Regent's Park Road to discuss their proposed paper
''The Commonweal''. Morris's account of this is given in a letter to Scheu:
Aveling summoned me to go up to Engels on Saturday important business: I was uncomfortable rather wondering what it was. Aveling told me it was about the 'Commonweal'. that Engels thought we should have no chance of carrying on a weekly, & had better try a monthly at first at any rate. Aveling seemed rather inclined to stick to the weekly. I saw Engels who said that we were weak in political knowledge & journalistic skill, and that we should find it very difficult to carry on a weekly paper really well, without stuffing it with rubbish and so on. I must confess that though I don't intend to give way to Engels his advice is valuable; and on this point I am inclined to agree.
The first number with Morris as editor and Aveling as sub-editor appeared at the beginning of February 1885. Eleanor contributed regularly to ''The Commonweal''. She resumed her gathering of news items from abroad, now under the title "Record of the Revolutionary International Movement", having used a similar title contributing to ''To-day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism.'' In April 1884, Engels accepted Aveling's offer to help in translating the first volume of Karl Marx's book ''
Das Kapital
''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' (), also known as ''Capital'' or (), is the most significant work by Karl Marx and the cornerstone of Marxian economics, published in three volumes in 1867, 1885, and 1894. The culmination of his ...
.''
As he was busying himself with the translation Aveling gave four lessons on Marx's ''Capital'' in a series of classes to the Westminster branch of the SDF between November–December 1884. Although Aveling had proposed his lectures in September, it was only in mid-October that the executive of the SDF finally "approved the action of the Westminster branch in establishing 'gratuitous Social Science classes" However, after both Aveling and Eleanor left the SDF for the new Socialist League, he immediately proposed re-running the lessons in an expanded form, into two series of eight lessons, intended to summarize Volume 1 of Capital. Aveling's lectures were strongly supported by William Morris.
The serial publication of Aveling's "Lessons in Socialism, I. -XI." (1885) in ''The Commonweal'' was interrupted by the first American journey. These lessons had tremendous significance for the English working class movement such that a full year before the publication of the English translation of ''Capital'' it was not unusual to read the following:
"Leicester sends interesting report of lectures by Eleanor Marx-Aveling and G. B. Shaw. The Branch is about to form a class for the study of Economics on the basis of Karl Marx, with Aveling's " Lessons " as text-book." In his first Lesson on Scientific Socialism, Edward Aveling acknowledged how he had become generally known for his work on Darwin: "The object of this article, and of those that may follow it, is to give some evidence of the fact that Socialism is based on grounds as scientific and as irrefragable as the theory of Evolution. But, as one who is mainly known to the general public as a student and interpreter of Charles Darwin, I cannot refrain from saying that precisely the same methods of observation, recordal, reflection and generalisation that have made his ideas convincing to me have, as applied to history and economics, convinced me of the truth of Socialism. Again and again we hear sneers at scientific Socialism. These are, as a rule, forthcoming from those whose ignorance of Science and of Socialism are on a par. In some rare cases, however, the contempt is poured on us and on a greater than us, ours, by those who ought to know, and in a few cases do know, better."
The decision to change ''The Commonweal'' from a monthly to a weekly meant that Aveling could not continue his role as sub-editor. He published the following apology: "AN EXPLANATION. The change of the Commonweal from a monthly to a weekly prevents my retaining the responsible position of one of its editors, as the necessary demands of a weekly on an editor's time can only be met by those in relatively more fortunate positions. The amount of time and work given by me to the paper in its new form will be not less than have been given heretofore. Edward Aveling."
In 1891 Aveling rewrote and published these lessons as ''The Student's Marx.'' In ''Capital: A Critical Analysis of Capitalist Production. Vol. I.'' (1887) he translated the chief historical and narrative parts: Part III. The Production of Absolute Surplus-Value. Chapter X. (The Working-Day, sects. i-vii), Chapter XI. (Rate and Mass of Surplus-Value), Part VI. Wages. Chapters XIX. (The Transformation of the Value (and respectively the Price) of Labour-Power into Wages, Chapter XX. (Time-Wages), Chapter XXI. (Piece-Wages), Chapter XXII. (National Difference of Wages), the last part of Part VII. The Accumulation of Capital. Chapter XXIV., Chapter XXV. (The General Law of Capitalist Accumulation), all of Part VIII. The So-called Primitive Accumulation. Chapters XXVI. -XXXIII., and the forewords by Marx to the first (London, 25 July 1867) and second (London, 24, 1873) German editions. Eleanor Marx worked in the
British Museum
The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
revising the notes. Aveling also translated Engels' ''
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific'' (1892) a work first published in 1880 that Sir
Isaiah Berlin
Sir Isaiah Berlin (6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997) was a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas. Although he became increasingly averse to writing for publication, his improvised lectures and talks ...
described as "the best brief autobiographical appreciation of Marxism by one of its creators".

Aveling and Eleanor both participated in two important free-speech demonstrations, namely at Dod Street on 20 September 1885 and the free-speech demonstration at Stratford on 29 May 1886. Both appeared as witnesses in the magistrate's court for William Morris who had been arrested at Dod Street. Aveling gave an account of the 29 May meeting in ''The Commonweal'' under the title ''Socialists and Free Speech''
His last lecture in England before leaving for America was entitled "How to bring about the Social Revolution." delivered at Arlington Hall, Rathbone Place, in Oxford Street, on 20 August.
The American journey of agitation 1886
In 1886, Eleanor Marx and Aveling travelled to New York on the SS City of Chicago arriving on 31 August to tour the United States and to campaign for the
Socialist Labor Party
The Socialist Labor Party (SLP)"The name of this organization shall be Socialist Labor Party". Art. I, Sec. 1 of thadopted at the Eleventh National Convention (New York, July 1904; amended at the National Conventions 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 192 ...
of America.
Wilhelm Liebknecht
Wilhelm Martin Philipp Christian Ludwig Liebknecht (; 29 March 1826 – 7 August 1900) was a German socialist activist and politician. He was one of the principal founders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).Anti-Socialist Laws
The Anti-Socialist Laws or Socialist Laws (; officially , approximately "Law against the public danger of Social Democratic endeavours") were a series of acts of the parliament of the German Empire, the first of which was passed on 19 October 187 ...
.
August Bebel
Ferdinand August Bebel (; 22 February 1840 – 13 August 1913) was a German socialist activist and politician. He was one of the principal founders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Bebel, a woodworker by trade, co-founded the Sa ...
had also been invited but had to decline because of health issues. Engels had written to Bebel in January 1886 suggesting he make this trip: "It might, in fact, be a very pleasant experience. For Tussy and Aveling have been corresponding with American free-thinkers about the possibility of a trip to that country, and would like to combine it with yours. They expect to hear within the next 3 or 4 weeks. If it comes off, the four of you would make agreeable travelling companions." On 30 September 1866, the three spoke at Brommer's Union Park in front of twenty-five thousand people."Dr Aveling and his wife made addresses in English, and Herr Liebknecht spoke in German"
''The Workmen's Advocate'' described his speech so in an article entitled "A Hearty Welcome. Twenty-five Thousand People Greet Liebknecht and the Avelings": "Then Dr. Aveling stood up before the cheering crowd. He spoke clearly and deliberately, expressing his gratification at the manner of their reception. Impressing it upon the minds of his hearers that socialism intended to change the present condition of society by organization and education. Noticing the array of policemen present Dr. Aveling said: "I hope the police will go back to their employers and tell them that a socialist meeting needs no police. We can preserve order without their presence." He complimented the Germans for their zeal in the cause, and declared that the American workmen would soon feel the necessity for cooperating in the work of reforms."
The Avelings wrote a series of articles for ''The Workmen's Advocate'' that closely followed with detailed reports of the "Propaganda Tour", articles on conditions of life in the United States. Many of these were later revised and incorporated into their book, ''The Working Class Movement in America.'' All three defended the anarchists convicted of conspiracy after the Chicago Square Haymarket riots of 4 May 1886, the so called
Haymarket affair
The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886 at Haymarket Square (C ...
. Four anarchists were convicted of throwing a bomb that killed one policeman:
August Spies,
Albert R. Parsons,
George Engel, and
Adolph Fischer who were hung on 11 November 1887.
Louis Lingg who was also condemned, committed suicide in his jail cell beforehand. According to the historian James R. Green, Liebknecht and the Avelings even visited the Cook county jail where they were being held.
The Haymarket incident has been described as "the first major 'red scare' in American history, (that) produced a campaign of 'red-baiting' which has rarely been equalled." The socialists, usually lumped together with the anarchists despite their mutual and intense antagonisms, became easy targets for vicious attacks by editors, politicians and professional patriots. The ''Chicago Times'' wrote that the Avelings were unwelcome in Chicago and they feared a revolutionary repeat of the events; some papers were writing encouraging violence against them, with headlines such as: "Dr. Aveling and Wife. The Proper Sort of Reception to a Pair of Dangerous Socialists." It was declared: "Dr. Aveling, the English Socialist who has come to this country to rescue the Chicago Anarchists from the gallows...", Eleanor was called his "vitriolic spouse", and any respectable Americans should have nothing to do with these "firebrands of the Aveling-Liebknecht variety". Some editors of American newspapers after his return to England went so far as to put Aveling's name and August Spies in the same headline. Edward and Eleanor became "The London pair of anarchists" and "the pair of apostles" in the yellow press. At a meeting on the 8 November at the Chicago Aurora Turner Hall, Aveling was quoted as saying:
Between September and December 1886 they lectured in New York, St. Louis, Baltimore, Detroit, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Minneapolis and many other cities including Chicago. Aveling took with him his "Rand & MacNally" travel guides, which he described as "the "Bradshaws" of the States" After their return to London on 4 January 1887, they wrote a book for English readers detailing the situation of the left-wing political movement and trade unions in the US, which they said was populated by "unconscious socialists," people who shared socialist values but disclaimed socialist ideas. Aveling and Marx wrote:
The mass of American Workers had scarcely any more conception of the meaning of Socialism than had 'their betters.' They also had been grievously misled by capitalist papers and capitalist economists and preachers. Hence it came to pass that after most of our meetings we were met by Knights of Labour, Central Labour Union men, and members of other working-class organisations, who told us that they, entering the place antagonists to Socialism as they fancied, had discovered that for a long time past they had been holding its ideas.
