stantly work on my account and for the sympathy you feel for the child."
April 6 the child died and Marx writes: "Poor Musch (Edgar—Musch was his nick-name) is no more. … I shall never forget how your friendship has relieved this terrible time for us. …" Then a week later Marx writes again: "The house is, of course, quite desolated and deserted since the death of the dear child who was its vitalising soul. It is impossible to describe how we miss the child everywhere. I have gone through all sorts of misfortunes, but only now do I understand what real sorrow is. I feel broken down. … In the midst of all the frightful sufferings I have gone through in these days, the thought of you and of your friendship has sustained me, and the hope that we still have something rational to do in the world together." In 1857 we find Engels troubled by a very serious illness—a disease of the glands. Marx, during these years, is much troubled by poverty, and the illness of his wife, and so on; Engels is all sympathy and helps as far as he can, but Marx is very much disturbed by his friend's illness and writes: "In spite of all our misfortunes you may be quite sure that both my wife and I were much less concerned about our own affairs than by the last account of your state of health."
He urges Engels not to be obstinate and childish, and to give up work immediately to go away to the sea and not to bother about the Tribune articles until he is much better. Finally, Engels followed the advice of going away, but even whilst away he continued to send Marx articles; nor did he forget before going away to send Marx a good case of wine. Engels was no teetotaller, his wine cellars were always well stocked, and he usually saw to it that whatever else might be lacking in Marx's household, the wine cellar or its equivalent was not empty.
It is characteristic of the thoroughness with which both studied every subject to which they gave any attention at all, that, when advising Engels strongly to take iron, Marx says he is supported in his contentions by the "whole of the newest French, English and German medical literature" that he has just read through on the subject of his (Engels') illness. Engels replies in an equally learned treatise showing the superiority of cod-liver oil; agrees, however, to take both as the two do not necessarily exclude one another.
It is interesting to note that during all the time that Marx was writing his main work. Capital, not only did he discuss every theory advanced therein with Engels, but he asked for and received from Engels exact information as to how exactly the manufacturer works with the various parts of his capital—how he looks upon it, how he divides it in his account books, etc. Also regarding wages value, surplus value and so forth, Engels supplied Marx with essential information, for being himself a manufacturer he could do so at first hand.
And how much Marx valued Engels' help, advice and opinions is shown by many passages in his letters. Thus, June 7, 1859, he writes
