MARX TO ENGELS ”8 

Paris, 17 August [1849] 
Dear Engels, 

I don’t know whether my first letter—in reply to the first one 
you sent my wife*—arrived safely, since your address was very 
uncertain. I would have already replied to your second**! had I 
not been prevented by the fact that the whole of my family here 
was ill. Let me repeat once again how anxious my wife and I were 
on your account and what a delightful surprise it was to have 
definite news of you. 

You will see from the date that, as a result of my protest, the 
Ministry of the Interior has for the time being left me unmolested 
here in Paris. The Morbihan département, to which I had been 

a Wroctaw - > Neue Deutsche Zeitung - ¢ See this volume, p. 209. - 4 ibid., pp. 202-04 
and 207-08. 

directed, is lethal at this time of year—the Pontine marshes of 
Brittany.” It would not be prudent just now to write about the 13 
June affair. I don’t believe, or at least don’t know whether 
secrecy of the mails is being observed. 

The general situation here may be summed up in a couple of 
words: the majority disintegrating into its original, mutually hostile 
elements, Bonapartism hopelessly compromised, ill-will among the 
peasants because of the retention of the 45 centimes, the wine- 
growers furious at the threatened retention of the tax on drink, 
the current of public opinion once again anti-reactionary, in the 
Chamber, now prorogued, and in the Ministry, reaction, growing 
exclusive and concerned with expelling the Barrot-Dufaure clique 
from the Cabinet." As soon as this comes about you can look for 
an early revolutionary resurrection. 

I don’t know whether in Switzerland you have any chance of 
following the English movement. The English have taken it up 
again at exactly the same juncture at which it was broken off by 
the February revolution. As you are aware, the Peace Party? is 
nothing but the Free-Trade party under a new guise. But this time 
the industrial bourgeoisie is acting in a manner even more 
revolutionary than during the Anti-Corn Law agitation.?” In two 
ways: 1) the aristocracy, whose roots have been attacked at home 
by the repeal of the Corn Laws and the Navigation Acts, is further 
to be ruined in the sphere of foreign policy, in its European 
ramifications. Reversal of Pitt’s policy. Anti-Russian-Austrian- 
Prussian, in a word, pro Italy and Hungary. Cobden has formally 
threatened to proscribe bankers who make loans to Russia, has 
unleashed a veritable campaign against Russian finances. 2) 
Agitation for universal suffrage, in order to effect the total 
political severance of the renanrs from the landed aristocracy, to 
give the towns an absolute majority in Parliament, to nullify the 
House of Lords. Financial reform, in order to curb the Church 
and cut off the political revenues of the aristocracy. 

Chartists and Free Traders have joined hands in these two 
propaganda campaigns. Harney and Palmerston apparently 
friends. At the last meeting held in London, O’Connor and 
Colonel Thompson both of one mind.” 

Consequences of this economic campaign against feudalism and 
Holy Alliance incalculable. 

Hungary splendid. But this rotten Prussia? Qu’en dis-tu?* The 
pallid canaille’ are now being fattened in Saxony, Baden, the 

a What do you think of it? - > H. Heine, Deutschland. Ein Wintermdrchen, Kapit VIII. 

Palatinate. If they send an army to the aid of the Austrians, it will 
be so contrived that they themselves remain in Bohemia and wax 
fat there. But wretched Prussia—I only fear that it’s too 
craven— perdu* as soon as it participates in the Hungarian affair, 
which in any case is turning into a guerre universelle. 

Maintenant, mon cher, que faire de notre part? Il faut nous lancer 
dans une entreprise littéraire et mercantile, j’attends tes propositions« 

Red Lupus is here, in the same house as myself; Dronke in 
Paris likewise, mais c’est un tout petit homme de l’école de E. Meyen.° 
Lupus‘ is in Zurich. Address: Dr. Lining. You don’t need to write 
separately to M. Ramboz. C’est mon pseudonyme 

So the address is simply: 

Monsieur Ramboz, 45, rue de Lille. 

Salut! 
Ch. M.