On 21 December, Aveling had spoken at a mass demonstration of the American SLP in New York and suggested that the SLP and the Knights of Labour should merge. A few days later at a party meeting of the SLP, Aveling repeated this idea that was rejected by the SLP chairman
Wilhelm Rosenberg, it led to a serious rift and Aveling charged Rosenberg with pursuing "German-speaking sectarianism". Rosenberg retaliated and the SLP initiated the charges of overspending that would have serious repercussions for Aveling's reputation.
During his time in the Socialist League, Aveling wrote and translated various socialist texts but nonetheless remained unpopular in the movement, the object of a steady stream of gossip and accusations as a result of the first America trip, and the charges of financial impropriety that had been raised against him. Aveling's revolutionary notoriety had also attracted attention in Germany. Harald Wessel has published a photo of a receipt for $560 dated 30 November 1886, that is held at the secret archive of the Prussian Ministry of the Interior.
Otto von Bismarck
Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...
hired the
Pinkerton Detective Agency
Pinkerton is an American private investigation and security company established around 1850 in the United States by Scottish-born American cooper Allan Pinkerton and Chicago attorney Edward Rucker as the North-Western Police Agency, which lat ...
to spy on Wilhelm Liebknecht and the Avelings.
Aveling gave his own individual account "notes" of this first American journey that appear to have had less attention giving to it, presumably because it appeared after his second one from 1888, and has escaped the notice of biographers. "An American Journey by Edward Aveling." (New York:, Lovell, Gestefeld & Company, 1892), is an unusual document, that from the beginning has a theatrical feel to it. The introduction also says:
Eleanor hardly appears in his account, and is only mentioned a few times. He refers to her in some places as "Saccharissa". This was also the nickname that the poet
Edmund Waller
Edmund Waller, 3 March 1606 to 21 October 1687, was a poet and politician from Buckinghamshire. He sat as MP for various constituencies between 1624 and 1687, and was one of the longest serving members of the English House of Commons. Althoug ...
(1606–87) gave for Lady
Dorothy Sidney, Countess of Leicester who was the subject of his youthful love poems, the so-called Sacharissa cycle or the love-songs to Sacharissa, why Aveling chose an additional "c" for Eleanor is unclear. The following remark is a particularly fascinating one: "My readers
may smile at my enthusiasm, but I am bound to place on record the fact that
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age ...
produced upon me on my first meeting him the effect that has been produced on me by two other men, and by two other men only, in my life. Those two are Charles Darwin and Henry Irving."
On their return, the Avelings stayed with Engels working on the translation of ''Das Kapital'' and they wrote about America, co-authored articles appeared in "Die Neue Zeit" and in "To-Day" on the Chicago anarchists. On 23 March 1887, Aveling gave a lecture on "Socialism in America" at Clerkenwell in the Hall of the Socialist League, 13 Farringdon Road, E.C., it was reported "to a large and attentive audience; good discussion followed." On April 6, Eleanor also gave a talk there on "Socialism in Europe and America". On 11 April 1887, Aveling and Eleanor Marx gave a speech against the passage of the
Anti-Coercion bill and for Irish independence at a rally of over 100,000 people in Hyde Park, London. On 19 May 1887 Aveling gave a lecture on "Radicalism and Socialism" at The Communist Club, that was then situated at 49, Tottenham Street.
In August 1987, the Avelings had a holiday in Stratford-on-Avon, renting out a cottage, and the two of them joyfully immersed themselves in Shakespearean life: "We have been over his home, and seen the old guild Chapel...and the old grammar school—unchanged—whither he went "unwillingly to school"; and his grave in Trinity Church, and Ann Hathaway's cottage, still just as it was when Master Will went a-courting, and Mary Arden's cottage at Wilecote—the prettiest place of all."
In August 1888, the branch to which Aveling and Marx belonged separated from the
anarchist
Anarchism is a political philosophy and Political movement, movement that seeks to abolish all institutions that perpetuate authority, coercion, or Social hierarchy, hierarchy, primarily targeting the state (polity), state and capitalism. A ...
-dominated Socialist League in favour of an independent existence as the
Bloomsbury Socialist Society
The Bloomsbury Socialist Society (BSS) was a socialist organisation, which broke away from the Socialist League in August 1888. Its meeting place was at the Communist Club, 49, Tottenham Street, Tottenham Court Road.
At the third annual conference ...
.
[Henderson, "Edward Aveling," pg. 36.] Both Aveling and Eleanor participated in the 13 November 1887
"Bloody Sunday" at Trafalgar Square, London. On 7 December 1887, Aveling lectured on "Despotism from a Socialist Standpoint" at the Clerkenwell Hall of the Socialist League.
Second American journey of 1888
Aveling's second journey was intentionally dramatic. According to Holmes: "Buoyed up by the positive reception for his adaptation of Hawthorne's ''The Scarlet Letter'', Edward thought he'd try his luck at conquering the American stage. He told Eleanor he had been invited to put on three of his plays in New York, Chicago and 'God knows where else besides' (Engels)." What Frederick Engels called a flying visit ("eine Spritztour"), primarily to see his nephew, went off quietly and intentionally in secret so as not to arouse the attention of German socialists in New York. He, Karl Schorlemmer, Eleanor and Aveling set sail on August 9 on the SS ''City of Berlin''. They arrived in New York on 17 August 1888 where the Avelings stayed at the St. Nicholas hotel on Broadway. Eleanor wrote to Laura Lafargue"... Edward will... have to take care of theatre rehearsals for the next few days.") on August 27 they were in Boston "where they remained several days. They next travelled by way of Niagara Falls to Toronto, then by boat to Montreal, and from Montreal they returned to New York via Plattsburg. On September 19 the party sailed back to Europe." The party visited Concord reformatory, a prison, and Struik in his article obtained the following information. "Mr. John C. Dolan, the present Superintendent of the Reformatory, had the kindness to write me the following note, dated Jan. 20, 1948: 'Our records show that on August 30, 1888, the Massachusetts Reformatory was favoured with a visit from Edward Aveling, D.Sc., the noted Socialist leader of London, England, and his wife; Professor C. Schorlemmer of Owens College, Manchester, England, and Mr. Frederick Engels, Essayist of London, England.' "
Their itinerary can be discerned from Engels' correspondence with Sorge. "Today Aveling is finishing his whole work in America. The remaining time is free. Whether we go to Chicago is still uncertain, for the rest of the program we have plenty of time." What this work is, or Engels' program consisted of, is uncertain, but presumably theatrical as there is also mention of a production in Chicago of one of Aveling (Alec Nelson's) plays. After leaving the Socialist League, Aveling became active in the National Union of Gasworkers and General Labourers of Great Britain and Ireland, founded in 1889 for whom he served as an auditor. Aveling was chairman of the Central Committee for a Legal Eight Hours' Day. He gave many lectures on the legal eight hours' day. The secretaries of the Committee were W. W. Bartlett and T. E. Wardle. When Charles Bradlaugh died in 1891 as a Liberal MP for Northampton, Aveling was encouraged to stand as a candidate by the Social Democratic Federation in Northampton and the Gasworkers' union. Problems arose with raising a sum for the necessary financial deposit and Hyndman's treachery.
At the beginning of 1892, Aveling was closely working with Engels on his translation of ''Socialism: Utopian and Scientific'': "spent the whole of this morning in conference with Aveling, sorting out his translation of Entwicklung des Sozialismus". Friedrich Engels in a letter to Conrad Schmidt, London 12 September 1892, had read an essay of his in ''Die Neue-Zeit'' and had written: "If there were a review over here that would take it, I would, with your permission, get Aveling to translate it under my supervision." Following the Bradford TUC summit in January 1893 Eleanor and Edward toured the Black country, including Dudley and Wolverhampton. Aveling in Scotland addressed socialist meetings in Aberdeen on 10 and 12 June 1892.
Aveling assisted
John Lister in his campaign as a candidate for the ILPs first parliamentary seat at the Halifax by-election in February 1893. Aveling writing political reports for the''Volks-Zeitung''. Engels somewhat critical: "The masses are unmistakably in motion; you are getting the details from Aveling's somewhat longwinded reports in the Volkszeitung." In April/May 1893, Aveling was ill and went to Hastings to recuperate. Edward, Eleanor, and Engels attended The
International Socialist Workers Congress, Zürich 1893 that met later that year from 6 to 13 August. Edward and Eleanor then moved to 7 Gray's Inn Square; after which, Aveling went to the Isles of Scilly (St Mary's) for seven weeks (October/November) for convalescence for his kidney problems. He also wrote a series of travel articles for
Robert Blatchford
Robert Peel Glanville Blatchford (17 March 1851 – 17 December 1943) was an English socialist campaigner, journalist, and author in the United Kingdom. He was also noted as a prominent atheist, nationalist, and opponent of eugenics. In the early ...
's, weekly socialist newspaper "The Clarion" using the name 'Alec Nelson'. On his return Eleanor was horrified to discover that his abscess had grown significantly, as she graphically wrote to her sister Laura, and sent for a doctor. In March 1895, Edward and Eleanor went to Hastings for health reasons. Eleanor was concerned and informed Liebknecht that they were taking lots of fresh air: "Still, he is not very strong yet."
