Friedrich Engels to Charles L. Fitzgerald in London, [London, between 26 and 28 January 1884]; draft. Manuscript preserved at the IISG (Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers, inv. K 520), 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 where legible, otherwise [ilegible]; interlinear additions inserted where marked, with a note; [?] after an uncertain reading; [ilegible] for an illegible word. Traducción al español

Encld I beg to hand you P.O.O. 10/10 for my year's subscr. to Justice.

I am at present so overcharged with work, not only for the immediate future but also for a considerable period of time to come, that unfortunately1 (it will be utterly in- would be folly on my part to promise2 any also[?]3 possible for me to send Contributions to Justice your paper. I have not been disabled from active work for the last six months & only now am[?]4 slowly5 regaining the strength necessary to accomplish the my6 most urgent task — the to7 prepare for the press the Ms. left by my late friend Marx. To that & my promise to the literary fear[?] to labour[?]8 I am bound for the to devote any[?] spare[?] moments all9 of my time. In better days, True[?]10 I did promised an article to „To Day" but that was in better days &11 (I am afraid) they too will have to wait.

  1. «unfortunately» written above the line and struck out. ↩

  2. «would be folly on my part to promise» written above the line. ↩

  3. «also» written above the line and struck out. ↩

  4. «am[?]» written above the line. ↩

  5. «slowly» written above the line. ↩

  6. «my» written above the line. ↩

  7. «to» written above the line. ↩

  8. «to labour[?]» written above the line. ↩

  9. «all» written above the line. ↩

  10. «True[?]» written below the line; place of insertion not marked. ↩

  11. «that was in better days &» written above the line. ↩