BIB_ID
419982
Accession number
MA 1352.38
Creator
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Display Date
London, England, 1843 October 13.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 18.2 x 11.3 cm
Notes
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.
Written from "Devonshire Terrace / Thirteenth October 1843."
Written from "Devonshire Terrace / Thirteenth October 1843."
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
Referring to the "Ragged Masters" and a letter he has enclosed concerning them; saying he hopes to talk with them; asking about Nell [a protégée of Miss Coutts] and saying "Will you tell me whether you wish her to learn anything? I am not quite clear about that. - I mean, to learn a trade, or learn what is popularly called 'her book';" saying he has a bad cold; reporting that the Manchester Meeting was "very brilliant [...] I am strongly tempted to send you a local paper, containing all the Speeches. But modesty (a besetting sin with authors) prevents me;" asking her to tell Miss Meredith that his hair is growing, sending messages from his children and adding that Mrs. Dickens would like to know if she could use her Drury Lane box the next week.
Catalog link
Department