Marx-Engels Correspondence 1887

Engels to Laura Lafargue

Abstract

Source: Marx Engels On Literature and Art, Progress Publishers, 1976;
Transcribed: by Andy Blunden;

June 15, 1887

I was obliged to give a card of introduction (to Paul [Lafargue]) to a young Dr. Conrad Schmidt of Konigsberg, who dabbles in question sociale. He is about the greenest youth I ever saw, he was here about 3 months, seems a decent fellow, as decent fellows go nowadays, frisst keine Schuhnägel und säuft keine Tinte. [eats no boot nails and drinks no ink] If Paul deposits him rue Richelieu, Bibliotéque nationale, he will not trouble him much. He admires Zola in whom he has discovered the “materialistische Geschichtsanschauung.” [materialist conception of history]