The Life and Work of Friedrich Engels/Chapter 11
Engels' Devotion to Marx
At the end of March, 1860, Engels lost his father, and in September, 1864, he became a partner in the firm. This, of course, meant added responsibilities and work, and was by no means to his liking, as we have seen above, and as we also see from a letter to Marx in May, 1860, in which he says that he is trying to make the contract as onerous as possible for Gottfried (Ermen), in order that at the decisive moment he may be only “too pleased to let me go," from which we can conclude that he already then had no intention of remaining in the business for ever. In the meantime his income rose, and that was, of course, of the greatest importance to himself and Marx.
During all the time that Engels worked at the Manchester cotton mills he felt anything but happy, and how both he and Marx regarded Engels' activity in the commercial world we shall see from extracts of their letters we give below.
Speaking of what may happen when his contract will be up in 1869, he says that as things are he will probably have to go out of the business. He cannot reconcile himself to starting a new business. If he had to do that he would be done for. "I long for nothing so much as to get free of this dastardly commerce, which, with all the loss of time involved, is completely demoralising me. So long as I am in it, I am useless for anything; particularly since I became a partner it has become much worse, because of the greater responsibilities. Were it not for the larger income, I should really prefer to be a clerk again." The one thing that worries him is what to do about Marx when he has to leave the business in a couple of years. He consequently the more wishes and hopes that Marx will at last meet with literary success (from a financial point of view, too), and then comes the incurable optimist, and adds "even should the revolution not come in between and make an end to all financial projects."
Marx undoubtedly understood the sacrifice Engels was making, and in reply to this letter, after expressing his own hope and belief (which, however, in a material sense, was not fulfilled) that in another year he would be a made man and would be able to stand on his own feet financially, he says, amongst other things, "Without you I could never have brought the work (Capital) to a conclusion, and I assure you that a load like a mountain has always lain on my mind: that chiefly on my account you have allowed your splendid powers to go to waste and to grow rusty in commerce."
Already in 1865, after describing his sad economic position at the moment—debts, etc. (and Engels, as always, came to the rescue as far as he possibly could)—Marx deplores his dependent position, and says: "The only thought that sustains me in it all is that we two form a sort of business company in which I give my time to the theoretical and the party section of the business." And it was so indeed. Engels' sacrifice was not only for the friend in whom he recognised genius of the highest order, but it was also a noble sacrifice of his own inclinations and powers for the purpose of furthering the interests of the party, and the ideals both he and Marx had at heart.
In addition, when in the beginning of 1851 Marx was invited to write for the New York Tribune, Engels was of great assistance. In the first place, at that time Marx was not yet a sufficient master of the English language to write in English. Engels, therefore, translated his articles for him. Secondly, when Marx had no time to write, or was unwell, or when the question to be dealt with was a military one, or anything more in Engels' domain, Engels wrote the article himself. Often enough Engels would write one or two articles during the week in addition to his work in the office and all his other studies and writings. These articles all went to the Tribune under Marx's signature and highly valued they were (though miserably paid) whether they came from Marx's or Engels' pen.
January 5, 1854, Marx writes to Engels telling him that his military articles (on the position of affairs in the Crimean War, printed by the Tribune as leading articles on November 15 and December 16, 1853) had made a "great stir and have been attributed to General Scot" (a leading military authority at that time).
In the spring of 1854, Engels seemed for a while to have had great hopes of getting well paid work on the Daily News, and he was already making joyous plans for throwing up his commercial life and coming back to London. Unfortunately, the plan came to nothing, and, much to his disgust, Engels had to remain at his Manchester office.
Early the following year Marx’s only boy, a very gifted but delicate child, fell ill and died. Marx, writing to Engels, says in one letter: "I cannot thank you enough for the friendship with which you constantly work on my account and for the sympathy you feel for the child."
April 6 the child died and Marx writes: "Poor Musch (Edgar—Musch was his nick-name) is no more. … I shall never forget how your friendship has relieved this terrible time for us. …" Then a week later Marx writes again: "The house is, of course, quite desolated and deserted since the death of the dear child who was its vitalising soul. It is impossible to describe how we miss the child everywhere. I have gone through all sorts of misfortunes, but only now do I understand what real sorrow is. I feel broken down. … In the midst of all the frightful sufferings I have gone through in these days, the thought of you and of your friendship has sustained me, and the hope that we still have something rational to do in the world together." In 1857 we find Engels troubled by a very serious illness—a disease of the glands. Marx, during these years, is much troubled by poverty, and the illness of his wife, and so on; Engels is all sympathy and helps as far as he can, but Marx is very much disturbed by his friend's illness and writes: "In spite of all our misfortunes you may be quite sure that both my wife and I were much less concerned about our own affairs than by the last account of your state of health."
He urges Engels not to be obstinate and childish, and to give up work immediately to go away to the sea and not to bother about the Tribune articles until he is much better. Finally, Engels followed the advice of going away, but even whilst away he continued to send Marx articles; nor did he forget before going away to send Marx a good case of wine. Engels was no teetotaller, his wine cellars were always well stocked, and he usually saw to it that whatever else might be lacking in Marx's household, the wine cellar or its equivalent was not empty.
It is characteristic of the thoroughness with which both studied every subject to which they gave any attention at all, that, when advising Engels strongly to take iron, Marx says he is supported in his contentions by the "whole of the newest French, English and German medical literature" that he has just read through on the subject of his (Engels') illness. Engels replies in an equally learned treatise showing the superiority of cod-liver oil; agrees, however, to take both as the two do not necessarily exclude one another.
It is interesting to note that during all the time that Marx was writing his main work. Capital, not only did he discuss every theory advanced therein with Engels, but he asked for and received from Engels exact information as to how exactly the manufacturer works with the various parts of his capital—how he looks upon it, how he divides it in his account books, etc. Also regarding wages value, surplus value and so forth, Engels supplied Marx with essential information, for being himself a manufacturer he could do so at first hand.
And how much Marx valued Engels' help, advice and opinions is shown by many passages in his letters. Thus, June 7, 1859, he writes regarding the Critique: "First of all, let me tell you how delighted I was that you liked the first part, for your judgment alone is important for me in this matter. To the great amusement of my wife, I awaited with considerable anxiety your judgment." Then again, in sending Engels some further sheets of the manuscript of Capital in June, 1867, he says: "I hope you will be satisfied with these four sheets. Your satisfaction with what has gone before is more important to me than anything the rest of the world might say." Where necessary, Engels criticised Marx's works quite freely, and Marx almost invariably utilised these criticisms and often altered his writings in accordance with them.
Finally, August 16, 1867, Marx had corrected the last proof sheet of the first volume of his great work, and that same day wrote to Engels:—
Dear Fred,—Have just finished correcting the last sheet. The appendix—forms of value—in small print contains 1¼ sheets.
The preface corrected yesterday and sent back. And so this volume is finished. It is only thanks to you that this was possible. Without your self-sacrifice on my behalf, I could never have accomplished the enormous work for the three volumes. I embrace you full of thanks.
Enclosed two sheets of corrected proof.
Have received the £15 with best thanks.
Greetings, my dear, my beloved friend.—
Yours,K. Marx
When at length the first volume of Capital was published, Engels left no stone unturned to advertise it, and to get the world, which tried its best to kill it by silence, to take notice of it.