BIB_ID
80503
Accession number
MA 9057
Creator
Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth), 1835-1915.
Display Date
1889 September 24.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 17.5 x 11.2 cm
Notes
Internal evidence suggests that Braddon is writing to Elizabeth Harriet Graves, the daughter of Wilkie Collins's longtime companion Caroline Graves by her first husband. Collins called her "Carrie" and the two were very close; she also served as Collins's amanuensis later in his life. In 1878, she married Henry Bartley, who was Collins's solicitor.
Engraved letterhead: "Annesley Bank, / Lyndhurst."
Engraved letterhead: "Annesley Bank, / Lyndhurst."
Summary
Writing of her grief on reading of Wilkie Collins's death in the day's newspaper (Collins died on September 23, 1889): "We so hoped the cloud might have passed and that this bright intellect & valued life might have been prolonged. We have felt so near the author of those delightful, and always pure-minded, books in all these years, & we feel that we have lost a dear & familiar friend"; adding "Believe me, we sympathize with you and yours in the far greater loss of one near & dear, for the rest all the English speaking people over the world will deplore as we do that Wilkie Collins is no more. He lives, and will long live, in his books, which are too distinctive & original to be forgotten or to become old fashioned."
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