The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-03-16
BY PAUL LAFARGUE.

(The following is from an article
By PaaL Lafargae, sor-in-law of
Mara, entitled personal RecoIlec-
tioms of Karl Mara" 1t tells of
Marg's intellectual life, his literary
interests, and has methods of aUorhc.
At my first visit, when l saw him
in his study in Maitland Park Road,
he was to me, not the interchangeable
and unequalled political agitator,
but the man of learning. This room
has become historical. From all
parts of the civilized world those
who wished to consult the master of
socialist thought fiocked to it.
Any one who wants to realize the
intimate aspects of Marks intellec-
tual life must form a mental picture
of this workroom. 1t was on the
first floor, well lighted by broad
window looking on the park. The
fireplace was opposite the window,
and was fanked by bookshelves, on
the top of which packets of news
papers and manuscripts were piled
up to the ceiling.
On one side of the window stood
two tables, likewise loaded with mis-
cellaneous papers, newspapers, and
books. In the middle of the room,
where the light was'best, was a small
and plain writing table, three feet
by two, and a windsor armchair. Be
tween this chair and one of the
bookshelves, facing the window, was
a leather-covered sofa on which
Marx would lie down to rest occa-
sionally.
On the mantelpiece were more
books, interspersed with cigars, box
es of matches, tobacco jars, paper
weights and photographs his
daughters, his wife, Friedrich En-
gels, and Wilhelm Wolf. Marx was
heavy smoker. "CapitaL will not
bring in enough money to pay for
the cigars l smoked when l was
writing it," he told me. But he was
still more spendthrift in his use of
matches. So often did he forget his
pipe or cigar that he had constantly
to be relighting it, and would use up
a box of matches in an incredibly
short time.
He would never allow any one to
arrange Greatly, to disarrange) his
books and papers. The prevailing
disorder was only apparent. In &C
tual fact, everything was in its prop
er place, and he could put his hand
on any book or manuscript he want
ed. When conversing, he would Of
ten stop for moment to show the
relevant passage in book or to find
numerical reference. He was at one
with his study, where the books and
papers were as obedient to his will
as were his own limbs.
He disdained appearances when
arranging his books. Quarto and oc-
tavo volumes and pamphlets were
placed higgledy-piggledy as far as
size and shape were concerned. What
interested him was their content. To
him books were intellectual tools, not
luxuries. "They are my slaves" he
would say, "and must do as ! bid
Them" He had scant respect for
their form, their binding, the beauty
of paper or printing; he would turn
down the corners of the pages, I'M
derline freely, and pencil the mar
gins.
He did not make notes in his books,
but could not refrain from ques-
ton mark or a note of exclamation
when an author kicked over the trac-
es. His system of undermining en-
abled him to refer back to any de-
sired passage. Every few years he
would re-read his notebooks and sa-
lient passages in the books he had
read, in order to refresh his mem
dry-which was extraordinarily Wig
orous and accurate. From early
youth he had trained it in accord
ance with Hegel's plan of memoriz-
ing verses in an unfamiliar tongue
He knew much of Heine and Goe-
the by heart, and would often quote
these poets in conversation. Indeed
he read great deal of poetry, in
most of the languages of Europe.