ENGELS TO LUDWIG KUGELMANN *” 

Manchester, 8 and 20 November 1867 

Dear Kugelmann, 

Since my last letter* neither Marx nor I have heard anything 
from you, and I can scarce believe that you are so deeply 
ensconced in some anteflexio uteri as to be entirely incommunicado. 
I have, moreover, a letter to send to Liebknecht, and Marx advises 
me to forward it to you, as we do not have the exact address and 
do not know whether he is in Berlin or Leipzig; I am therefore 
enclosing it.!*! 

The German press is still observing complete silence in respect 
of Capital, and it really is of the greatest importance that 
something should be said. I have discovered that one of the 
articles” I sent you is in the Zukunft; I am sorry I did not know 
that it might eventually be destined for that paper; one could 
probably have taken greater liberties there. However, it does not 
matter. The main thing is that the book should be discussed over 
and over again, in any way whatsoever. And as Marx is not a free 
agent in the matter, and is furthermore as bashful as a young girl, 
it is up to the rest of us to see to it. Please be so kind therefore 
and let me know what success you have so far had in the matter, 
and which papers you think you may still be able to use. In the 
words of our old friend Jesus Christ, we must be innocent as 
doves and wise as serpents.© The good old vulgar economists at 
least have enough intelligence to treat the book with respect and 
to take good care not to talk of it if they are not obliged to. And 
that is what we must compel them to do. If the book is being 
discussed in 15-20 newspapers at once—never mind whether 
favourably or not, whether in articles, regular features or 
unsolicited pieces in the correspondence section—even if merely 
as a phenomenon of some significance that merits attention, then 
the whole crowd of them will start yapping away, too, of their own 
accord, and the Fauchers, Michaelis, Roschers, and Max Wirths 
will then have to do the same. We have a moral obligation to 

a See this volume, pp. 443-44. - > F. Engels, ‘Review of Volume One of Capital for 
the Zukunft. - © Matthew 10:16 

damned well get these articles into the papers, and as near 
simultaneously as possible, especially the European ones, and that 
includes the reactionary ones. In the latter, we might point out 
that the vulgarian gentlemen make a deal of noise in parliaments 
and economic gatherings, but now, when they are confronted with 
the consequences of their own science, they prefer to keep their 
mouths shut. And so forth. If you think my assistance would be 
desirable, let me know which paper you wish to have something 
for—in the service of the party I am always on call. The letter to 
Liebknecht concerns the same business, and you will therefore 
oblige me exceedingly by ensuring it reaches its destination. 
The Roman affair has again been an absolute boon to us. The 
noble Bonaparte appears to me to be gargling his last gasp, and 
when this episode comes to an end in France, with the position in 
England becoming more revolutionary every day, and with 
revolution in Italy inescapable—, then this must surely also spell 
the end of the reign of the ‘Europeans’* in Germany. Rapid 
progress is being made here in England with the formation of a 
really revolutionary party, and revolutionary conditions are 
developing hand in hand with it. With his Rerormen,*”’ Disraeli 
has thrown the Tories into confusion and routed the Whigs, 
although all he has done is to render it impossible to continue 
dilly-dallying as before. This Reform bill will either prove to be 
nothing at all (and this is now impossible, there is too much 
momentum behind it), or it will infallibly and immediately bring in 
its train sus of an altogether different character, which will go 
much farther. The next steps, which will have to be taken 
forthwith, are the allotting of representatives in proportion to 
population and the secret ballot, and that will be the end of the 
old scheme of things here. The capital thing about Disraeli is that 
his hatred for the country GENTLEMEN in his own party and his hatred 
of the Whigs have set things going on a course which can no 
longer be halted. You will be astonished, and the German 
philistines who think England is finished will be even more 
astonished, at what will happen here once the Reform bill is in 
force. The Irish are also doing their bit to keep things properly on 
the boil, and every day the London proletarians are more openly 
declaring their support for the Fenians,”” in other words, and this 
is without precedent here and really splendid, for a movement 
that firstly advocates the use of force and secondly is anti-English. 
Have you heeded my medical advice and taken to horseback? 

a See this volume, pp. 361 and 372. 

281. Engels to Kugelmann. 8 and 20 November 1867 469 

Since my return I have again found the beneficial effects of 
riding amply demonstrated, and you will see how quickly all your 
complaints and reservations about drink disappear thanks to an 
hour’s riding daily. As a gynaecologist, you owe it to science, for 
after all gynaecology is intimately connected with riding or being 
ridden, and a gynaecologist must therefore be in every sense the 
master of his mount. 

Schorlemmer kept an eye open for you at the congress of 

naturalists in Frankfurt but maintains you were not there. 

So, dear friend, Let us hear from you soon. The photograph of 
Lupus has been ordered and will be ready as soon as the fine 
weather comes, unfortunately we do not have much daylight here 
in winter. Please convey my best compliments to your wife,’ 
despite our being unacquainted, and best regards from 

Yours 
FE, 
Address: Ermen & Engels, Manchester ror F. E. 

20 November. Since I wrote the above, Marx has communicated 
to me your letter to him,” and I am sorry to see from it that we 
can hardly count on further press-notices in your locality. Might it 
not be possible, perhaps through third persons, to get attacks on 
the book, either from a bourgeois or a reactionary point of view, 
into some of the papers? This seems to me to be one means of 
publicity, and there would be no difficulty in producing the 
articles. And then: what about scientific journals, or purely literary 
or semi-literary ones? 

Respecting the Rheinische Zeitung, I am writing to Cologne in 
case there has still been no progress.*”° 

Buchner ought to be able to get things into the papers as well; 
you can refer him to me for the articles if necessary. Give him no 
peace. 

I have still not received the photographs, but they are sure to 
come one of these days. 

Once more, in all friendship 
Yours