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Title: Engels to Miller & Richard, [London, 9 September 1871]
Description: Draft of Engels's reply to the type founders Miller & Richard, who had asked him in confidence for a reference on J. P. McDonnell: Engels vouches for his character, talent and political position.
Author: Friedrich Engels
Date: 1871-09-09
URL: https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/originales/1871-09-09%20Engels%20to%20Miller%20%26%20Richard
---


*Draft of a letter from Friedrich Engels to the firm of Miller & Richard, type founders, in London, [London, 9 September 1871]; the date is that of the letter he was answering and the one given by the editors of the MEW (vol. 33, p. 279). Engels wrote the draft at the foot of that letter. Manuscript preserved at the IISG (Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers, inv. K 1311), transcribed from the digital facsimile by the Escuela de marxismo, 2026 (double reading and collation with the image). Written in English. Diplomatic transcription: spelling, capitals and punctuation as in the manuscript; deletions as ~~text~~; interlinear additions inserted where marked, with a note; [?] after an uncertain reading. [Traducción al español](https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/1871-09-09%20Engels%20a%20Miller%20%26%20Richard)*

Gentn

In reply to &c I beg to say that I ~~consider Mr McD well qualified, both~~ believe Mr McD to be well qualified ~~both~~ as to character; ~~intelligence~~ talent,[^1] & political[^2] position, for the undertaking he has in view. As a representative Irishman, he will be ~~in a position~~ able,[^3] as far as I can judge, to command ~~extensive~~ considerable[^4] support in more than one way ~~[ilegible] of~~ among[^5] his countrymen ~~among them~~ he has very extensive connections among them;[^6] and personally, I believe him to be strictly honorable.

Requesting you to make use of the above in strict confidence & without any guarantee, I am &c

[^1]: «talent» written above the line.

[^2]: «political» written above the line.

[^3]: «able» written above the line.

[^4]: «considerable» written above the line.

[^5]: «among» was struck through and then restored with dots beneath it; the words written above it are deleted and partly illegible.

[^6]: «among them» written above the line.