London, 9 January 1891 

Dear Friend, 

Your sister’s misfortune has aroused my heartfelt sympathy. And 
I can imagine what an indescribable state of agitation it has put you 
into. But don’t lose your head. What good would it do your sister if 
you were to kill the dirty dog? He would bear with him to the grave 
the satisfaction of having ruined not one family but two. I know that 
in societies such as those of southern Italy, where a good many memo- 
ries from the time of the gens still live on, a brother is regarded as the 
natural protector and avenger of his sister. But this brother is also 
married, he has a wife and children, he has obligations towards them, 
and in today’s society those obligations take precedence over every- 
thing else. In my view, therefore, you owe it to your family to refrain 
from any action that would inevitably condemn you to lifelong sep- 
aration from them. 

So far as I am concerned, your sister is still as pure and as deserving 
of respect as she always was. 

But if you believe you must take your revenge, there is, after all, yet 
another way in which you can brand the seducer in the eyes of the 
public with the mark of disgrace. 

Over here the brother would give the scoundrel a public thrashing. 

In France or Germany a publicly administered box on the ears 
would suffice. 

In Austrian Poland (Leopol*) a journalist had sold himself to the 
Russians. Some young Poles laid hold of him on the public prome- 
nade, placed him over a bench and gave him 25 of the best. 

You in Italy will also have ways of publicly branding a scoundrel 
like this and of exposing him to universal scorn without taking his life 
or causing him permanent physical damage. 

As I have said, far be it from me to advise you about this matter. 
But if you are firmly convinced that some sort of vengeance must be 
done, then it had best be vengeance affecting the seducer’s honour 
rather than any other kind. 

With warm regards, 
Yours, 
F. Engels 

Very many thanks for your good wishes on my 70th birthday.