now I hope that he will take this latest experience as a warning. Please, dear Mr Engels, don't make any remarks to him in your letters about this. He is very irritable at the moment, and would be very cross with me. But it has been a great relief to pour out my heart to you, since I am quite incapable of changing his lifestyle in any way. Perhaps it would be possible to speak to him seriously through Gumpert, when he comes to Manchester once again. He is the only doctor in whom he still has confidence. Dominant in our house at present is a general disdain for all medicine and all doctors; but they are still a necessary evil; you can't get along without them.
What do you say to the second New Year present with which Laura has presented usa? I hope that the rapid pace will soon come to an end; otherwise we could sing
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...
1 0 LITTLE NIGGERb BOYS!
7. Jenny Marx ( daughter) to Ludwig Kugelmann. 30 January 1870
I write these lines to tell you why Moor has not answered your letters. Since about three weeks he has had carbuncles under his arm, which were so painful that poor Moor was unable to move his arm. Twice the doctor cut them.3 This operation brought with it almost instantaneous relief. At the present moment I am happy to say, our dear patient is almost well again, though of course he still feels very weak, the necessary effect of the great strains he has suffered. Now that it is over I think it is a good thing the illness came to a crisis as Moor had been tormented by it for months past — you will remember he was anything but well at Hanover and in that state he continued up to the present time — sometimes a little better, sometimes worse.
Your correspondence with Jacoby amused him much.b To judge from that venerable gentleman's rambling answer, your letter to him must have hit pretty hard.
I have also to acknowledge the receipt of your letter to myself — the contents of which surprised me not a little and have made me very anxious to hear the final decision of the Philistines of the Künstler-Verein." Considering that this Verein is composed of the cream of Hanoverian society, the 'cultivation' of the Upper Classes, on the strength of which they consider themselves so much superior to the Working Classes, certainly is something to be mightily proud of! The only pity is that these blockheads have succeeded in annoying you and in robbing you of so much time.
I must ask you and dear Trautchend to forgive me for not having before this informed you of the advent of a little stranger in Lafargue's family. On the second of January Paul announced to us the arrival of a girl in the rue du Cherche-Midi. She is exactly a year older than her brother," the birthdays of the children being on the same day.f A few days ago Laura wrote us that she is much stronger.
Her letter was accompanied by a most interesting lot of French journals — the Marseillaise, Cloche, Réforme, Rappel and Pays. These journals give one a capital idea of the present state of France. The hubbub and excitement prevailing in the capital are incredible. All parties, nay all individuals are at loggerheads. Rochefort is at daggers drawn with his quondam friends and supporters Vermorel, Villemessant etc. etc. whom he openly denounces as mouchards,3 and they again in their organ, the Figaro, return tit for tat. As for the Bancels, Gambettas, Pelletans, Favres etc., that tribe of big-mouthed spouters of sonorous phrases have altogether vanished — they are no-where. Experience has taught the people what they have to expect from the bragging 'gauche'.h Not one of them dared to show his face at Victor Noir's funeral or to raise his voice in the Chambers. Rochefort, supported by brave old Raspail, has annihilated them — doomed them to a living death. Whatever Liebknecht may say to the contrary,681 Rochefort reigns supreme at Paris, and the wisdom of his conduct in preventing a collision with the military on the day of the interment is now apparent to all. Were Liebknecht to read the Pays, he would see that Cassagnac and consequently the Government do not disguise their rage at the fact—'que le peuple ne savait pas mourir pour ses convictions,' 'qu'ils n'ont pas élevé dans l'air le drapeau rouge'.c
Formerly, shrieks the ferocious clown Cassagnac:
'les révolutionnaires étaient des hommes de coeur, des hommes de principes qui se battaient pour des idées, et qui savaient bien que ni canons, ni fusils, ni bayonettes ne tiendraient devant la poitrine nue du peuple qui réclame son droit'.d682
These 'naked breasts' would indeed have been a feast for the cannons and chassepots250 of the Man of December," the more so, stationed as they were on the outskirts of Paris, where barricades could not be erected and where consequently the 100,000 soldiers would not, as in the narrow streets of Paris, have been exposed to a hand to hand scuffle with the people.— Then the Volksstaat also gives an incorrect account of the strike at Creuzot.683 It is not true that the workmen demand higher wages and a diminution of the hours of labour. They simply requested to have the management of their sick fund in their own hands and not in those of M. Schneider, further that their fellow-workman Assy should not be sent away and that an under-master who had oppressed them, should be dismissed. These are the true causes of the strike. The French Government and the official press declare them to be due à l'excitation artificielle.3 M. Géroult, of the Opinion Nationale, montre les sociétés secrètes dominant, donnant des mots d'ordre et des consignes.b 684 These societies are of course, the International, from which Assy, the leader of the strike, is said to have received 55,000 frs. The Times reprints these statements and endorses them.c
Would they were true! It is a thousand pities the International cannot keep pace in its doings with the brilliant imaginings of these worthies.