At the end of June 1895, Edward and Eleanor joined Engels in Eastbourne, who was suffering from throat cancer. According to Holmes, Eleanor and Engels "discussed Edward's nomination as a parliamentary candidate by the Independent Labour Party. The nomination came from the Glasgow Central branch of the ILP. Engels asked 'Tussy' for all the papers and information and read them assiduously. He advised Edward to refuse the nomination as he surmised, correctly, that it was a political trap. " Soon after returning from Eastbourne, Edward and Eleanor left their Gray's Inn Square abode and moved to a country cottage, Green Street Green, at Orpington in Kent. Aveling spoke at Friedrich Engels' funeral on 10 August 1895 (together with Samuel Moore, Herr Schlachtendal, Wilhelm Liebknecht, Paul Lafargue, August Bebel, Edward Anseele, Van der Goes, and the Russians
Vera Zasulich
Vera Ivanovna Zasulich (; – 8 May 1919) was a Russian socialist activist, Menshevik writer and revolutionary. She is widely known for her correspondence with Karl Marx, in which she put into question the necessity of a capitalist industriali ...
(1849–1919) and
Feliks Volkhovsky (1846–1914). The cremated ashes of Engels were cast into the sea on 27 August 1895 at Eastbourne, near Beachy Head lighthouse. Eleanor, Edward, Friedrich Lessner and Eduard Bernstein were in the boat on what was a very stormy day.
In September 1895, Edward and Eleanor were in Scotland, addressing SDF and ILP branches in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Blantyre and Greenock, returning on the 15th. On 14 December, the Avelings moved into an opulent house, "The Den" at 7 Jew's Walk, a house that could boast having both gas and electricity.
Aveling was a founding member and was elected to the
National Administrative Council
The National Administrative Council (NAC) was the executive council of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), a British socialist party which was active from 1893 until 1975.
Creation
The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was founded at a conference in ...
of the
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...
by the 1893 Conference which established the organisation. Friedrich Engels was optimistic and encouraging about this, writing to Sorge. "Aveling was right to join and to accept a seat on the Executive. If the petty private ambitions and intrigues of the London would-be-greats are slightly held in check here and the tactics do not turn out too wrong-headed, the Independent Labour Party may succeed in detaching the masses from the Social-Democratic Federation and in the provinces from the Fabians too, and thus forcing unity." Aveling's communications with Engels at this time as revealed in Engels' letter to Bebel, show an astonishing form of political intimacy: "I continue. What Aveling told me confirms the suspicion I already had, namely, that
Keir Hardie
James Keir Hardie (15 August 185626 September 1915) was a Scottish trade unionist and politician. He was a founder of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, and was its first Leader of the Labour Party (UK), parliamentary leader from 1906 to 1908. ...
secretly cherishes the wish to lead the new party in a dictatorial way, just as Parnell led the Irish, and that moreover he tends to sympathise with the Conservative Party rather than the Liberal opposition." He left that group to rejoin the
Marxist
Marxism is a political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyse class relations, social conflic ...
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on 7 June 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury, James ...
in 1896, despite his long-standing personal and political quarrel with SDF leader
Henry Hyndman
Henry Mayers Hyndman (; 7 March 1842 – 22 November 1921) was an English writer, politician and socialist.
Originally a conservative, he was converted to socialism by Karl Marx's ''Communist Manifesto'' and launched Britain's first socialist p ...
.
[Henderson, "Edward Aveling," p. 37.] In the summer of 1897, Edward and Eleanor travelled to Paris.
Aveling as a Playwright
When Aveling left university, he allegedly became manager of a "company of strolling players" and later, "became established as a dramatic critic (under the name, "Alec Nelson"), and he wrote several "curtain-raisers" and one-act plays." Examples of his dramatic criticism, and the innumerable theatres he visited, can be found in his many contributions to Annie Besant's Freethought journal ''Our Corner''. In Ernest Belfort Bax and
James Leigh Joynes' ''To-Day: The Monthly Magazine of Scientific Socialism'' (1884–85), in which Aveling reviewed, amongst others, dramatic works on Ibsen and Shakespeare. In ''Progress A Monthly Magazine.''(1883–1885), edited by G. W. Foote (Aveling took over as Interim Editor of ''Progress'' from April 1883 to February 1884), there were frequently reviews of plays, as well as two articles on Henry Irving. Of particular importance are the "Dramatic Notes" that were published in E. Belfort Bax's monthly shilling journal ''Time''; they were written together by Edward and Eleanor from January 1890 to March 1891 and were always signed "Alec Nelson and E M A." Their first joint review of "La Tosca" in English at the Garrick Theatre, London, was prefixed with a declaration of critical intent from Edward and Eleanor:
Further examples of his dramatic criticism can be found in his ''An American Journey'' (1892) in Chap. XVIII on American Theatres. He wrote more than ten successful plays, including an adaptation of
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associat ...
's ''
The Scarlet Letter
''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a historical novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, who concei ...
'' that was brought out at the Olympic on 5 June 1888.
Aveling visited
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one ...
—which he compared with Stratford-upon-Avon—and gave an account of his visit, re-treading the life and paths of Nathaniel Hawthorne's work, "At Salem, as at Stratford, times and again, at places and places, no word should be spoken." By August 1888, he was supervising the mounting of three different plays in New York, Chicago, and in the words of Engels "God knows where besides". His last known piece was ''Judith Shakespeare'', adapted from
William Black William Black may refer to:
Politicians
* William Black (Ontario politician) (1867–1944), speaker of the Legislature of Ontario and Conservative MLA
* William Black (Canadian politician) (1869–1930), Progressive party member of the Canadian Hou ...
's novel, and performed at the Royalty on 6 February 1894. The following plays and the dates of the first performances are determined according to Chushichi Tsuzuki and Deborah Lavin:
* Edward Aveling: True Hearts
omedy9 December 1877.
* Edward Aveling: The Tale of Beryn February 1878.
* Alec Nelson: A Test. London, 15. December 1885.
* Alec Nelson: As in a Looking Glass. London 1887.
* Alec Nelson: By the Sea London 25. November 1887. This was Aveling's free adaptation of the French poet and novelist,
André Theuriet
Claude Adhémar André Theuriet (; 8 October 1833 in Marly-le-Roi – 23 April 1907 in Bourg-la-Reine) was a 19th-century French poet and novelist.
Life
Theuriet was born at Marly-le-Roi (Seine et Oise), and was educated at Bar-le-Duc in his ...
's play ''Jean-Marie'', when it was performed in 1887, Eleanor played the heroine.
* Alec Nelson: The Love Philtre. Torquay January 1888.
* Alec Nelson: Scarlet Letter. London 5. June 1888.
Frederick Engels wrote to Eleanor's sister, Laura Larfargue, to ask her if she would be attending the matinée of Aveling's play. The letter provides a good background to his work as a dramatist, one that Engels clearly had great confidence in:
* Alec Nelson: For Her Sake. New and original drama in one act. Produced for the first time, Friday afternoon, 22 June 1888, at the Olympic Theatre. This may have been first performed a little later as Engels had written to F. A. Sorge: "Aveling is back in London for a play that is to be performed tonight—his fifth, while his sixth will probably be performed next week. There can be no doubt that, by devoting himself to drama, 'He has struck oil', as the Yankees say."
* Alec Nelson: The Landlady. London 4. April 1889.
omedietta* Alec Nelson: Dregs. London 16. May 1889.
* Alec Nelson: The Jackal. London 28. November 1889.
* Alec Nelson: Madcap. London 17. October 1890.
* Alec Nelson: The Frog. London October 1893.
* Alec Nelson: Judith Shakespeare. London February 1894.
Aveling also prepared a fairy extravaganza for Christmas 1889 entitled "Snow White" to be included among the dramatis personae were seven dwarfs. The theatre manager
Willie Edouin was responsible at the Strand theatre. It can be said that politics and arts always coalesced, especially during the period of the Social Democratic Federation and their so called "Art Evenings" at which
William Morris
William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and Aveling gave readings and
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...
played piano duets with Annie Besant and Kathleen Ina. Aveling published a considerable amount of poetry in ''Progress'' that has been hardly acknowledged. Poems such as "Alone with my Ale-Can", "Life and Death", "From the South" and exquisitely written botanical poems that were clearly influenced by Shelley's own poem "The Sensitive Plant" (1820), such as "Melodies". Much later when the Avelings were members of the ILP Aveling was still writing poetry such as "The Tramp of the Workers" (1896).
Aveling gave his first public lecture on the poet Shelley in the Hall of Science on 10 August 1879, with Annie Besant in the chair. He addressed the close relationship between the realms of the scientific and the poetical. Both Eleanor and Edward joined the Shelley Society in 1885. Aveling gave a lecture series on Shakespeare at the Hall of Science in 1881. Aveling felt obliged to write a letter to The Academy in January 1884 reminding them that "The experiment of "introducing Shakspere to the East of London" is not novel. Four courses of lectures have been given—on (1) The Plays of Shakspere, (2) The Comedies of Shakspere, (3) The Falstaff Comodies, (4) Macbeth—at the Hall of Science, Old Street, St. Luke's within the last two years by Edward B. Aveling." The letter dated London, 19 January 1884 was published under the heading "Shakspere in the East of London". He started using the
British Museum Reading Room
The British Museum Reading Room, situated in the centre of the Great Court of the British Museum, used to be the main reading room of the British Library. In 1997, this function moved to the new British Library building at St Pancras, London, ...
in 1882 and, allegedly, he approached and introduced himself to Eleanor Marx there. Indeed, an article he wrote for ''Progress'', entitled "Some Humours of the Reading Room at the British Museum" alluded to the flirtatious qualities of the library. Aveling even mused over a form of apartheid in the reading room "clergymen, moreover, ought be separated from their free fellows", and he despaired at the continuing popularity of the bible:
"Few facts are more terrible than this fact. Twenty-one shelves in the room are devoted to copies of the Bible and to commentaries thereon. In the same room, the editions of Shakespeare only occupy four and a half shelves. More saddening than even this the sorry sight of numbers of men, day after day, year after year spending time and energy wholly on the study of the Bible, writing pages upon pages, not upon the new discoveries of science or the arts that gladden lives, but on an ancient book, long since worked-out and rapidly becoming played-out. It is a frightful scene this!"
