BIB_ID
420369
Accession number
MA 1352.376
Creator
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Display Date
London, England, 1854 May 30.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 17.9 x 11.3 cm + envelope
Notes
Signed with initials.
Written from "Tavistock House."
Black-bordered envelope with postmarks: "Miss Burdett Coutts / Hotel Bristol / Place Vendôme / Paris."
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 "Tavistock House."
Black-bordered envelope with postmarks: "Miss Burdett Coutts / Hotel Bristol / Place Vendôme / Paris."
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
Enclosing a letter from a clergyman (no longer with the letter) and asking for her opinion; saying that he was very moved by her offer of a tree to be planted at the grave of his daughter Dora; describing the gravesite and what he has chosen for it: "There is a wonderful view of the giant city from the spot. They never allow the birds to be frightened there, and they sing delightfully;" asking whether she had seen a particular article in a recent issue of Household Words; saying that he has received further requests for money from Antonina Matthews and he has replied that she can expect nothing more from Miss Burdett-Coutts; mentioning that Macready is coming to stay for a few days before Dickens goes to Boulogne on the 17th and describing Macready's oldest son: "A fine, handsome, gentle, good fellow -- but I very much doubt if he will see another summer. [John] Elliotson told me last night -- at [Chauncy Hare] Townshend's by the bye -- that he believed the whole family to be more or less affected by the same disease [i.e. tuberculosis];" asking whether Maria and Louisa Goodluck should be sent money in June; sending a message to Hannah Brown about the relocation of the Crystal Palace to Sydenham; mentioning that William Brown's friend, the French actor François-Joseph Regnier, is performing and the French Theatre under Pierre-Chérie Lafont is an "immense success;" discussing the accounts.
Catalog link
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