London, 9 January 1877 

Dear Liebknecht, 

D’abord,* a Happy New Year to you and family and all our 
friends. 

Herewith the remainder of the ‘Philosophy’; I shall at once set 
to work on the ‘Political Economy’ and ‘Socialism’, although 
there might well be a hiatus after the ‘Philosophy’. I wish you had 
waited until after the elections 237. at that time you ought to have 
been using the space for agitation. Again, I’d be perfectly satisfied 
if some of my work appeared in two numbers per week, leaving 
the third free for your other stuff. But should you occasionally 
give me space in the third number of the week as well, I would 
naturally not object. 

We had already sent Geib £10 via Bracke some time ago, as our 
contribution to the election fund, and so were unfortunately not in a 
position to make another one. Hence I couldn’t accede to your 
request to send you something more. Provided you people are not 
deluding yourselves and the reports in the Vorwärts are not 
exaggerated[...] 

If the Turks stand their ground, it will soon be all up with the 
Russians. General conscription has disorganised the Russian army 
far more than I had expected,”** while the Turks have never been 
in better shape and, what is more, their fleet of ironclads is the 
best and strongest in the world after the British. If things get 
cracking—and if they don’t there'll be another revolution in 
Constantinople and then things will really get cracking—it will 
lend singular actuality (topicality) to your motion on the 
restoration of Poland. 

[...Jto tell the truth. And should they complain of my tone, I trust 
you will not forget to confront them with the tone adopted by Mr 
Dühring vis-a-vis Marx and his other precursors, and more 
particularly with the fact that I substantiate, and in detail at that, 
whereas Dühring merely calumniates and abuses his precursors. 

a First - > F. Engels, Anti-Dühring, Part I. - © The word in parentheses was probably 
inserted by Liebknecht. 

They have asked for it, and they’re going to be thoroughly hauled 
over the coals, you have my word for that. 

Your 
F. E.