am not in the least in a birthday humour … and, after all, I am only just the one who is gathering in the harvest of Marx's fame."
In 1893 he made a journey through Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Naturally, as the veteran founder, leader, and guide of a movement that was gaining strength every day, he was accorded a very warm and noisy welcome. In a letter dated October 7, 1893, this, however, is what he says about it: "This was, indeed, all very nice of the people, but it is not the thing for me. I am glad it is over, and next time I shall demand a written pledge that there will be no need for me to parade before the public, but that I travel as a private person under private circumstances. I was and am amazed at the magnitude of the welcome prepared for me wherever I went, but I had rather leave this sort of thing to the parliamentarians and peoples tribunes to whose rôle this sort of thing belongs—but for my work this is hardly the thing."
But he was, of course, delighted with the splendid progress made by the movement in Germany and Austria during the seventeen years of his absence.
Perhaps we cannot better conclude this short sketch of Engels' life and work than by reproducing the quotation by Lessuer of the words of Julian Harney, one of the finest of the Chartist leaders, and at one time editor of the Chartist organ, the Northern Star:—
"I have known him, he was my friend and occasional contributor for many years. It was in 1843, when he came from Bradford to Leeds and inquired after me at the office of the Northern Star. … I found a tall, stately young man, with an almost boyish face; his English was already at that time—in spite of his German birth and education—without fault. He told me he was a constant reader of the Northern Star, and with the greatest interest had followed the Chartist movement. And so commenced our friendship thirty-two years ago. Engels, with all his work and troubles, found always time to remember his friends, to give advice, to help where required. His vast knowledge and influence never made him proud; on the contrary, with fifty-five years, he was just as modest and ready to acknowledge the work of others as when he was twenty-two. He was extremely hospitable, full of fun, and his fun was contagious. He was the soul of an entertainment, and managed admirably to make his guests comfortable, who at that time were mostly Owenites, Chartists, Trade Unionists and Socialists.
