London, 22 September 1885 

My dear Laura, 

Yesterday when I was going to write to you, people came in and 
made one miss the post. So I can only today send you the cheque 
£ 10. - which is all I can spare until I get some more money in which 
I hope won’t be long. I have not heard from Schorlemmer but sup- 

4 13 September; see also this volume, p. 323. 

pose you must as you expect him, and this being the case I naturally 
pass a step further and give expression to the expectation that he will 
bring you over with him which will be some time next week. We are 
quite ready for you. 

While you had a fine row in Paris last Sunday, **? Tussy and 
Aveling had one here in the East End, I will forward you The Daily 
News which has the best report and a leading article. **? They were 
here this morning, my opinion is that unless they can, get the Radi- 
cals #15 who are very eager, apparently, on their side, to take the mat- 
ter up, le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle.* The Socialists are nowhere, 
the Radicals are a power. If the question can be made one for which 
a dozen Radicals will have themselves arrested, the government will 
give way —if only in view of the elections.” If only Socialists are the 
victims, they will go to prison without any effect. 

I like the systematic and theoretically correct way in which the 
French go about working the scrutin de liste.37° Each party makes 
a complete list of its own. The consequence will be that everywhere 
the relatively strongest party will get all their own men in, the rest 
none. But at the same time each party will count itself and know its 
strength. And at the next elections, the necessary result will come out: 
that the parties nearest to each other will combine for a joint list ac- 
cording to their relative strength — unless indeed this is not already 
done now on the eve of the voting. Scrutin de liste compels 
Radicals *?° and Socialists to have a joint list, as it will gradually 
compel Opportunists and Monarchists to join in a common list, at 
least in sundry departments. But it is characteristic of the génie frangais 
that this can only come out as the result of actual experience. It is this 
ideological, absolute character which gives to French political history 
its classical form, as compared to the muddled politics of other na- 
tions. 

I am overwhelmed with proof-sheets, revisions, prefaces to write, 
etc., etc., so that I have not had the time yet to look seriously at your 
translation of the Manifest.*** As soon as the most urgent business is 
off, end of this week I hope, I shall go at it and then we can discuss the 
matter here. I am glad you are at last taking the bushel off your light 
and helping us to get some good things translated into French, our 
own native Frenchmen being apparently unable to understand Ger- 

* The game is not worth the candle. - ° See this volume, p. 361. - ° French mind 

man. When you are once at it, you will continue by the law of the 
force of inertia, and gradually begin to like the treadmill. 

Now the post-time is up and so good-bye until we see you here 
when I hope you will bring the rest of your translation. 

Nim sends her love. 

Yours affectionately, 
F. Engels