Manchester, 20 February 1860 

: 6 Thorncliffe Grove, Oxford Road 
Dear Sir, 

I am in receipt of your note of the 13th and regret that I am 
only now able to send the manuscript enclosed herewith.* I hardly 
imagine that it will run to more than 3 printed sheets. 

I don’t quite understand the provisos you make concerning 
considerations of principle, unless you wished to make a general 
proviso to the effect that you must see the manuscript be- 
forehand.” I cannot believe that you wish to assume moral, logical 
and aesthetic responsibility for everything you publish, from Marx 
to Jacobus Venedey and from Lassalle to Palleske, or to associate 
your publishing house with the line of the Volks-Zeitung, on which 
I cannot comment since it is not to be had in Manchester. If, 
however, the considerations of principle are connected with 
Lassalle’s pamphlet on Italy,” which admittedly does not tally with 
my views on the subject, I do, of course, respect such reservations 
on your part, but I also know that Lassalle is certainly the last 
person who would wish this to be taken into account. I am 
therefore writing to Lassalle‘ in the firm conviction that he would 
consider it an insult, were he thought capable of doing the 
slightest thing to obstruct the publication of a piece that differed 
from his own views on the subject. 

[Should]? you feel, however, that the pamphlet is unacceptable 
to your publishing house by reason of its length or its principles, I 
would request you to deliver it within twenty-four hours of receipt to 
Mr B. Afinger (Sculptor), 

Linienstrasse 173, Berlin. 
I have sent the letter to Borkheim. 

I remain, 
Yours truly, 
Friedrich Engels