Manchester, 11 March 1857 
Dear Marx, 

It’s rather as though God and the universe had conspired to 
stop me writing to you. Whenever I think I have caught up to 

a G. Weerth, ‘Humoristische Skizzen aus dem deutschen Handelsleben’, Kélnische 
Zeitung, No. 318, 14 November 1847; No. 337, 3 December 1847; No. 348, 14 
December 1847; No. 33, 2 February 1848 (the middle part is extant in manuscript, 
the ending was published in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, Nos. 1-4, 1-4 June 1848; 
No. 16, 16 June 1848; No. 18, 18 June 1848; No. 28, 28 June 1848; No. 36, 6 July 
1848). - © Karl Weerth 

some extent with my commercial rubbish, I discover a whole pile 
of unsuspected arrears, am overrun by chaps, have to reply to 
hundreds of business queries on behalf of my old man and pander 
to fresh whims of Mr Gottfr.’s.* Just to make sure that I am sitting 
really fast, Freiligrath saddles me with Prussian ex-lieutenants, 
dabblers in bonds, who spend the entire day trying to borrow 
money (something he, Freiligrath, himself thought fit to warn me 
against) and who, after their departure, send me pawn tickets so 
that I can redeem their watches at my own expense. I am not in 
the least obliged to Freiligrath for landing me with the importu- 
nate fellow.” What is more I wrote to him today about 
my adventure with the brute. Let him clear the business up 
himself. 

Last Friday Mr Ernst Dronke turned up at the office all of a 
sudden from Glasgow. He was here for only an hour or two on 
business. I saw him almost exclusively in the presence of Charles,* 
when it wouldn’t have done to argue with him or treat him 
roughly. On top of that his arrival was so sudden that I was 
unable to recall all of his intrigues. I treated him with reserve, just 
as J would treat an ordinary commercial traveller with whom I was 
only superficially acquainted and confined my remarks to trifling 
matters, and he was extremely careful to avoid any subject relating 
to the party. He shoved off during the afternoon and intends to 
come back in May, at which time I shall probably be in London. 
I hope he will remain a commergant all his days; he certainly 
looks the part and the carefree existence seems greatly to his 
liking. 

I presume you got the £5 note I sent you last Friday (or was it 
Thursday?). 

The Tories, Freerrapers and Peelites could have done Pam no 
greater favour than put him in a minority over this question.'** 
What luck the fellow has and how stupid are his opponents! There 
is a great deal of agitation up here just now, but since 4,000 new 
voters are on the register, all small shopkeepers and clerks and 
Overlookers, and therefore predominantly pro-Bright, it is unlikely 
that there. will be any change. Bob Lowe and Sir J. Potter (4 Born 
ALDERMAN '*° and once a mighty wencher) are to be nominated here. 
Wit nor po. You could probably let me have some details about 
Bob Lowe’s early exploits i in Australia and elsewhere. These would 
be very useful just now. 

a Gottfried Ermen - » Hugo von Selmnitz - ¢ 6 March - ¢ Charles Roesgen 

What is the price of Mieroslawski’s thick book on Poland?* It’s 
really essential to have a compendium of this kind—and what is 
the price of Lelewel’s work on which it is based,” if you can find 
this out? 

I shall, by the way, send you a few more Guardians, they contain 
some really capital witticisms. I suppose you got the six copies I 
sent you recently (in 2 tors)? Morny has already smelt a rat good 
and proper; these purchases the fellow is making in Russia must 
worry Bonaparte to death. That was also a fine to-do over the 
Docks Napoléon, Berryer jeune‘ and Fox,Henderson & Co.'*’—you 
must have read about it in The Times. 

I’m most anxious to hear how the Tribune affair is progressing 
and likewise what you wrote to Olmsted. I think that I shall 
shortly be able to start work again and will see whether anything 
can be made out of China. The affair is bound to yield some 
interesting military aspect.‘ But no hope of that so long as I have 
to slave away in the office until 8 o’clock each evening and can’t 
start work till 10 o'clock, after supper, etc., etc., is over. At present I 
have to be at the office by 10 o’clock in the morning at the very 
latest and accorpincty go to bed at about one. C’est embétani!' Just 
when one has really got into one’s stride, one has to go to bed; cela 
ne va pas. Enfin, nous verrons This summer things have got to be 
reorganised, otherwise there’ll be a rumpus at the office. I intend 
to organise myself in such a way that I work from 10 to 5 or 6 and 
then leave and be damned to the business. 

Warm regards to your wife and children. You are all well, I 

hope? 
Tout & toi? 
F. E.