Letter from Charles Dickens, Gad's Hill Place, to Wilkie Collins, 1859 September 16 : autograph manuscript signed.

Referring to a play he was asked to read by [John] Saunders; referring to an account in the Times of the ship "Great Eastern" and commenting on the ship; saying "I wouldn't go to Sea in her - shiver my ould timbers and rouse me up with a Monkey's-tail (Man of War metaphor) not to chuck a biscuit into Davy Jones's weather eye, and see double with my own old toplights;" commenting on his dog, his pony and his gardens; saying "Turk has been so good as to produce from his mouth, for the wholesome consternation of the family, 18 feet of worm. When he had brought it up, he seemed to think it might be turned to account in the housekeeping, and was proud. Pony has kicked a shaft off the Cart, and is to be sold. Why dont you buy her; she'd never kick with you. Barber's opinion is, that them fruit trees one and all, is Touchwood and not fit for burning at any gentleman's fire. Also that the stocking of this here garden is worth less than nothing, because you wouldn't have to grub up nothing, and something takes a man to do it at three and six pence a day. Was 'left Desponding' by our Reporter."