Letters of Jenny Marx 1858
Source: MECW Volume 40, p. 569;
First published: in Marx and Engels, Works, Moscow, 1929.
Dear Mr Engels,
For the past week Karl has been so unwell as to be quite incapable of writing. He believes you will already have deduced from the laboured style of his most recent letter that his bile and liver are again in a state of rebellion. I trust his medicines will finally take effect. The worsening of his condition is largely attributable to mental unrest and agitation which now, of course, after the conclusion of the contract with the publishers are greater than ever and increasing daily, since he finds it utterly impossible to bring the work to a close. I now also intend to write straight away to the little Berlin Jew who this time has proved a clever manager. The children are well. Unfortunately they had to stay indoors all through the Easter holidays. The weather was too ghastly and the perpetual rain made our clayey soil so soft and muddy that it was like having the whole of Böckeburg clinging to one’s soles. The Guardians with the two very interesting articles on France arrived today. From this we gather that you, too, are in Manchester and haven’t risked an Easter trip. But fox-hunting no doubt?
Warmest regards from us all.
Your
Jenny Marx