{London,] 16 October 1876 
41 Maitland Park Road, N. W. 

My dear and honoured Friend, 

A few days since Mr Leblanc informed us of the decease of your 
wife, but I find it even now almost impossible to address you a few 
lines. Those who had the privilege of knowing and admiring your 
noble companion for life, dare not intrude with empty words of 
consolations. It was in fact but her love for you, her fear to leave 
you alone that enabled her to resist so bravely to increasing ailings 
and to struggle so hard with nature for her own existence. Your 
love of mankind, your passionate interest in its general life, will, I 
hope, enable you to bear even with this irreparable loss.”” 

Your most devoted friend 
Karl Marx