Marx-Engels Correspondence 1852
Source: MECW Volume 39, p. 25;
First published: in full in MEGA, Berlin 1929.
Dear Marx,
How annoying that one cannot rely on anything being done unless one does it oneself. Owing to our messenger’s stupidity, my letter to The Daily News did not go off yesterday; now it’s too late. So all I can do is to keep it in abeyance until I see whether yours is in tomorrow’s or Saturday’s Times. If not, it will go off at once. In the meantime there’s one thing to consider: whether Freiligrath is not the right man for The D. News. Were he to write to them, I could try The Weekly Press and The Sun. We have been cold-shouldered by The D. N. once already.
Enclosed another article for Dana. It might, perhaps, be divided into two at the point where the Polish business ends — though it would be better to keep it entire. If you split it up, you can send both halves by the same steamer, since there is not another sailing before tomorrow week. I will now see that I get on fairly quickly, say, 2 articles a week, so as to have done with the subject. There will be 15-16 articles in all.
No copies received from Weydemeyer. No letter either. This surprises me. I shall finish another article for him this evening.
The French are real jackasses. Madier approached me about an industrial matter and, since my brother-in-law [Emil Blank] who knows the dodge, happened to be here, I gave him some very useful hints and advice. Now the dolt writes to say that, as a result of silly chatter by some crapaud [toad] who knows nothing of this matter, he intends to go about it in a different and most businesslike way, and I am to obtain, not for him, but for his associate, a man whom I have never seen, letters of introduction from my brother-in-law (who, fortunately, is on the Continent)! You will recall that Madier introduced us to a calico printer who was bound for Manchester. The fellow calls on me, I go to immense pains to be helpful, do what I can, treat him with the utmost consideration, and in return for all this the dolt suddenly vanishes without my being able to learn what has become of him. A fine race!
Your
F. E.