{London,] 12 February 1856 
28 Dean Street, Soho 

Dear Frederic, 

I am still being plus ou moins* persecuted by State haemorrhoids 
and consequent dullness of spirits. On top of which Pieper has just 
been playing me some music of the future.'’ C’est affreux’ and 
makes one afraid of the ‘future’, including its poetical music. 

At the Museum‘ I have made a number of historical discoveries 
about the end of the 17th and the early decades of the 18th 
centuries concerning the struggle between Peter I and Charles 
XII and the decisive role played in that drama by England. At that 
time the foreign policy of the Tories and Whigs differed quite simply 
in that the former sold themselves to France, the latter to Russia. 
This venality was taken for granted and is discussed and declared ‘a 
matter of course’ by contemporary writers. From the start, William 
III harboured misgivings about Sa Majesté Czarienne,’ as is proved by 
his offensive and defensive treaty with Charles XII. Under him the 
ministers acted contrary to his inclination. From George I onwards 
things were easy for the Whigs since the Electors of Hanover were 
already pursuing a foolish dynastic policy and regarded Verden and 
Bremen as the focal points of European interest. That mainly 
England contributed to turning Russia into a Baltic poweris, perhaps, 
less interesting than the fact that, as early as the beginning of the 
18th century, this policy was already being denounced, and the 
future growth of the Muscovite empire predicted with remarkable 
accuracy. Despite the unexampled indulgence of the official British 
and the direct aid they accorded Peter, the latter was at the same time 
engaging in underhand dealings with the Pretender.* In this his 
personal physician (Erskine), a relation of the Comte de Mar, acted 
as go-between. The main sources for the whole of this mysterious 
story are: 

a) Truth is Truth, as it is timed, or Our Ministry’s present Measures 
against the Muscovite vindicated by Plain and Obvious reasons, tending 

a more or less - > It’s horrible - © the British Museum Library - 4 His Imperial 
Majesty (Peter I) - ¢ James Edward Stuart 

to prove that 1t 1s no less the interest of Our British trade, than that of 
Our State, that the Czar be not suffered to retain a Fleet, if needs must 
that he should [have] a Sea Port in the Baltick etc. London 1719. 

The author* was ambassador in Petersburg from 1710-1715 
and, as he says, was 

* ‘dismissed the service because the Czar desired it; for that he had learnt, that 
I had given Our Court such Light into his affairs as is contain’d in this Paper’,* etc. 

b) Mémoire présenté a Sa Maj. Britannique par M. Wesselowsky, 
Ministre de Sa Maj. Czar. London 1717. 

An apologia by the Russians respecting their underhand 
dealings with the Pretender, especially remarkable for being 
altogether in the style (although not yet with quite the polish) of 
Pozzo di Borgo and Co.,'* hence evidence that qualitatively 
Russian diplomacy has made no progress since Pierre I. 

c) The defensive treaty concluded in the year 1700 between His late 
M. King William of Glorious Memory and His Present Swedish Maj. 
King Charles XH, etc., to which some queries are appended 
(1716). 

d) The Northern Crisis, or Impartial Reflections on the Policies of the 
Czar.... ‘Parvo motu primo mox se attollit in auras’.? London 1716. 

One of the most extraordinary pamphlets ever written. Might, 
with minor moovirications, have appeared in the year 1853. 
Contains, as do also-a) and c), evidence of English treachery. In a 
postscript the anonymous author“ says: 

*‘I flatter myself, that this little History is of that curious Nature, and on 
Matters hitherto so unobserved, that I consider it with Pride, as a valuable 
New-Year’s Gift to the present world; and that posterity will accept it, as the like, 

for many years after, and read it over on the Anniversary, and call it their 
Warning-Piece. | must have my Exegi Monumentum as well as others.’ * 

e) An Inquiry into the Reasons of the Conduct of Great Britain with 
Relation to the Present State of Affairs in Europe. London 1727.° 

Interesting only because it reveals that Ripperda, the Spanish 
diplomatic chevalier d’industrie, subsequently a minister, ‘HAD A VERY 
PARTICULAR INTIMACY WITH THE RUSSIAN MINISTER’, etc. Likewise the other 
leading double-dealer in the diplomatic world of the time, Baron 
Gortz. 

f) Tagebuch Peters des Grossen vom Jahre 1698 bis zum Schlusse des 
Neustadter Friedens, aus dem russischen Original tibersetzt, so nach 
denen im Archive befindlichen und von Seiner Kaiserlichen Majestät 
eigenhandigen ergänzenden Handschriften gedruckt worden. With a 

a George Mackenzie - > ‘Having at first little impulsion, he presently rose into the air’ 
(Virgil, Aeneid, IV, 176). - © Carl Gyllenborg - 4 ‘I have raised a monument’ (Horace, 
Odes, 111,XXX, 1). - © by B. Hoadley 

prefatory note by the Russian editor, Prince Mikhail Shcherbatov 
(Ilep6arose) (Petersburg, 2 August 1770), in German, Berlin and 
Leipzig 1773. 

Although Catherine IJ naturally had this diary censored before 
publication, it nevertheless contains much that confirms the Facts 
given in the above-mentioned pamphlets. 

g) Coptes and Extracts of several letters written by the King of Sweden 
and his Ministers relating to the Negociations of Baron Gériz etc., 
published at Copenhagen by order of the King of Denmark. London 
1717. 

h) Letters which passed between Count Gyllenborg, the Baron Gortz, 
Sparre etc., published by authority. London 1717. 

g) and h) are, of course, well known to all historians who, 
however, lack the key to the proper understanding of the same. 
Both publications turn more especially on Charles XII’s plan, 
conceived as an act of vengeance upon England, to land a Swedish 
army on the English coast and proclaim the Pretender. 