It is a significant fact that some of the soldiers sent to Creuzot at once fraternized with the miners. Four of these soldiers are to be tried for having attempted to enlist their comrades in the people's cause.
In Yorkshire a strike has also taken place, the workmen claiming the management of their own sick fund and protesting against the refusal of the Employers to allow the men to combine. As ever since the year 1824 the right of combination has been legalised in England, the masters are in fact acting in direct opposition to the laws of the country, notwithstanding which the Government supplies them with soldiers to do their bidding.
The particulars of the strike are exactly like those of Creuzot— free constitutional England and despot-ridden France — do not differ — both countries have soldiers ready at hand to shoot down the men who have the courage to assert that they think they have intelligence enough to manage their own funds — their hard earned savings.
According to an estimate made by a correspondent to one of the English papers, staying at Creuzot,— the workmen lose by the strike 8,000£ a day (wages) whilst the loss to the masters is about 40,000£W a day. Will you please give my best love to Trautchen and thank her for her letter. I will write to her very soon. Please also tell her that I must call upon her to hand over a certain little bracelet to 'Käuzchen',d for whom it was destined. As she is a sworn foe of the Communists, she will know to appreciate my respect for private
8. Paul Lafargue to Marx. 18 April 1870
property. But joking apart I really should not like to see the bracelet on Trautchen's arm — it is rather too 'primitive'.
With Moor's kindest regards to the Frau Gräfin," Käuzchen und an den Mann von der plastischen Bewegung}
I remain very sincerely yours
Jenny Marx
the original
8
PAUL LAFARGUE TO MARX
IN LONDON
Paris, [18 April 1870]
My dear Mr Marx,c
I have just returned from the labour federation conference about which Laura wrote you in her letter.627 All the sections of the International, all the labour groups and all the corporations were convoked644; each group sent one or two delegates. There were at least 1,200 or 1,300 members of the International or delegates from different labour groups. The Rules which had been drawn up by a commission were adopted unanimously; except for paragraph 2 to which was added a new amendment, the gist of which is that all the sections would appoint substitute delegates who would be prepared to assume their functions should the government ever arrest the members of the Federal Council. This proves to you how far the working class has come along; your advice given in the Basle manifesto 'if you want freedom you must take it' was heeded and understood.685 Thanks to the International, which, owing to the federal bureau of labour societies, has made enormous strides since the last elections, the working class has a sense of its power and wants to take action whatever the cost. The mutualist group686 is shattered; it was not represented at the conference; it vigorously opposed all calls for federation. What was most encouraging about the assembly was the need for centralisation felt by all members as well as the acute and precise awareness the working class had of its individuality as a class and of its antagonism towards the bourgeoisie. As champion of class struggle, you would have enjoyed attending this rally. Following the Rules vote delegates spoke about the plebiscite and of the manner in which the working class ought to conduct itself; all the speakers were in favour of abstention but considered it an opportune time to draw up a manifesto. A commission was appointed of which I am a member. It met that same evening to discuss the manifesto's groundwork, etc.687 The document should contain the following three main points:
1) The empire is not recognised as having the right to ask questions;
2) insofar as the empire represents the bourgeoisie, the people have nothing to do with the improvements of the imperial constitution;
3) the necessity of abstaining or casting a blank ballot must be impressed upon peasants. Appointed as literary editors were Tolain, Avrial, Paul-Laurent, etc... That's what happened yesterday.
