London, 11 April 1868 

Dear Freon, 

D’abord* the Genera connotations, and especially from Tussychen, 
about the departed RIGHT HONOURABLE HEDGEHOG. 

It is a good thing that the opium prescription arrived today.” 
The affairs under my arm have become very vexatious since your 
departure.” 

From the young couple,“ who are now in Paris, the most 
satisfying news.'” They are obviously very happy. Lafargue has 
sent me Horn’s pamphlet“ and another one on French finance. The 
second is twaddle, the first I shall send you soon. I wrote to 
Lafargue* that the fact that he finds time ‘ar such a CRITICAL JUNCTURE’ 
to think of me and send me printed matter goes a long way to 
prove “THAT HE MUST BELONG TO A BETTER THAN THE EUROPEAN RACE’! WE ARE 
ALWAYS “CHAFFING’ AT EACH OTHER. 

I have read the Histoire du Crédit mobilier As far as the real 
essence of the matter is concerned, I really wrote better stuff on it 
years ago in the Tribune.’* The author knows the business. He is 
himself a Paris banker. But he has in fact nothing to draw on 
except the official material, provided by the Crédit itself in its 
reports, and the facts noted in the stock market quotations. The 
secret material could only be obtained by legal steps. What 
astonishes me particularly is this: the actual tricks all reduce 
themselves to stock-jobbing on the exchange," and in this 
department au fond' there has been nothing new since Law,'* 
whatever the disguise. Neither on this side of the Channel, nor on 
the other. The interesting aspect of these things is the practice, 
not the theory. 

I enclose a letter from Kugelmann (a renvoyer?). After you had 
left, I wrote to him.* But since writing is a nuisance for me at the 
moment because of my left arm, I enclosed Freiligrath’s letter to 

a First of all - > See previous letter. - © Paul and Laura Lafargue - 4 I. E. Horn, 
Frankreichs Finanzlage. - ¢ See this volume, p. 9. - f An allusion to J. G. Seume’s 
poem ‘Der Wilde’. - & M. Aycard, Histoire du Crédit Mobilier. 1852-1867.- 4 See this 
volume, p. 11. -} basically - i to be returned - * See this volume, pp. 3-5. 

me,” so that Kugelmann should receive the sufficient quantum of 
written matter. I told him also, in reply to a previous enquiry, that 
I would visit him in any case for a Few pays. However, he ‘erred’ 
about the date. It is not so close. 

Do not forget to send me the Schweitzer’? sy nexr post. 

From The Times of today (telegraphic dispatch)* you will see 
that we have won a complete victory in Geneva, working day 
reduced from 12 to 11 hours, wages increased by 10%.'° The 
matter went like this. Scarcely had you left when a deputy arrived 
from Geneva.!” This Fact, that the workers sent an envoy to 
London, to the fearsome secret tribunal, was decisive, as earlier in 
the srrixe of the bronze workers of Paris.'* The masters believe in 
the power and the fighting fund in London. This should show the 
workers in England and on the continent the power they would 
possess in us if they really put at our disposal the appropriate 
means, etc. 

Enclosed returned Wilhelm,’ Siebel. Your draft is not written 
in your easygoing style. Today I have particular pain in my left 
arm. As soon as this has passed, I shall return your draft with my 
probable emendations. 

The children send their best greetings. In fact, if only for their 
sake, I wish you lived in London instead of Manchester. 

My compliments To Mrs Burns. 

Your 
K. M.