IN ZALT-BOMMEL 

London, 20 February [1864]* 

Dear Uncle, 

I shall begin at the end. I arrived here yesterday about Noon in a 
frozen condition, for 17 was devilish cold. My reception was all the 
warmer, and thus I enjoyed the delights inseparable from a complete 
contrast. En passant, yesterday and today were the coldest days 
there have been in London. So it seems I am fated to bring winter 

a.The German phrase ‘seine Pappenheimer kennen’ (to know who one is dealing 
with) derives from Schiller’s Wallensteins Tod. II, 15.- Journal de Saint 
Pétersbourg, No. 293; 26, 27 and 28 December 1863 (7, 8 and 9 January 
1864). - © See this volume, p. 503. - ¢ induce - © Manuscript damaged. - By the 
way 

not only to Bommel but also to London. *I wish the 
Prussians in Schleswig-Holstein the full enjoyment of this ‘seasonable 
weather’.°” If their patriotism or rather* their ‘loyal and royal 
enthusiasm’* *is not cooled down by that, then, Sir, we must give 
it up! * 

Our little child? *was quite enchanted by the really beautiful 
Dolly, Madame August‘ had chosen for her. I enclose some lines 
on the part of the child. She did not leave off bothering myself till 
I had promised her to enclose also for you a letter which she 
pretends to be written in Chinese characters and which an English 
friend has sent her.* 

[In Amsterd]jam“ I found the whole family well and cheerful. 
[August*] was very busy and so I said [nothing] at all to him about 
financial matters. At the insurance office I was given thousand 
guilder notes, most of which I changed in Rotterdam, with 
Jacques’! help, into bills and asour a quarter into BANKNOTES. 

Nor, during the two days I was in Rotterdam, did Jacques have 
overmuch spare time. One day, he was pleading in a small town 
nearby and, the other, he had to attend a court of appraisal. On 
the whole, I should say that, since becoming engaged, he has had 
much more of -an Eve To Business than previously. I don’t doubt 
that in a few years’ time he will have a sound practice, the 
mere so since he likes legal work. He himself told me that he wins 
nearly all his doubtful cases, and, if he goes to the trouble of 
telling one something like that, he can be taken at his word. He 
and I laughed a great deal about ‘a man whom he describes as ‘the 
client’ par excellence. This man, he told me, was still young and, 
over the next 30 years or Morr, might litigate away a lot more of his 
assets! 

Incidentally, August also has a quite peculiar faith in the 
infallibility of the courts. He opines, for example, that the English 
lose nothing by the high cost of their legal procedure. People who 
didn’t engage in litigation had just as much chance of obtaining 
justice as those who did. *In point of fact, it seemed his opinion 
that dear law is as good as cheap law, and perhaps better; and he 
is a fellow who knows something about such things.* 

August gave me the 3 parts of the Aardrijkskunde,? and, on top 
of that, Jacques provided me with a work on political economy 
(Dutch) by Vissering," a professor at Leyden, and a copy of 

4 Marx uses the Berlin dialectal form Untertanenbejeisterung instead of Untertanen- 
begeisterung. - > Eleanor Marx -¢ August Philips’ wife - 4 Manuscript damaged. - 
* August Philips - £ Jacques Philips - § Geography - 5 S. Vissering, Handboek van 
praktische staathuishoudkunde. 

Camera obscura* So I’m well stocked up with Dutch literature. 
Nothing in Frisian was to be had in Amsterdam, although in one 
bookshop alone there were works in 88 modern languages. The 
Negro languages seemed to have greater appeal to the Amster- 
damers than Frisian, *but man always contrives to neglect the 
things that are nearest to him*. 

Sorje Oppenheim,” which was already creating a great sensation in 
Amsterdam, has been performed here by my daughters to piano 
accompaniment *and they hope to Perse it one day before 
their uncle *. 

A great bundle of newspapers, etc., from various latitudes has 
accumulated for me here, *but I am firmly resolved to know 
nothing of politics until Monday next. 

Now, my dear uncle, I bid you farewell. Despite carbuncles and 
furuncles, I consider the two months I have lived in your house, 
as one of the happiest episodes of my life, and I shall always feel 
thankful for the kindness you have shown me. 

You will, of course, tell Rothhaduschen‘ that I send him my 
compliments and that I regret having been forced giving battle to 
him. 

My best compliments to the whole family, especially Jettchen,* Dr 
Anrooij, and Fritz.“ Mrs Marx and the girls also send their 
compliments. Please to give the enclosed lines to Netchen.' 

Yours truly, 
Charles M.*