Based on
Beatrice Potter's diary entry for 24 May 1883 the Avelings must have already been working closely together: "In afternoon went to British Museum and met Miss Marx in refreshment room. Daughter of Karl Marx, socialist writer and refugee. Gains her livelihood by teaching 'literature' etc., and corresponding for socialist newspapers, now editing 'Progress' in the enforced absence of Mr. Foote. Very wroth about imprisonment of latter." Foote had been convicted at the beginning of March and was released on 25 February 1884. Aveling had taken over as "Interim Editor" from April 1883 to February 1884. On 24 July 1884, it was the beginning of their honeymoon in Derbyshire. Engels wrote to Eleanor's sister Laura joking about the "Unschuldslämmer"
nnocent lambs Engels wrote to Bernstein about them: "He and Tussy have married without the involvement of registrars etc., and are now reveling in each other in the mountains of Derbyshire. Notabene about this no public noise may be made, maybe some reactionary will put something in the press, then it's time enough. The casus is that Aveling has a legitimate wife whom he cannot get rid of de jure, although he has been de facto rid of her for years. The matter has become quite well known here and has been well received even by literary philistines as a whole. My London is almost a little Paris and educates its people."
On their return from Derbyshire they lived at 55
Great Russell Street
Great Russell Street is a street in Bloomsbury, London, best known for being the location of the British Museum. It runs between Tottenham Court Road (part of the A400 route) in the west, and Southampton Row (part of the A4200 route) in the e ...
, across from the British Museum. Eleanor wrote at the time: "If love, complete agreement in inclinations and work, and the pursuit of a common goal can make people happy, then we shall be it." The "Dramatic Notes" on the theatre that they had written together are probably the most intimate sounding of their works and their common love for Henry Irving and his Shakespearian roles always shines through: "We have in another place, long ago, recorded the extraordinary impression that performance made on us. Never until that night had we understood exactly what manner of man Malvolio was. We had not seen the strange pathos of his situation, and of his nature. Even to the most earnest students of Shakespeare the playing of that part upon that night was a revelation."
In 1893, Aveling announced to German readers the appearance of an important work of English literature, namely Thomas Hardy's "
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
''Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman'' is the twelfth published novel by English author Thomas Hardy. It initially appeared in a Book censorship, censored and Serialized novel, serialised version, published by the British illustrated newsp ...
: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented", it was stated: "A very important book appeared in England some time ago. It is so important that, despite the difficulties encountered in translating it into another language, it will most likely be translated into German before long. However, the readers of "Neue Zeit" might be interested in finding out something about the contents of the book now." He considered the work Shakespearian, especially the final scene at Stonehenge. It is presumable that this sentiment was also shared by Eleanor, as was their opinion on the Anglo-Irish writer George Moore's novels.
The Avelings and Ibsen
Ibsen's play ''
A Doll's House
''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...
'' in Henrietta Frances Lord's translation ''Nora, or, A Doll's House'' had its English premiere in January 1886 in Edward and Eleanor's apartment at 55, Great Russell St., opposite the British Museum. Aveling played Helmer,
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...
played Krogstad, and Eleanor played Nora. Aveling's critical review of the play "Beaking a Butterfly" that appeared at the Prince's theatre in London, produced by Jones and Herman, and based on Ibsen's "Nora". He wrote: "Rarely has an opportunity, at once literary and dramatic, been so unhappily thrown away. A great play, dealing with a stupendous question, was to be introduced to the English people...When they Englished the play Messrs. Jones and Herman had the possibility of grappling with a tremendous problem—the meaning of marriage."
Aveling was angry that they had "misrepresented" the play, "emasculated" it, "if I may coin a meaning for a familiar word, effeminated the drama."
"Ibsen, the Swedish dramatist, is 56 years old. He sees our lop-sided modern society suffering from too much man, and he has been born the woman's poet. He wants to aid in the revolutionising, with that revolution which is an evolution, the marriage relationship. He would have none of these women so dear to the common-place man of whom the poet of the common-place, Tennyson, has warbled. Where the Tennysonian woman would murmer, subject to the approval of her lord and master, "I cannot understand, I love" Ibsen's truer women are for saying decisively, "Without understanding, there can be no love." The object of marriage should be, and very clearly to-day is not, to make both man and woman more free." Aveling announced here in 1884 that further translations of Ibsen were forthcoming and by that he must have surely meant those that were being undertaking by Eleanor and Archer. "Dr. Edward Aveling read a paper to the Playgoers' Club on Sunday night on The Master Builder. He dealt with the whole subject of Ibsen's dramatic work broadly and generously."
The Lady from the Sea, a play by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling. With critical introduction by Edmund Gosse. London: Fischer Unwin 1890. An Enemy of Society, a play by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling. London, 1888. The Wild Duck
ildanden a play by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling. Eleanor had written: "'Vildanden' is perhaps the most difficult of all Ibsen's prose dramas to translate. Some of the speeches of Gina and Relling are indeed quite untranslatable. The difficulty in the case of Gina is in respect to her frequent malapropisms..." In a review of Aveling's play "The Jackal", first performed in November 1889, one critic immediately alighted onto the influence of Ibsen in it:
"Alec Nelson (Dr. Aveling) has written some rather poetic little pieces, but there is a bitterness and an Ibsenite exposure of the shadier specimens of humanity in his work that would give one a contempt for mankind, were we all such mean or weak creatures as he sets before us."
Aveling and Darwin
In November 1862, Thomas Henry Huxley delivered some celebrated weekly lectures on Darwinian evolution that are referred to as "Six lectures to working men" (1863).
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
wrote to Huxley "they would do good and spread a taste for the Natural Sciences." In another letter to Huxley, Darwin had written "sometimes I think that general & popular Treatises are almost as important for the progress of science as original work." Aveling's string of popular works on Darwin or his Darwin lectures at the Royal Polytechnic in 1874, should be seen in this context. The success and popularity of his scientific instructional works, his membership of the College of Preceptors, his commitment to scientific teaching, almost made such an approach inevitable. At first for students, and then as a result of his secularism, that together with Eleanor Marx would later intensely embrace socialist politics, this desire to popularize and communicate Darwinian evolution to the working classes became an idée fixe. Suzanne Paylor has written: "Aveling's 'Popular Darwinism' was significantly different from much of what was peddled elsewhere in late 19th-century popular culture...He was a scientist by qualification, but was also an excellent popularizer in print and practice. In an era when the public interest in science had never been higher, most of the standard texts about science, as well as conventional scientific education, were beyond the pockets of the common man and woman. Aveling offered a valuable yet affordable alternative."
Aveling's contact with Darwin appears to have begun around 1878. In September 1878, Aveling described Darwin as "first among the scientific men of England" in Aveling's first popular article in the series 'Darwin and His Work', that appeared in ''Student's Magazine and Science and Art'' (1878–1879). The series ran for a year, and although it is not known how many of the seven numbers Darwin received, he sent Aveling encouragement at the start and also asked to see future instalments. In a letter he sent Darwin written from the Royal Polytechnic on 12 October 1880, Aveling explained to Darwin that the original journal had ended and that he had now rewritten these articles and published them: "The Magazine wherein they appeared came to an untimely end and I have since its decease rewritten the articles & published them together with many others, their successors in the National Reformer. The works hitherto dealt with are the Voyage, Volcanic Islands, Geology of S. America, Orchids, Climbing Plants, Insectivorous Plants. I purpose after a study of the Forms of Flowers & Cross & self-fertn. dealing with the Cirripedia & finally with the series commencing with the Origin & ending at present with the Emotions."
The series entitled 'Darwin and His Views', appeared in twenty-eight (sic) instalments in the ''
National Reformer
The ''National Reformer'' was a secularist weekly publication in 19th-century Britain (1860–1893), noted for providing a longstanding "strong, radical voice" in its time, advocating atheism. Under the editorship of Charles Bradlaugh for the maj ...
'' between 16 November 1878 and 19 September 1880. The series began with Aveling using false initials "E.D." and following his secularist credo in July 1879, appeared under his own name entitled 'Darwin and His Works'. The same letter from Aveling cited above (12.10.1880) also requested Darwin's permission so that he could dedicate a work of his: "My friends Mrs. Annie Besant and Charles Bradlaugh, M.P. contemplate publishing under the title of the International Library of Science & Freethought a series of works either by great scientific and freethinking men or upon their labors. The first of the series will be a translation of Dr L. Büchner's "An dem Geistes leben der Thiere" by Mrs. Besant. To this translatn. Dr. Büchner has given full assent. A translatn. of some work from the pen of Ernst Häckel by myself is also designed and other arrangements in regard to French & Italian works are pending. We desire to make the second volume of the series my work upon your writings and teachings. To you, Sir, therefore I again write to know if such a plan will meet with your approval and have the distinct advantage of your personal sanction. We desire from you as from Dr. Büchner and Professor Häckel the illustrious support of your consent. As it is long since I last wrote, I remind you that the volume we desire to produce is designed (1) to give students of your writings a condensed analysis thereof (2) to give those who have not time to read your productions a brief account of your discoveries and ideas."
Darwin politely declined Aveling's request and gave the following reasons for doing so: "...Moreover though I am a strong advocate for free thought on all subjects, yet it appears to me (whether rightly or wrongly) that direct arguments against christianity & theism produce hardly any effect on the public; & freedom of thought is best promoted by the gradual illumination of men's minds, which follows from the advance of science. It has, therefore, been always my object to avoid writing on religion, & I have confined myself to science. I may, however, have been unduly biased by the pain which it would give some members of my family, if I aided in any way direct attacks on religion.— I am sorry to refuse you any request, but I am old & have very little strength, & looking over proof-sheets (as I know by present experience) fatigues me much. I remain Dear Sir , Yours faithfully , Ch. Darwin."
