7 March 1861 
Zalt-Bommel, Holland 
(c/o L. Philips) 

Dear Lassalle, 

As I’ve already written and told you,’ I intend to proceed from 
here to Berlin in order to discuss with you personally the 

4 Gottfried Ermen = > Hermann Engels - © Rudolf Engels and family - 4 See this 
volume, p. 263. 

possibility of joint politico-literary enterprises, but also and more 
especially to see you again. 

Now, however, I should like you to tell me exactly how matters 
stand as regards the following point. The only passport I have is 
an old one issued by the French when I was expelled in 1849.?” I 
could not bring myself to approach the Prussian Embassy in 
London. Nor did I wish to become a naturalised Englishman (like 
Freiligrath, Bucher, Zimmermann, etc.) and travel on an English 
passport. The following question arises: In 1845, when pursued in 
Belgium bv the Prussiae government,” I obtained through my 
brother-in-law* a Prussian expatriation permit. On the pretext of 
my having ceased to be a Prussian subject, I was, as you know, 
expelled by the Prussian government in 1849. However, in the 
eyes of the law, all refugees who had spent 10 years outside the 
country would equally have ceased to be Prussian ‘subjects’. I have 

never been naturalised abroad. Further, in accordance with the 
resolution passed by the Preliminary Parliament”! of 1848—a 
resolution that was regarded as virtually binding by all German 
governments on the occasion of the elections to the Frankfurt 
parliament~""—aill refugees, even though, like Vogt, etc., they 
might have been naturalised abroad, could avail themselves of 
their German citizenship and everywhere qualify for election to 
parhament. 1 invoxed this when, in 1848, I requested that my 
Prussian citizenshig be reinstated. This was refused by the 
Prussian ministry of the day, though they didn’t venture to treat 
me as a foreigner untl ail was up with the revolution. 

in practice, the only importance that attaches to this question 
just now is whether [ shall be able to get to Berlin unimpeded. If 
only I can succeed in crossing the border, I shall have nothing to 
fear in Beriin; on the periphery, however, it’s a more ticklish 
matter. 

As you know, I am here with my uncle? (who looks after my 
mother’s affairs and has, in the past, frequently made me 
substantial advances against my share of the inheritance) in order 
to put my parlous finances in order. He’s a stubborn man, but the 
fact of my being a writer greatly appeals to his vanity. So, when 
you write to me, you must refer to the success (lucus a non lucendo‘) 

@ Wilhelm Robert Schmalhausen - > Lion Philips - © Literally: ‘a grove from not 
being light’. The expression, first used by Quintilian in De institutione oratoria (1, 6, 
34), illustrates the practice ascribed to ancient Roman etymologists of deriving words 
from their semantic opposites, as lucus (‘grove’) from lucere (‘to shine, be light’), 
because a grove is not light. 

of my recent anti-Vogt pamphlet, our joint plans for a newspaper, 
etc. and, above all, so couch your letter that I can demonstrate my 
‘confidence’ in my uncle by giving him the letter to read. Nor 
should you omit to mention something about politics. Vous 
m’entendez, mon cher? 

With kindest regards to you and the countess.” 

Your 
K. Marx 

(Zalt-Bommel is near Nymwegen. I don’t imagine that the 
name is familiar to you. However, it attracted some attention as a 
result of the recent floods.) 

The conspiration de silence, with which the entire German press 
has greeted my last piece,° precisely as it did the previous ones, I 
really find most flattering, however detrimental it may be to sales. 
I trust your health has improved.