19 Jan. 1867

Dear Engels,

Meißner, after a long silence which he excused by overwork, wrote to me that my plan “did not suit him”. 1) he wanted to have the 2 volumes finished and in hand all at once; 2) not to print bit by bit, as he wanted to deliver one printed sheet a day and to let me have only the last correction (revision). I answered him ad 2) that this was all the same to me, since he could have the entire manuscript of Vol. I in a short time. If he began printing later and printed all the faster, it came to the same thing. But he should give careful thought to whether, with a book containing so many marginal notes in different languages, the kind of correction he wants is permissible without great disfigurement through typographical errors. Ad 1) this is impossible without a long procrastination of the whole business, nor in any way agreed upon in our contract. I set out the various reasons to him, but still have no answer. I can all the less go into the 2nd volume, apart from the delay, because after the appearance of the first I must make a pause for the sake of my health and, in general, must go to the Continent to see whether I can settle my affairs in some way. These become daily worse and everything threatens to collapse over my head. The baker alone demands £20, and all the devils of butcher, grocer, taxes, etc. To crown it all, I received a letter some time ago from a Mr Burton in Torquay, informing me that he has bought the house from Sawyers, and 1) demanding the arrears of rent for the last quarter, 2) since my contract ends in March, asking me to declare whether I want to keep the house, be it on a longer lease or yearly. I did not answer at first. Then yesterday I get a second letter: I must declare myself, otherwise his “agent” would be obliged to take steps about letting it to others. So in a fix. As regards the physical, somewhat better for a few weeks, a couple of small carbuncles on the left loin, but insignificant. Only dreadful sleeplessness, which makes me very restless, but probably has more psychological causes. Thanks for the Rogers. A great deal of material in it. As for the strike question, or at least the dispute of the weavers in Manchester, I should be glad if you would write me the state of affairs precisely, as I can still take it up. Politics frozen in and too cold even for the Russian bear. The Prussians with their black-white-red flag good! Best greetings to Mrs Lizzy. What does Gumpert say about Moilin?

Yours,
K. M.