| My dear Challey,

The last letter you had from Modena Villas was such a weighty one, containing, epistles from Möhme, Fox & Tussy that I did not like to try your patience still more by adding a scrawl from myself. But I don't mean to spare you any longer. My tongue itches—I must have a chat with you.—First & foremost then, let me tell you, how delighted I am to hear such a good account of your Publisher. What a blessing it is, he does not resemble that confounded slow-coach Duncker, & what a still greater blessing, that this book will not make its appearance under the auspices of your very good friend Lassalle. Heaven preserve us from our friends!—This morning, Möhme had a letter from Engels (enclosed 10 £). The good old boy is frantic with joy. He says he has never experienced more pleasure than on receiving your last letter. To Ida I fear the news of the speedy publication of your book will give no such unqualified delight. Sie wird sogleich ihrem Ferdinand einen Punsch zurecht brauen u ihn – er mag wollen  | oder nicht – Etwas heraus drucksen lassen. –

Many thanks, my dear Mohr, for the birth-day present contained in your letter. How much I shall miss you on the Ist of May. It will be the first birth-day without you. Shall you be back before the 5th of this month?—It is very kind indeed of you to think of preparing a pleasant stay for me in Germany. However, I must protest against one thing. You seem to think I am much in need of a change, whereas, on the contrary, I can assure you, I am very comfortable where I am. Indeed you are wrong, dear Challey, in supposing that I am in any way “pining away”. Really there isn't the slightest demand for fantastic smiles of pity (I don't know why or wherefore),—although there is a plentiful supply of them. I have not yet come to the strait of requiring all kinds of amusements & excitements. I always find plenty of things to amuse myself with. At present I am thoroughly enjoying Carlyle's Chartism. I much admire his original style, noble aspirations  | good instincts & above all his surpreme contempt for the present “perfect state of society”, the “model English constitution” & the Palaver of its Parliaments reformed & unreformed. But for a' that & a' that, when compared with Engels’ book, Carlyle's appears to me “stale & unprofitable”; I have never before so clearly seen what a difference there is between a scientific & a literary man.—

A few days ago we had a very agreeable surprise. A parcel reached us, containing an iron cross, a silver medal, & a little ring—I don't know whether of brass or gold.—Things we have won at the Polish lottery. Isn't it jolly? The cross was struck in commemoration of the massacres of 61, & has been worn by a Polish woman, until torn from her by the muscovites. It has a Palm branch & crown of thorns, & the word Warsaw engraved on it. The silver medal was made of the spoons etc offered by the nation, & was struck in memory of the gifts of land to the peasants. You can imagine how delighted Tussie is with these things & with what pleasure “Joe” will sport them. At home matters are going on smoothly. | Quicksands have been carefully avoided & up to this moment we have steered clear of rocks & shallows, & are tranquilly floating along on the glassy ocean. The friends we have seen—are Jung who called on us with his wife, Fox calles every sunday & is eloquent on the De Staël, Polish, Irish questions & his beloved Feuillants. When he pulls the currency question out of his bag, I can no longer stand it, & take to my heels & run. We see much of the Secretary for Spain. If you fall in with a likeness of Hegel's you will greatly oblige him by bringing one with you. A-propos speaking of likenesses, reminds me of your promise to have yours taken.—A large vignette you know—I should so much like to have one.—Laura is much better. To-day she is taking a riding-lesson. She sits her horse capitally & looks particularly nice on it. Paul is a “leetle” shaky & sometimes makes free of the horse's mane instead of the reins. These equestrian performances are of course creating quite a sensation at Haverstock Hill—all the neighbours are in a hubbub.—

With love & many kisses

I am, my dearest Challey,
Yours, Jenny.

Laura would like to read Hegel's Philosophy of History. Perhaps you could pick it up in Germany.