London, 10 March 1883 

My dear Laura, 

Not having received a letter from Paul* this morning, I conclude 
that in this frosty and snowy weather with east wind, you will not be 
in too great a hurry to come to London. Anyhow, if you should make 
up your mind to come, everything is prepared for you. 

Donkin saw Mohr yesterday evening and I am glad to say gave 
a far more favorable account of his health than a fortnight ago. He 
said Mohr was decidedly not worse, but better, if anything, than 
then; and if we could keep him up for the next two months, there 
would be a good chance of bringing him round again. Of course he is 
still getting weaker, on account of the difficulty of swallowing, but we 
must force him to eat and drink. This is what Tussy wrote me on a post- 
card last night and what Nim? told me today; I shall see Tussy to- 
night and if any more details are to be had shall write again at once. 
The abscess in the lungs he considers to be going on very favorably at 
present. The nocturnal sweats have now ceased the last 4 nights (or 5) 
but instead of that there is a certain feverishness in the day-time 
which of course is also weakening. 

He gave me the Prolétaive and the reply of Guesde’s Committee, as 
well as the ‘vl’* number of the Cztoyen and Bataille which I am to 
keep for him. The copy sent by Paul can therefore with the rest be 
used for Zurich.‘ So this time the business part of the affair can be at- 
tended to, fortunately, but with Mohr’s present state of health, that 
cannot always be reckoned upon if he be in exclusive possession of the 
materials. 

These ex-Bakounists Malon and Brousse are a beastly dirty lot. 
Such barefaced forgery would be enough, anywhere out of Paris, to 
kill them for ever. But with the immense hold of la phrase upon the 
Parisians, who knows how many thousand votes the ‘ouvrier manuel’ * 
will not concentrate upon himself? Enftn espérons le mieux.' 

Lafargue -° Helene Demuth-° base-* Der Sozialdemokrat-° manual labourer - 
" Finally, let’s hope for the best. 

Kind regards to Paul. 

Very affectionately yours, 
F. Engels