[London,] 14 August 1874 
My darling Child, 

I think that you will have received at long last the letter '? I 
addressed to Engels last Tuesday.” If not, enquiries should be 

« F. Engels, The Peasant War in Germany.- > 11 August 

made at the Post Office, since such irregularities should not be 
allowed to pass without comment. 

It was very wrong of Longuet to alarm you with the story of my 
carbuncle. Yesterday morning the so-called core came out, putting 
an end to the discharge. I then immediately put a plaster on it, 
which likewise began to have its usual effect. So you can see, my 
dear child, that all is well in this respect. 

As far as my naturalisation is concerned,*’ my solicitor had not 
received any further news from the Home Orrice by last night. I 
shall go and see him again today. Come what may I shall take my 
departure tomorrow evening.* At the worst I should find myself 
forced to retreat from Karlsbad to Hamburg, which would be 
vexing enough, if only on account of the expense. After a long 
period in which neither the ‘International’ nor myself had 
attracted any attention, it is very curious that my name should 
have figured again just now in trials in Petersburg and Vienna, and 
that ridiculous riots in Italy * should be connected not only with 
the ‘International’ but (see the reports from Rome in today’s Daily 
News’) directly with me. The insinuation of the Rome correspon- 
dent that the INTERNATIONAL RIOTERS are acting on behalf of the 
Papists smells very much like a recipe provided by Bismarck. 

Yesterday’s Evening Standard contained a small Leaper which 
began with the words: “THe INTERNATIONAL HAS BEEN SCOTCHED,BUT NOT 
killed.’> This was with reference to the arrest of 80 people in 
Marseilles; something which is said to be secretly linked with the 
Italian farce, although the true connection was in fact very 
PALPABLE: Bazaine s’est échappé.*’ Donc—as compensation Mac- 
mahoniste—80 Communards & Marseille sont arrétés The Standard, 
which at the level of sheer police nastiness can vie with The Daily 
News, goes on to comment that these REvo.unionists become very 
conservative as soon as they can lay hands on the smallest bit of 
property, and that they are nothing but penniless rabble, etc. In 
the same issue there is a telegram from Marseilles according to 
which one of the men arrested is a millionaire. Brave FELLOWS, THOSE 
British GENTLEMEN OF THE ‘FREEST PRESS IN THE WORLD’! Moreover, it is a 
remarkable fact that various French (Parisian) papers which I have 

a ‘International Bands in the Romagna (From Our Own Correspondent), Rome, 
August 10’, The Daily News, No. 8831, 14 August 1874. -> The Evening Standard, 
13 August 1874 (‘The Internationalist snake has been scotched, not killed...” - © The 
Evening Standard of 13 August 1874 also reported on the arrests in Marseilles, in an 
item entitled “The Arrest of Communists at Marseilles’. - ( Bazaine has escaped. 
Whereupon—as a MacMahonist retaliadon—80 Communards were arrested in 
Marseilles. 

seen— including some very conservative ones—do not make any 
attempt to link the Italian farce with the ‘International’. 

Now to another topic. Frankel and Utin were here yesterday 
evening. The latter brought the news that Madame Tomanovsky 
has got married. (What he was uncertain about—quite between 
ourselves—was whether her imminent confinement had been 
prepared before or after the wedding. Nor did he have any details 
yet about the fortunate husband.*) Frankel was very upset by this 
unexpected blow. 

General Cecilia bored me for 3 to 4 hours the day before 
yesterday. Among other things, he told me that they (id est, as we 
already knew, he and his party, C. Martin) were founding a school 
for the French refugee children. In it, he said, l’enseignement 
de l’hygiéne‘ was to play a part, as well as économie sociale, 
and would I do him the favour of composing 4 primer for this on 
the English pattern? He also told me with great indignation that in 
one of its latest issues Le Figaro had made the grotesque assertion 
that the Republic had ruined France by its appointment of 
4 generals qui s’appellent: Crémieux, Glais-Bizoin, Cecilia— et 
Lissagaray! I whispered this flattering piece of news into the 
latter’s ear that very evening. 

I am just gossiping on because I scarcely dare mention the only 
subject which interests you. The house is as silent as the grave, 
now that our little angel* is not there to animate it. I miss him at 
every turn. My heart bleeds when I think of him, and how can 
one get such a sweet, lovable little chap out of one’s mind! But | 
hope, my child, that you will be brave for your old man’s sake. 

Adieu, my darling Schwarzchen,° 

Your loving, 
Ov Nick!