(Manchester, about 27 August 1851] 

Dear Marx, 

The homeric struggles of these great men in their striving after 
unity have cheered me up wonderfully. What an Iliad! 

I have written to Fischer.*” But is it absolutely certain that my 
name appears in the letter to Kinkel? For I don’t want to make an 
ass of myself with Fischer. The Freiligrath idea is a splendid one; 
it must surely have been thought up by your wife. A request to 
Fischer to raise money specifically for our party purposes is 
altogether inappropriate; but if any should be forthcoming— 
which to judge by the experience of the people in America, | 
rather doubt—I think my letter will be enough to channel it into 
Freiligrath’s hands et cela suffit? 

Write to me immediately about the upshot of Friday’s scene so 
that I can take the necessary steps against Kinkel. To begin with I 
can do no more than ask for information and to be sent the 
records and then, after their receipt or non-receipt, take further 
steps. But do you know Kinkel’s address? 

It would have been a good idea had you let me have 
Freiligrath’s address, too, so that I could have passed it to Fischer 
immediately. It’s now too late for this steamer and, by the time his 
answer arrives, 4 weeks will have gone by during which we ought 
not to bombard him overmuch with letters. 

My letter will have cooked Kinkel’s and Willich’s goose over 
there. It will give them something to think about. 

More on Proudhon tomorrow or the day after.” Weerth’s 
presence and then this mummery, combined with office rubbish, 
have prevented me from tackling the thing seriously. At all events 
the charlatanry of it is superb. Part 2, from liquidation onwards, is 
to be marvelled at for its blend of Girardin display and Stirner 
braggadocio. Moreover, both grammatically and logically much of 
it is pure galimatias, of which he himself knows that it is totally 

a and that is sufficient - > F. Engels, ‘Critical Review of Proudhon’s Book Idée générale 
de la Révolution au XIX¢ siécle’. 

devoid of meaning. This second part is really not to be treated 
seriously; with the best will in the world one couldn’t do so. 

I have not, of course, been able to do anything for the 
Tribune—shall resume next week.* In great haste. 

Your 
F. E.