BIB_ID
116376
Accession number
MA 1352.680
Creator
Townshend, Chauncy Hare, 1798-1868.
Display Date
Lausanne, Switzerland, 1855 November 10.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 11.1 x 9.2 cm
Notes
Townshend gives the place of writing as "Mon Loisir," the name of his villa in Lausanne.
Dickens enclosed this letter with one of his own to Angela Burdett-Coutts dated November 13, 1855 (cataloged as MA 1352.441). See the published correspondence, cited below, for additional information.
The letter is part of a collection, MA 1352, which consists of letters from Charles Dickens to the Baroness, to her companion Hannah (Meredith) Brown, or the latter's husband, William Brown; with 70 letters written by others to Miss Coutts or to Dickens in his capacity as her unofficial almoner; and a few others. See the collection-level record for more information.
Dickens enclosed this letter with one of his own to Angela Burdett-Coutts dated November 13, 1855 (cataloged as MA 1352.441). See the published correspondence, cited below, for additional information.
The letter is part of a collection, MA 1352, which consists of letters from Charles Dickens to the Baroness, to her companion Hannah (Meredith) Brown, or the latter's husband, William Brown; with 70 letters written by others to Miss Coutts or to Dickens in his capacity as her unofficial almoner; and a few others. See the collection-level record for more information.
Provenance
The letters formed part of the Burdett-Coutts sale (Sotheby, 17 May 1922); they were purchased for Oliver W. Barrett in whose collection they remained until it was sold by his son (Parke-Bernet, 31 October 1951).
Summary
Sending, via Dickens, his condolences to her and to Hannah Meredith Brown on the death of Dr. William Brown; saying he has often thought of her: "Indeed, many a time, in thought, I have been with your party - having heard of your visit to the South of France, and sometimes a prayer has been breathed for your welfare - and for the happiness of one who is so precious to so many;" discussing the consolations of faith; adding "It was one happy circumstance that Mr. Dickens should be in Paris at this time for I am sure he radiates the force of his mind into the saddest & most difficult circumstances. If ever I am out of humour with human nature (& I have had some sad experiences) there are two persons on whom I think. One of them is Mr. Dickens;" asking her to convey to Mrs. Brown "my very deepest expression of sorrow for her loss."
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