Supplementary letters
1
a F. Engels, Schelling and Revelation -b Engels’ pen-name 2
Marx to Wilhelm Saint-Paul February 1843
Your Honour,
I am sending you this pamphlet [624] with the request to grant permission for its publication as a supplement to our newspaper.a
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Marx
3
Marx to Friedrich Kapp 9 December [ 1848][626]
My dear Kapp,
I have exhausted all means of making the wretched dispatch office pay up. Now I would advise you to draw, in common with Dronke, and perhaps in his name, a bill for 35 thaler on the dispatch office of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung here. It will be forced to pay then. I would have sent you money long ago had I not been bled white by the shareholders lately — they knew I would pay, up to the last penny, under the present circumstances. You have no idea of the meanness of these bourgeois. Tell Dronke I appeared at the editorial office for the first time, and only for a
a Rheinische Zeitung für Politik, Handel und Gewerbe few minutes, in three or four days today, for a serious indisposition had kept me at home. But for this, I would already have written to him. Give him and Rosanis my warm regards.
Yours,
K. Marx
Published for the first time Printed according to the original
4
Marx to Georg Friedrich Rheinlander 4 March 1859
Haverstock Hill
Dear Sir,
I am sorry you did not find me at home. I would have sought you out one of these days, had my brother-in-law from the Cape of Good Hope not been visiting with me.a
You will oblige me greatly by coming to have lunch with us the day after tomorrow (Sunday, 6 March) at 1 p. m. This will give us the best opportunity to talk without disturbance.
With friendly greetings,
Karl Marx
a Johann Carl Juta 5
Marx to Philip Stephen King 7 July 1869
Dear Sir,
Please send me 1) The Report on Emigration, just issued, 2) ditto: On Water Supply
Yours truly
K. Marx
Engels To An Unknown Correspondent end December 1892
Hail to eighteen
ninety three! Hope and joy dawn
with it newly. Bright and happy
may it be To the end, prays
yours most truly
F.E.
2
[ Group] To Natalie Liebknecht 1 July 1894
Dear Mrs Liebknecht,
We are all at 122, Regent’s Park Road, drinking German beer and waiting for a telegram about the elections.
F. Lessner Ed. Bernstein F. Demuth W Thorne Wilhelma F. Engels Marie Mendelson L. Freyberger
a Wilhelm Liebknecht Otto Wittelshöfer Stanislaw Mendelson
Gine Bernstein Juliusa Louise Freyberger
3
Laura Lafargue to Isaak Hourwich 2 July 1895
Sir,
In reply to your letter dated May 18, [634] addressed to Mr. Frederick Engels, I beg to inform you that Mr. Engels has been out of health and is still at the present moment abstaining from literary work. I am commissioned by Frederick Engels to say that he does not consider himself authorised to hand over for publication to third partner any MSS. or fragments of MSS. left by my father, Karl Marx. I am, Sir,
Yours truly
Laura Lafargue
in English for the first time
a Julius Motteler 4
Samuel Moore to Eleanor Marx-Aveling 21 July 1895
2 Stone Buildings Lincoln’s Inn, W. C.
My dear Tussy,
I felt very anxious to know how the General was getting on, so went down to Victoria to meet the 7:15 p.m. from Eastbourne this evening by what train Dr. Freyberger generally returns.
I met him and I am sorry to say that his report is anything but cheering; he says that the disease has attained such a hold that, considering the General’s age, his state is precarious. Apart from the diseased glands of the neck there is danger either from weakness of the heart or from pneumonia — and in either of these two cases the end would be sudden. He may go on for some weeks if pneumonia does not intervene, but if it does then it will be a question of a few hours. In spite of all, however, the General is quite hopeful and is certain that he will recover — he intends, and has arranged with the 2 doctors, to return to London on Wednesday eveningb so that if you want to see him you had better go to 41 R.P.R. on Thursday.
This is sad news and I trust the doctors may be mistaken. There is so much work to be done which the General alone is capable of doing, that his loss will be irreparable from a public point of view — to his friends it will be a calamity.
I have just time to write this in haste.
