Marx-Engels Correspondence 1856
Source: MECW Volume 40, p. 74;
First Published: First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 2, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in: Marx and Engels, Works, First Russian Edition, Vol. XXII, Moscow, 1929
Translated By: Peter and Betty Ross
Dear Engels,
After receipt of the Post Office order we moved out[96] and, for the first 2 weeks, had to do a frightful lot of running to and fro between here and town in order to put things more or less straight in the house. Hence my silence. Herewith an excerpt from a book by Mieroslawski.[L. Mieroslawski, De la nationalité polonaise dans l’équilibre européen.] As you know he’s not without esprit. [wit] But there’s also much esprit de mauvais aloi [wit of base quality] in his writing, in particular a great deal of the style amphigourique [tortuous style] which the French have been at such tremendous pains to acquire since they became ‘profound’ and ceased being superficial Voltairians. Also much of that enthusiastic unguent used by ‘unappreciated’ nationalities to glorify their passé. [past] Hatred of Russia and even more of Germany; anti-Pan-Slavism but, on the other hand, free confederation of Slav nations with the Poles as the peuple Archimède.[97] Distinct emphasis on social revolution in Poland as the basic condition of the political one; but seeks to show by means of historical deduction, which proves exactly the reverse, that orthodoxy lies in restoring the old agrarian communes (gmina = the Russian commune latinised).
In the past few weeks I have been studying the question of silver in greater detail and shall in due course give you an account thereof.
In my view Bonaparte will hardly be able to avoid the suspension of cash payments and then, va la Galere! [(Here) — come what may!]
Guardian received. More very soon. Otto has been pardoned.
Your
K. M.
As regards the Urquhartites (who, until the week before last, with intervals, were reprinting my old stuff revised by me[98]) have made no progress at all as yet. However the matter must be decided before the week is out. Urquhart has been playing the oracle in The Morning Herald by disgorging these things, which are wholly new to him, as though they were long-cherished secrets of his. In the National-Zeitung the great Bucher — appropriating my very words — spoke of ‘interesting revelations’, but suppresses my name, giving the impression that they came from the English side. You can see how envious and irritating these scoundrels are.