On 9 August 1881 Aveling had sent Darwin a copy of his book with an inscription ''The Student's Darwin''. On the 8th September,
George Romanes
George John Romanes (20 May 1848 – 23 May 1894) was a Canadian-Scots evolutionary biologist and physiologist who laid the foundation of what he called comparative psychology, postulating a similarity of cognitive processes and mechanisms ...
had published a fairly positive review in ''Nature'' of the book: "On the whole, the "Student's Darwin" deserves to be successful in its object of popularising Mr. Darwin's work. The great bar to its usefulness will be its needlessly aggressive tone towards religion, which is sure greatly to lessen a circulation which it might otherwise have had." Later that same month, Aveling and
Ludwig Büchner, a former student of
Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Ludwig Carl Virchow ( ; ; 13 October 18215 September 1902) was a German physician, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist, writer, editor, and politician. He is known as "the father of modern pathology" and as the founder o ...
's, visited
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
at his home
Down House
Down House is the former home of the English Natural history, naturalist Charles Darwin and his family. It was in this house and garden that Darwin worked on his theory of evolution by natural selection, which he had conceived in London befor ...
. They both had attended the congress of the International Federation of Freethinkers held in London from 25–27 September and Büchner, its President wanted to meet Darwin. Aveling had telegraphed Darwin beforehand, and they both journeyed to Down, arriving there on 28 September. Aveling published a´full account of his visit in the ''National Reformer'' in 1882. They discussed atheism and Darwin preferred to be considered an agnostic rather than an atheist, in Aveling's later account of this meeting he wrote: "We explained to him that we were Atheists, but did not say there was no God. Only being unable to realise and believe in the idea of Deity, we were without God; neither asserting, however, nor denying His existence. We found that Darwin held the same opinion, only, as he put it, he called himself an Agnostic. Personally, I have always held that "Atheist" is only "Agnostic" writ aggressive, and "Agnostic" is only "Atheist" writ respectable. We found, upon further enquiry, that he was some forty years of age before he became an Agnostic. Asked why he gave up the Christian religion, he made the reply, "Because I found no evidence for it." And this, coming from perhaps the greatest and most careful weigher of evidence ever known, has its significance."
A further remark of Darwin's recorded by Aveling acquired canonical status: "Then the talk fell upon Christianity, and these remarkable words were uttered: "I never gave up Christianity until I was forty years of age." Aveling was clearly overcome when Darwin made this remark and had written: "I commend these words to the careful consideration of all and sundry who claimed the great naturalist as an orthodox Christian. The unscrupulous will probably quote this remark hereafter with a designed omission of the last seven words. But by a similar device, the Bible can be made to say that "there is no god." I confess that a great joy took possession of me as I heard a statement by its implication so encouraging. I, like the rest of the outside world, was not sure as to his position in regard to religion. Now, from his own lips, I knew that before I was born this, my master, had cast aside the crippling faith. The step taken by so many of us had been taken by him long ago. What a strength and hope are in the thought that the first thinker of our age had abandoned Christianity!" His popular and informative writings on Darwinism, especially his "The Student's Darwin" (1881), which appeared as Vol 2 in the series 'International Library of Science and Freethought' despite Darwin's refusal for it to be dedicated to him.
"Darwinism and Small Families" (1882), "The
Religious views of Charles Darwin" (1883), "The Darwinian Theory. Its meaning, difficulties, evidence, history" (1884), and "Darwin Made Easy" (1887) were widely read by the general public. In 1895 Aveling's "Darwin Made Easy" was still advertised in ''The Freethinker'' "This is the best popular exposition of Darwinism extant." In the publication of his lectures on Biology "Biological Discoveries and Problems" (1881) that were all delivered in 1880 at the Unitarian South Place Chapel, Finsbury, he expressed his desire to play the part of "intellectual middle-man" by that he meant to "present the discoveries, the definitions, and the theories of the great thinkers upon living things in condensed and...in simple form before those who may not have the time to study the masters at first hand." Speaking of Darwin, he would write in his introduction: "Then it is the duty of him that has been more fortunate to re-echo the utterance of his master, to repeat his thoughts many, many times, that the joy that has fallen upon the life of this fortunate one may pass into the lives of many, that the intellectual light that has fallen upon his eyes may dawn upon the vision of his fellows." Now the students of Darwin would also become "intellectual middle-men." Aveling proclaimed: "It is their duty, as it is their privilege, to receive great truths from those on the heights above them, and to transmit them to the multitudes toiling below. Thus is the great mass of mankind raised slowly, but surely, up the steep hill of knowledge towards a serener air."
Aveling and Haeckel
Aveling was also a popularizer of the German zoologist
Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (; ; 16 February 1834 – 9 August 1919) was a German zoologist, natural history, naturalist, eugenics, eugenicist, Philosophy, philosopher, physician, professor, marine biology, marine biologist and artist ...
, who himself was probably the greatest popularizer of Darwin, earning him the sobriquet 'The German Darwin'. As with Darwin, Aveling had also written to Haeckel in October 1880, with the proposal to include some of his works in translation in the ''International Library of Science and Freethought'' series. Aveling's familiarity with Haeckel's writings appears to be from a much earlier date as he already recognizes him here as a "master" and, in a strictly metaphorical sense, said that he had "sat at his feet". This is a testament to the influence of Thomas Huxley and Ray Lankester at University College London; Huxley a personal friend of Haeckel's and Lankester who had actually studied under Haeckel at Jena in 1871 and organised the English translation of his "Natürliche Schöpfungs-Geschichte" (1868). In 1882 Aveling corresponded with Haeckel who had recently read out in a lecture at
Eisenach
Eisenach () is a Town#Germany, town in Thuringia, Germany with 42,000 inhabitants, west of Erfurt, southeast of Kassel and northeast of Frankfurt. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia, and bordering northeastern Hesse, Hessian re ...
, in Thuringia, Germany, an "irreligious letter" of Darwin's written in 1879 to a former young student of Haeckel's who had studied at the
University of Jena
The University of Jena, officially the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (, abbreviated FSU, shortened form ''Uni Jena''), is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany.
The university was established in 1558 and is cou ...
, the Russian Nicolai Alexandrovitch von Mengden (1862–1915). A scandal ensued after Haeckel's lecture was published in the scientific journal ''
Nature
Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...
'' on 23 September 1882, after it had been "censored" leaving out Darwin's letter and the sensational lines: "Science has nothing to do with Christ; except in so far, as the habit of scientific research makes a man cautious in admitting evidence. For myself I do not believe, that there ever has been any Revelation. As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities." Additionally, Haeckel's own comments to this letter of Darwin's from his lecture were censored. This resulted in an outpouring of disbelief and scorn by politically radical and secularist figures centred around the ''National Reformer'' (edited by
Charles Bradlaugh
Charles Bradlaugh (; 26 September 1833 – 30 January 1891) was an English political activist and atheist. He founded the National Secular Society in 1866, 15 years after George Holyoake had coined the term "secularism" in 1851.
In 1880, Br ...
and
Annie Besant
Annie Besant (; Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was an English socialist, Theosophy (Blavatskian), theosophist, freemason, women's rights and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner for Indian nationalism. She was an arden ...
). The complete translation of the letter, however, was published by Aveling in the ''National Reformer'' (1 October 1882) and in an article that appeared the following week from Annie Besant, with the title: "Darwin and Haeckel", she addressed this suppression and censorship "It is not credible that a high-class scientific journal could stoop to pander in this fashion to the cant of its own time."
When Aveling wrote to inform Haeckel that this censorship had taken place in ''Nature'', at first Haeckel did not believe him. When Haeckel published his lecture he also published in the 'Nachschrift' Aveling's letter to him, and it was clear he shared Aveling's outrage at this example of censorship in England towards Darwin's views on religion as well as his own. The following year Aveling's translation appeared in the series International Library of Science and Freethought, that included a number of Haeckel's works from the "Gesammelte populäre Vorträge aus dem Gebiete der Entwickelungslehre"
ollected popular lectures from the field of evolutionary theoryunder the title "The Pedigree of Man. And Other Essays. Translated, with the Authors permission, from the German" (London: Freethought Publishing,1883). Of particular importance is Aveling's first English translation of Haeckel's lecture from 1863 at the 38th scientific congress for German Naturalists and Physicians in Stettin (now Szczecin in Poland), and what is considered to be the first public discussion of Darwinism in Germany.
In some respects Aveling's translation of Haeckel illustrates the continuity and influence of zoology at University College London and especially of Ray Lankester, who had worked on the earlier translation of Haeckel's "The History of Creation: or the Development of the Earth and its Inhabitants by the Action of Natural Causes. A Popular Exposition of the doctrine of Evolution in General, and of that of Darwin, Goethe, and Lamarck in particular." (English, 1876). The ''International Library of Science and Freethought'' series had said that "German science is one of the glories of the world; it is time that it should lend in England that same aid to Freethought which in Germany has made every educated man a Freethinker."
Aveling's publication of Darwin's letter to Marx
In 1897, Aveling published for the first time a letter of Charles Darwin's to Karl Marx that had been written in 1873. It was the first published disclosure of any correspondence between Marx and Darwin."I should like to quote a letter from Darwin to Marx, which appears to me very characteristic and very beautiful. In 1873, Marx sent Darwin the second edition of the first volume of ''Das Kapital''. He received in answer the following letter: ...." The American sociologist,
Lewis Samuel Feuer, writing as a lapsed Marxist, was of the opinion that Aveling had in all probability forged this letter so as to make some money from selling it: "Edward Aveling...was the first English exponent of what today would be called the 'socialism of the rip-off'. Since his kit of tools included forgery, theft, and deceit, his statements pose methodological problems." The allegations Feuer had read in Hyndman, Bernstein et al., and he had taken at face value, amounted to severely prejudiced opinions and hearsay, that detrimentally influenced any claim to objective scholarship. Kapp's first volume of her weighted biography of Eleanor Marx had only appeared in 1972. The letter, held at the International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, has been proven as genuine, and is included in the Darwin correspondence edition.
