London, 2 November 1886 

My dear Laura, 

I am sorry you gave yourself the trouble to copy out the Menger 
balderdash. °°! The fellow is a simple Streber* who knows that, the 
thicker he lays it on, the better will be his chance of promotion. We 
have got the book here and I shall give Kautsky notes enough to en- 
able him to smash the cheeky devil up. The position he takes is so ut- 
terly ridiculous that it will nowhere be accepted unless in national- 
liberal newspapers, and there we must expect to have it served up 
again and again, but that is of the utmost indifference. The Rod- 
bertus scare was far more serious and that we have already smashed 
up so completely that it is quite forgotten by this time.” 

I don’t think even Hyndman will venture to make capital out of 
this, except perhaps in a very small way. 

Now I must begin writing my preface, © as Swan Sonnenschein and 
Co. are asking for it, so this looks like coming to a conclusion! 

Very affectionately yours, 
F.E.