Ramsgate, 24 July 1877 

Dear Moor, 

Newspapers, etc., received. Very many thanks. 

Your plan does at any rate have the advantage of killing quite a 
lot of birds with one stone; I can only hope that the chief one, 
your liver, won’t suffer accordingly.’ Still, with so many medical 
authorities in favour, there’s not much one can really say against it 
from that viewpoint either. Who knows whether this time 
Neuenahr won't do you more good than Karlsbad? *” It’s simply a 
lottery, espérons le mieux.” For essential needs enclosed curque for 
£101.3.7—-the non-round sum is intentional! 

At all events you really ought to come here for a few days and 
bring Hirsch with you if it can be managed. The change of air will 
do you good. By the way, I had thought of coming up to London 
once again for a day before 12 August, but don’t let yourself be 
put off by such uncertainties. 

What Hirsch has to say about France is very encouraging, 
particularly just now, even when one allows for some exaggera- 
tion. It’s excellent that he should be giving a good account of 
himself. High time that a few people, at least, gave a good account 

a See previous letter. - b We must hope for the best. 

of themselves when so many are turning into fools and ragamuf- 
fins. 

The Zukunft’s estimable letter returned herewith. One in 
identical terms has been forwarded to me from London.*” 

I think my reply will be as follows: firstly, it’s impossible to agree 
to contributes to a scientific periodical with editors that are 
anonymous and contributors likewise unnamed. Congress resolu- 
tions, however unexceptionable they may be in the field of practical 
agitation, count for nothing in that of science, nor do they suffice to 
establish a periodical’s scientific nature — something that cannot be 
decreed.** A socialist scientific periodical without ‘a quite definite 
scientific line is an absurdity and, given the present epidemic 
in Germany of diverse and indefinite lines, there has so far been 
no guarantee whatsoever that the line to be adopted will 
suit us.— Secondly, however, after finishing the Dühring,’”* I shall 
have to confine myself to my own independent work and shan’t 
therefore have the time. What do you think of it? There’s no 
hurry. 

You will see from the enclosed letter from Liebknecht, which I 
would like to have back so that I can answer it,’ that Mr Dühring 
‘couldn’t tarry till the hour of twelve had struck’? and has been the 
cause of his own undoing.”*” All this was, of course, the fruit of 
silly Wilhelm’s sagacity, and such is his childish glee that he doesn’t 
even notice how much ‘the party’ has been discredited as a result. 
What is one to do with people like these? On top of that the man 
is still quite proud of his articles on France in which he simply 
endorses Hasenclever’s nonsense.*!> However we’d better wait and 
see whether all the jubilation over Dithring’s downfall doesn’t 
fizzle out again. 

The Russian moves are extremely bold, but what good will they 
do anyone if the Turks’ conduct of the war remains as it has been 
for the past four weeks? The right course was to march on the 
Russian flank with a combined force from Shumla and Rustchuk ‘ 
and smite it. They now have the best pass in the Balkans (the 
Shipka) which they can easily hold and, according to today’s news, 
the Turks are sending troops from Shumla via Jamboli to 
Rumelia in order to display themselves to the Russians there, 
instead of transferring the troops from Rumelia—the Adriano- 
ple* garrison excepted —to Shumla and attacking Sistova‘ with all 

a See this volume, pp. 256-58. - > From ‘Kurzweil’, a poem included in the collection 
Des Knaben Wunderhorn compiled by A. von Arnim and C. Brentano. - © Bulgarian 
names: Shumen (now Kolarovgrad) and Ruse. - 4 Bulgarian name: Yambol. - 
¢ Turkish name: Edirne. - f Bulgarian name: Svishtov.