Besides these pamphlets there are a number of other writings 
which occasionally refer to the Swedish-English-Russian business, 
or English pamphlets obviously inspired by the Swedish ambas- 
sador Gyllenborg, as, for instance, Remarks on Mr Jackson’s 
Memorial etc. 

You can see what kind of means the Whigs resorted to from 
their having put it about 

*‘that the King of Sweden was a Roman Catholic and that the Czar was a good 
Protestant’ *. 

No one can fail to notice that, at the very time the English were 
making such a ridiculous hullaballoo about Austria setting up the 
Compagnie des Indes at Ostend, they formally placed their fleet at 
Peter’s disposal and helped him found his ports in the Baltic. Yet 
from the complaints of the English Bartic mercuants of that time it 
transpires that Monsieur Peter was very far from gentle with 
them. England was, moreover, the first great European power to 
recognize his imperial title, etc. What the above-mentioned 
pamphlets prove above all is that she was acting neither under an 
illusion nor out of ignorance. 

The following anecdotes about Peter from the Memoirs o 
Frederick the Great’s Sister* will amuse you. Peter and the Czarina 
were paying them a visit at Potsdam. 

a Mémoires de Frédérique Sophie Wilhelmine, Margrave de Bareith, soeur de Frédéric le 
Grand.... Here and below Marx quotes from Volume I of Mémoires, pp. 41 and 44. 
(Later, historians questioned the authenticity of the Mémoires.) - > Catherine I 

‘La Czarine débuta par baiser la main 4 la reine qu’il voulut embrasser, mais 
qui les avaient accompagnés et 400 soi-disant dames qui étaient a sa suite. C’était 
pour la plupart, des servantes allemandes, qui faisaient les fonctions de dames, de 
femmes de chambre, de cuisiniéres et de blanchisseuses. Presque toutes ces 
créatures portaient chacune sur les bras un enfant richement vétu; et lorsqu’on 
leur demandait, si c’étaient les leurs, elles répondaient en faisant des salamalecs a la 
Russienne: Le Czar m’a fait l'honneur de me faire cet enfant. La reine ne voulut pas saluer 
ces créatures’ etc.¢ 

In one of the rooms at Potsdam there stood a Priapus 

‘dans une posture trés indécente. Le Czar admira cette statue beaucoup et 
ordonna a la Czarine de la baiser. Elle voulut s’en défendre, il se facha et lui dit en 
allemand corrompu: Kop ab.... La Czarine edt si peur qu’elle fit tout ce qu’il voulut. 
Il demanda sans facon cette statue et plusieurs autres au roi4 qui ne put les lui 
refuser’ etc.¢ 

I should like to put to some use the curious items I have 
discovered at the Museum. They are too retrospective for a 
newspaper. So I shall try ‘Putnam’. But first you must let me know 
when the ‘IMPROVEMENTS IN MODERN warfare’ Can be ready, since Putnam 
will, of course, insist on having the goods he ordered first before 
he considers any fresh offers. 

I was most interested in the French business and would ask you 
to send me the Examiner whenever it contains similar stuff. Here 
the Guardian may be seen at Wylde’s. Writing for the papers is at 
present very onerous, since nothing is happening in England and 
the turn economic affairs are taking is still far from clear. Crucial 
in this respect just now are the stock market swindles, concerning 
which the necessary material is wanting. 

Have since seen Bruno! once or twice. The fellow clearly has 

a Sophie Dorothea - > Kar! Leopold and Catherine - ¢ ‘The Czarina began by kissing 
the hand of the Queen, whom he sought to embrace, but was repulsed. Next she 
presented to her the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg who had accompanied them 
-and 400 self-styled ladies belonging to her suite. These were, for the most part, 
German servants fulfilling the duties of ladies-in-waiting, chamber-maids, cooks and 
laundresses. Practically every one of these creatures carried a richly clad child in her 
arms; and, when asked if it was hers, would reply, making salaams Russian-fashion: 
“The Czar did me the honour of presenting me with this child.” The Queen refused to greet 
these creatures’ etc. - 4 Frederick William I - ¢ ‘ina most indecent posture. The Czar 
greatly admired this statue and commanded the Czarina to kiss it. When she 
demurred, he grew angry and said in bad German: “Kop ab....” (“Head off”.] The 
Czarina was so frightened that she did all that he wished. He made no bones about 
asking for this statue and a number of others which the King was unable to refuse him’ 
etc. - f Bruno Bauer 

12 - 4, Marx to Engels. 13 February 1856. 

something in mind, having come sans le sou* to his cher frére.” He’s 
a thorough-going old bachelor, anxiously concerned for his own 
conservation and preservation, and not without secret Misgivings 
about his attitude to the present. Little by little he is discovering 
that London is a remarkable place, that in it there are ‘contrasts 
between poor and rich’ and other suchlike ‘discoveries’. His 
would-be gentility and repudiation of the world on the one hand, 
and his childish curiosity and rustic astonishment at Everything and 
anything on the other, provide a far from edifying contrast. 
At present he is engaged mainly in mugging up English. As 
soon as I have another encounter with him I shall tell you 
about it. 

Salut. 
Your 
K. M.