Manchester, 3 January 1868 

Dear Mrs Marx, 

I must apologise for leaving your letter’ unanswered for so 
long. But the Christmas period is the only time in the whole year 
when, apart from business, I am made to feel that I stand with 
one foot in the bourgeoisie, and here in Manchester this entails a 
lot of eating and drinking and upset stomach, and the obligatory 
ill humour and waste of time. This is now fairly well over, and I 
am beginning to breathe freely again. 

I am really sorry that I was unable to lay my hands on a larger 
crate for the moment, but I had to take just what was available in 
the warehouse—I shall make up for this soon. 

570 

4 probably two numbers of The Diplomatic Review - » Eleanor’s jocular nickname. 
The words “the grim dwarf” are in German. 

Enclosed the latest from Siebel. Do please return the letter, 
together with an earlier one sent to Moor, as soon as possible, I 
have to write to him on the 8th, the post goes only twice a month, 
and it is a great pleasure for the poor devil when-he sees that 
people think of him. He does what he can honestly, despite his 
illness. The thing from the Barmer Zeitung is by him.°”’ Moor 
might let me know what he thinks about the business with the 
Kélnische Zeitung; if he thinks it better that J should write about 
this to Meissner, I can do so, and, at the same time, send him the 
cutting from Barmer. 

The pater peccavi* from Hoffstetten is very amusing.*” He 
naturally suspects Liebknecht everywhere and nobody else.” In any 
case, we have now put paid to the attempt of these gentry to stifle, 
and at the same time to exploit, the book.‘ 

I shall be writing to Wilhelmchen in the next few days. I have 
heard nothing more from Kugelmann as to how things have gone 
with the Swabian articles. 

Meissner could already put together quite a nice advertisement 
from the articles that have appeared up to now,” which would be 
quite in place now that the Christmas season is over. In particular, 
he might include those passages in which the economists are 
challenged to present their defence. 

I hope that Moor has been freed from his carbuncle. But this is 
all no good, he must do something to get rid of the business once 
and for all. The 2nd volume *” can only gain, also with regard to 
the time needed for completion, if the fight against the carbuncles 
is waged with full force for a period. How would it be if he were to 
take arsenic again? 

Best greetings to Moor and the whole family, and a hearty 
Happy New Year from 

Yours 
F. E.