"To Karl Marx 1 October 1873
Down, , Beckenham, Kent.
Dear Sir
I thank you for the honour which you have done me by sending me your great work on Capital; & I heartily wish that I was more worthy to receive it, by understanding more of the deep & important subject of political economy. Though our studies have been so different, I believe that we both earnestly desire the extension of knowledge, & that this in the long run is sure to add to the happiness of mankind.
I remain Dear Sir Yours faithfully Charles Darwin"
As Ralph Colp Jr. has written: "About the time he received Darwin's letter, Marx, with his wife and daughter Eleanor, attended a lecture on "Insects and Flowers," by Edward Aveling - a young science teacher - which illustrated some aspects of Natural Selection. Afterwards, Marx spoke to Aveling and congratulated him on his talk."
Later life, death and legacy
In 1897, Aveling left Eleanor and on 8 June that year secretly married a young actress, Eva Frye, who had appeared in one of his plays, using his pen-name Alec Nelson. He returned to Eleanor in September when he was suffering from
kidney disease
Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an Inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Infla ...
. Aveling had suffered from what the family physician
Bryan Donkin
Bryan Donkin FRS FRAS (22 March 1768 – 27 February 1855) developed the first paper making machine and created the world's first commercial canning factory. These were the basis for large industries that continue to flourish today. Bryan D ...
had originally diagnosed in 1885 as a kidney stone. Engels had written to Laura Lafargue telling her that Aveling and 'Tussy' were at Ventnor on the Isle of Wight recuperating because of Aveling's illness then. Engels had written to Laura again in 1891 telling her that because of his kidney problem he was at St Margaret's Bay on the Kent coast. Aveling had also been seriously ill in April–May 1893 and went to Hastings. Eleanor Marx had written to Liebknecht, who was in prison at the time, that this was now a four year old abscess. He was operated on (9 February), in what appears to have only been an exploratory operation by the surgeon
Christopher Heath at University College Hospital.
After nursing him for some time, which included a period of convalescence at the sea-resort of Margate in Kent, Eleanor Marx resorted to suicide on 31 March 1898. Her biographer, Yvonne Kapp provides full details of the suicide, and that the ''post mortem'' examination concluded that the cause of death was poisoning by prussic acid, purchased at the local chemist by the maid. A coroner's inquest delivered a verdict of "suicide while in a state of 'temporary insanity'". Eleanor had previously attempted to take her life in 1887. Aveling, however, was widely reviled amongst socialist circles (particularly by Hyndman, Banner, Keir Hardie and Bernstein) as having caused Eleanor to take her own life on this occasion.
[Matthew Gwyther: ]
Inside story: 7 Jew's Walk
'' In: ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
.'' 23 September 2000 It was even wildly suggested that Aveling ran away from an intended suicide pact with her and was a knowing accessory to an act of suicide (Robert Banner, Bernstein, and Hyndman), or that he might have murdered her. Yvonne Kapp has detailed the recriminations against Aveling as well as the "flagrant inaccuracies" and "fictionalised versions" about her death that ensued.
Eleanor left a short note for Aveling: "Dear, it will soon be all over now. My last word to you is the same I've said during these long, sad years—love." Aveling died some four months later on Tuesday 2 August 1898, at 2, Stafford Mansions, Albert Bridge Road, S.W. London
Battersea
Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park.
Hist ...
of kidney disease, an outcome that Eleanor had already feared. He was 48. His body was cremated at
Woking Crematorium
Woking Crematorium is a crematorium in Woking, a large town in the west of Surrey, England. Established in 1878, it was the first custom-built crematorium in the United Kingdom and is closely linked to the history of cremation in the UK.
Locat ...
, Surrey, three days later. A report in ''The Observer'' said that there were about half-a-dozen immediate relatives present at the funeral. It remarked on the fact that there was not much fanfare "Strange to say, however, although Dr. Aveling was considered to be one of the most prominent leaders of the Socialist movement in England, he having been closely identified with it since its inauguration, no representatives of this society were present at the last obsequies. The Doctor was also a leading figure in the movement on the Continent. The coffin, which was of deal, covered with light blue cloth, bore no inscription. On it were placed six floral emblems, trimmed with mauve ribbon." One of the first obituaries written had him simply as "Dr. Edward Aveling, Social Democrat, botanist, and playwright." a further short obituary in the ''Popular Science Monthly'' for November 1898 has the following: "Dr. E. B. Aveling, late assistant in physiology at Cambridge and professor of chemistry and physiology at New College, a writer upon scientific topics, in London, August 4th, aged forty-seven years;"
Legacy
Aveling was disliked by many of his contemporaries for his alleged tendency to borrow money from everyone. Also Eleanor was prone to criticism, George Standring's pet name for Eleanor was "Lady Macbeth Aveling". In his monumental work on William Morris, E. P. Thompson, warned about the dangers of any retrospective interpretation of Aveling's biography, G. B. Shaw had also commented on Aveling's "homeric" style of borrowing: "However, the tragedy of 1898 (when the marriage ended in Eleanor's suicide) should not be read back into the events of the 1880s. Until 1887 Morris valued the Avelings as among the best comrades in the leadership of the League. Month by month Eleanor contributed her record of the International movement to ''Commonweal'', her own contacts and those of Engels being drawn upon to the full. Aveling shared the editorship of the paper with Morris for the first year, and Morris admired his command of Scientific Socialism, both as a lecturer and writer." This warning about 'reading back' is equally the case for the 1870s. If he had repeated many of Kapp's interpretations of Aveling from the first volume which introduced his character (much of which Kapp had taken from A. H. Nethercot's work on Annie Besant), his later review of her second volume of Eleanor's biography, illustrated a much greater criticism and scepticism towards her biographical style.
Leon Trotsky
Lev Davidovich Bronstein ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky,; ; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky'' was a Russian revolutionary, Soviet politician, and political theorist. He was a key figure ...
writing from Oslo in October 1935 on "Engels' Letters to Kautsky", often mentions Aveling. In the context of Kautsky's criticism of Engels as a "poor judge of men" and that he supported him in politics. "Engels had particular affection for Eleanor, Marx' youngest daughter. Aveling became her friend; he was a married man who had broken with his first family. This circumstance engendered around the "illegal" couple the stifling atmosphere of genuinely British hypocrisy. Is it greatly to be marvelled at that Engels came to the strong defense of Eleanor and her friend, even irrespective of his moral qualities? Eleanor fought for her love for Aveling so long as she had any strength left. Engels was not blind but he considered that the question of Aveling's personality concerned Eleanor, first and foremost. On his part he assumed only the duty to defend her against hypocrisy and evil gossip. 'Hands off!' he stubbornly told the pious hypocrites. In the end, unable to bear up under the blows of personal life, Eleanor committed suicide." Trotsky made comparisons of the Avelings' marital personal life with Kautsky's own divorce and the fact that Engels had taken the side of
Luise Kautsky.
Publications by Edward Aveling
Selected writings
* ''The Bookworm, and other Sketches; by Edward B. Aveling, D.Sc., Fellow of University College, London.'' (London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co., 32, Peternoster Row, E.C. 1878. [In his introduction (signed Christmas, 1878) Aveling reveals that some of these sketches had already appeared in the pages of "Things in General. A quarterly magazine, edited by Teufelsdröckkh, the Younger [pseud.]. vol. 1–2. London, 1877–79."][British Library: P. P. 5273e], and a magazine called: "Figaro".]
* ''Why I Dare Not Be a Christian.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
881
* ''The Wickedness of God.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
881
* ''The Creed of an Atheist.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
881
* ''The Plays of Shakspere... : The Substance of Four Lectures Delivered at the Hall of Science, London.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
881
* ''The Value of this Earthly Life. A Reply to W. H. Mallock's "Is Life worth Living?"'' Freethought Pub. Co., London,
881 rice 1s.* '' Plays of Shakespeare, 4d.'' Macbeth, 4d.
* ''An Atheist on Tennyson's Despair.'', in: Modern Thought, January 1882.
* ''A Godless Life: The Happiest and Most Useful.'' London, A. Besant and C. Bradlaugh, 1882.
* ''The Sermon on the Mount'' Freethought Publishing Co., London,
881,
pp.* '' On Superstition''. Freethought Pub. Co., London,
881 rice 1d.* ''Shakspere the Dramatist'', in: Our corner; London Vol. 1, Iss.3, (Mar 1883), pp. 147–152; Vol. 1, Iss. 4, (Apr 1883): 218–222, Vol. 1, Iss. 5, (May 1883): 272–276; London Vol. 1, Iss. 6, (Jun 1883): 345–349; Vol. 2, Iss. 1, (Jul 1883): 33–36; Our corner; London Vol. 2, Iss. 2, (Aug 1883): 89–93;
* '' Art Corner'' in: Our corner; London Vol. 1, Iss. 5, (May 1883), pp. 299–302.
* '' The Dream of the Boy Jesus'', in: Our Corner, July 1, 1883.pp. 30–32.
* '' Art Corner'', in: Our corner; London Vol. 2, Iss. 4, (Oct 1883), pp. 235–238.
* ''Some Humors of the Reading Room at the British Museum'' in: Progress Vol. I. (May 1883), pp. 312–313.
* ''"Nora," and "Breaking a Butterfly." E. Aveling'' in: To-Day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism; vol. 1, 1884, pp. 473–480.
* ''Alone With My Ale-Can'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought (1884), Vol. III.-No.2, 1884, p. 90.
oem* '' Henry Irving And His Critics. By Edward B. Aveling.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought (1884), Vol. III.-No.1, pp. 24–29; Vol. III.-No.2, pp.
