BIB_ID
420918
Accession number
MA 1352.177
Creator
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Display Date
London, England, 1849 December 8.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (3 pages) ; 17.8 x 11.1 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 / Seventh December 1849." The published letter cited below states "Incorrectly dated by CD, like last; assuming 'Friday Night' correct there (see MA 1352.176), this must have been written on Sat 8 Dec."
Written from "Devonshire Terrace / Seventh December 1849." The published letter cited below states "Incorrectly dated by CD, like last; assuming 'Friday Night' correct there (see MA 1352.176), this must have been written on Sat 8 Dec."
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
Expressing his deep appreciation for her friendship and discussing her support of and suggestions for the education and careers of Charley and Walter; saying "For Charley's next brother, Walter Landor, now nine years old, I never could desire to do a better thing than you propose. He is a tougher subject than Charley, not so quick or sensitive, a hard-working, patient, capable child, better fitted in all respects for such a life, and much more safely to be left to himself. I feel certain he would strive on and do well in India; and that Charley nearer home, as the eldest of so many children (to say nothing of his mother, who might live long after me) would have a good influence upon him, and upon himself, and upon all the rest;" adding that Walter is doing very well at Mr. King's; saying he would very much like to talk with her about the Marks as he believes they could be improved.
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