[London,] 27 November 1867 

Dear Engels, 

With regard to my private business (I intended writing to you 
on Saturday* but was prevented on that and on the following days 
by people consulting me from every side about the Fenran arrarrs,*”” 
etc., in short, they were confiscating my time), Mr Borkheim— 
despite the best of intentions, I am sure—has throughout this 
month kept me suspended between frying pan and fire. You will 
see from his latest letter, of yesterday, that we are again faced with 
a new, indefinite delay. The worst part of it all is that he had 
positively promised me he would pay out the whole sum on the 

* See this volume, p. 474. - > Joseph Dietzgen - © entirely self-educated - 4 See this 
volume, pp. 436, 437, etc. - © 23 November 

10th of this month (at the latest), and I had made my dispositions 
with the creditors accordingly. The amount he has actually paid 
since he returned is £5. So, you will realise what trovusie I find 
myself in. The state of my health has greatly worsened, and there 
has been virtually no question of working. I am furthermore 
expecting summonses any day, and we no longer know which way 
to turn from one day to the next. 

With regard to Meissner, my view is that we should let him have 
a free hand with his notice, as everything else would mean further 
delay. Thimm told Borkheim that Meissner had requested all the 
booksellers to send any still unsold copies* back to him (or to his 
agent in Leipzig). I have also heard from York, the Workers’ 
Society? bookseller, that it is at the moment very difficult to obtain 
copies from Meissner. To me this indicates no more than 1. that 
the stock in Meissner’s hands is very small, 2. that he wants to 
know how much of the stock not in his hands is really sold, 3. he 
wants to force his business ‘friends’ to hold as much as possible at 
their own expense. I shall write to Meissner that should he need 
notices or reviews for certain newspapers or journals (and he must 
tell me which), he can obtain them from friends such as yourself, 
etc. Must keep me informed. 

Dr Contzen, private lecturer in political economy at Leipzig, 
partisan and pupil of Roscher and friend of Liebknecht, has asked 
me through the latter for a copy with the promise of a detailed 
review. You will see that this has already been attended to through 
Meissner. Contzen is a good opening. 

Liebknecht has sent me 50 of his pamphlets (of which I am 
sending you one today) for sale here, 3d. each. Lessner is seeing 
what can be done in the Workers’ Society. 

The extract from Liebknecht’s speecn at the Berlin Workers’ 
Society *”° on the deferment of the ‘social question’ which he has 
published as an appendix admittedly gives some grounds for 
Kugelmann’s censure.*” As Liebknecht is asking you, among other 
things, to contribute to the little paper he is planning,°”* you can 
give him a few hints privatim about how to combine political 
opposition with social agitation. 

Letters from Liebknecht and Kugelmann enclosed. 

Salut. 

Your 
K. M. 

a of the first volume of Capital- >» German Workers’ Educational Society in 
London - © W. Liebknecht, Was ich im Berliner ‘Reichstag’ sagte. 

What is the position regarding Mr Schorlemmer’s Chemistry * 
which I was to receive?