You must have seen in the Marseillaise the big notice of the French section688; fortunately, however, it has as much influence here as a spit in the sea. When the Federal Council is constituted an order will be given to the Marseillaise not to print anything on the International without the authorisation of the Federal Council; you must know that the Marseillaise is at the mercy of the International and that if the latter ever placed its notices in the
Réveil, the Marseillaise would die.
I could get myself appointed by any section as a member of the Federal Council but I believe it would be better if I were the representative of the London Council; would you like to appoint me next Tuesday representative of the Council to the Paris federation? The International has some invaluable members here; Varlin in particular has a talent for organisation and an influence which cannot be overestimated. Combault, delegate of the Vaugirard section is also an invaluable member; he is a most eloquent speaker, is adept at handling matters in a lively and amusing fashion and is liked even by those he lampoons. He has the wit of a Gaudissart. Thank you for your letter. I shall heed your advice but I do not believe that it will sway Verlet, who is more of an enthusiast than a tactician.689 As for my father, I believe you will do well to speak to him in such a manner; it will be better for you, for him and for me.
You think that the pseudonym Paul-Laurent is altogether sentimental in origin; 'sentiment' does in fact play into it to a small degree, but there is more to it than that, as the following item published in the Libre pensée will prove to you.
'In our last issue we said that our collaborator Paul Lafargue, not wishing to be confused with the Lafargues of the Figaro and
Paris-faillite stores, felt compelled [s'était senti forcé] to add the name Laurent. The inveterate wit of Figaro, a purist of broken French, informs us that the rules of syntax do not allow the figurative use of the verb 'to feel' [sentir]. Do not the words 'vil me sens' bring to mind in the Lafargue in question (Gustave) the name of a certain person (Villemessant)? At any rate the scholar Guguste, whose every lucubration is felt to reveal his character [sentent la terroir] should try hard to avoid appearing pedantic [sentent le pédant] if he does not want people to see just how ignorant he really is [qu'on ne sente trop son ignorance].'690
Since the Libre pensée is a purely literary newspaper it will not be possible to publish the Rules in it, but once the Federal Council reprints the Rules I shall, if I am a member of it, oversee the operation most carefully617; that will be more important.
Greetings to Williams (Jenny). I let Prudhomme in on the literary secret.562 I saw Franckel who is taking great pleasure in spreading it everywhere.
Greetings to all.
Heartily,
P. Lafargue
9. Jenny Marx ( daughter) to Ludwig and Gertrud Kugelmann. 8 May 1870
Many many thanks my dear Mr and Mrs Kugelmann for the beautiful presents you have sent me. I don't know which delight me more — the engravings or the songs — my eyes and ears are equally busy. The studs have given Moor great pleasure, and indeed the flowers are most artistically worked. He is also delighted with the tapestry of Leibniz and has already given it a place in his study, where we have stuck it on the wall over the mantel-piece.a Unfortunately the blue paper of the tapestry has injured the beautiful engraving representing the death of Caesar, having covered it with blue colour. Altogether the engravings have been damaged by the way in which they were packed,— Kaulbach's history is partly torn. However we hope, the picture-framer will be able to patch it up again. The box only reached its destination yesterday afternoon (Saturday)b — so it must have been a very long time travelling.
