--- Title: Engels to Florence Kelley-Wischnewetzky, London, 22 February 1888 Description: Engels on Gronlund, the new English translation of the Communist Manifesto, the boycott by the German Socialists of New York and the progress of the movement in England. Author: Friedrich Engels Date: 1888-02-22 URL: https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/originales/1888-02-22%20Engels%20to%20Florence%20Kelley-Wischnewetzky --- *Letter from Friedrich Engels to Florence Kelley-Wischnewetzky in New York, London, 22 February 1888. Written in English. Text from: F. A. Sorge (ed.),* Briefe und Auszüge aus Briefen von Joh. Phil. Becker, Jos. Dietzgen, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx u. A. an F. A. Sorge und Andere *(Stuttgart, 1906), pp. 292-293. Sorge prints the letter abridged. The rows of dashes are his; […] marks further paragraphs he leaves out. [Spanish translation](https://marxismo.school/archivo/marx-engels/cartas/1888-02-22%20Engels%20a%20Florence%20Kelley-Wischnewetzky)* London, Febr. 22nd 1888. Dear Mrs. Wischnewetzky. I have duly received your letters Dec. 21st and Jan. 8th and return Lovell's letter with thanks. I am not astonished at Gronlund's proceedings, I was rather glad he did not call on me here. From all I hear he is full of vanity and self-conceit, to a degree unattainable even to a German, and to be reached only by a Scandinavian, but also so naive in it as only a Scandinavian can be — in a German it would be offensive. Es muss auch solche Käuze geben. In America not less than in England all these self-announced grands hommes will find there own level as soon as the masses begin to stir — and will then find themselves shifted to that level of their own with a velocity that will astonish them. We have had all that in Germany, and France, and in the International too. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — […] […] […] Justice brought out again the old American translation of the Communist Manifesto. This set Reeves inquiring about an *authorized* translation. I had one by S. Moore, and Sam happened to be here. So we revised it and sold it to R. — he got the proofs last week and as soon as it is out you shall have a copy. Sam Moore is the best translator I know but not in a position to do work without getting something for it. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — […] Your remarks about my books being boycotted by the official German Socialists of New York are quite correct, but I am used to that sort of things, and so the efforts of these gents amuse me. Better so than to have to undergo their patronage. With them the movement is a business, and “business is business”. This kind of things won't last very long, their efforts to boss the American movement as they have done with the German-American one, must fail miserably. The masses will set all that right, when once they move. Here things go slowly but well. The various little organizations have found their level and are willing to cooperate without bickerings. The police brutalities in Trafalgar Square have done wonders in helping to widen the gap between the working men Radicals and the Middle Class Liberals and Radicals, the latter have behaved cowardly in and out of Parliament. The Law and Liberty League — a body gaining ground every day — is the first organization in which Socialist delegates, *as such*, sit aside of Radical delegates. The stupidity of the present Tory government is appalling, — if old Disraely was alive, he would box their ears right and left. But this stupidity helps on matters wonderfully. Home Rule for Ireland *and for London* is now the cry here, the latter a thing which the Liberals fear even more than the Tories do. The working class element is getting more and more exasperated, through the stupid Tory provocations, is getting daily more conscious of its strength at the ballot box, and more penetrated by the Socialist leaven. The American example has opened their eyes, and if next autumn there was to be a repetition, in any large American town, of the New York election campaigne of 1886, the effect here would be instantaneous. The two great Anglo-Saxon nations are sure to set up competition in Socialism, as well as in other matters and then it will be a race with ever accelerated velocity. Can you let me have the American Custom's Tariff, and the list of internal taxes upon American industrial and other products? and if possible some information as to how the latter are balanced by the former with regard to cost of production? that is, for instance, if the inland duty on cigars is 20%, an import duty of 20% would balance it as far as foreign competition is concerned. That is what I should like to have some information about, before I write my preface to “*Free Trade*.” Reciprocating your kind wishes I remain Yours very truly F. Engels.