Yours very sincerely
S. Moore
a the original erroneously has: ‘1891’ -b 24 July
First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, Second Russian Edition, Vol. 39, Moscow, 1966 5
Hermann Engels to Ludwig Siebold 28 July 1895
To L. Siebold, Esq., Sale, Cheshire
Dear Sir,
At the request of Mr F. Engels who is at present prevented by illness from writing in person, I am returning the enclosed letter to you. [636]
These fragments will certainly not pass muster as a History of Chemistry,
[312] according to Mr Engels. But were you to entitle them Researches in Magnetism (or Contributions to the History of Early Chemistry, Fragments by the late C. Schorlemmer, or something of that kind) you would not have to get anyone to edit or finish off the work. If the worst comes to the worst, you will have to have recourse to a journal which specialises in the history of chemistry.
In sending you these views of Mr Engels at the latter’s behest, I remain, etc.
Will and Codicil of Frederick Engels 29 July 1893
I Frederick Engels of 122 Regent’s Park Road, London, hereby revoke all former Wills [629] made by me and declare this to be my last Will. I appoint my friends Samuel Moore of Lincolns Inn, [630] Barrister at Law, Edward Bernstein of 50 Highgate Road, London, journalist, and Louise Kautsky who now resides with me at 122 Regent’s Park Road Executors of this my Will and I bequeath to each of them the sum of £250=(two hundred and fifty pounds) for his or her trouble. I bequeath to my brother Hermann the oil portrait of my Fathera now in my possession and in case my said brother should predecease me I bequeath the same to his son Hermann. I bequeath all the furniture and other effects in or about or appropriated for my dwelling-house at the time of my death other than money or securities for money and except what I otherwise dispose of by this my Will or by any Codicil thereto to the said Louise Kautsky. I bequeath to August Bebel of Berlin in the German Empire, Member of the German Reichstag, and Paul Singer of Berlin, aforesaid Member of the German Reichstag, jointly the sum of £1000 upon trust to be applied by them and the survivor of them in furthering the election to the German Reichstag of such persons at such time or times and in such place or places as the said August Bebel and Paul Singer or the survivor of them shall in their or his absolute discretion think fit. I bequeath to my Niece Mary Ellen Rosher, Wife of Percy White Rosher of The Firs Brading Road, Ryde, Agent and Accountant, the sum of £3000. I direct that all manuscripts of a literary nature in the handwriting of my deceased friend Karl Marx and all family letters written by or addressed to him which shall be in my possession or control at the time of my death shall be given
a Friedrich Engels by my Executors to Eleanor Marx-Aveling of 7 Gray’s Inn Square W. C, the younger daughter of the said Karl Marx. I bequeath all books in my possession or control at the time of my death and all my copyrights to the said August Bebel and Paul Singer. I bequeath all manuscripts in my possession or control at the time of my death (except the said literary manuscripts of Karl Marx) and all letters (except the said family letters of Karl Marx) to the said August Bebel and Edward Bernstein. As to the residue of my estate I direct it to be divided into eight equal parts. I bequeath three of such parts to Laura Lafargue of Le Perreux near Paris France, the elder daughter of the said Karl Marx and the Wife of Paul Lafargue, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of France. I bequeath other three of such parts to the said Eleanor Marx-Aveling and the remaining two parts of the said residue I bequeath to the said Louise Kautsky. I authorise my Executors at any time or times at their discretion to allot and transfer any part of my Estate in its then actual state of investment or condition in or towards satisfaction of any legacy or any share in the said residue of my Estate with power for that purpose conclusively to determine the value of my said Estate or any part or parts thereof in such manner as they shall think fit. In WITNESS whereof I the said Frederick Engels, have to this my Will set my hand this 29th day of July 1893.
Frederick Engels
Signed by the said Testator as his last Will in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Frederick Lessner, 12, Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy Sq. W C.
Ludwig Freyberger M.D.L.R.C.P. 11, Gower Street, Bedford Sq. W.C.
2
Engels’ Letter to Executors of His Will 14 November 1894
To the Executors named in my Will
1) The following lines are supplementary and explanatory to my will. They express merely what are my wishes and are in no way legally binding upon my Executors. On the contrary, wherever they should be found to clash with the legal meaning of my will, they are to be disregarded.
2) My distinct wish is that my body be cremated and my ashes thrown into the sea at the first opportunity.