I also have to thank you — last though not least — for your kind letters and good wishes for my birthday.0 I was sorry to hear that you, dear 'doctor', are again unwell, and trust soon to have a better account. Moor also is far from well, having caught a very severe cold. All the other inmates of Modena Villa, four cats and dog included, are well, but in a great hubbub, in which they have been ever since last Sunday, when the news came from Paris that a plot against Bonaparte's life had been discovered. Of course you have seen from the German papers that the imbecile French government attempted at first to implicate the International in this affair, and that a great number of its members, forming the Paris and Lyons branches of the International, have been arrested.642
The flunkeys of the English and French press of course availed themselves of this opportunity to make furious onslaughts on the International and to call upon their respective governments to suppress that odious Association as the root of all evils. For all
a See this volume, p. 512. - b 7 May - c 1 May that, the French government has however been obliged to declare that the International has nothing to do with the plot, and that its members are solely being prosecuted for the crime of belonging to an 'illicit society'. Moor has written a declaration, unanimously adopted by the General Council, in which he repudiates any complicity of the International in the affair.3
According to the French government, M. Gustave Flourens is deeply implicated in the plot, and as that gentleman is in England, the French government has been secretly asking the English government to deliver him up; but Mr Gladstone, who is well aware that the doing so would cost him his premiership, (as it did Palmerston in the case of Simon Bernardb), declares that the ministry can do nothing in the matter without further proofs of M. Flourens' culpability. But in reality there are no proofs against M. Flourens in the hands of the French government, for granted it be proved that he sent money to Paris for the purpose of arming the people with bombs in case an insurrection should break out, that does not imply that he had anything to do with the intended assassination of the Emperor. Last Sunday (my birthday) when the news of the discovered complot reached us M. Flourens was at our home — so you can imagine that my birthday was anything but a tranquil or a gay one. We did not know at the time but what M. Flourens might not be at once arrested. He is the son of the celebrated naturalist of that name and has himself written a book on Ethnography0 and delivered lectures at the Collège de France. He is a most extraordinary mixture of a savant and an
homme d'action.d
The good result of the plot is that it has forced the man of December6 to throw off his liberal mask and to show himself in his true colours. A system of blanche terreur1 prevails at Paris. Yesterday all the opposition papers were confiscated, the people are being goaded to a state of desperation. There is no knowing what will happen to-day.
I continue to write to the Marseillaise, several of my letters have been quoted in The Irishman, the national paper of Ireland.691 At present I am waiting for news from Ireland concerning the treatment of the political prisoners. If I do not soon receive an
10. Jenny Marx to Engels. 12 July 1870
answer I shall begin to think that the letter I have written to the wives of the prisoners has been intercepted by the British Government. Unluckily I signed my real name!
Post-time. Kiss dear Fränzchena for me, my good Trautchen,b and with ever so many thanks for your kindness
Believe me
Affectionately yours
Jenny
Mama and Tussy send their kindest regards — I forgot to tell you that Dr Gunz called upon us three times. He sent us tickets for several operas.
10
JENNY MARX TO ENGELS
IN MANCHESTER
[London, 12 July 1870] Tuesday evening
My dear Mr Engels,
I have just returned from a new journey of exploration, and hasten to report to you. I have now found a house, which charms all of us because of its wonderful open situation. Jenny and Tussy were with me, and both find it particularly nice. Because of its position and interior fittings it is naturally rather more expensive than Shrewsbury Villa, for which the man insists on £55. Our present house costs £60. It is next to Primrose Hill, so all the FRONT rooms have the finest and openest view and air. And round about, in the side streets, there are SHOPS of all sorts, so your wife will be able to buy everything herself. Now for the interior fittings. Basement, big attractive kitchen with large range. Next to this, a very spacious bathroom with large bathtub and cheminée/ BACK KITCHEN, cupboards of all kinds, COAL CELLAR, and a dungeon lying deeper, which although it has no flooring at present, could be a very good cool wine-cellar; a small, very small, garden, not bigger than for hanging out the washing, etc. Then rez-de-chaussée" 2 very nice rooms divided by folding doors; the back one has, instead of a window, a particularly charming GREENHOUSE or, if you like, double window, which makes the room very light and friendly. Bel étage,b
in front — a very fine large room, next to it a smaller one, no folding doors. 2nd floor — 3 BEDROOMS: 2 very roomy, the third rather smaller, all in full REPAIR. The two bottom rooms are just being papered. I think you could scarcely find a better house, and I am convinced your wife will like it very much. Its situation is just too cheerful and amusing. You scarcely need to leave the house to be in the open and see thousands of people.
It is naturally of the utmost importance that you and your wife see it for yourselves, and as quickly as possible, since a house situated as well as this one will certainly go quickly. But if it is not to your taste I have found another 2 nearby; but they are not situated in such a pleasant way. It would be best if your wife came with you right away and saw for herself. You know we shall be very happy to have her with us. Write straight away about it, so we know whether we should go on looking or whether you will be coming.
