Letter from Charles Dickens, London, to Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1850 February 4 : autograph manuscript signed.

Promising her to "...apply myself to getting all the information you want;" discussing two brothers, Samuel and John Sidney, who might contribute essays to his new periodical on emigration and who sent him copies of books they had written on Australia; saying "The perusal of those books, and the knowledge they give me of a state of society of which one could have no previous understanding, and which would seem to be quite misunderstood, or very little known, even in the cities of New South Wales itself, leads me to much the same conclusion as it leads you. I am not quite sure that perfect penitence in these women - in the best of them I mean - would lead them in all cases not to Marry; for I can certainly (I think) descry a kind of active repentance in their being faithful wives and the mothers of virtuous children; but in all other respects I most certainly concur with you;" telling her that in order to prevent her from having to commit to taking new prison cases, he "...announced at our last meeting that you had decided to change the character and object of the Home;" saying he would be happy to talk with her "...on the sad subject to which you have - with a moral bravery which you must forgive my saying I cannot enough respect - directed your thoughts. It is difficult to approach, in pages that are intended for readers of all classes and all ages of life; but I have not the least misgiving about being able to bring people gently to its consideration. You will observe that I am endeavouring to turn their thoughts a little that way, in Copperfield;" asking her to tell 'the General Objector' [Hannah Brown] that he sent her the ruled diary as the manufacturer no longer made unruled diaries; wondering "...whether she would listen to any liberal proposal for a series of extracts from her journal, for my new Miscellany! We might call them 'Passages in the life of a General Objector' - or 'Scraps of my daily observation. By a shrewd Woman.' If you think this literary Adventure might be accomplished, perhaps you would use your influence!;" sharing with them the name for his weekly journal and adding "It is the profoundest secret and most mighty mystery, except to you and Mrs. and Mr. Brown;" adding, in a postscript, the following suggested title: 'Household Words' / A Weekly Journal / Designed for the instruction and entertainment of all classes / of reader. / Conducted by Charles Dickens. / 'Familiar in their mouths, as Household Words' / Shakspeare."