MARX TO LAURA LAFARGUE” 

Hanover, 25 September 1869 

My dear Cacadou,’ 

I regret that I cannot celebrate at home the birthday of my dear 
clear bird’s eye, but Old Nick’s thoughts are with you.*” 

Du bist beslézen 

In minem Herzen.‘ *™ 

I was happy to see from Mdhmchen’s letter (written in her 
usual amusing way, she is a real virtuoso in letter-writing) that 
your health is improving. Our dear little Schnappy,° I hope, will 
soon get better. At the same time, I fully share Kugelmann’s 
opinion that Dr West ought to be consulted at once (or another 
medical man if he be absent). I trust you and Lafargue will in this 
case yield to my paternal authority, a thing, you know full well, I 
am not in the habit of appealing to. Nobody is more difficult to 
treat than a baby. In no case more immediate action is wanted, 
and any delay more hurtful. You must under no circumstances 
accelerate your departure from London. It would be really 
dangerous to the child and do no good to yourself. On this point, 
every medical man will give you | the same advice. 

I am glad the Basle Congress*” is over, and has, comparatively 
speaking, passed off so well. I am always fretting on such 
occasions of public exhibition of the party ‘mit allen ihren 
Geschwiiren’.' None of the actors was 4 la hauteur des principes, but 
the higher class idiocy effaces the working class blunders. We have 
passed through no little German town the Winkelblatt of which 
was not full of the doings of ‘that formidable Congress’. 

We are here in a sort of fix. The Kugelmanns will not hear of 
an early leave-taking. At the same time, Jenny is much improving 
in health consequent upon the change of air and circumstances. 

With Liebknecht I am likely to meet, within a few days, at 
Brunswick. I decline going to Leipzig, and he cannot come to 

a Laura’s nickname used by her family -> Marx’s nickname used by his 
family -¢ Thou art enclosed in mine heart (Middle-High German). - 4 Marx’s 
wife Jenny - © Charles Etienne Lafargue - f with all its ulcers - § highly principled - 
h local rag 

Hanover, since the Prussians would probably give him the 
advantages of free lodging during the present prorogation of the 
Reichstag.*** 

My best thanks to Paul for his elaborate letter.“ Meine 
herzlichsten Grüsse an das ganze Haus und* hundred kisses to 
yourself and my dear little Schnappy. 

Adio, my dear child! 

35 

Ever yours 
Old Nick.”