My dear Challey,

Paul has communicated your letter concerning Bakounine Marx an P. Lafargue, 19.4.1870. to Frankel who is likely to be most useful in putting “des batons dans les roues de Robin”. Frankel is one of the sincerest admirers of your book Karl Marx: Das Kapital. Bd. 1. Buch 1. Hamburg 1867. Siehe Erl. zu „1200 Seiten Manuscript“ in Marx an J. Ph. Becker, zw. 9. u. 15.1.1866. (MEGA2 II/5). that I have met with: he reads everything of yours that he can lay hold of: he is going to borrow your book on Proudhon of Keller & I have promised to lend him your 18 Brumaire . He will certainly have an eye on Robin.

Another “surveillant” this latter individual will find in Jaclard who seems to be, in no wise smitten by Bakounine’s agent. But in order to be able to overlook him Jaclard says that he must be authorised by the Central Council to found fresh sections here & to attend the meetings of the delegates. He begs you therefore to get him named as soon as possible at London.

It appears that there are numbers of persons as well in the provinces as at Paris who will join the International at Jaclard’s request.

The International est à la mode You see.

Robin I saw for a few minutes the other day. Whatever else he may be, he is a devilish active fellow. He has a foot in everything that goes on here, & will certainly be able to make mischief if left entirely to his own inspirations or those of his master. He is at present distributing Bakounine’s paper right & left. As regards the split between the Swiss section Robin has given up his intention of bringing it before the Parisians—at least for the present.

There is no danger I believe of Bakounin’s getting the central council to be transplanted to Switzerland, the Parisians are too anxious to have it imported into their own “belle France”.

It is to be hoped that neither France nor Switzerland will be blessed with it, as the Council is best where it is. Les “Pelches” will be buried one of these days under the weight of their own documents. They are busier than ever compiling “des ouvrages sérieux”: they have already answered to their own satisfaction 999 questions on social, economical & political subjects & announce the 1000th “solution sous peu”.

My dear Master, I bid you goodbye with a hundred wishes for your birthday—on the 4th or 5th of this month. I don’t know exactly which date: How should I, as you don’t know it yourself?

With love from all the TooliesVgl. den Spitznamen für Paul Lafargue in Anspielung auf John Lawrence Toole , I am, dear Challey, Your affectionateTailor.