2��97.
* ''The Rottenness of our Press.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. (1884), Vol. III.-No.3, pp. 158–163.
* ''The Rottenness of our Press. II.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought (1884), Vol. III.-No.4, pp. 217–222.
* ''"Twelfth Night" at the Lyceum.'', in: Art Corner. Our corner; London (Aug 1884), pp. 115–118.
* '' "Claudian" at the Princess's.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. (1884), Vol. III.-No.5, 268–272.
* ''Christianity and Capitalism.''in: To-Day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism. London. Vol. 1, Iss. 1, (Jan 1884), pp. 30–38; Iss. 2, (Feb 1884), pp. 125–134; Iss. 3, (Mar 1884), pp. 177–187.
* ''The Curse of Capital'' by Edward B. Aveling, D.Sc. London: Freethought Publishing Company, 63, Fleet Street E.C. 1884.
rice One Penny* ''Hamlet at the Princess's.'', in: To-Day : monthly magazine of scientific socialism; London Vol. 2, Iss. 11, (Nov 1884), pp. 516–537.
* '' A "Mummer's Wife". By Edward Aveling'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. (1885), Vol. V., pp. 503-
y the Anglo-Irish playwright George Moore (1852–1933)* ''"Hoodman Blind" at the Princess's.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. (1885), Vol. V., pp. 437–443.
* ''Browning as a Dramatist.'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. (1885), Vol. V., pp. 551–557.
* ''The Meaning of Socialism.'', in: To-Day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism; London Vol. 3, Iss. 13, (Jan 1885), pp. 1–10.
* ''Das Drama in England.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 3(1885), Heft 4, S. 170–176.
* ''Politische Korrespondenz. England.'' In: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 3(1885), Heft 4, S. 189–192.
* ''Edward Aveling
British Socialism and the "Weekly Dispatch"', in: The Commonweal, February,1885, Vol. 1, No. 1.
* ''"Lessons in Socialism." "I. Scientific Socialism – Value"'', in: The Commonweal, April 1885, pp. 21–22; "II", (May 1885), p. 33; "III", (June, 1885), pp. 45–46.; "IV", (July, 1885), pp. 57–58.; "V", (September, 1885), pp. 81–81.; "VI", (October, 1885), pp. 89–90; "VII", (Dec., 1885), pp. 104–105; "VIII", (Jan., 1886), p. 5.; "IX", Vol. 2, No.14, March, 1886, pp. 18–19; "X", "XI", Vol. 2, No.15, April 1886, p. 29.
* ''Edward Aveling
Signs of the Times'', in: The Commonweal, Vol. 2, No. 13, February, 1886, p. 14.
* ''"Notes."''
igned "Ed.A." in: The Commonmweal, Vol. 2, No.16, May 1, 1886, p. 35.
* '' Objections to Socialism (A reply to Mr. Charles Bradlaugh, M.P.) III '', in: The Commonmweal, Vol. 2, No.18, May 15, 1886, p. 51; "IV". Vol. 2, No. 20, May 29, 1886, pp. 69–70; "V". Vol. 2, No.23, June 19, 1886, p. 93; "VI" in: Vol. 2, No.26, July 10, 1886, pp. 117–118; "VII". Vol. 2, No.29, July 31, 1886, pp. 141–142.(To be continued)
* '' The People's Press"
igned Ed. Aveling'' in: The Commonmweal, Vol. 2, No.18, May 15, 1886, pp. 54–55.
* '' Notes on News '', in: The Commonmweal, Vol. 2, No.20, May 29, 1886, p. 51.
* ''Tennyson's "Becket." Its Humors and Intimations.'', in: Progress: A Monthly Magazine of Advanced Thought, Vol. 6, 1886, pp. 313–319.
* ''The Russian Church. (From the French of Leo Tikhomirov.)'', in: Progress: A Monthly Magazine of Advanced Thought, Vol. 6, 1886, pp. 386–389.
* ''A Revolution in Printing'', in: Time, Vol. 1, pp. 412-
* ''The Eight Hours' Working-Day'', in: Time, Vol. 1, pp. 632-
''Natural philosophy for London university matriculation'' 188?
* ''The new era in German socialism.'' In: The Daily Chronicle, 25. September 1890.
* ''Coercion Abolished.''In: Newcastle Daily Chronicle - Tuesday 30 September 1890, p. 4.
* ''Germany flooded with papers from Kentish Town - A talk with the editor.'' In: The Star, 29. September 1890.
* ''At The Old Bailey.'' in: Time. October 1890, S. 1098–1107 (Digitalisat Marxist org)
* ''Type-Writers And Writers.'' in: Time. December 1890, S. 1322–1329 (Digitalisat Marxist org)
* ''Der Kongreß der britischen Trades-Unions.'' in: Die Neue Zeit, Jg. 1891/92, Bd. 2.
''The working-class movement in America'' London: Swan, 1891
* ''Discord in ‚The International'. Continental opinion on the British Trade Unionists.'' in: The Pall Mall Gazette. 11. Oktober 1892.
* ''The proposed Eight Hours Congress. Boykott by foreign workers.'' in: The Workmans' Times. vom 15. Oktober 1892.
''Russia Political And Social''. Vol. 1 1892
* ''The Students' Marx: An Introduction to the Study of Karl Marx' Capital.'' London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1892.
* ''Der Kongreß der britischen Trades-Unions.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 11.1892–93, 1. Bd.(1893), Heft 1, S. 20–28.
* ''The Fourth Clause''. in: The Clarion, March 1893.
* '' Interview and Speech at Halifax'' in: The Halifax Courier, November 1893.
* ''Ein englischer Roman.'' In: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 11.1892–93, 2. Bd.(1893), Heft 51, S. 747–758.
he novel was Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles"* ''Einiges vom Neuen Unionismus in England.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 12.1893–94, 2. Bd.(1894), Heft 37, S. 344–347.
* ''Esther Walters. Ein englischer Roman von George Moore.'' In: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens.13.1894–95, 1. Bd.(1895), Heft 13, S. 405–411.
* ''Death of F. Engels. A Great Socialist.'' In: Reynolds's Newspaper, London 11. August 1895.
* ''Engels at home.'' In: The Labour Prophet and Labour Church Record. Vol. VI., London 1895, Nr. 45 September und 46 Oktober, S. 140–142 und 149.
''Wilhelm Liebknecht and the Social-Democratic Movement in Germany.''London: Twentieth Century Press, n.d.
896
__NOTOC__
Year 896 ( DCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Europe
* February – King Arnulf of Carinthia invades Italy at the head of an East Frankish expeditionary army. He storms ...
* '' Breve histoire des manifestations de May Day pour la journee legale de huit heures en Angleterre'', in: Le Devinir Sociale, MAy 1896.
* ''Zur Geschichte der Maidemonstration für den gesetzlichen Achtstundentag in England.'' In: Die neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 14.1895–96, 2. Bd.(1896), Heft 31, S. 137–143.
* ''Ein eigenartiges Inselvolk.'' in: Die neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 13.1894–95, 2. Bd.(1895), Heft 46, S. 631–636.
* ''Charles Darwin and Karl Marx: A Comparison'', in: The New century review; London Vol. 1, Iss. 4, (Apr 1897): pp. 321–327.
* ''Charles Darwin and Karl Marx: A Comparison.'' London: Twentieth Century Press, n.d.
. 1897
* ''Charles Darwin und Karl Marx. Eine Parallele.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 15.1896–97, 2. Bd.(1897), Heft 50, S. 745–757.
* ''
George Julian Harney
George Julian Harney (17 February 1817 – 9 December 1897) was a British political activist, journalist, and Chartist leader. He was also associated with Marxism, socialism, and universal suffrage.
Early life
George Julian Harney, the so ...
: A Straggler of 1848.'' in: The Social Democrat, No. 1, January 1897, pp. 3–8.
* ''Socialism in France from 1876-1896'', in: Fortnightly Review, vol. 68, September 1897, pp. 445–458.
his article from Paul Lafargue was translated and signed by Edward Aveling.* ''Der Flibustier Cecil Rhodes und seine Chartered Company im Roman.'' in: Die neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens, 16.1897–98, 1. Band (1898), Heft 6, S. 182–188.
Scientific writings
* ''Botanical Tables, for The Use of Students.'' Compiled by Edward B. Aveling, B.Sc. (London: Hamilton, Adams &Co., 32, Paternoster Row, E.C.; Warren Hall & James J. Lovitt, 88, Camden Road, N.W.
874
* ''On the Teaching of Physiology.''(Paper read at the Monthly Evening Meeting of the College of Preceptors.), in: The Educational Times, 1 March 1878, pp. 73–75.
* ''On the Teaching of Botany in Schools.'' in: The Educational Times, 1 April 1879, pp. 107–110.
* ''Comparative Physiology for London University matriculation and science and art examinations.'' By Edward Aveling, D.Sc., F.L.S: Part I. (London: W. Stewart & Co., Holborn Viaduct Steps, E.C. Edinburgh: J. Menzies & Co.
879 tewart's Educational Series''The Student's Darwin.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., 1881.* ''"Worms " By Charles Darwin '', in: The National Reformer, 30 October 1881, 364.
* ''The Irreligion of Science.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
881
* ''Biological Discoveries and Problems.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
. 1881
* ''God Dies, Nature Remains.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
. 1881
* ''The Borderland Between Living and Non-Living Things: A Lecture Delivered Before the
Sunday Lecture Society, on Sunday Afternoon, 5 November 1882...'' London: Sunday Lecture Society, 1882.
* ''General Biology: Theoretical and Practical.'' London: n.p., 1882.
''Science and Secularism.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., 1882.* ''Botanical Tables: For the Use of Students.'' London: Freethought Publishing Co., n.d.
882
* ''Science and Religion.'' London, A. Besant and C. Bradlaugh, n.d.
