25 Jan. 1868. Dear Fred, I went out again yesterday for the first time and in 1–2 days the scar will be healed. Naturally I am still feeble after this severe attack. I hope your indisposition is only a momentary consequence of the Spree week. In any case you must not neglect your health care for my sake or for anybody or anything else. In the *Saturday Review* of last week a notice of my book has appeared. I have not yet seen it and do not know by whom it is. Borkheim informed me of the fact. As for Liebknecht, one must not push him further. This young man – as he already showed once before in London – is very fond of playing ‘Protector’. That is also shown by his last letter to you. He thinks himself very important, and, *au cas de besoin nous ferons notre petit bonhomme de chemin sans lui et malgré lui*. What magnanimity that he prints the preface which almost all papers printed months ago! And that he induced me to send 2 copies of my book, respectively, to Contzen and the editor of the *Volkszeitung*! To show him the cold shoulder is the best thing. For the rest, I believe he has not yet read 15 pages of the book. Even after a year he had not read at the time *Herr Vogt*, which was not too difficult reading, after all. His motto is: Teach, but only not learn. As for the ‘Lassalleans’, I deal with trade unions, cooperative societies, etc., only in Volume II. I think, therefore, that one should only now proceed with regard to ‘Lassalle’ when a direct occasion presents itself. About the way to work on the Viennese, I shall write to you soon, when my head is all right again. Please return the enclosed letters from Kugelmann and Kertbenyi. I have not replied yet. Great Coppel not yet here. It would be beneficial for my present condition if you could send me a consignment of your more full-flavoured claret (also some hock or Moselle). The Pole Card has written from Geneva, offering himself as French translator; he seems to have a bookseller in Geneva. I had his letter sent through my wife to Schily, so that he can use it in Paris to push the matter there. Card is absolutely not suitable, except to frighten Moses. For another 2–3 weeks I shall absolutely not work (i.e. write), at most read, and, as soon as the wounds are completely healed (for the present, I think only for one or two days, the foul spot still chafes and irritates when walking), walk a great deal. It would be fatal if a third monster were to break out. And now, salut, my dear boy, Your K. Marx