London, 23 July 1885 

My dear Laura, 

Very glad to learn that our prisoner* is going soon again to 
breathe Pair pur de la libérté (sans égalité et fraternité)” and [...|° 

Of course Deville is quite innocent of the trick of Hyndman and 
Co.*?° — for it is said that the ‘John Broadhouse’ who figure-heads as 
translator, is the immortal Hyndman himself— and I hope the thing 
may blow over. Perhaps it was merely concocted between Hyndman 
and Kegan Paul to set us on, for Kegan Paul has not heard from me 
for a long time, considering that I cannot as yet fix a date when we 
shall be ready. At all events we cannot have anything about this pre- 
tended publication. Of course it would be best if it turned out a mere 
Schreckschuss.* But if not, I am bound to declare publicly that the lat- 
ter half of the résumé does not render the original correctly. I told 
Deville so, before it was printed,° and yet it was printed in the old 
shape, ‘because the publisher would not wait’. That could be al- 
lowed to pass unnoticed in France, where the French edition is in 
the market. But it will never do here, so long as there is no English 
translation out, or so long as it is brought out in competition to 
that. 

The little squabble amongst the German deputies has on the whole 
had excellent effects. The workingmen have everywhere shown such 
an energetic front against these ridiculous pretensions that the big 
men in Parliament are not likely to repeat their attempt at domineer- 
ing.°’* This our men have done in the most unmistakable way and in 
spite of all the trammels of the Socialist Law.*’ In the meantime poor 
Liebknecht is hurrying from one end of Germany to the other preach- 
ing concord and telling everybody that there are no differences of 
principle, that it’s all personal squabbles, that both sides have com- 

4 Paul Lafargue - © fresh air of freedom (without equality and brotherhood) - 
© The next two lines in the original are crossed out by an unknown person and cannot 
be deciphered. - * false alarm - * See this volume, pp. 61, 63. 

mitted faults, etc.— the hen that has hatched ducklings. He has been 
hatching ‘heducated’ socialists for the last twenty years and now ob- 
stinately refuses to see that the chickens are ducklings, the socialists 
are philanthropic Spressbiirger.* 

Most happy am I to see that the scrutin de liste*’° invented to per- 
petuate Opportunist government, is likely to smash up Opportunism 
altogether.?°° If Clemenceau keeps only one half of what he prom- 
ises, if he merely initiates the break-up of the vast French bureaucracy, 
it will be an immense progress. On the other hand, even supposing 
him to really intend being sincere and a man of his word, he will find 
so many real obstacles, he will so soon be brought to a standstill, that 
to the Paris electors he will always appear as a traitor. It is a delusion 
to think that in France Anglo-Saxon, especially American local self- 
government can be introduced without upsetting the whole bourgeois 
régime. So, very soon he will have to choose: either drop his reforms 
and remain bourgeois avec les bourgeois” or go on and revolutionise 
himself. I think he will remain bourgeois, and then our time may 
come. 

Schorlemmer is here, has as yet no definite projects for Continental 
tours, but keeps his mind’s eye on Paris. He is out at present, may re- 
turn before I close this. 

Here too we shall have a peaceable revolution in November. The 
new electorate is sure to change the whole basis of old parties.?°° The 
Whigs have already declared through their great mouthpiece The 
Edinburgh Review that there must be now ‘a parting of the waters’: the 
Radicals are to shift for themselves and the Whigs intend joining the 
Tories who, they find, are not so bad after all.4?* Whether the Tories 
will accept them, and on what terms, remains to be seen. The fact is 
that this alliance has been on the tapis for the last 10 years, but al- 
ways broke down on the question of the division of the spoil. Another 
progress: we shall very likely get all the rotten ‘representative work- 
ing men’ into Parliament. That is just the place where we want 
them. 

Pumps wants us to go Jersey this year; if we do, and Paul is out, will 
you come and join us there, and then come over to London? Steamers 
from St Malo—or will you wait in Paris till Jollymeier comes and 
brings you over? You might ruminate that a bit and let me know. We 

4 philistines - > with the bourgeois 

cannot leave before 8th or 10th August on account of Percy’s busi- 
ness.*?! 
Love from Nim and Jollymeier. 

Yours affectionately, 
F. Engels