3) Immediately after my death I desire a copy of my will to be forwarded to my brother Hermann Engels, Barmen, or in case of his death to Hermann Engels junior, Engelskirchen, near Cologne.
4) Unless Sam Moore is in England at the time of my death, and can attend at once to his executorship, Bernstein and Louise will have to act without his assistance. In that case and even if Sam Moore should not be in London but somewhere in England, I recommend them to make a copy of my will for their own use and hand the original to Crosse and Sons solicitors, 7 Lancaster Place, Strand, to get it proved and to legally assist my executors. These latters will have to attend at once to the following points:
a) To ascertain from Mess. Cross what steps they must take to obtain as soon as possible the full control of my balance at the Union Bank of London Limited Regent Street Branch and the right to dispose of such parts of my investments as may have to be sold to defray current expenses.
b) To ascertain the value of my estate. My furniture, books etc. will have to be valued. Mess. Cross will attend to that. The value of my investments in stocks, shares etc. at the time of my death can be calculated from the official stock and Share List with which my Stockbrokers Mess. Clayton and Aston, 4 Tarnhouse buildings, Tolmhouse Yard, E. C, will supply my executors.
a) As Messrs Cross will tell my executors, the various legacies in money made in my will are not to be paid in the full nominal amount but are subject to deduction of the share of death duties appertaining to each of them.
5) There will be found in my books various sums of money paid for a good many years back by me to Laura and Paul Lafargue, Percy and Ellen Rosher, Edward and Eleanor Marx-Aveling. These sums, as I wish to state expressly, do not represent loans owing to me, but are and always were free gift, on my part. They are therefore not to be claimed in any shape or form.
6) In part-payment of the legacy left by me to Ellen Rosher, there is to be used by my executors the Reversion of certain funds payable to Percy Rosher after the death of his father and mother and which I bought from the said Percy Rosher. I desire it to be charged to Ellen Rosher at what it cost me, namely £250 paid to Percy Rosher and £30 — solicitors’ expenses incurred on account of this transaction, in all £280-.
7) I desire to supplement my will by the following details as to the disposal of papers left by me, viz;
a) All papers in Karl Marx’s handwriting (except his letters to me) and all letters addressed to him (except those written by me to him) are to be restored to Eleanor Marx-Aveling as the legal representative of Karl Marx’s heirs.
b) All letters written to me by Percy and Ellen Rosher, Laura and Paul Lafargue, Edward and Eleanor Marx-Aveling, or by my relations in Barmen and Engelskirchen, or by the Beust family in Zürich are to be restored to the writers thereof.
That is all, I believe, I have to say. London 14 November 1894 Frederick Engels
P. S. It is understood that the honorarium or royalties paid by Sonnenshein for Capital and for my Condition of the Working Class are to be paid as heretofore the first to the heirs of Marx and the translators (1/5 to Laura, 1/5 to Tussy, 1/5 to Jenny’s children, 6/25 to Sam Moore, 4/25 to Ed. Aveling) and the second in full to Florence Kelley.
Codicil of 26 July 1895
I Frederick Engels of 41 Regent’s Park Road London formerly of 122 Regent’s Park Road aforesaid declare this to be a first Codicil which I make this 26th day of July 1895 to my Will which is dated the 29th day of July 1893. 1 revoke the bequest made in my said Will of the sum of £3,000 to my Niece Mary Ellen Rosher the Wife of Percy White Rosher and in lieu thereof I bequeath to her the sum of £2,230. And I also bequeath to her the Reversionary Interest of the said Percy White Rosher in certain monies to which he is or was entitled expectant on the death of his parents under their Marriage Settlement which said Reversionary Interest I have bought from him for the sum of £240 and which also cost me £30 for legal expenses making £270 in all. I direct that all money payments made by me without receiving a consideration for the same to Percy White Rosher, Mary Ellen Rosher his Wife, Paul Lafargue, Laura Lafargue his Wife, Doctor Edward Aveling, Eleanor Marx his Wife, Eugene Oswald and Frederick Lessner or to any of them shall be considered as free gifts to them respectively. And I bequeath the same accordingly. I bequeath to Doctor Ludwig Freyberger of 41 Regent’s Park Road London as an acknowledgment and in consideration of the unremitting care with which he has for years professionally attended me without ever accepting any remuneration the sum of £80 for every complete year elapsed from the 1st day of July 1893 down to the date of my death and also the sum of £50 for the fraction of a year however small which may have elapsed from the 1st day of July preceding my death down to the day of my death and I make this bequest conditional on his making no claim against me or my Estate for his professional Services.