I would like to get these lines into the post this evening so that you might consider the matter in the course of the day.
Therefore, a hasty adieu from
Your
Jenny Marx
11. Jenny Marx ( daughter) to Ludwig Kugelmann. 17 July 1870
My dear Doctor,
I hope you -do not think that laziness or negligence has had anything to do with my silence. The fact is, that I no sooner received your letter than I wrote to Mr Pigott, the editor of The Irishman to enquire of him where I could obtain a photograph of O'Donovan Rossa. Mr Pigott wrote to say that he was unable to give me any information on the subject (the British Government does not allow the portraits of the Fenians to be sold) but that he had sent my letter to Mrs Rossa, as that lady could perhaps procure for me a photograph of her husband. Now I have waited from day to day for a letter from Mrs Rossa — but in vain — and as I think it will be of no use to wait any longer, I write these lines to ask you whether the enclosed print,3 which appeared some time ago in The Irishman will be of any use to Mr Risse? It certainly is a very bad likeness — but it is better than nothing.
It would be a thousand pities to give up the excellent plan of publishing Rossa's portrait. Its publication would greatly annoy John Bull — for the British Government dreads nothing so much as that its infamous treatment of the Fenian prisoners should become known on the Continent. Indeed, the Prison Enquiry is solely got up for the purpose of hushing up the unpleasant truths that were oozing out. On the eve of the Enquiry, the pretended object of which is to elucidate things, the prisoners are more closely guarded than ever, lest they might inform their friends of the treatment they are undergoing. A few days ago Mrs Luby, wife of one of the prisoners, visited her husband to bear to him the tidings of his mother's death, (grief for her son's sufferings hastened Mrs Luby's death) and though the unfortunate woman had not seen her husband since three years, she was not allowed to see him face to face without the intrusion of a jailor. Mrs Luby was led into one huge iron cage grated with heavy iron bars, Luby
a At the beginning of the letter there is a note by Kugelmann: 'Rossa's portrait is missing'.
1870
was brought from his cell to another cage grated also with heavy iron bars, apart from that in which the wife was detained. A jailor stood close beside the prisoner watchful, ready to interfere should he utter a word relative to the Prison treatment.
But poor Luby had no need to complain — his pallid, shrunk and shrivelled form spoke but too eloquently of a tale of horrors. The fact is that Mrs Luby did not even recognize her husband— so altered, and aged does he look. The friends of the prisoners being thus carefully excluded, the evidence of the prisoners suppressed, it is not difficult to guess that the whole commission will turn out to be a regular sham from beginning to end. As the governors, jailors, warders are to have it all their own way in the coming inquiry, the end of it all will be that the venal scribes of the press will be enabled to paint in glowing colours the amenities of English prison life and to brand the statements of O'Donovan Rossa as so many lies!
For the notes required for the preface of Mr Rissé's book692
I addressed myself to Engels who with his usual amiability and promptitude at once sent me the enclosed remarks3 which will I think prove of interest to the German public.
As regards Carlsbadb I am sorry to say that thanks to that desperate gambler at Parisc our long projected voyage has come to nothing. To travel without a passport is of course an impossibility in the present state of affairs and to obtain one equally out of the question. Even to naturalised Englishmen the British Government refuses passports.308 But Moor will himself write to you on the subject. Tell Trautchend I will also write to her in a few days to give vent to my disappointment — and please will you also tell that lady that I think she has grown unconscionably lazy. I have not heard from her for months.
What do you think of the war? We have not yet recovered from our surprise and indignation at the turn affairs have taken. It is not easy to reconcile oneself to the thought that instead of fighting for the destruction of the Empire, the French people are sacrificing themselves for its aggrandizement, that instead of hanging Bonaparte they are prepared to enroll themselves under his banner. Who could have dreamt of such things a few months ago when the Revolution in Paris seemed a fact. This revival of chauvinism in the 19th Century is indeed a hideous farce693!
It is time to post this long letter — so with best love to dear Trautchen and Fränzchen.a
Believe me dear 'Doctor', very faithfully yours
Jenny Marx