Autograph Letter Signed

Gad’s Hill, Kent, England, 1862. Gad’s Hill, Kent, England: 1862.

Full Description:

DICKENS, Charles. Autograph Letter Signed. Gad’s Hill Place, Higham by Rochester, Kent, [England]: 1862.

An autograph letter signed, by Charles Dickens written to Frederic Chapman. Chapman is of the Dickens publisher Chapman and Hall. One octavo leaf, folded in half to make four pages. Folded size: (7 1/8 x 4 1/2 inches; 181 x 115 mm). Full sheet size: (9 x 7 1/8 inches; 229 x 181 mm), The letter is written on the recto of the first page and the recto of the third page. With 21 lines on the first page and 9 lines on the third page for a total of 30 lines. Letter is written on Dickens' personal blue paper stationary in blue ink. The printed letter head reads "Gads Hill Place/ Higham by Rochester, Kent." Two crease lines from mailing. Some very light toning to edges. Overall a very good example.

This letter is included in Pilgrim Letters, vol. X, p.139.

The following letter has Dickens answering the "difficult" question whether "A Child’s History of England" should be published by Chapman & Hall as part of the Cheap Edition or Library Edition of the works, and who should be responsible for the printing. Bradbury and Evens were the original publisher's of the title, and although the copyright was now belonging to Chapman & Hall, it seems that due to a prior arrangement, Bradbury & Evans still held the rights to print the work. Dickens feels it is a "point of honor" to uphold the original agreement.

Sunday, Twelfth October 1862

Dear Sir, The Bradbury and Evans question I feel to be a difficult one, requiring great

consideration. You will remember that when the treaty was in progress for the

purchase of their share, Mr. Evans asked

you whether they were to lose the printing

of my books? On which [?] I wrote to you that I had no intention whatever of changing the existing arrangements, or

interfering to deprive them of the

printing. Unless I am mistaken, you [?] [?] it to him, before the purchase was concluded? For the present at all [?} I decided against leaving the Child's History in the Library Edition of my books. In an

attractive and very legible edition in some different form, I greatly prefer. There is no doubt about the goodness of

the Child's printing, or the saving that could

be effected in the printing of the cheap

edition. The question is, whether a higher

consideration is not at issue-something

very like a point of honor . Faithfully Yours always,

Charles Dickens

Gimbel. Hatton and Cleaver,. Smith, Dickens,.

HBS 69269.

$4,000. (Inventory #: 69269)