882
* '' Superstition'', 1d.
* ''Mind as a function of the nervous system'', in: National Reformer, xxxix (1882), pp. 469–470; xl (1882), pp. 3–4, 21–2.
* ''Ernst Haeckel, The Pedigree of Man: And Other Essays.'' London: Freethought Publishing Company, 63, Fleet Street, E.C. 1883.
* ''The Religious Views of Charles Darwin.'' London: Freethought Publishing Company, 1883.
* ''The Darwinian Theory.'' London: Progressive Publishing Company, n.d.
. 1883
* ''The Commune of Plants and Animals'', in: National Reformer, xlii (1883), pp. 371–372.
* ''The Darwinian Theory: Its Meaning, Difficulties, Evidence, History.'' London: Progressive Publishing Co., 1884.
* ''The Gospel of Evolution''. Freethought Publishing Company, 63, Fleet Street, London, 1884.
nnie Besant had previously published a ''The Gospel of Atheism'' (1877)* ''Mental Evolution in Animals'', in: National Reformer, xliii (1884), pp. 210–211.
* ''The Origin of Man.'' London: Progressive Publishing Co., 1884.
* ''Chemistry of the Non-Metallics.'' in: The Practical Teacher; London Vol. 4, Iss. 1, (Mar 1884), pp. 11–13; (May 1884), pp. 119–120; (June, 1884), pp. 157–158; (July, 1884), pp. 217–218; (Aug., 1884), pp. 259–260; (Sep., 1884), pp. 334–335;(Oct., 1884), pp. 378–379; Vol. 4, Iss. 11, (Jan., 1885), pp. 494–497; (July, 1885), pp. 200–201; Vol. 5, Iss.9, (Nov., 1885), pp. 394–396; Vol.6, Iss.1, (March, 1886), pp. 8–9; (April, 1886), pp. 64–66; (May, 1886), pp. 105–107.
* ''Brute Habits in Man'', in: Progress, Vol. III.−No.6. (June, 1884), pp. 325–331.
* ''Monkeys, Apes and Men.'' London: Progressive Publishing Co., 1885.
* ''Astronomical Problems.-II. By Edward Aveling'', in: Progress: A Monthly magazine of Advanced Thought. Edited by G. W. Foote., Vol. V (1885), pp. 26–31.
* ''Explosions in Coal Mines. By Edward Aveling'', in: Progress (1885), Vol. V., pp. 361–367.
* ''Explosionen in Kohlenbergwerken.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens, 3, 1885, Heft 10, S. 473–479.
* ''Man's Manufacture of Organic Bodies. By Edward Aveling'', in: Progress (1885), Vol. V., pp. 65–69; II. 130–133; 179–182.
* ''The Cholera Germ. By Edward Aveling'', in: Progress (1885), Vol. V., pp. 266–272.
* '' Dr. Koch und der Cholerabarillus.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens, 3, 1885, Heft 7, S. 297–304.
* ''Chemistry of the Non-Metallics.'' London : J. Hughes, 1886.
ughes Matriculation Manuals* ''Natural Philosophy for London University Matriculation. By Edward B. Aveling, D.Sc. (Fellow of University College, London.) Dealing with all the required Subjects, and containing over One Hundred and Fifty Examples worked out in full, and some Hundreds of Exercises for Solution by the Student.'' Revised Edition. London: W. Stewart & Co., Holborn Viaduct Steps, E.C. Edinburgh: J. Menzies & Co.
886.* ''Die Fortschritte der Naturwissenschaften im Jahre 1885.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens, 4, 1886, Heft 5, S. 226–236.
* ''Theorien der Vererbung.'' in: Die neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens, 4, 1886, Heft 9, S. 399–405.
''Darwin Made Easy.'' London: Progressive Publishing Co., 1887(three separately paginated lectures titled 'The Darwinian Theory', 'The Origin of Man', and 'Monkeys, Apes, and Men').
* ''Mechanics and Experimental Science as Required for the Matriculation Examination of the University of London..''
887.* ''Key to Mechanics.'' London: Chapman and Hall, 1888.
* ''Key to Chemistry.'' London: Chapman and Hall, 1888.
* ''Mechanics, and Light and Heat: For London University Matriculation.'' London : W. Stewart & Co., n.d.
888
* ''Mechanics and Experimental Science as Required for the Matriculation Examination of the University of London: Magnetism and Electricity.'' London: Chapman and Hall, 1889.
''The people's Darwin, or, Darwin made easy'' London: R Forder, 188?
* ''An Introduction to the Study of Botany.'' London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1891
''The students' Marx. An introduction to the study of Karl Marx' Capital'' London: S. Sonnenschein, 1892
* ''An Introduction to the Study of Geology, Specially Adapted for the Use of Candidates for the London B.Sc. and the Science and Art Department Examinations.'' London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1893.
[An Introduction to the Study of Geology. Nature 48, 292 (1893). https://doi.org/10.1038/048292b0]
* ''Naturwissenschaftliches aus England und Deutschland.'' In: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 12.1893–94, 1. Bd.(1894), Heft 15, S. 461–467.
* ''Die Schlacht der Mikroben.'' In: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 13.1894–95, 1. Bd.(1895), Heft 15, S. 476–480; (Fortsetzung)Heft 16, S. 509–512; (Schluß) Heft 17, S. 541–544.
''Thomas Henry Huxley, Der Freund und Erklärer Darwins.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. 14.Jg. 1896, 3, 85–90.
Writings coauthored with Eleanor
* ''The Factory Hell.'' with Eleanor Marx Aveling. London: Socialist League Office, 1885.
* ''The Woman Question.'' Westminster Review, vol.125, Iss. 249, (January)1886, pp. 207–222.
* ''The Woman Question.'' With Eleanor Marx Aveling. London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1886.
* ''An die Mitglieder der Sektion St. Paul, S.L.P.'' In: Chicagoer Arbeiter-Zeitung, Nr. 240, 17 Februar, 1887.
* ''An die Redaktion der N. Y. Volkszeitung''. In: New Yorker Volkszeitung, 2. März 1887.
* ''An die Redaktion der N. Y. Volkszeitung''. In: New Yorker Volkszeitung, 30. März 1887.
* ''The Working Class Movement in America.'' With Eleanor Marx Aveling. London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1887. Second Edition, 1891.
* ''Die Lage der Arbeiterklasse in Amerika.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 5(1887), Heft 6, S. 241–246; Heft 7, S. 307–313.
* ''The Chicago Anarchists.'', in: To-day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism; London Iss. 48, (Nov 1887), pp. 142–149.
* ''The Chicago Anarchists. A Statement of Facts. Reprinted from 'To-Day', November 1887.'' London: W. Reeves, 1888.
* ''Shelley and Socialism.'', in: To-day: monthly magazine of scientific socialism; London Iss. 53, (Apr 1888), pp. 103–116.
* ''Shelley's Socialism: Two Lectures.'' With Eleanor Marx Aveling. London: privately published, 1888.
* ''Shelley als Sozialist.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 6(1888), Heft 12, S. 540–550.
* ''Shelley und der Sozialismus. II. Theil.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 10.1891–92, 2. Bd.(1892), Heft 45, S. 581–588.
* ''Die Kuhjungen.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens. 7(1889), Heft 1, S. 35–39.
* ''Die Wahlen in Großbritannien.'' in: Die Neue Zeit. Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens 2(1891–2), Heft 45, S.596–603.
* ''Socialist Personalities: Sketches at the Zurich International Congress''. Westminster Gazette, Monday 14 August 1893, pp. 1–2.
* ''Socialist Personalities. Sketches at the Zurich International Congress.'' The Westminster Budget, August 18, 1893, p. 10.
* ''More Socialist Personalities: The Women Delegates at the International Congress''. Westminster Gazette, Saturday 19 August 1893, p. 3.
* ''The Eastern Question by Karl Marx- A Reprint of Letters written 1853–56 dealing with the events of the Crimean War. Edited by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, with a preface by Edward Aveling.'' London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co. 1898.
* ''Value, Price, and Profit, addressed to Working Men by Karl Marx.'' Edited by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, with a preface by Edward Aveling. London, 1898
Translations
* Ernst Haeckel, ''The Pedigree of Man. And Other Essays. Translated, with the Authors permission, from the German.'' Freethought Publishing, London 1883. (International Library of Science and Freethought, 6)
* Karl Marx, ''Capital A critical analysis of capitalist production. Translated from the third edition, by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling and edited by Frederick Engels.'' Vol. I. Swan Sonnenschein, Lowrey & Co. London 1887.
* L.A. Tikhomirov, ''Russia: Political and Social.''By L. Tikhomirov Translated from the French by Edward Aveling, D.Sc. Vol. I. London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1888.
* Frederick Engels, ''Socialism: Utopian and Scientific'' London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1892.
* ''The Working Class Movement in England: Brief Historical Sketch.'' Preface by Wilhelm Liebknecht, trans. by Edward Aveling, 1896
Notes
External links
at
marxists.org
*
*
*
*
Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (; ; 16 February 1834 – 9 August 1919) was a German zoologist, natural history, naturalist, eugenics, eugenicist, Philosophy, philosopher, physician, professor, marine biology, marine biologist and artist ...
''The Pedigree of Man: And Other Essays'' London: Freethought Publishing Company tr. by E.B. Aveling (1883).
Spartacus Educational
Spartacus Educational is a free online encyclopedia with essays and other educational material on a wide variety of historical subjects, principally the struggle for equality and democracy as part of British history from 1700 and the history of ...
. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
* Dr. Izzy Gibbin
Love and tragedy in the British Library: The story of Eleanor Marx and Edward Aveling Part 1 7 March 2018 ntold lives blog- The British Library* Dr. Izzy Gibbin
Love and tragedy in the British Library: The story of Eleanor Marx and Edward Aveling Part 2 9 March 2018 ntold lives blog- The British Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aveling, Edward
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