London, 28 September 1852 
28 Dean Street, Soho 

Dear Engels, 

You have not had a letter from me for some time. The main 
cause of this is Weerth who—not I might say, to my unalloyed 
delight—has plus ou moins* monopolised my evenings which are 
usually given | over to writing. As you know, [’'m very fond of 
Weerth, mais” it’s embarrassing, when one’s up to one’s neck in 
trouble, to have to face so fine a gentleman, auquel il faut cacher les 
parties trop honteuses.“ Such a relationship creates twice as much géne 
and I hope he will leave for Manchester tomorrow and will on his 
return find me in circumstances that will enable me to consort with 
him franchement“ However, I don’t believe that, aside from my wife’s 
ill-health, he had any inkling of my predicament. 

I have given him a big parcel to take to you. It contains 
documents that belong in the archives?!; some, if not most of 
them are already familiar to you. 

Enclosed the extract from a Jetter from Barthélemy to Willich. 
Barthélemy gave this letter to a Frenchman by the name of 

amore or less-> but-¢ from whom the most shameful aspects must be 
concealed - 4 embarrassment - ¢ frankly 

Durand to take to Willich. Durand, unable to read the signature, 
‘asked Dronke if he would see to it that Willich got the letter. 
Dronke of course agreed, came to my house, and Lupus, who is a 
great artist in this line, opened the letter most expertly. Dronke 
copied out all that was of note—the rest mere twaddle. Que 
penses-tu de ce brave Barthélemy, ‘auquel il est impossible de se résigner a 
laisser Bonaparte jouir paisiblement de son triomphe’? ‘Tremble, O 
Byzantium!" As to the alleged letter from Blanqui, this strikes me 
as a piece of melodramatic falsehood on the sinister Barthélemy’ S 
part. For what news does he give of Blanqui? That the situation of 
the prisonniers de Belle-Ile est bien triste If that is all Blanqui 
had to divulge to him, he would have done better to keep his libri 
tristium? to himself. Incidentally, Barthélemy’s whole letter shows 
that he is completely out of touch with the French emigration and 
the French societies in France. 

In order that you, too, may ‘adopt to some extent the standpoint 
of world history’ I enclose an article from the Augsburg 
Allgemeine on the spy A. Majer who, here in London, was actually 
‘chucked out of the house’ by his bosom friends, Willich and 
Schapper. 

I have, I presume, already told you that Herzen is here and is 
sending round memoirs against Herwegh,”” who has not only 
cuckolded him but has extorted 80,000 fr. from him. 

I have not yet been able to do any work on an article or even on 
the draft of the final instalment of the German article.** So 
engrossed have I been by the incessant correspondence arising out 
of my domestic troubles that it is 3 weeks since I went to the 
library—which [I also forbore from doing in order to sustain my 
wife during what was for her a ghastly time. 

Apropos! 

There is no doubt that the Orleanist conspiracy shows greater 
activity, scope and prospects every day. The gentlemen have 
coalesced with Cavaignac, Charras, Lamoriciere, Bedeau. Of 
L. Bonaparte’s aides-de-camp 3 have been bought, i.e. substantial 
sums have been deposited on their behalf in the Bank of England. 
The following contract has been entered into with the out-and-out 

4 What do you think of the honest Barthélemy ‘who finds it impossible to resign 
himself to allow Bonaparte to enjoy his triumph in peace’. -> Words from 
Donizetti’s opera Belisario, libretto by S. Cammarano, Act II, Scene 3. - © the 
prisoners on Belle-Ile is very sad.-4 tale of woe (an allusion to Ovid’s 
Tristia) - © From Jordan’s speech in the Frankfurt National Assembly (July 1848) 
(see ‘The Frankfurt Assembly Debates the Polish Question’, present edition, Vol. 7, 
pp- 360-64). 

republicans. Firstly: Formation of a provisional government 
consisting solely of generals. Secondly: By way of guarantee, 
Cavaignac is to receive Marseilles, Lamorici¢re Lyons, Charras 
Paris, Bedeau Strasbourg. Thirdly: At the preliminary elections the 
people will be called on by the provisional government to decide 
whether they want the constitution of 1830 and the Orleans 
dynasty, or the constitution of 1848 and a president. In the latter 
case, Joinville will come forward as a candidate. 

The Jew, Fould, is in constant touch with the Orleans. The 
undertaking has been tentatively fixed for the month of March, 
when Bonaparte will, if necessary, be assassinated by his aides-de- 
camp. But they would prefer Bonaparte to have become emperor 
first and done further damage to himself. 

I myself have talked to the Orleanist agent* who travels freely to 
and fro between Paris and London. The day before yesterday he 
and Bangya went to see the Duc d’Aumale. 

I see from a letter of Piali’s that, at a private audience in 
London, Lord Palmerston told a fugitive Italian noblewoman? all 
manner of comforting things about Italy, and held out what was to 
him the no less ‘comforting’ prospect of becoming British prime 
minister within the space of a year. How addicted to lies and 
vanité is old age! Incidentally on one point at least Mr Palmerston 
did not mince his words. In case of insurrection Lombardy and 
Venice must, he said, at once unite with Piedmont. The 
pipe-dreams of an ‘Italian republic’ must be left to ‘the future’.”” 

Dronke, inmate of the Model Lopcinc House, says he is sorry he has 
not written. ‘He has his reasons.’ 

Your 
K. M. 

There is no doubt that an attempt, obviously clumsy and 
unsuccessful, was made to open my last envelope, which you 
returned to me.