Transcription with doubtful readings: 4 of the 70 words of the final text (5.7 %) are marked as uncertain ([?]) or illegible ([ilegible]), and each of them is explained in a note. Draft of a letter from Karl Marx to Collet Dobson Collet, editor of The Free Press, [London,] 25 March 1857. Manuscript kept at the IISG, Amsterdam (Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers, inv. C 115-120, image 6: a strip of paper), transcribed from the digital facsimile by the Escuela de marxismo, 2026 (double reading and collation with the image). The notes give the reading of the editors of the MEW (vol. 29, p. 543, in German translation) only as theirs; nothing has been completed from it. Diplomatic transcription: spelling and punctuation of the manuscript; deletions as text; additions above the line in their place, with a note; [?] after an uncertain reading, [ilegible] for what cannot be read. Traducción al español

25 March. 1857.

Dear Sir,

You[?] would[?] Enclosed Chapter V of the Diplomatic Relations. The forwarding of the gratification due for the noted1 contributions would oblige me. Should you be poised[?]2, you would oblige me by calling at my house any day except Sunday3. I have to communicate you most highly important4 information respecting [ilegible] [ilegible] highly[?] important. The illness of Mrs[?]5 Marx prevents does not6 me allow me calling seeing you7 at Grafton[?]8-place.

Yours truly
[ilegible]9
Mr D. Collet.

  1. The German translation in MEW, vol. 29 (Berlin 1963; reprint 1978), p. 543, has “für die gewünschten Beiträge” (“for the contributions wanted”); both readings of the manuscript give “noted”. ↩

  2. About six letters: the initial has a descender (p, f or j), the third letter is a dotted i and the last a looped d. The editors of the MEW translate the clause as “Sollte es Ihre Zeit erlauben” (“Should your time allow”). ↩

  3. The MEW translation has “außer Freitag” (“except Friday”); the manuscript clearly reads “Sunday”. ↩

  4. “highly important”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  5. A short word in small letters, with an initial loop, four or five strokes and a final s or r; there is no capital like the M of “Marx”. The first reading had “our”. The MEW translation has “Frau Marx”. ↩

  6. “does not”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  7. “seeing you”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  8. A round initial (G or A), r, a, f with a descender, t and “on”: “Grafton”; the first reading, “Anglesea”, does not fit the ending. The MEW translation has “Ampton Place”. Collet’s own letter to Marx of 10 June 1857 (IISG, D 771-833, image 10) is headed “10 Ampton Place”; this is noted here only as context, not as a reading of this draft. ↩

  9. Monogram or initials, not readable as “KM”: a loop like e or l, a letter with a descender (p or f) and a dotted i. The MEW translation gives no signature. ↩