I empower and direct my Executors before they dispose in open market of the Lease of my house No. 41 Regent’s Park Road aforesaid to give to Louise Freyberger referred to in my said Will as Louise Kautsky and who is now the Wife of the said Doctor Freyberger the option of taking an assignment of the said Lease subject to the payment of the rent and the performance of the Covenants therein, she indemnifying my Estate and Executors against all claims by the Lessor under the said Lease the said option to be exercised by Notice in writing to any of my Executors other than the said Louise Freyberger within one month of my death. Whereas by my said Will I have directed that all family letters written by or addressed to Karl Marx which shall be in my possession or control at the time of my death shall be given by my Executors to Eleanor Marx Aveling, now I hereby revoke the said direction as to family letters, and in lieu, thereof I direct that all letters written by or addressed to the said Karl Marx (except my letters to him and his letters to me) which shall be, in my possession or control at the time of my death shall be given by my Executors to the said Eleanor Marx Aveling who is the legal personal Representative of the said Karl Marx and I further direct by this Codicil that all letters in my possession at the time of my death written by my relatives in Barmen and Engelskirchen by Percy W. Rosher or Ellen his Wife, by Paul Lafargue or Laura his Wife, by Doctor Edward Aveling or Eleanor Marx his Wife, by Doctor Ludwig Freyberger or Louise his Wife and by the Beust family in Zurich be returned by my Executors to the respective writers thereof and accordingly I hereby revoke the bequest in my said Will to August Bebel and Edward Bernstein of all letters (except the said family letters of Karl Marx) and in lieu thereof I bequeath to the said August Bebel and Edward Bernstein all letters (except those directed to be given by this Codicil to the said Eleanor Marx Aveling and except those otherwise disposed of by this Codicil). And subject as aforesaid I confirm my said Will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first above written.
Signed and Declared by the above named Frederick Engels as a Codicil to his last Will in the presence of us both present at the same time who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto set our hands as witnesses
Ada Pearce Nurse 41 Regents Park Road S. Nichols Nichols 41 Regents Park Road Cook
18 September 1929 Published in English for the first time
Frederick Engels
Endnotes
[624] Marx refers to the brochure written by A. Ruge and O. Wigand: An die Hohe Zweite Kammer der Sächsischen Ständeversammlung. ‘Complaint against the suppression of the journal Deutsche Jahrbücher fur Wissenschaft und Kunst, as ordered by the High Ministry for the Interior and carried out on 3 January 1843’). The Rheinische Zeitung did not publish this pamphlet; however, the supplements to No. 71 and 73 and 12 and 14 March, 1843, respectively, carried Pfützer’s review (Pfützer was the paper’s Dresden correspondent): II ber die Broschüre an die Hohe Zweite Kammer der Sächsischen Ständeversammlung.
[626] Marx wrote the address on the envelope: M. Fr. Kapp. Paris. Avenue Breutell 28.
[634] In that letter Isaak Hourwich, a Russian economist living in the United States, told Engels about the forthcoming Russian-language publication of his work The Economics of the Russian Village and asked him to supplement it with an appendix of the notes which Marx had made from Russian statisical books.
[636] The reference is to L. Siebold’s letter of 22 April 1895 in which he asked for Engels’ opinion concerning the publication of sketches on the history of chemistry from C. Schorlemmer’s literary remains (see Note 312).
[312] Carl Schorlemmer’s manuscript on the early history of chemistry, as mentioned by Adolf Spiegel in the obituary Carl Schorlemmer, was never published. This MS, written in German and 650 pages long, is in Manchester University library.
[629] Engels made his will already in Marx’s lifetime, bequeathing all his property to Marx. After Marx’s death Engels drew up another will according to which all his property was divided in equal shares among Marx’s daughters Laura and Eleanor, the children of Jenny (the deceased daughter of Marx) and Helene Demuth, Marx’s housemaid.
[630] Lincoln’s Inn {Inn of Court)—one of the four London legal societies with the exclusive right to admit persons to practice at the bar.