"Such is the Old Town of Manchester, and on re-reading my description, I am forced to admit that instead of being exaggerated, it is far from black enough to convey a true impression of the filth, ruin, and uninhabitableness, the defiance of all considerations of cleanliness, ventilation, and health which characterise the construction of this single district, containing at least twenty to thirty thousand inhabitants."
How does Engels characterize his description of the city? I don't understand what he means when he says "far from black"
The word "black" in this context refers to the soot from the factories' chimneys, which coated the streets and buildings so that what may have been red (brick) to start with, slowly turns black because of the soot.
In this passage, Friedrich Engels is characterizing his description of the Old Town of Manchester. When he says "far from black enough," he means that his description falls short of accurately conveying the extent of the filth, ruin, and terrible living conditions that he witnessed in that area.
The word "black" here is used figuratively, not literally. It is an expression that suggests something is dark, grim, or unpleasant. By saying his description is "far from black enough," Engels is emphasizing that no matter how vividly he describes the Old Town, it still doesn't fully capture the true direness of the situation.
In other words, Engels feels that even though he is using strong language to depict the appalling conditions, the reality is even worse than what he has managed to convey. The phrase "far from black enough" highlights the severity of the problems faced by the inhabitants of the Old Town, as well as the limitations of language in fully expressing the depth of their suffering.