London, 16 June 1885 

My dear Laura, 

Well, you have the same troubles as I have myself! Visitors, on the 
whole agreeable in themselves, but damned in the way when you 
have more work to do than they. Here I have been settling down 
every evening for the last week to write to you, and either visitors or 
urgent business correspondence steps in. And even now, at half past 
one in the morning, I have to snatch a few moments to write to you 
a few lines which will cut a sorry figure alongside of your amiable and 
lively letters! Well it cannot be helped and you must put up with my 
scrimmage. 

The particulars about Lawroffs dead man might be found. out, 
I think, without much difficulty. But what am I to do in the matter? 

Percy is as good as anybody to find that out, but of course he must be 
paid for his work at the common London price.’ 

Tussy was not here last Sunday — they* went on the river some- 
where with a chap who has a boat and a tent and they both want as 
much fresh air as they can get. The British Museum is a nice place 
enough but not to live opposite to. So I shall not see them before next 
Sunday. 

Kautsky has received and translated Paul’s article about /e coeur du 
coeur du monde, qui vient de cesser de battre (coeur No. 1 I mean).* 

Very glad the Germans send some money for the French elections. 
Though I am sorry that it is the Hamburgers who have done it; be- 
cause this is intended as a bribe for Liebknecht, to induce him to take 
their side (the kleinbürgerliche Seite°) in the present storm in a— pot 
now going on amongst the German parliamentarians.*'* I believe this 
storm will blow over, for the present at least, but it’s a symptom. If 
the Socialist Law 37 was abolished and we had elbow-room, and if the 
3rd book of the Kapital was finished I should not care a bit to have it 
out at once. As it is, I am for a temporising policy. But the split will 
come some day, and then we shall give the Spiessbiirger' the necessary 
kick. By the bye I see also from the New York Sozialist that there too 
money has been collected for the French elections. 

Poor Paul! I am afraid he will have to pass la belle saison in 
quod. Once nailed,*°? I do not see how anything but an acte de 
grace of old Grévy could get him out. At all events he has now had 
about one month of it and his elasticity must carry him over the 
rest. 

From Petersburg I hear that the whole of the proof-sheets have ar- 
rived and that 18 sheets out of 33 are already translated.*°! This 
work is almost too quick to be good. 

You have no idea how comfortable John Bull feels under his minis- 
terial crisis.41* Not a bit of excitement. Evening papers, special edi- 
tions, etc., do not sell at all. The Grand Old Man, as they call Glad- 
stone, disappears from the political foreground quite unnoticed. The 
ingratitude of this world is shocking indeed. The fact is, Whigs and 
Radicals have found out, just before the new elections by a revolu- 

* See this volume, p. 273. - > 14 June - © Eleanor Marx-Aveling and Edward 
Aveling -¢ the heart of hearts of the world which has ceased to beat (the keart...); see 
P. Lafargue’s obituary on the death of Victor Hugo published anonymously in Die 
Neue Zeit, No. 8, 1885. - * petty-bourgecis side -  philistines - the fine season 

tionised constituency,?°° that they cannot get on together any long- 
er.*'5 So there is hope that after the autumn elections Tories and 
Whigs will coalesce.* And then we have ali landed property on one 
side, all industrial capital on the opposite side, and the working 
class compelled to face them both—the basis of a revolutionary 
situation. 

Today there is a grand review in heaven. Frederick Charles is in- 
specting the hosts of the Lord of hosts.*!! I am afraid he will find very 
great fault with their Parademarsch,” and send word to old William 
that they are not yet fit to parade before him. If the Archangel 
Michael could only have been sent to do duty for a few years with 
the Prussian Guards! 

Nim complains of rheumatism and threatened to drop beer but 
I told her that was rubbish, and I think she will believe me. Pumps 
and her children are very well. Percy has the usual rows with his par- 
ents. The cheque £ 10.- is enclosed. And herewith — sur ce—I re- 
main your old affectionate 

F. Engels