[London,] 19 January 1874 

Dear Wenzel, 

Engels informed me of your letter to him.” Hence these lines. 
After my return’ a carbuncle broke out on my right cheek, which 
was operated on; later it had several smaller successors, and I 
think that at the present moment I am suffering from the last of 
them. 

Incidentally, don’t worry at all about newspaper gossip and still 
less answer it. I myself allow the English papers to announce my 
death from time to time, without showing any sign of life. Nothing 
annoys me more than to appear to be supplying the public with 
reports of my state of health through my friends (you are the great 
sinner in this respect). I don’t give a farthing for the public, and, if 
my occasional illness is exaggerated, it at least has the advantage 
that it spares me all sorts of requests (theoretical and otherwise) 
from unknown people in every corner of the earth. 

My best thanks for the kind words from the Lady Countess and 
Franzchen." 

I am very glad to receive the Frankfurter Zeitung and find all 
sorts of interesting things in it. 

The relative victory of the ultramontanes and Social-Democrats 
in the elections * SERVES Mr_ BISMARCK AND HIS MIDDLE-CLASS TAIL RIGHT. 
More another time. 

Your 
K. M. 

« Gertrud and Franziska Kugelmann 

Apropos. On the advice of my friend, Dr Gumpert (of Manches- 
ter), I have now rubbed quicksilver ointment in the place 
concerned at the first trace of carbuncle irritation and find that it 
works quite specifically. 

What has happened to your friend, ‘Dr Freund’ of Breslau,* 
who in your opinion was so promising? It seems, aprés tout, que c’est 
un fruit sec”