You must not become impatient if my contributions are delayed 
for a few days more—but only for a few days. Bauer will prob- 
ably inform you orally that this month, owing to all kinds 
of external muddles, it has been almost impossible for me to 
work. 

Nevertheless, I have almost finished. I shall send you four 
articles: 1) “On Religious Art”, 2) “On the Romantics”, 3) “The 
Philosophical Manifesto of the Historical School of Law”,> 4) “The 
Positivist Philosophers’, whom I have teased a little.°° These 
articles, in content, are connected. 

You will receive the article on religious art as a duodecimo 
extract, for the work has steadily grown into almost book dimen- 
sions, and I have been drawn into all kinds of investigations which 
will still take a rather long time. 

I have abandoned my plan to settle in Cologne, since life there 
is too noisy for me, and an abundance of good friends does not 
lead to better philosophy. 

I have sent the Rheinische Zeitung a long article on our last Rhine 
Province Assembly with a light introduction about the Preussische 
Staats-Zeitung. In connection with the debates on the press I have 
returned again to the question of censorship and freedom of the 
press, examining it from other viewpoints. 

Thus, Bonn remains my residence for the time being; after all, 
it would be a pity if no one remained here for the holy men to get 
angry with. 

Yesterday Hasse came from Greifswald, in regard to whom the 
only thing I have admired is his enormous top-boots, like those of 
a village priest. He spoke, too, just like the top-boot of a village 

priest, he knew nothing about anything, is preparing to publish a 
book in several volumes about the boring Anselm of Canterbury, 
on which he has been working for ten years.’© He thinks that the 
present critical trend is a moment which must be overcome. He 
speaks of religiosity as a product of life experience, by which he 
probably means his successful rearing of children and his fat belly, 
for fat bellies undergo all sorts of experiences and, as Kant says: if 
it goes behind it becomes an F., if it goes upwards it becomes 
religious inspiration. What a man this pious Hasse is with his 
religious constipation! 

We were very much amused with what you wrote in your letters 
about Vatke’s lack of a “full heart”. This super-clever, diplomatic 
Vatke, who would so much like to be the greatest critic and the 
greatest believer, who always knows everything better than anyone 
else, this Vatke has for one party no heart, and for the other no 
head. Hic jacet? Vatke—a notable example of what the passion for 
cards and religious music leads to. 

Fichte, who has wrapped himself in the mantle of his unpopu- 
larity, has spread the half-ambiguous rumour that he has been 
invited to Tubingen. The faculty is not meeting his wish to be held 
fast by an increase in salary. 

Sack has made a trip to Berlin with the most pious intentions to 
speculate on the insanity of his brother and to get himself 
appointed in his place. 

Nothing but wars and debauchery, says Thersites,° and if the 
university here cannot be reproached with wars, at least there is 
no lack of debauchery. 

Do you not want to carry out your plan of a trip to the Rhine? 

Yours, 
Marx